Introduction
Solar energy is an abundant, clean and renewable source of power that can reduce your carbon footprint and save money on electricity bills. The three main components of a solar electric system are the solar panels, the charge controller and inverter. The inverter converts DC (direct current) electricity from the solar panels into AC (alternating current) electricity that can be used in homes and businesses.
Determine your energy goals
Once you’ve settled on the basics, it’s time to figure out your energy goals. Your solar electric system will be designed based on these goals. Here are some things to consider: Add Me To Search
- How much power do you want to generate? If all goes well, your system will produce anywhere from 30% to 100% of the total electricity used by your home or business each year—the more power you generate, the less money you’ll have to pay for electricity from the grid. You can save money by buying a larger system now and adding panels later (or vice versa), or even adding another array at another location. This may not be possible if there isn’t enough room on your property for additional arrays!
- How much do I want to save on my electric bill? Of course, there is an upfront cost associated with installing solar panels—and those costs vary greatly depending upon where in America one lives and how many panels they install. However, once installed properly, solar panels should last 20-25 years or longer with little maintenance required during that time frame other than occasional cleaning during rainy weather months when dust build-up could occur due to lack of sunshine exposure (not uncommon here in Seattle!). Once they’re fully operational after installation has been completed successfully without any hiccups along their way through implementation stages such as permits being approved without any issues occurring etcetera… then yes! You’ll start seeing those benefits right away once complete: lower monthly payments due solely because no longer paying high utility bills any more thanks entirely due solely now again entirely due only again entirely still yet again solely thanks only
Calculate your energy needs
You need to make sure you have a good idea of your energy needs. It’s not just about how many kilowatt-hours (kWh) will be needed, it’s also about when those kWh are required. To do this, you need to calculate the average daily usage for different times of the year and for different seasons. For example:
You may use more power in summer than winter because there is more sun available during those months to make your solar panels produce electricity. Also, if you happen to live somewhere with freezing conditions (like Alaska!), then it’s likely that less power would be used during winter months than during other seasons. Amazon for UAE
Look for ways to reduce your electrical consumption.
Once you know how many panels you need, it’s time to start looking around your home and figuring out where they’ll go and how they’ll be attached. Consider other options for reducing electrical consumption as well. For example, if you have a pool heating system that uses electricity, consider switching over to natural gas or propane (which are both cleaner-burning fuels). You may also want to look into installing an energy-efficient water heater so that when the sun isn’t shining on those solar panels in your yard, at least some of them will still be soaking up heat from the sun while they sit next door in an uninsulated shed or garage.
Select required components
The next step is to select the right components.
- Solar modules: These are the actual solar panels that absorb sunlight and convert it into electricity. There are many types of modules on the market, but most new systems use monocrystalline silicon or polycrystalline silicon PV (photovoltaic) cells.
- Inverter: This device converts DC power from your battery into AC power for your home’s appliances and devices—like a refrigerator, heater or light switch—to work. If you’re using an off-the-grid system (one without utility power), you’ll need two inverters: one for charging batteries and one for directly powering your household loads like lights, HVAC equipment and TVs.
- Charge controller: This electronic device regulates how much electricity goes back into your batteries after they’ve been charged by solar panels in order to prevent overcharging or undercharging them; it also prevents long periods of discharge when there isn’t enough sunlight available during cloudy days so that battery life remains high longer than expected before needing replacement
Evaluate site location options
Once you’ve decided to install a solar electric system, the next step is to choose a location for it. You’ll need to consider factors such as your home’s orientation and exposure to sunlight, the location of power lines in your area and other local electricity infrastructure, zoning codes that might affect the placement of solar panels on your property, applicable building codes that affect how much weight can be placed on certain areas of your roof (or which types of materials are allowed), and so forth.
Obtain any necessary permits and follow local code requirements.
There are a few steps you should take before installing your solar panels. First, check with your local building department to see if any permits are required. You should also check with your utility company and insurance company (and possibly even the local municipality) for additional requirements. Some states require that you get permission from the utility company before installing a solar electric system in order to avoid power outages caused by improperly sized wires or missing fuses.
Prepare an installation plan and design it in detail.
To get the most out of your solar electric system, you will want to design it to meet your needs. Your plan should be flexible enough so that you can easily adapt it if circumstances change in the future. For example, if you decide to add more circuits or expand the house later on, you may need more panels or batteries than those included in your original plan.
The best way to ensure that a solar electric installation works well and lasts for years is by designing it carefully from scratch. The following steps will help guide you through this process:
- Identify all the electrical loads in your home (in other words, everything that uses electricity). These include lights, fans, appliances such as refrigerators and stoves; heating devices such as water heaters; and electronic equipment like televisions or computers. You’ll need an accurate count because each load has its own requirements regarding size and wattage rating; these factors determine how many panels are needed at what locations on your rooftop array (or ground-mount array).
- Draw up an accurate diagram showing where each load exists within each room of your house — this is called a floor plan drawing–and calculate exactly how much power they use over time so that when combined with other sources like PV panels there isn’t any wasted energy around corners where wires run under carpets etc..
Assemble all the tools and other materials needed for installation.
With your checklist in hand, it’s time to assemble all the tools and other materials needed for installation. The following list is not exhaustive; it contains only those items that must be purchased or rented. Items not listed here can probably be borrowed from friends, family members, neighbours, co-workers—or even strangers on Craigslist!
- Net meter (if you are replacing an existing system)
- Drill with bit set
- Screwdriver set
- Utility knife or box cutter (one per person)
- Safety glasses
Mount the solar modules.
It’s important to consider the mounting location carefully. The modules should be installed in an area where there is no shade, and it should be level and secure. You’ll also want to ensure that the installation site is accessible for maintenance and cleaning.
Connect the solar modules to each other to form a string, and route the conduit from each module to the combiner box (if one is in use).
Connect the solar modules to each other to form a string, and route the conduit from each module to the combiner box (if one is in use).
Connecting solar modules together is simply done by connecting the positive of one module to the negative of another, then wrapping them together with cable ties or electrical tape. This will make sure that any current generated by one panel can be used by all panels in the system, providing more power than a single panel could generate alone.
Routing conduit from each module to your planned location for your combiner box (where you will connect all strings) should also be done before attaching any wires directly between panels, since this will help prevent things like shorts when routing cables through tight spaces or walls. It’s important that this conduit has room for expansion as well, since heat will cause most plastics around it to expand over time and need extra clearance.
Once all components are connected properly, it’s time for testing!
Mount the combiner boxes (if needed).
Before you can install the solar panels, you need to mount the combiner boxes. The combiner boxes are used to combine the DC current from multiple solar modules into a single DC current. They have a DC voltage rating of 60V or less and are designed for use with monocrystalline c-Si PV modules.
Combiner boxes should be mounted on an angle, facing east or west for maximum sun exposure.
Route conduit(s) from the combiner box(es) to the charge controller, inverter or utility interconnection equipment.
- Route conduit(s) from the combiner box(es) to the charge controller, inverter or utility interconnection equipment (Figure 1).
- Install an air gap switch in one or more of these conduits at a location just before it enters your home or garage. An air gap switch does not need to be installed on every branch circuit that supplies power to your house. Only install them on those branches that supply electricity directly to appliances and other equipment—not circuits that only provide power for lights and other devices.
In order for your PV system to have an adequate level of protection, most professionals require you to install an approved back-feed device on your system’s DC side (Figure 2).
Follow these 12 steps to plan a solar electric system that will generate enough electricity at a reasonable cost.
The most important step of planning a home solar electric system is to determine how much energy you will need. This may sound obvious, but many people think they can get by with a smaller system than they really need.
Planning your home solar electric system requires an analysis of several factors:
- The amount of electricity you use now, and what you expect to use in the future.
- How much it costs to produce that electricity from conventional sources (such as coal or natural gas).
- Whether there are incentives available for installing renewable energy systems such as tax credits or rebates from your utility company, state or local government agencies, or non-profit organizations like Habitat for Humanity which offers free installation on homes they build.
Conclusion
Our 12 steps are a guide to help you plan and install a solar electric system. The key to success is to take your time, follow the steps, and keep in mind that it’s best to plan ahead rather than make last-minute decisions. You will save yourself money and time if you take the time now to plan carefully before installing any part of your solar project.