Thursday, 13 August 2009

What Are Solar Power Systems: Learn the FACTS here!

By Jim Martin

Find out important facts about solar power systems and the various factors that make them so popular, in this article.

Over the past few years, there has been a truly remarkable upsurge in the demand for solar energy systems in most countries including the United States. As a natural consequence, people are currently interested to know all about these systems. The function of these systems can be stated in a straightforward manner - the use of the sun's rays to generate electricity. Hence, topics like how these devices actually function, the process by which sunlight is trapped, processed and whether the systems can continue to function normally, have to be examined with due care. This article is devoted to the discussion of precisely these issues.

The actual process starts when the photons that are present in the rays of the sun are trapped by the silicon wafers of the solar power systems. DC electrical power is then generated from the captured photons and this DC current, in turn, is converted to usable 120 volt AC electricity. The systems hence, need to be connected to either an electrical grid or to the electrical setup of a home directly. A problem might arise if all people associated with the sales of solar power systems do not know the necessary details about the devices. Hence, prudence and discretion are called for, when you are selecting a supplier for domestic use. Ideally, the user must check the prior records, credentials and the expertise of the company as well.

There are certain specific factors that need to be discussed separately to get a hang of the working of the systems. These factors include the add-on features of the system that is grid-tied, the primary parts of the setup, monitoring the performance over the web, the main causes of success and the proper way to run and preserve the solar energy system.

Solar power systems with grid-tied facilities: For generating a continuous supply of power throughout the day, grid-tied solar power systems are considered to be ideal. These systems are also relatively cheap as well. One of the undesirable features of a normal solar power system is that, while the systems can easily generate power at all times during the day, they stop working as soon as the sun goes down. However the grid-tied solar power systems can store the extra electricity generated in the grid, so that it could be easily retrieved and utilized at night. Excess electricity that is produced during the day time can also be sold off for money. This in fact, helps in offsetting the cost of the system. In the absence of these grids, battery backups would have been needed, and that would have incurred much greater expenses.

The necessary components of a solar power system: The heart of solar power systems are formed by the photovoltaic, or the solar cells. Several separate photovoltaic cells are taken together to make a single module. A number of such modules are combined to form a solar panel, which then can be placed on the rooftop or any other location where the sunlight is abundant. People even consider these panels to be the only component of the systems, since these panels are rather prominent in nature. Indeed, the presence of these panels makes a person aware that there is a solar power system in the home.

Apart from the solar panel, there are other crucial components of the system too. An inverter is one such, and it is responsible for transforming DC electric power into 120 volt AC electrical current that can be put to practical use. The inverter needs to have the requisite cycles too. For connecting the different parts of the solar power system, wires are generally used. For setting up the solar panels in the best way, clamps and holders (made of non-conducting materials) are used. Racks can fix up the panels on the roof. If any of the above components is not present, proper functioning of the system becomes almost impossible.

Monitoring via the web: This allows people to keep a close eye on the way of working of the solar power systems. This monitoring can be done using different portable gadgets as well. Several web browsers are also used for this purpose.

Main factors of success - Most established suppliers of solar energy units are aware of these factors. The success factors include monitoring the climate to facilitate the process of electricity generation, and determining the direction in which, if the system is placed, it would yield the best results. As a case in point, if there is fog in the morning at San Francisco, chances are that the best yields of electric power would be available in the middle of the afternoon. TVs and computers that have been powered but are kept plugged in, and any other such 'phantom loads' need also be eliminated to ensure that the system operates at best efficiency. If all the above factors are closely examined, and all requisite measures are adopted, the system is more likely to operate in an effective manner.

Proper way to maintain the solar power system: The solar power system needs to be kept clean, and this cleaning should be done once in a year at least. If batteries are also present, they need to be replaced at intervals of 5 to 10 years.

Solar power systems can offer great benefits, and you can enjoy all of them once you have set up the system. But you must know the steps to install the system, and where you should put it up to get the best results. You should consult a guide, which would have all this information, and would also help you know from where to get the batteries for free, as well as purchase the other parts at low price. You will also get informed about wiring the system and the necessary safety precautions. Follow the instructions in the guide, and install a solar power system, and you will surely get good results.

About the Author:

No comments:

Post a Comment