What should you know before installing a solar system?

Before using solar technology, it is better if you have a clear understanding of the requirements of installing a solar system.

In this article, we will explain some frequently asked questions and the main things you should know about solar system installation.

1. How do environmental factors affect solar system installation?
2. Information on the electricity consumption of the house for installing solar panels.
3. Which solar system you should choose (on-grid, off-grid, or hybrid)?
4. How do choose a place to install a solar system?
5. Do you have to maintain the solar panel system?
6. How to manage money to pay for the solar system?

How do environmental factors affect solar system installation?

When we are looking for the basic requirements to install a solar panel system environmental factors come first.

Many environmental factors affect the efficiency of your solar panels. One of them is the weather. if the area you are living in has a rainy season or winter season with heavy snow falling for more than 6 months, using a solar panel system is less effective as the amount of sunlight you are getting per day is less.

Then the geography of the area you are living in is also important. Because if the area you are living in has mountains that cut off direct sunlight you may not get enough sunlight to generate enough power. It will be more efficient if the land you are living in has direct sunlight.

Also, the nature of the land you are living in is very important. if the land has many tall trees it will cut off the direct sunlight. This reduces the amount of sunlight that will solar panels get. So it is better if your land has short trees as it does not cut off the sunlight.

If you are living near to the sea and has more sunny days than rainy or snow day it will be an advantage for you. But the saltiness of the wind will speed up the corrosion of the metal parts of your solar system. So you may have to maintain it properly to avoid any damages to your solar panels.

Information on the electricity consumption of the house for installing solar panels.

If you are looking to use solar energy, it is important to know the amount of electricity currently consumed in your home or place where you intend to install solar panels. Because you should have information about the electricity consumed in the house, to give to the solar company.

This comes in the form of an annual or monthly electricity bill and the company that installs your solar system calculates and installs the solar supply required for your home or location according to the number of kilowatts in it. If you plan to use any of the appliances that consume electricity in the future, it should be noted in the final assessment of your electricity usage.

Example: Use A / C for your rooms., Buy an electric car.

The main reason for the need for this information is that, when installing a solar system, the solar company will arrange to supply solar energy to your home based on your monthly or annual electricity consumption. Therefore, by providing the most accurate and truthful information to your solar company, you can get the system that best suits your needs.

Which solar system you should choose (on-grid, off-grid, or hybrid)?

When you are going to using solar energy to power up your home, you need to decide how to install that system. There are three main ways you can get solar power energy, and in this article, we will describe it and you should choose it based on your need.

1. On-Grid Solar System
2. Off-Grid Solar System
3. Hybrid Solar System 

On-Grid Solar System

The on-Grid solar power system generates solar energy and supplies it to the utility grid. The electricity generated by the solar system is carried to the grid from the place where you generate it for the use of various appliances in your home. Excess power generated at all times is also added back to the power grid.

The simplest principle here is to generate electricity from the solar panel system and transmit it to the grid the same as the electricity consumed in your home. Then you do not have to pay a monthly or annual bill for the electricity you consumed.

However, this system only provides you the electricity when the grid is operational. If your grid power system fails, you will not be able to get power from this solar system. So if you are thinking of using this system, it is wise to buy a backup power generator when using the power outage.

Benefits of using solar On-Grid system

• Zero Electricity Bill – Use this system you will only have to pay if you have used more electricity than what is generated by the solar system. The monthly electricity bill will indicate whether or not you need to make a payment. But if your solar system produces more electricity than you consumed, that excess power will be returned to the power grid. Also, there is a scheme called a net metering system that will allow you to get benefits from the excess units produced by your system.
• The on-gird solar system is cheap and easy to install – This system is easier to install compared to other solar systems and does not cost as much as other systems. Because this system does not cost money to store electricity as a solar off-grid system. The electricity generated by this system is directed to connect to the grid.
• Less maintenance –This system is easy to maintain due to the simple installation of the solar on-grid power system and the fact that the system does not use batteries to store power.
• Ability to obtain a passive income – If you use a solar on-grid system that generates more electricity than you consumed in a month, this system will not only eliminate the electricity bill but also give you extra money for the excess electricity. Some companies generate electricity in this way as a business, and this is a good way for households to earn extra income.

Off-Grid Solar System

Another major method of solar power generation is the Off-Grid solar system.

It is a power system that operates on its own.

It is powered by solar energy generated by solar panels and stored in a battery via a charge controller. That way, the battery stores the Direct Current (DC) generated by the solar panel. Almost every appliance in your home is designed to use an Alternating Current (AC). Therefore, we use an inverter to convert the Direct Current (DC) stored in your battery into Alternative Current (AC) and power your home. With this system, your home can use electricity at night as well as in the event of a power outage.

Benefits of using solar Off-Grid system

• Can be used in remote areas where there are no power lines – Even if you live in a very rural area with no power lines, you can still generate power by installing a solar Off-Grid system.
• Not connected to the utility grid – When you go to get electricity through the grid, if you live in an area far away from the power lines, it will cost you a lot of money to get electricity. But in such a case it may be cheaper to set up this system.
• Self-generating electricity – If you generate the electricity you need, you will not be charged a monthly electricity bill. Operating without a power grid can generate electricity without any problems, even in the event of a power outage. Energy self-sufficiency helps to protect the environment, so it creates self-satisfaction.

When using this method you should pay more attention to the batteries used to store electricity. As your battery life decreases over time, the amount of electricity that can be stored in your batteries decreases. Then the electricity you can use will be less. So it is always wise to use a good type of battery. Always use a genuine battery with a good warranty period.

Hybrid Solar System

The function of the hybrid solar power system is equal to the combination of On-grid and Off-grid solar power systems.

The power generated by the solar system is stored in a battery and can add excess electricity to the main grid. Simply put, a hybrid solar power generation system is a process of storing solar energy in a battery with a grid connection. Using this method you can use both the stored electricity and the grid power.

How do choose a place to install a solar system?

An essential attribute you need to have to install a solar panel system is that you have enough land to install solar panels. Solar panels can be installed on land around the house or the roof. In some cases, it can be installed on both the roof and the ground when there is not enough space to install it. If you do not have enough space on your roof, you can install panels even on the patio. Read Full Article About Ground Mounted Solar Vs Roof Mounted Solar (What Is Suitable For You?)

If you are going to install solar panels on the roof, they should be mounted a few inches above the roof. This is because extreme heat affects the efficiency of other electrical items as well as solar panels. When you install the panels a few inches above the roof, it helps to reduce the heat in the panels.

If you are installing solar panels on the roof, it will take more effort and there will be a difference in cost. Therefore, the installation cost may be higher. Also, the optimal direction for solar panels is the southeast direction. But if your roof is not exposed to the southeast, you can use another direction. It is not so much a problem as it does not get solar light according to the direction throughout the day.

There are many benefits to installing solar panels on the roof and you can also install these panels on the roof of your garage or any other space. You do not have to worry about it if you are not installing a solar system by yourself. When you talk to a solar company, they will set up your system based on your location on the ground.

Do you have to maintain the solar panel system?

The solar panel system requires very little maintenance. The number of maintenance depends on where you live. If you live in a rainy area, you do not need to clean solar panels often. Generally, if you live in a dry environment, cleaning the panels 2 or 3 times a year is sufficient.

Because your solar panels open to the outside many debris such as tree leaves, bird droppings can fell on them. This will block the direct sunlight causing a reduction in the efficiency of your solar panels. So you should clean 2 times or 3 times per year to prevent this situation.

In the winter season, snow falling can cause a snow layer on your solar panel. This snow layer cut off the direct sunlight. This will reduce the efficiency of your solar panels. so you should remove snow from time to time to prevent this. If you fixed your solar panel angled you don’t have to remove debris or snow much often.

Read Full Article About Maintain Solar System

How to manage money to pay for the solar system?

Like everything else, solar installation is an investment and there are cash payments as well as various loan schemes. The solar company will offer you alternative loan proposals based on your financial needs. If you can pay the full amount of money at once it will be more profitable than paying off loan installments. This is because you have to pay monthly or annual interest on a loan.

But for many homeowners who are not able to invest money at once, can talk to the relevant solar company and get a loan of the required amount and manage it.

| Conclusion |

If you are planning to install a solar system, first check if there is a suitable environment for it, and decide what type of system you will install as we mentioned above. Then get the details you need and get in touch with a good solar company to inspect your land and prepare a setup plan for it. Then when you pay for it, try to invest the money all at once. This is because you have to pay interest on the loan.