Starting With Solar!

In this age of advancement, the solar industry has proved to be one of the best long-term investments. We see a rapid increase in the manufacturing of solar panels with each passing day. People get attracted to the cost-effectiveness of solar energy over conventional means of electricity. 

A large number of residential consumers are enjoying the long-term benefits of solar. It is never too late to switch to a cleaner alternative to energy. So if you are a residential consumer thinking of getting a solar system for yourself, read till the end.

There are three main types of PV Installations;

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Grid-tied:

Grid-tied is the most common and comparatively low-cost installation type. This installation is for consumers already bound to the electrical grid and requires fewer components than the rest as it does not have battery components. 

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Hybrid:

This type of installation is the grid-tied installation with the addition of batteries as backup power storage components. 

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Off-Grid:

This installation is a solar-based electrical setup that is not attached to a power grid. It requires more components than all of the rest. This type of installation is suitable for consumers in far-flung areas where there is no electrical grid.

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Equipment overview:

In a Residential installation, the Photovoltaic system is formulated, keeping in view the locality of the house. Several factors are kept in mind to draft a perfect, cost-effective, and long-lasting setup. However, the most important thing is getting to know the components of the PV system.

• Solar panels

The first entry is the solar panels or modules. These solar panels are made of silicone and are of different types. The fundamental function of these modules is to receive sunlight and store it in the form of direct current.

• Mounting racks

Mounting racks are for placing the solar panel in an array-like orientation. There are different types of solar mounting, ground mounting, pole mounting, and roof mounting. The mounting racks are convenient for each of them conveniently more suitable for roof mounting. Roof mounting is also the commonly used solar installation type because of its convenience and low installation cost.

• Inverter

The inverter converts the DC from the solar panels into the utility-based alternating current for appliances. The solar inverter also tracks the voltage of the solar panels. It enables a customer to identify the efficiency of the system. In other words, an inverter is the brain of the PV system.

• Battery packs

Batteries stores the excess power generated by solar panels. This extra power is used at night or during cloudy days when the solar panels cannot get much sunlight. The battery packs are in addition to the already working PV system. In some cases, the general output exceeds its consumption then the extra electricity is sent to the grid. In this way, a consumer may acquire subsidized or almost free energy. Battery packs are a crucial component in hybrid and off-grid installations.

• Power meter

In the Grid-tied installations, the power meter primarily keeps track of the amount of power used from the grid and the amount of electricity sent to the grid.

• Charge controller

In an off-grid installation, the charge controller regulates the proper voltage for charging the batteries. The excess voltage is harmful to batteries. The charge controller maintains a required voltage enough for charging the batteries.  

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