Solar panels: features of using panels for a private house

Recently, there has been an extraordinary rise in the popularity of alternative energy sources. And if a few years ago the purchase of solar panels for a private house was considered an unknown luxury, today such designs appear on many country houses and cottages. From the point of view of economy, reliability and ease of maintenance, solar panels are a very profitable solution.

general information

The reason for the popularity of solar panels for a private house is obvious and lies in the ability to reduce energy costs and provide the premises with an environmentally friendly source of life support. However, you need to knowhow to properly equip such a system and how much it will cost.

The use of solar energy to generate electricity is not considered to be something innovative. For several decades, people in Europe, America and Australia have actively used heat to meet their daily electricity needs. However, in the northern regions, where solar activity is not as high as in the south, panels have not gained widespread popularity. Because of this, in such an area, installing batteries is considered an additional or backup option for energy supply.

The principle of extracting energy from sunlight is based on the interaction of ultraviolet rays with collectors or batteries. The installation collects solar energy and then supplies it directly to household appliances.

The very design of the solar panel looks straightforward. The key part of the battery is the photocell on one side and the locking mechanism on the other. If you have certain skills and knowledge, then you can make such equipment with your own hands. However, it is much easier and more convenient to purchase a ready-made item in a store, especially since the choice of models and offers is very extensive.

To achieve maximum efficiency, the panels are placed on dynamic mechanisms that are similar to a tracking system (they can rotate in the direction of the sun's rays). Conversion of solar energy into electrical energy is carried out in special tubes that are located inside the structure.

As for solar systems, then, unlike conventional solar panels, which are capable of storing electricity, these installations only heat the coolant. Often they are used to equip autonomous heating in country houses and cottages.

Advantages and disadvantages

If in the recent past, solar electricity was mentioned only in futuristic films and was considered something unreal, today it is being actively implemented in the arrangement of life support sources for private at home. Solar panels are characterized by a lot of advantages that make them popular and marketable. Among the most important benefits:

1. Complete environmental friendliness. Solar energy is considered safe for both people and the environment. It is the cleanest source of heat that does not emit harmful substances into the atmosphere, does not harm nature and the inhabitants of the house.
2. Autonomy and independence from electricity tariffs or economic changes in the state.
3. General availability. To install panels on the roof of your own house, you do not need to obtain any permits or draw up numerous documents.
4. Profitability. If the room has a traditional heating system, installing solar panels can be a good way to reduce heating and hot water costs.

However, in addition to the pros, such energy sources also have disadvantages. These include the high cost of equipment, installation and maintenance of the system. To determine the efficiency of the panels, you need to monitor them for 3 years (provided that the solar energy is generated actively and continuously).

The owners of such structures become dependent on the geographical location and weather conditions, because the less solar activity is noticed in their region, the lower the efficiency of the equipment will be. When using panels, it is necessary to equip backup energy sources in advance, for example, gas or solid fuel boilers. A solar system can be used as a good alternative.

To achieve high productivity, it is important to constantly monitor the health of the collectors, clean them of technical debris, and also avoid the appearance of ice during severe frosts. If the system is installed in regions with a high probability of night frost, it must be additionally protected from the cold.

Basic types

Before you go to buy panels and install them on the roof of your house, you need to carefully understand the performance, operating principle and other features of the equipment. From a technical point of view, the panel is a photovoltaic power supply system that converts the sun's rays into a source of electricity and works according to the principle of physical law photo effect.

For two centuries, scientists have worked to improve such installations, so modern batteries show excellent results and are highly productive. Efficiency rates for new panels range from 1% to 46%. Moreover, there are dozens of models of similar equipment on the market, which differ not only in their technical characteristics, but also in their efficiency and advantages. Currently, all types of solar systems available on the market fall into three groups:

1. The first category includes installations that operate autonomously and without interaction with the centralized electrical network. The operation of such panels is based on their own circuit, which allows you to run direct power supply to household appliances. Built-in rechargeable batteries are capable of storing energy for a long time, which is necessary for recovery power supply when the intensity of sunlight falls or the power consumption is exceeded acceptable level.
2. The second group of solar panels consists of open solar cells. In the design of such systems, batteries are not provided, while they are dependent on the general power supply network. If the level of consumed power does not exceed the value generated, then the main network is disconnected. Otherwise, the FSE will shut down and electricity will be supplied by the main grid. Representatives of the second category are characterized by maximum reliability, low cost and availability.
3. The third category of solar cells includes combined systems. They combine the properties of the two previous types, which guarantees a high efficiency rate and opens up an additional property - the remaining energy that is generated or stored by the panel is transferred to the main grid and can be used for commercial goals.

Heating arrangement

It is no secret that modern solar panels for the home can be used not only to power household appliances, but also to equip an autonomous heating system. To translate such an idea into real life, you need to assemble a special structure with a storage tank, where the coolant will be heated. As soon as the liquid warms up to certain indicators, it will begin to circulate through the pipes, heating the room. Three types of panels can be used to equip the heating system:

1. Monocrystalline. They are thin wafers of pure silicon that are created from a special crystal. The efficiency indicators of such structures reach 17-18%, and the range from 5 to 25 ° C is considered the best temperature for operation.
2. Polycrystalline. As a material of manufacture, special plates are used, created by cooling the silicon melt. Such panels are created using a slightly simplified technology, but their efficiency is only 12%.
3. Amorphous. The second name is film. Such panels are manufactured using an evaporative phase, as a result of which silicon condensate settles on a flexible polymer base, turning the structure into a photocell. Due to their low cost, amorphous models are in wide demand, but their performance indicators do not exceed 7%.

When arranging a heating system in the northern region, it is advisable to use monocrystalline systems. And although their price cannot be called low, it is justified by better productivity and durability.

External elements effectively absorb ultraviolet rays, and then concentrate the released energy into a special carrier. One monocrystalline cell is capable of storing about 100-250 W of energy, and a whole panel, occupying an area of ​​25-30 square meters, freely serves an entire residential building. If the task is to prepare the heating system, then the energy is needed 2-3 times more.

An inverter can be used as a DC / DC converter, because heating equipment and all household appliances operate only from alternating current.

Efficiency of use

In order not to think about whether the purchase of panels for the house justifies itself, it is advisable to immediately draw up the optimal layout of such structures and choose the most suitable type, guided by geographic conditions, financial capabilities and other criteria choice. If there is already a productive panel with a generator on the roof, which perfectly serves household appliances and solves the problem of hot water supply, then it makes no sense to spend a lot of money on the purchase of another such systems.

Instead, you can get by with affordable photovoltaic converters, for example, silicon panels with an efficiency factor of up to 23-25%. A heating device is additionally connected to the installation, as a rule, a boiler with distribution wiring.

The correct organization of the solar system in a private house is a guarantee of quick and affordable replenishment of consumer needs for heating and hot water supply. In most cases, the successful installation of batteries can be recognized by the appearance of the roof structure - it will be completely filled with panels. Moreover, sometimes it is necessary to erect additional standing structures, because the roof area may not be enough.

Calculating and reviewing factors

Unfortunately, even the most careful mathematical calculations do not make it possible to accurately determine the amount of energy required and the installation scheme of the system. Various obstacles and factors can affect the performance of such equipment. Among them:

1. Weather. The exact number of sunny days per year is not known, because even in the southernmost regions there is a prolonged cloudy weather. In the north, it is generally impossible to predict such a factor.
2. Irregularity of receiving electricity. In winter, the length of daylight hours in the northern regions is very short. This means that a significant percentage of the generated energy is spent on lighting. And solar activity during such a period of time is quite insignificant.
3. Temporary malfunctions and breakdowns. Unfortunately, like any other technical device, solar panels can fail and lose their working potential. This is explained by damage to individual parts, contacts and protective surfaces.

Considering such factors, we can say that it is possible to determine the effectiveness of solar panels for a home only after a certain period of time. Ideally, it takes one year, but in practice it takes at least three. Before deciding to buy such equipment, you need to carefully weigh the pros and cons, consult with an expert, and evaluate the profitability of your decision.