subject: Installing Solar Panels: UL vs non-UL Solar Panels [print this page] Installing Solar Panels: UL vs non-UL Solar Panels
If you've bought yourself a couple of solar panels, you are most likely eager to get them put in place and charging your battery bank. Before you do, though, let's make sure you are doing it properly and safely.
When installing residential solar panels, the very first thing you have to do is find out if they are UL certified. UL certification is a government manufacturing certification. UL certified solar panels have been subject to thorough safety and quality tests. DIY solar panels, and also a number of professionally made ones, aren't UL certified. How come this is important when setting up solar panels?
This is important because some insurance companies will not cover fire damage attributable to solar panels that are not UL certified. Are non-UL certified solar panels unsafe? No, there is little possibility of your solar panels triggering an electrical fire. We are, however, dealing with electricity, and you can never be too careful. So, how should you mount your solar panels?
How to Set Up UL-Certified Solar Panels
In the event that you possess UL certified panels, or if you get the okay from your insurance broker for your non-UL certified panels, then the best place to install your solar panels is on your rooftop. If your rooftop is tilted at approximately a 30-degree angle and is also facing a southerly direction, it is ideal for a solar panel installation. Just buy a set of solar panel mounts and use them to secure the solar panels to your rooftop.
After you buy your mounts, bolt them to your roof before attaching them to your solar panels; otherwise, you are going to have a very difficult time mounting your panels. Furthermore, you have to make certain that your solar panel brackets are bolted directly into the studs supporting your roof. This isn't too difficult-just work with a stud finder to locate them. If your roof is flat, or not facing a southerly direction, you can still install your solar panels there. You'll simply need to use a supporting frame that holds your panels up at the appropriate angle and towards the sun. There are numerous commercial solar panel mounts that you can buy, or you can just assemble your own, whichever you prefer.
Installation of Solar Panels that are Not UL-Certified
In case you have solar panels that are not UL-certified, I recommend that you mount them on a freestanding base next your home. That way, in the unlikely event that they short out, there will be no danger of them catching your roof on fire. To install your solar panels in this way, you can choose between a number of commercially manufactured brackets, or you can just construct your own. As these kinds of support frames are relatively basic, I suggest that you simply build one yourself. You can construct your frame from metal or wood, and in any style you like. The main thing is to make sure that it holds your solar panels at a 30-degree angle to the sun. If your solar panels are positioned in a horizontal or vertical position, they won't work correctly.
Wiring Your Solar Panels
If you've got more than one solar panel then you will have to wire them together. You've got two options. You can use a parallel or a series wiring configuration. When selecting which configuration to use, you need to keep in mind two things. First, your total power output will not be changed by either wiring style. Second, wiring your solar panels in parallel a configuration will increase the amperage of your solar panel system. Wiring your solar panels using a series configuration, however, will increase your system's total voltage. Which wiring arrangement you choose will depend on what you are planning to charge with your panels. If you're intending to charge 12-volt batteries, for example, you will need to ensure that your total voltage output is 12 to 18 volts.
