diy home solar: planning a solar array (beginner's guide) - solar energy traffic lights

Hi there!
Maybe you've considered solar energy. -
Even for a brief moment-
Just because it's too complex and expensive, or because you're seriously considering a project, but you don't know where to start.
With this guidance, I hope to unveil it. （not-really)
The horrible process of installing solar panels at home.
We will review the components of the solar panel system, what you need to consider when planning, and how you can save money. (
You can even get free money. your project.
At the end of the day, you will know what to look for and remember in any solar project. Why Go Solar?
If you've always wanted to go solar, there's no better time than now.
The government's financial incentives for photovoltaic power generation costs are still mature. (PV)
Cells are dropping every day, and you may be the first person to jump in your neighborhood.
Increasing solar energy in your house is a good project for several reasons: you can save electricity load and even sell a portion of your energy to utility companies;
You will reduce your carbon footprint.
If you install it in a remote place（For example, cabin)
You don't have to worry about gasoline generators.
You will also support a growing industry and, in doing so, help promote the adoption of this wonderful new energy globally.
Read further: Throughout the guide, I will provide links to articles from solartown.
COM Learning Center.
This guide is very broad, so you know what to remember and plan for.
However, once you start looking at individual products, you may need some more specific information.
Hope these links can solve your problem.
If anything you need to know is not covered, please feel free to browse our community page and consult a solar installation expert.
The hardest part of starting a project like this is knowing what to buy, so we'll look at a list of parts before going into the details. -gritty. What's Grid-Tie?
This article assumes that you will build a grid-tie (
Or "on the grid". system. Grid-
A tie means that your house is still connected to a utility company.
The biggest benefit of staying on the grid is net electricity: if you generate excess electricity, you can actually sell it to utility companies.
Since your system will help generate green electricity for the grid and reduce the overall pressure on utilities, they will buy from you at a huge premium.
Because you're still online, you can still use electricity in cloudy weather. What do I need?
These are part of the grid. -
Tighten the system, in order: 1. Solar Modules (aka PV Panels)
Collect energy from the sun and convert it into direct current. 2.
The power converter converts the direct current from the panel to the alternating current that your device can use. 3.
The photovoltaic disconnection lets you cut off the power supply so that you can work on the system without having to shock yourself. 4.
Your home circuit breaker box is where the sun can connect to your home. 5.
The meter connects your house to the grid and measures the electricity you get from it. -or give to -
Large power grid.
You can buy panels, brackets, inverters and so on in Solaton.
As we continue reading this article, we will learn about some of the products available and the cost of each product.
If you feel overwhelmed by all the different options, we sell packages, including panels, shelves, and inverters at discount prices, so take a look!
You can buy a 5 kilowatt system for $35,000.
Try not to let price tags disappoint you. -
In Step 7, we will study government projects to help pay for costs.
Now that you are familiar with the vocabulary, we can start planning your solar battery pack.
Knowing how much power you need is the first step in planning arrays.
Because solar panels are measured by how much energy they can absorb, this will tell you how many panels to buy, how efficient they need, and（
Perhaps most importantly)
How much space do you need?
Don't worry, this process only requires your water and electricity bill and some basic math.
First, look at your utility bills and see how much energy you normally consume.
Generally speaking, this figure falls by about 900 kWh per month, but there is a big difference between families.
Next, find out the "peak solar activity" in your area.
This number is a measure of the degree of sunshine in a place.
On the West coast, the figure is between six and seven hours.
On the East coast, between four and five.
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory has an excellent sun map.
According to U. S.
Solar Energy Resource Map.
Now there's only math left.
At 900 kWh a month, you burn 30 kWh a day.
Divide this number by the number of peak sunshine hours per day.
If I use 30 kilowatt hours a day and have five hours of sunlight, I need a 6 kilowatt battery panel to match all my uses.
There are two basic panels: crystal panels and transparent panels. -film.
Choosing one of them has a significant impact on the rest of the installation process, so before deciding how to install them, we'll look at the differences between the two.
Crystal modules are large blue panels that you usually think of when you think about solar energy.
They are very efficient and durable.
A 40-year life span is longer than many home renovation projects can require, and it gives you enough time to get your money back into savings.
One disadvantage of crystals is their installation.
These batteries require a well-designed shelf system.
We will introduce the shelves on the next page.
For 6KW systems（
Full power family)
Crystal panels cost about $16,500: you need 25 panels, each with 240W.
The price of 240W panel is $660. Thin-FilmThin-
Film is made of a soft roll of material.
Although crystal modules are more popular, they are thin. -
Because of its ease of use, the film has gained a strong foothold in the market.
Two Major Advantages of Slimness-
Membrane is cost-effective and convenient because installation is simple to beat the module to a smooth surface.
A major disadvantage of leanness-
However, the durability of films-Thin-
Movies usually last only about 25 years.
Compared with crystals, it is thin. -
Films are usually more efficient in the dark, but generally less efficient.
For 6KW systems, use thin-
Film, you need 44 panels, each providing 136W.
These panels cost $472, so the total is $20768.
Although thin-
Film panels are slightly more expensive, so you don't have to buy expensive brackets for them.
When discussing location considerations on the next page, keep in mind the differences between the two modules.
Read further: Buy solar modules in Solarton.
ComConsumer Guide to Buying Solar Panels Thinner than Leading Solar Panels-
Thin Film and Crystal Plate: The Aesthetics of Solar Panels If You Match Crystal Modules, Solar Module Brackets（
Fragments that hold the panel in place
Perhaps the most important part of the project.
Here, we'll discuss some things to remember when you decide where you want your solar panels to go.
If there are too many obstacles in the crystal panels, you'll definitely consider thin panels. -film instead.
Roof mounting is particularly good because they are beautiful and do not occupy any space in your actual yard.
However, there are many problems to be considered for the roof bracket.
Most importantly, you need to consider the actual strength of the roof.
If you live in an old house, you may need to rebuild your roof before you start bolting photovoltaic panels.
Thirty panels are too heavy. It's a pity to smash the whole thing into your living room.
In addition to the strength of the roof, you also need to decide whether it is the most effective location.
Your goal is to expose solar panels to as much sunlight as possible.
First, it means you need to avoid shade. -
A panel in the sun shade will affect the efficiency of the whole system.
Be sure to remember the details: Will the neighbor's big oak grow tall in the next ten years?
Later today, will there be anything that is not going well at this moment?
You also need to consider the quality of the roof.
In order to get the most direct sunlight, your panels should point to the equator. (
In the south, in the northern hemisphere)-
Can your roof hold this?
Is the roof big enough to accommodate your panels?
Another more ambiguous consideration is your homeowners'association.
Some people think that solar panels are an eye disease（
Personally, I think they make your house look great.
They may be banned in your community.
If it looks like a roof is not the best idea, you have nothing to worry about.
If you're worried that your roof is not stable enough to hold 30 crystal panels, you might consider thinning it a little. -film.
If your roof has too much shade, you can still set up panels in your yard.
Ground installation is very easy, because you don't need to spend a day messing around on the roof.
Ask yourself if you have land to sacrifice panels, and again, when you choose a website, pay attention to the details. Two not-so-
The obvious consideration is soil and wind. -
You don't want your large, expensive solar cell pack to be sucked into a pit, or blown away like a giant sail.
One of the great advantages of ground installation is that the panel can be mounted on a rotating bar so that it can follow the sun.
These removable pedestals are expensive, but they can significantly increase the output of the system.
Now that you know what panels you want and where to put them, everything will be easy from now on.
Read further: Homeowners Association and Solar Panels: Can they live in harmony?
It is very important to choose a inverter for your system.
Fortunately, there is not much room for error.
You need to make sure you're buying a grid. -
Connect the inverters instead of turning them off-grid.
You also need to check the rated power to make sure it can handle your solar battery pack.
Finally, you can consider buying a miniature inverter.
Do you remember what I said? Will a board in the shade affect the efficiency of the whole system?
The microinverters system uses a small inverter for each panel, rather than a single inverter for all panels.
The poor performance of a panel does not affect the rest of the system.
For a hypothetical 6KW array, we can use a 6KW Sunnyboy inverter. -$3,999. 00 in Solarton.
Now that you have chosen the panel and the inverter, the most difficult part of the planning phase is over. Whew!
Read further: Converter's Good, Bad and Ugly: All the questions you need to ask, as you know, your watt-hour meter measures the amount of electricity you get from the grid.
However, it is likely that you need a special instrument that can rotate backwards. -
Without it, you cannot accurately measure the energy you feed back to the grid.
In most cases, you can call your utility company and they will provide one of these meters for free.
As I said before, there is a power station in the middle of the grid. -
Even a small one-
The system requires a lot of load, and utilities will be happy to provide you with solar housing.
Battery backups Although solar cell backups are not covered in this article, I find it necessary at least to mention them and why they are useful.
First of all, battery backups are good when power fails.
Unfortunately, if the lights go off, your solar panels won't be able to power your home.
This is to prevent your system from blowing up a router who is repairing the grid.
Battery power will keep your refrigerator running when it's out of power.
Second, if you want to run away-
Power grid system, you need batteries when the sun is not bright.
As you know, the federal government will provide you with a huge grant to reward you for participating in the renewable energy transition.
You ask, how much does it weigh?
The incentive scheme will cover 30% of your expenses. Not bad, right?
To get more free money, check out the DSIRE of North Carolina State University.
Many states, towns and utilities offer additional grants, tax incentives, repurchase schemes and low costs. -
Interest loans to help offset the cost of solar energy.
DSIRE Keep Up-to-
A list of dates for these programs.
Before installing and adjusting, you need to make sure that what you do is legal.
Call the local government to find out what kind of building permits you need. -
Usually, for renewable energy, they are exempt from licensing fees.
At the same time, we must contact the electrician.
Even if you install the whole system yourself, you need to check it to ensure security.
Electricians can help solve problems or opportunities that you may miss.
Be sure to read DSIRE carefully-
It has some information about state and local regulations.
One more thing to double-
Checking DSIRE is an installation requirement for any incentive plan you may apply for.
Although I believe that most teachers will choose to make solar energy devices by themselves, if you do not employ the government, you may not be eligible for state or local government subsidies. -
Approve the contractor to do this for you.
That is to say, do one thing. -it-
Your own solar project is both interesting and rewarding!
See more advice on DIY solar energy.
Further Interpretation: Solar Power Generation: What is Economic Incentive?
Challenge of Solar Installation: My first person reported what you need to know when choosing a solar photovoltaic installation. We hope you have found this guide useful and informative.
Home solar energy is not very complex, and government encouragement, it is not very expensive.
In the long run, you can save a lot of money on energy bills and even make money by selling electricity to utility companies.
Once you understand the various parts of the solar cell pack, the whole process is not so terrible. -
It's just a matter of adjusting the formula according to your specific situation.
Stop at Solarton.
Learn more articles, solar news stories, affordable solar modules and components, or if you have any questions, solar experts.
Thank you very much for reading and enjoying your solar energy project!
In the next part of our DIY home solar installation, please visit the textbook in Part Two. （
How to Choose the Right Solar Battery Shelf
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