Things Needed To Set Up A Solar Power For Your Home?
The supplies of energy resources are depleting at a faster pace. To secure the energy resources the users must shift towards alternative sources of energy in order to prevent the exhaustion of energy resources. Further conversions can take place to save the one. For instance, solar energy can be converted into electrical energy by the utilization of photovoltaic cells. The installation of solar panels can be done in various ways depending upon the needs of the users.
The installation of the solar panels is done on the rooftop. With respect to this, the installation of the panels can be done easily by the owner of the land or either one can make a call to the professionals to install the solar panels. The materials that are required for the installation are roof anchors made up of aluminum or steel, a unique key lock system between the roof anchors and the mounting frame, mounting frame, bolts, clamps to fix the solar panels to the mounting frame, and the solar panels.
What Is Needed For A Solar Power System?
Have you ever wondered what are the materials needed for a solar panel system? -
In the very first step, we are going to clarify the concept regarding what components the solar panel does contain. The components of a grid-tied home solar power system include:
- Solar panels
- Solar inverter
- Solar racking
- Net meter
- Solar performance monitoring
Now, let us have detailed information about each and every component of the panel.
Solar panels
One of the major elements of solar panels is solar panels themselves. The role of the panel is to generate electricity. No matter what type of solar panel you are using, the role of every solar panel is the same. Generally, solar panels are made up of solar cells made of silicon, that are wired together to make solar modules.
Solar inverter
Solar inverters are the mechanisms that make the conversion of the Direct Current (DC) produced by the solar panels into the Alternating Current (AC) which is a basic requirement of every house.
Solar racking
In order to attach the solar panel to the roof, in the middle solar racking is used because solar panels are not directly attached to the roof. These rackings are then angled for the optimal degree of sun exposure.
Net meter
A net meter is a key component of solar systems that are connected to the grid in case your utility offers net metering.
If your utility company is offering net metering and you have grid-connected solar, which contains or does not contain a battery, any solar electricity produced is transmitted to the grid. With net metering, your utility is liable to pay you for the electricity you send, which ultimately reduces the electricity bill.
Solar performance monitoring
To verify the performance of your PV system, a monitoring system is installed in order to keep a track of how much electricity is being generated per hour, per day, or per year. This monitoring system can identify potential performance changes.
How To Set Up Solar Power At Home?
So, here we are going to give step-by-step solar installation
Now, with respect to the installation of the solar panels, here we have mentioned a guide to follow:
Step 1: Collection of solar power components
The initiation begins with the collection of components required for the installation of solar panels. The four major utilities that would be required in the very first step are – solar panels, a charge controller, an inverter, and a battery pack. Apart from these, you will require a breaker, meter, MC4 connector, and fuses. Always remember to go through the solar panel module instructions.
Step 2: Calculate your power load
Prior to making the installation, it is crucial to make a calculation of the power that is consumed at your home. The part is not that tough or tricky. All you need to do is to make a list of the home appliances that you use on a daily basis at your residence like television, lights, fan, washing machine, and much more other equipment. The next best step is to include the time utilized by these gadgets while being used in a day. Go through the specification chart in your household electric appliances to check their run time and their power rating.
After the creation of the chart, calculate the ‘Watt-Hour’ by multiplying the runtime of an appliance with its power rating. Follow the same for each electrical device, and then add the individual watt-hour numbers to get the grand total.
Step 3: Select and charge the battery
The major drawback of solar panels is that they do not generate energy or we can say that they become useless when the sun goes down. The cloudy seasons are the major hindrances of the energy generation tool. A lead-acid or lithium-ion battery stores solar power generated during the daytime and releases it in the dark. A power controller is required to monitor the charging of the battery. These controllers come between the panels and the battery. Such controllers are typically fitted with a small LED light that reflects the state of the charging battery. Thus, adjustments are made to the power that flows inside the battery.
Step 4: Set up the Inverter
Solar arrays produce electricity in the form of Direct Current (DC), but electrical appliances utilize the power in the form of Alternating Current (AC). The inverter is a mechanism that permits you to utilize electrical devices without using adaptors. Worldwide, inverters are available in a variety of power wattages and types such as square wave, modified sine-wave, and pure sine-wave inverters. If we have a look at all of these types individually, then we find that the square wave inverters are not compatible with all types of devices, while the output of modified sine waves is not suitable for certain appliances. This is the reason why pure sine wave inverters are the best choice for your solar system.
Step 5: Fixing the solar panels
Once the battery, controller, and inverters are ready to use, you must get started with mounting the solar panels. Select the best place for the installation of the solar panel on the rooftop or on open ground that receives an unhindered supply of the sun’s radiation. The mounting stands can be prepared by an individual or either you can get them prepared from the market as well. The tilt of the mounting stand must be parallel to the latitude angle of your location. The proper setting of the solar panels is critical for their operation & maintenance part. Hence, it is essential to ensure that the panels must face the sun throughout the day.
As a final step, wire the solar panels. You can also trace a small junction box at the back of the solar panel. The junction box consists of negative and positive symbols of polarity. In a large sized-panel, the junction box has terminal wires too with an MC4 connector. However, you will have to align the junction box with external wires in case you are using smaller solar panels. Make use of the black and red wire for negative and positive terminal connections, respectively.
Step 6: Connection of the solar panels with the battery
The battery must be connected to the solar panels. If you are not given a single unit, you need to make series and parallel connectivity. You can also connect a device’s positive terminal with another device with a negative terminal.
Step 7: Setup stands for inverter and battery
Without the existence of the stands of the battery and inverter, the residential solar unit is incomplete. Again, to get the stands either you can manufacture them by yourself or get them done by professionals. Once the positions for the inverter and battery are ready, you can initiate the wiring portion. On the very first, start connecting the wires of the controller. The first connection from the left is to connect the controller with the solar panels. The second connection comes up with pairing the battery with the controller. The next step is to connect the controller to the direct DC load.
The MC4 connector will be required to connect the solar panel with the charge controller. Right after the connection of the controller to the battery, the LED lights must light. In the same way, the connection of the inverter terminals must be done with the terminals of the battery.
Solar Equipment Price List
How Do Solar Panels Work For My Home?
Working of solar panels indicates the rooftop solar panels. An array of solar panels are installed on the roof of the house that ultimately generates electricity directly from the sun. This electricity generated helps in the reduction of money invested over paid electricity. Solar panels act by converting the light energy into usable electricity. The procedure is supported by photovoltaic effects, which can be used further to power our homes and home utility appliances. The features of solar panels are that they save money over time on electricity costs and facilitate low-carbon, sustainable electricity.
Solar Panel Installation Diagram:
Bottom-up:
Solar energy is one of the best resources for producing energy. Solar panels are the major component that converts the energy of the sun into electricity with the help of the photovoltaic cells which are mounted in the frame at the time of installation. There are various equipment which combinely form a solar energy system. This equipment helps in producing electricity with the energy of the sun which is important for households and commercial use. The major key components that are used to form a solar system are inverters, solar panels, racking systems etc.