subject: Installing A Solar Power System by:Lee Maynard [print this page] People have been using solar power systems for many years to use sunlight to generate power for their homes. They continue to improve each year and they can generate more electricity with less sunlight now. This wiil mean that you won't need as many solar panels on your roof to achieve your energy requirements.This means that people with small roofs will still be able to use a solar power system to generate power for their home.
In addition to the newer solar panels generating more power for the same amount of sunlight, they can do it at a more severe angle. This becomes important because few homes have ideal orientation for top electricity generation. These newer panels can tolerate the sun hitting them at a steeper angle and still generate the majority of their power. This means that even homes with non-ideal orientation can still use solar power systems to generate energy.
Sometimes solar panels are mounted on a roof with a rail system that allows the panels to slide along the rails. This also makes it easy to expand the system later if you want to do that to increase its capacity.
You will need to figure out the size of of the system you will require to fullfil your house's power needs before you start installing your project. You will have to look at previous electical bills and find your average usage, and also what what your peak energy use was for the past year.
You can start with a very basic system and then add on to it every year until you reach this goal over time. Your energy bill will be significantly reduced even if the system you installed doesn't generate enough electricity to fully power your home.
The inverter is the one item that you will have to make sure is sized properly. This is the part of the system that will change the current generated by the solar panels (DC) into the current that homes use (AC). You should ensure that the inverter you install is big enough to cover all of your home's electricity needs, even if the solar power system you will be installing is relatively small. This way if you choose to install more solar panels later the inverter will not need to be replaced and you can just simply wire in the extra panels.
The inverter is the one component of a solar power system that will need to be connected by an electrician. This is because it ties into your homes electrical system and there are dangerous voltages present. Also, there are local electrical codes that this installation needs to adhere to in order to pass inspection.
Another benefit of a solar power system is that there are incentives that are made available to homeowners who install these systems. There are local and federal loans and grants available that can help you subsidize the cost of installing a solar power system.
One other thing to consider is that a few power utility companies will finance your solar power system's installation if you use the power you generate to pay them back. This type of plan is usually based on a certain level of power generation for a given period of time but can be a great way for a homeowner to install a system.
