Investing in PV Solar Systems - Investing in the Future

Solar power is an extremely popular way to generate electricity without polluting the environment. However how many people really know what pv solar systems do. PV solar systems or photovoltaic solar systems consist of certain components:

• Solar Panel - This is the obvious part, this is the panel which receives the sun light and converts it into electricity. Solar panels are measured in Watts.
• Charge controller - If you are using batteries, then you need a charge controller to make sure batteries are not overcharged.
• Batteries - You may need batteries to store the generated electricity unless you are considering an on grid system.
• Inverter - Solar panels produce DC electricity, an inverter converts this into AC which can be used to run household appliances.

The output of solar panels is normally measured in watts; this is a little confusing for many people, however the simple formula can be used to work this out:

V x A = W

Solar panels can be wired together in both parallel and series, in order to increase the amount of amps and voltage generated.

Inverters are required to convert the DC power which is generated by the solar panels and stored in the batteries into AC current which can run appliances and other items around your home.

If you are using batteries then you also need to invest in a charge controller, this makes sure that the batteries do not get overcharged. If you do not use a charge controller then you could not only cause damage to the batteries, but it can also cause a safety risk.

If using batteries then you should use deep cycle units, these are designed to be charged and run down thousands of times. The batteries will be rated in Amp Hours, which shows how much current the battery can supply over the hours.

Solar power systems are becoming increasingly popular which just goes to show how much people care about the environment these days. PV solar power systems are also virtually maintenance free and will save you money over the long run.