Posts Tagged ‘Solar Panel Review’
Solar Energy And Solar Panels
With current energy resources becoming scarcer to produce, countries around the world have been developing alternative ways for people to utilize energy. Presently, solar energy is the leading choice in those development processes.
Solar energy utilizes the power radiating from the sun. Dating as far back as ancient times, the use of solar power has accompanied human civilization in many different ways, adapting to the technological advances made from century to century. However, because of the mass boom in technological advancement, other more manageable energy sources like coal, oil and natural gas became the dominate source for powering technology. Unfortunately, because the amount of power needed to keep current technology, running many of these natural resources are running out, thus causing mass panic and scientist trying to harness other forms of energy.
Solar energy seemed like the most promising for the reason that human beings have such a rich history utilizing it in the past and the fact that it is a constant renewing resource. Nevertheless, trying to adapt that power for modern technology has taken decades to even make the little breakthroughs available today.
One of the breakthroughs being implemented into everyday life comes in the form of solar cell panels. Presently, solar panels are used to offer electrical power for both private and commercial consumers. The rays of heat driven down to earth by the sun filter through the solar cell causing an electrical current to form. The current then flows through the wiring in both residential homes or commercial business establishments, giving power to all electrical appliances within such as computers, televisions, stoves, microwaves, etc.
Alas, because the amount of energy needed to power even a single home cannot be produced from the small amount of energy that forms from a single cell, multiple panels are required in order to fully do any good. A typical installation includes a great amount of solar panels, batteries and an interconnection wiring.
Adapting the process for current technological and economical needs, developers have implemented the thin film modules sources that convert the solar energy. These third generation solar cells are indeed advanced thin film cells and when used on current panels provides high quality and efficient conversion at an extremely affordable cost. Those who recently have chosen to work with panel energy most likely have used the third generation solar cell technology.
Module panels are generally tested under a set of rules called Standard Test Conditions. Solar panels are expected to withstand weather elements such as rain, cold, head and hail for a long time. Some companies offer their loyal customers specific warranties that guarantee production for no less than ten years at 90 percent power and 25 years at 80 percent power.
Pricing on solar panels tends to vary depending on the amount of power and space needed. The three price ranges include small quantities, mid-range buyers, and large quantity buyers which has low cost deals. Although somewhat expensive to start, solar panels over time save the user money and help contribute to an alternative energy source.
Solar Panel Charger – Basic Review
Battery chargers are in general a device capable of performing 3 major tasks:
1- Converting power source to a suitable level for the particular type of battery used. For example an AC USB charger should convert 110 volts AC into 5 Volts DC.
2- Providing a constant voltage, constant current, or trickle charge power.
3- Some chargers will employ intelligence to keep track of charging process. For example compensate for temperature, or applying appropriate current if there is a short in a battery.
To learn how solar panel charger works, you have to know the type of battery in use. Solar power systems in homes, cottages or RVs use lead-acid deep cycled batteries. Even though their physical look is the same as a car battery, however they can be deep cycled. That means that you can discharge them almost completely and recharge them again without damaging the battery. On the other hand a normal car battery should not be totally discharged as it will lower its life expectancy.
A standard lead-acid battery charger circuit applies full voltage across the batteries and monitors the current being drawn by the battery. When the current starts to decrease, it will lower the applied voltage. This will eliminate the battery being overcharged, and increases its life span. In modern charging system there is also a battery temperature monitoring device. It basically senses the temperature of the battery and as it heats up, it lowers the charging voltage.
Solar panel charger is not any different than a standard battery charger. The only difference is that a solar panel charger uses solar panels as the source of the power. It is also designed around the components that are suitable for a green energy power system.
Do you use a certain model of the solar panel charger that you are happy with? Please share your story with us.
Jay Eld
Solar Power Cost Review would be more beneficial, if we touch basis on electrical aspect of the technology. To have a clear mind on this topic, I like you to shut the solar panel topic off your mind temporarily, and consider these rather simple concepts explained below:
There are 3 quantities when we talk about any electrical or electronic circuit. Whether it is a simple electric kettle, a high tech iPhone, or even a computer controlled navigation system for a solar powered space ship orbiting the earth; these 3 quantities hold true.
They are Voltage, Current, and Resistance. Later on we would explain how these relate to our topic of solar power cost blog.
If somebody explains to me what the heat is, or what a heavy item is; I can understand it well because I am able to relate to them, I can experience them. But how about voltage, current, and resistance, how I can interpret them? The only thing I can relate to is voltage and that is because I stock a nail into my electrical outlet when I was young. I still can feel it!
Perhaps a simple example will give us an insight. Let’s consider a water reservoir tank 100 feet above the ground. It delivers water from the tank to a nearby valve via a two-inch pipe. I can imagine the higher the tank is above the ground, the more water pressure I would get when I open the valve. That pressure can be taught as voltage. When we talk about a solar panel being able to supply 17 volts, we are referring to the amount of pressure that panel can create in electrical concept.
The current is analogous to the amount of water flow when we open the reservoir tank valve. The resistance of the system is determined by the pipe carrying the water, in our example we used a 2 inch pipe. Of course if we use a larger diameter pipe, we get more water flow. If we lower the reservoir tank height (voltage), we get less water flow. All 3 quantities seem to be related; I mean; changing one will affect the other one.
The relationship between these quantities is expressed as:
Potential Difference (or Voltage) = Current times Resistance.
It is written as V=I.R for simplicity.
Say, we have a heating element with a resistance of 60 Ohms. If we connect that across a 240 Volts source, we will be drawing 4 amps of current. That is because:
V=I.R 240=I x 60 (240 equals, I times 60), therefore:
I=4
Now let’s get back to our photovoltaic panel discussion. Those 3 quantities come into play when considering a solar panel, a solar panel charger, or a solar power inverter. In a PV, there are more detailed specifications like power wattage, short circuit current and etc. We will discuss those topics in our future blogs.
When we are employing any electrical Green Energy system, we are interested in the amount of current we can draw out of them. The more amperage (current) the overall system can provide us the better it can benefit our everyday electrical usage demand.
Considering the solar power cost, we can conclude that a solar panel capable of providing 34 volts will be almost twice more powerful than a 17 volts PV. This fact is reflected in the power capacity specification of the solar module. Please, stay tuned for more facts on this growing field.
Thanks for your time,
Jay Eld