From idea to completion, the process of installing solar panels takes less than a month. The installation of them actually takes just a few days, with the rest of the time being taken up with planning and finding the best type of solar panels to use. It is something that you can do all by yourself if you wanted to, though most people, even those with some knowledge of the area, find it easier and safer to consult with a professional. Depending on where your home is located, you may need more or less solar panels than other people. The type of solar panels that you opt for will also have a bearing on the exact number that you need. As would be expected, the higher priced solar panels are more effective. Therefore, you can actually save money buying the more expensive solar panels, as you will need less of them. There are websites that will help you work out how many you will need, so you do not have to guess or need to be a mathematician. Solar panels are generally installed on the roof of a home, though in some cases it is more beneficial to install them on the ground. Either way, metal railings need to be securely bolted down to act as base for the solar panels themselves. It would be a mistake to jump to this part of the process without thorough prior planning. You should only move onto the installation stage once you are absolutely sure that you have found the optimal place for your solar panels. If you think the time, effort and expense involved just is not worthwhile then you need to think again. Within 5 years, you will have saved enough money through reduced electricity bills to have covered the cost of the installation of your solar panels, and will be then be saving enough money each year to be able to take an additional vacation. You will also be increasing the value of your home, and so you will make extra money, possibly twice what you paid for installation costs, when you come to sell it.
Are you are somebody who is considering installing a standalone solar powered system on your home. For everybody who is not surprisingly you not only need to get the right sorts of solar panels but additionally the right sorts of batteries where the power collected from the sun can then be stored. For this sort of system you’ll actually need to spend money on getting some deep cycle batteries such as the Optima Battery.
Although you may think it might be cheaper to utilize some conventional car batteries, they just cannot manage the task in hand. Most of these batteries will find it not just hard to store but in addition discharge the power collected and definitely will need replacing very often. Plus of course these type use a great deal more resources to create them than the deep cycle kind so are a good deal more harmful to the environment.
Upon having chosen to implement deep cycle batteries for your solar powered system you now should decide the type to use. Below we take a brief look at just what exists.
Type 1 – Flooded
These are very like the batteries you have in your car but have much thicker lead plates. Whilst they are well suited for use in solar powered systems they do come with some of the problems connected with conventional car batteries. They do not have such a long serviceable life, the dissipation of electrolytes can be poor, and they can become stratified. Plus you’ll discover that these are difficult to transport and there is a possibility that the gases within them may explode.
Type 2 – Gel
These batteries contain acid like other batteries but additionally include a gel that makes for the acid being converted into a jelly. So naturally even if the batteries become broken there’s no chance that the acid inside will spill out. Not only can these types deep discharge well but can deal with high temperatures better. You can even only partially recharge this sort and no serious damage will be caused to them. They are also able to much more easily able to accept a charge as a result of their low internal resistance. But you shouldn’t recharge them using high voltages.
Type 3 – AGM (Absorbed Glass Mat)
Between each lead plate in this sort of battery a boron silicate glass mat will be placed. As a result the electrolyte (acid) within the battery becomes immobilizes so if the battery is broken the contents won’t spill out. You’ll discover that this type much like the gel type can deep charge and has the capacity to deal with high temperatures. Plus even if you only partially recharge these types of deep cycle batteries you will find that it will not cause any serious damage to the battery itself as it has low internal resistance. Yet with regards to this type of battery you will find that is much more capable of you using high voltage charging that the gel and flooded type cannot handle.
