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Solar System: How It Really
Works Sun
Light and Battery Bank!
Solar cells capture the
sun's energy and change it to electricity. Inside a solar panel, each cell
contains silicon, an element found in sand that absorbs sunlight. The
energy in this absorbed light produces a small electrical current. Metal
grids around the solar cells direct the currents into wires that lead to
the power controls.
The solar array is
comprised of one or more solar PV modules (solar panels) which convert
sunlight into clean solar electricity. PV is short for Photo voltaics,
which means electricity from light. The solar modules need to be mounted
facing the sun and avoiding shade for best results.
The main function of a
charge controller is to prevent over charging the batteries, as well as
keeping electrical storage in the batteries from discharging to the solar
modules at night.
The batteries store the
solar power generated and discharge the power as needed. The battery bank
consists of one or more solar deep-cycle type batteries. Depending on the
current and voltages for certain applications the batteries are wired in
series and/or parallel.
The Inverter changes
the DC current stored in the batteries into usable AC current which is the
most common type used by most household appliances and lighting.
Selecting the correct
size and type of wire will enhance the performance and reliability of your
system. The size of the wire must be large enough to carry the maximum
current expected without undue voltage losses.
The appliances and
devices (such as TV's, computers, lights, water pumps etc.) that consume
electrical power are called loads.
How
it works?
First think of Solar Systems
as your bank account:
Deposits = Panels
Payments (Checks) =
Appliances (TV, Refrigerator, Lights etc.).
Balance = Battery Bank.
There are 2 different stages
during:
Sun light Time. (sun)
Night time. (no sun)
Examples:
If you deposit
340Watts/hour during the sun light
and you expend (payment) 250Watts/hours, you will be depositing 90 Watts on the Battery
Bank (available Balance).
During the night time you
depend on your Deposit, savings (Battery Bank).
1 Battery 12V x 100 Amps/hours = 1200 Watts / Hours |
| Appliances |
Time
running in Hours |
Total
W/Hs Per Day |
| 10
ą
25 Watts Light = 250 Watts |
x 5 Hours |
1,250 W/Hs |
| 1
ą 100 Watts TV |
x 5 Hours |
500 W/Hs |
| 1
ą 50 Watts Fan or ceiling fax |
x 5 Hours |
250 W/Hs |
| 1
ą 601 Watts Microwave |
X
½ Hour |
300 W/Hs |
| 1
ą 500 Watts Refrigerator |
x 8 Hours |
4,300 W/Hs |
| 1 375 Watts Washing Machine |
x 1 Hour |
375 W/Hs |
Example:
If
you spend a total of 340 Watts, you should have a system that generates a bit more
than 340 Watts.
Note:
Since the refrigerator is the most energy demanding for small solar systems, we suggest
that you buy an $89 refrigerator for emergency cases. This will take about
1/3
of the energy in comparison with the 20" refrigerators.
Studies
conducted, state that we normally use 1/3
of the refrigerator space in emergency conditions cases.
Why is the refrigerator the
most energy-demanding appliance in the house?
It has 2 Specifications:
Running Watts: about
200-500 Watts hour
Starting Watts can be
4000-5000 Watts
Example: A 500 Watt
refrigerator x 8 hours a day will need 4,000 + 300 (starting watts)
4,300 Total approximated
Watts / Hour per Day.
***
Your 7Net System
will be configured to the best performance possible, however, the batteries are the most
important part of your system, so we recommend you purchase as much battery capacity as
possible. A large battery will extend running times and ensure the best performance.
**** The information provided is for a better
understanding of the way solar systems work. We suggest that you have your own experience
and investigations, because each installation may vary significantly. You may contact us
for more information.
More...
Solar Electric systems Consist
of Five Major Parts
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