How To Install Solar Panels

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Are you wondering if you can install your solar panel by yourself? Never worry, this simple guide on how to install solar panels will put you through.

In this powerversity how-to guide, I will be explaining the simple steps on how to install solar panels. For easy understanding, I will split this guide into sections.

In essence, first, I will give a detailed overview of how to install solar panels. Here you will understand the meaning of solar panels.

After the overview, I will briefly explain how solar panels generate electricity. This is where you will understand the operations and conventions of direct current to alternating current of electricity

Moreso, you will understand that there will always be advantages of solar panels. Likewise, whatever has advantages will indeed have disadvantages.

Therefore, the section after how solar panels generate electricity will be that of the pros and cons of using solar panels.

Next, I will talk about some factors to consider before buying and installing solar panels.

Thereafter, I will explain the step-by-step process of installing solar panels.

Lastly, Our FAQ section also answers some often-asked queries about the installation of solar panels and my final thought.

How To Install Solar Panels: Overview

Various ways of generating electricity for domestic and industrial use depend on the power the source generates. However, to generate electricity, you will need a source of energy that exists due to nature.

This energy source could be running water, wind, fuel fossils, biomass, solar energy, etc. You need to convert this natural energy source to electricity using a suitable method or device to generate electricity.

More so, electricity is more reliable when it is generated from a renewable energy source. This is because renewable energy sources ensure continuity and availability of electricity since the sources do not run dry.

Also, there is a need to have an alternative source of electrical energy supply to provide electricity to your home if an outage occurs on the utility grid. Even so, you could choose to generate electricity for your personal use, without depending on the grid.

Generally, most homeowners use portable generators or solar panels to generate electricity for domestic use. Although, solar panels are more reliable and becoming more popular than portable generators in recent times.

A portable generator is characterized by its noise and operates with fuel which could make it less reliable. This is because fuel finishes and needs to be refilled from time to time according to the capacity of the fuel tank.

On the other hand, solar panels operate with energy from the sun. Once there is sunlight, there is electricity, and it provides means of storing electricity for further use.

Therefore, a solar panel is a device that converts solar energy to electricity. The electricity that flows from the output of a solar panel is direct current (DC) electricity.

Direct current (DC) is a type of electrical current that flows in one direction. You can store direct current in a battery for future use.

How Do Solar Panels Generate Electricity

We know that solar panels generate electricity by converting solar energy to electrical energy. This section will discuss how a solar panel converts energy from the sun to electricity.

A solar panel consists of solar cells connected together. Each of these solar cells is a product of two silicon semiconductors arranged as a sandwich with an N-type semiconductor at the top and a P-type semiconductor at the bottom.

The N-type semiconductor has more negatively charged electrons than positively charged holes. Likewise, the P-type semiconductor has more positively charged holes than negatively charged electrons.

Just as two poles of magnets create a magnetic field, two charges create an electrostatic field between them. This electrostatic field exists at the junction between the P-type and the N-type semiconductors.

In order to make the electrostatic field stronger, manufacturers dope the semiconductors. The doping of the N-type semiconductor is heavy, while that of the P-type semiconductor is light.

Doping is the process of adding impurity atoms to a semiconductor to increase its conductivity. The N-type semiconductor is doped with pentavalent impurity atoms while the P-type semiconductor is doped with trivalent impurity atoms.

However, when the particles of sunlight rest on a solar cell, it displaces electrons. These electrons move towards the P-type semiconductor, obeying Coulomb’s Law.

At the junction, the electrostatic field directs the electrons toward the output of the solar cell. This process is known as the photoelectric effect.

Thus, as solar cell absorbs sunlight, electrons release from them continuously. This will cause electrons to flow continuously as long as there is sunlight.

Particularly, electricity from the solar panel flow in one direction. To use this direct current from the solar panel in your home, you need an inverter to convert the direct current to an alternating current.

The Pros And Cons Of Solar Panels

The essence of using solar panels is to install a solar energy system to generate electrical power. Hence, the pros and cons of solar panels are associated with the entire solar energy installation.

The Pros Of Using Solar Panels

The benefits of using solar panels include the following:

Reduction In Electricity Bills

Solar energy is an excellent alternative source of electricity supply to your home. This reduces your electricity bills since sunlight is all you need to power your home.

You stand a chance of saving a considerable amount every month by switching to solar. However, to harness the energy from the sun, you need a solar panel.

Renewable Energy Source

Solar panels operate with the sun which is a renewable energy source. It helps us to reduce our use of fossil fuels to generate electricity.

When you burn fossil fuel to generate electricity, it releases harmful byproducts into the atmosphere. This leads to air pollution.

Increase In Home Values

Solar panels also improve your home value. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory reports that your home value increases by $20, for every dollar your solar panel saves you on your electrical bills.

A home with solar panels sells for 4% higher than one without them. In the long run, the owner of a home with solar panels saves a considerable amount of money.

Low Maintenance Costs

Maintaining solar panels is not expensive. Once you install a solar energy system, it requires little maintenance at environmental factors do not affect it.

However, you need to keep your solar panel clean and free from debris for it to continue functioning without additional action by the consumer for many years. Cleaning solar panels are simple, and you can do it as a do-it-yourself project.

If you can not clean the solar panels, you can hire a professional at a very cheap and affordable cost. This can cost just $140 to $180 per year.

Energy Independence

With a solar energy system in your home, you can supply electricity to your home without the grid, especially when you have a solar battery system to store power during the day and supply it at night.

Even so, this battery could serve as an emergency backup during power outages. Also, the battery could supplement for lesser power generation on cloudy or rainy days.

It Is Advantageous To The Community

Homeowners can further lower their energy rates by selling the extra electricity their solar panels generate back to the utility company through a procedure called net metering.

Additionally, this frequently lessens a community’s dependency on fossil fuels.

Long-Term Investments

Solar systems come with high start-up expenses, however, these expenditures are typically offset by reduced electricity bills.

Within a period of 6 to 10 years, homeowners may often break even on their investments.

Moreover, at a point, they would have begun to enjoy the advantages long before the system has to be replaced or requires intensive care.

The Cons Of Using Solar Panels

Now let us discuss some of the disadvantages of using Solar Panels

Reliant On Sunlight

A system that relies on solar energy cannot generate electricity without sunlight. Users in regions with less-than-ideal quantities of solar exposure or bad weather may find this to be an issue.

This problem may be reduced by using solar batteries to store extra energy, and even when there are continual clouds, the best solar panels will continue to be economical and efficient enough to be installed.

Limitations Of Space

Depending on the number of solar panels you want to install, space might be an issue. Besides, finding a location with sufficient exposure might be challenging, especially in less-large residential areas.

Effects Of Manufacturing On The Environment

Due to the substantial greenhouse gas emissions produced by solar panel manufacture and material mining, there are certain environmental drawbacks to the development of solar technology.

According to research from the Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy, solar panels pay for themselves in terms of greenhouse gas emissions between 1 to 4 years of use.

While there is still a drawback, much of the problem may be remedied.

Solar Panels Are Expensive.

Even if the cost of solar technology has decreased over the past 10 years, a full solar installation still demands an enormous financial commitment.

Before taking into account any incentives and the federal solar tax credit, the average customer may anticipate spending roughly $20,000 on a complete solar system for a home.

Installation May Not Be Simple

Solar panel installation might be difficult if you don’t like being on a roof or don’t feel comfortable handling electricity, even if the majority of the components are rather basic.

For instance, hooking the panel wiring into the house can be complicated for the typical do-it-yourselfer and should be left to the experts.

How To Install Solar Panels: Factors To Consider Before Installing Solar Panels

The primary considerations to take into account while purchasing and installing solar panels are the most crucial information in this work.

These elements include precise computations and familiarity with the product and its particulars. Potential purchasers of solar panels can contact experts, but it’s vital to make separate visits to discuss each issue.

This section of the post has included a list of some of the most important things to think about before installing solar panels to make the effort less time-consuming.

These include:

For how long do you plan to reside in your home?

Your solar panel investment won’t pay off for at least 5–6 years.

Although your power expenses would immediately decrease, installing panels is not cheap, so the overall expenditures will add up to be very significant.

Solar panel investment is a great idea if you intend to live in the same home for a long time.

However, if you are a person who is constantly on the move or your job requires frequent relocations, you should consider other ways to reduce your energy consumption.

Hence, consider switching to LED light bulbs or adding special sensors (such as a PIR sensor or dusk-to-dawn sensor) to your outdoor flood lights.

Sort Of Roof

If you’re getting ready to put solar panels on your roof, this is a crucial factor to take into account. Some homes are not ideal for the speedy installation of solar panels due to the variety of roofs found in buildings.

However, solar panels may be put on almost any style of the roof; in certain situations, it may just take a little more work and cost more.

Some businesses will only install solar panels on composite shingles and refuse to use Spanish tiles.

You only need to look more carefully for a solar panel specialist who is qualified and experienced enough to work with various types of roofs.

Price Range

Every potential user of solar panels is concerned about the pricing range.

However, it may be quite difficult to determine which solar panel manufacturers and markets are increasing each year. Hence, making it difficult to determine which solar panels are truly excellent yet not costly.

In reality, since the middle of 2010, the cost of solar panels has decreased by about 65%, and this trend is extremely consistent.

Your initial capital to invest should be roughly about $20,000 if you factor in any tax credits and subsidies from the federal and local governments.

Location Of The Installation

In determining how many and what kind of solar panels to utilize, the level of direct sunshine is a highly important element. The location you reside in is obviously the key determinant of this.

However, big structures and trees may also have a significant influence on how much sunlight reaches your panel.

When exposed to shade, various panels react differently – some limit output, while others completely shut down. Energy will be generated more effectively the longer your panels are exposed to direct sunlight.

Project Duration.

Remember that installing solar panels will take up some of your free time if you have a hectic schedule.

In spite of the fact that wiring and installation often take a few days, it may take weeks or even months from the time you sign the contract until you can begin the actual installation.

The Amount Of Energy Needed To Run Your Home.

The quantity of energy used by each family varies, of course, depending on the electric appliances they have, the number of occupants, etc.

Thus, in order to establish how many panels you would need to purchase in order to power the complete home, it is essential to assess your household’s typical electricity demand.

You’ll need fewer panels if you use less energy, so this will save you money.

The size of a system is often influenced by two elements- the quantity of energy required and insolation

Find out approximately how big a system is needed to create adequate energy for your home by keeping track of your electric bills.

Figuring out how many kilowatts of energy you consume on a daily average, and multiplying that figure by.25.

Permits

Please be sure to read all pertinent construction permit paperwork before installing your solar panels.

Without valid building permission, you only run the danger of being penalized and required to fully redo the system.

And nobody is actually cruel enough to deliberately subject themselves to this awful procedure.

Because building permits are given locally, be careful to abide by the laws and ordinances that are relevant to the city where you live.

How To Install Solar Panels: Step-by-Step Process

The roof is the most typical place for solar PV panel installation. The majority of roofs often meet the installation requirements needed to give panels the most sunlight.

The solar panels might potentially be put on the ground if roof installation is not feasible or desired. You only need to make sure that nothing is in the way of the sun.

The steps in the installation procedure are as follows:

Step 1: Site Preparation and Safety Precaution

To guarantee safety when doing the installation while on the roof, you must first create scaffolding.

Additionally, you will need to prepare all required tools for use.

Step 2: Installing the Mount

Fixing the mounts that will hold the solar panels is the next phase. Depending on the need, it may be flush mounts or roof-ground mounts. Support and durability are provided by its basic structure.

Moreover, the direction in which the PV panels—monocrystalline or polycrystalline—will be mounted is carefully considered.

The optimum direction to face solar panels for nations in the Northern Hemisphere is south since it receives the most sunshine. Directions to the east and west will also work.

besides, the ideal direction is north for nations in the Southern Hemisphere.

Furthermore, a minor tilt is required for the mounting framework. The tilt’s angle can range from 18 to 36 degrees.

A solar tracker is frequently used by businesses to improve conversion efficiency.

Step 3: Install the Solar Panels

After the mounts are placed, the solar panel itself has to be mounted on the mounting system. To keep it stable, make sure all the bolts and nuts are snug.

Step 4: Complete the Electrical Wiring for the Solar Panels

The installation of the electrical wire is the next stage of the installation procedure. MC4 connections are typically utilized since they are appropriate for all types of solar panels.

Make sure to turn off the home’s energy supply while installing the wiring.

The following set of connections between these panels is possible electrically:

1. Series Connection: In this arrangement, the Positive (+) and Negative (-) wires of two PV modules are connected in series. The voltage match with the battery bank is improved with this style of wiring.

2. Parallel Connection: Positive (+) to Positive (+) and negative (-) to negative (-) connections are made in this instance. Each panel’s wiring voltage remains the same.

Note: where necessary, you can introduce the use of a Solar charge controller. to read more about Solar Charge controller, Please click here

Step 5: Install Solar Inverter

Now is the time for the solar inverter to be connected to the already installed solar panel system – with or without the help of a solar charge controller.

Usually, The inverter is placed close to the situated close to the main distribution panel of the building.

Moreso, you can decide to place it indoors or outdoors, preferably colder environment – inverters operate more effectively when it’s situated in a colder environment.

The inverter has to be shielded from the noon sun if it is outdoors.

On the other hand, if inside, the utility room or garage is the best place to install it. The reason is that those places always have ventilation and stay cold for most of the year.

Remember, Both the Positive and Negative wires from the solar panel are linked to the inverter’s Positive and Negative terminals, respectively.

Step 6: Connect Solar Inverter and Solar Battery

The solar inverter and solar battery must then be connected.

Positive-to-positive and negative-to-negative connections are made between the battery’s terminals and the inverter’s terminals.

To store backup power, an off-grid solar system needs batteries.

You won’t have to worry about running out of useful energy on cloudy days thanks to solar battery storage.

Moreover, it may also help cut installation costs for solar battery storage systems.

Step 7: Connect Solar Inverter to the Grid

To produce energy, the inverter must then be connected to the grid. A regular plug is utilized to connect to the main power switchboard in order to create this connection.

Moreso, the electric board that delivers electricity to the dwelling is linked with an output wire.

Hence, to track the exact quantity of power the solar panels generate, a generation meter must also be attached.

You can measure the performance of your solar system using a computer or other gadget.

For instance, you may determine the best time to use your washing machine or other utilities by looking at how much power you produce at various times.

Step 8: Start Solar Inverter

It’s time to turn on the inverter switch at the main switch of the house now that all of the electrical cabling and connections have been established.

The majority of solar inverters feature a digital display that shows statistics on the generation and usage of solar equipment.

The procedure of installing solar panels is then completed.

How To Install Solar Panels: Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can I install my own solar panels?

You can install solar panels yourself, that much is true.

It makes sense to space out your purchases if you’re building your way up to a Smart Home Ecosystem by getting solar panels, a power plant, and other parts.

Purchasing a few solar panels at a time and installing them yourself can be more cost-effective.

2. How do I connect my Solar Panels in Parallel

In order to create a single positive and negative connection that can be connected to your regulator and batteries, connect all of the positive terminals (positive to positive) and all of the negative terminals (negative to negative) on parallel-connected solar panels.

This means the total voltage output from many solar panels connected in parallel is the same as it would be for a single panel, but the output current is the sum of the currents from all the panels, as indicated.

3. What is the best way to install solar?

Currently, hiring a certified expert that uses high-quality solar panels and has experience installing solar is the best way to go about it.

The North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) grants the industry-recognized credential.

4. What is the best way to install solar?

Currently, hiring a certified expert that uses high-quality solar panels and has experience installing solar is the best way to go about it.

The North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) grants the industry-recognized credential.

5. Can I connect solar panels directly to an inverter?

It is possible to connect solar panels directly to the inverter rather than the charge controller. Your photovoltaic arrays need a suitable and high-quality solar power inverter.

It serves as a crucial link between the battery and the grid where solar panels are connected.

My Final Thought On Installing Solar Panels

Solar panels require extremely minimal upkeep because they don’t have any moving parts.

There aren’t many fees involved in maintaining solar panels once you’ve paid for their installation.

Having said that, you should check them a few times a year to see whether dirt or other debris has accumulated on top.

The panels must be spotless and free from obstructions in order to capture the sun’s energy effectively.

An installer should inspect your system every 4-6 years.

It’s a good idea to inquire with your installer about any particular upkeep needs for your solar system.

This essay ought to have been useful to you.

There is no need to investigate further if you want to go and get solar panels for your house.

Fill out the “Leave A Reply” box at the bottom of this page to respond.

Further Reading And References

5 Best 60A MPPT Solar Charge Controllers

How To Charge A Deep-Cycle Battery

The Best Car Solar Charger