I am gearing up towards building a tiny home on wheels and I am wanting to use solar power for my electrical needs. Wanting a better understanding of the process, I thought I would start with the simple basics, solar panels.
Solar power starts with solar panels. There are two major types of solar panels on the market, Mono, and Poly for short. Mono being a purer solar component and Poly being a less pure component. Emerging technologies in the solar panel industry are thin film and bifacial panels.
Solar panels consist of solar cells which are made mostly from Silicon, a chemical element with conductive properties. When Silicon is exposed to light it generates an electric current. This current is harnessed into power, which we know as electricity. Let’s look further into solar panels and how they give us power.
Solar Panels Simplified For The Novice Cont…
Silica, also known as Silicon Dioxide comes in the form of quartz. Silica over time is broken down by wind and water and becomes sand mixed with other particles. Silica is found in the sands around the world. Some sands contain more silica than others. The sand used for the manufacturing of products is mined, either from open pits, dunes, or dredging waterways.
When Silica is combined as a reaction with carbon materials like coke, coal, and woodchips it then creates Silicon. This is a metal used in solar panels. There are two main types of solar panels Monocrystalline Silicon (Mono) and Polycrystalline Silicon (Poly).
Monocrystalline Silicon Panels (Mono)
The first type of solar panel is Mono, meaning Monocrystalline Silicon. Mono is the purest of the two originals types of solar panels. The other type being Poly or Polycrystalline. These two types are the most commonly used in the solar industry. Mono panels are a better option, here is why…
- The highest efficiency rate at 15-20% on average, but some better high-end panels can exceed that number up to 23%. This is due to its pure form. The panel themselves are darker and more uniformed in color than Poly.
- The power output is higher
- Take up less space
- Can take higher temperatures
All these benefits also come with a higher price tag. But Poly these days seems to be standing up pretty close to Mono in side by side test.
Polycrystalline Solar Panels (Poly)
Poly panels are not pure and have a less than pure look in the panels alone. Whereas Mono panels are a dark consistent blue or black in color, Poly panels are blueish speckled looking. This look is created by melting raw silicon, which is faster and cheaper to produce. Poly is the cheaper option of the two and here is why…
- Manufacturing is simpler and less waste of silicon
- They have a low-efficiency rate of around 15% or lower
- Deteriorate faster in higher temperatures
- Shorter lifespan
- Cost less to make
OVERVIEW
| What Is A Solar Panel And How Does It Work? Detailed List | What Do You Need To Use Solar Panels: Do I Need A Lot Of Space? | Solar Panel Electricity: Is It Enough Juice? |
What Is A Solar Panel And How Does It Work? Detailed List
A solar panel usually is a framed, glass-enclosed panel of solar cells connected in a series to generate electricity at a certain wattage. They are made from Silicon. And they produce electricity that can then be harnessed into a battery bank for storage and then converted into power to power up your favorite electrical needs. Here is how solar panels are made…
Mono Solar Panels: How They Are Made And Work
- Raw Silicon is extracted from quartz sand
- It is then melted in extremely high-temperature ovens to extract it
- A thin rod, known as a “Seed Crystal” is lowered into the hot molting Silicon vat very slowly at the same time spinning.
- Within a few days, the Silicon has now solidified around this rod
- When it comes out in this solid-state it is in a long tubular shaped crystal which is called an Ingot.
- The Silicon metal tube is now cut into a rectangle block for practical reasons.
- The Ingots are then sliced into very thin slices using a very fine wire saw.
- These slices are known as wafers and are the basis of each solar cell.
- They are then thoroughly cleaned
- Because each wafer is as smooth and reflective as a mirror they are etched and roughened in a chemical bath to make them reflect less light and absorb it more.
- Each wafer has a positive charge, at this stage, a negative charge layer has to be added to it, a negatively charged phosphorus layer is added.
- It is heated under extreme temperatures and phosphorus atoms are injected with the help of nitrogen. This gaseous mix penetrates the Silicon Wafer.
- Then the light put upon the wafer is then released generating an electric current.
- Each cell now gets silver alloy strips placed on the front.
- Each cell is tested for the amount of electricity it puts out and sorted with likes.
- Now cells are assembled onto a panel and soldered together in a way that accumulates power to make each panel a certain strength.
- During assembly, cells are put behind a pane of glass and this is known as Lamination, this protects the cells for many years to come.
- One solar panel on average holds 60 solar cells, but this can vary from 36 up to 144 solar cells to a panel.
Poly Solar Panels: How They Are Made And Work
Polycrystalline Solar panels start in the same way as Mono Panels when being made. The difference is when the crystal seed is placed in the vat of molten silicon. Instead of drawing the silicon crystal seed up, it is just left to cool and solidify.
This process creates a more grainer jagged piece look on the solar cell. And supposedly a less efficient product. But that is showing to be not the case when you do side by side comparisons of Mono and Poly Solar Panels. They are virtually very similar in outputs of energy but not in price.
What Do You Need To Use Solar Panels: Do I Need A Lot Of Space?
In the short of it you would need…
- The Solar Panels
- Charge Controller
- Battery Bank
- Inverter
- Battery Monitor
I explain these a little bit more down below. But to start with, here are some things to think about.
This is all contingent on what exactly you want to do with solar. If you want to just charge up a phone or a laptop, you just need a small solar panel charger usually very portable in size.
If you are looking to supply electricity to your camper or tiny home, you may need a few larger solar panels to supply your needs. So you would need a lot more space and then these panels would probably not be portable.
If you were looking to run your home on solar panels now you would need a great deal more space. Usually, these panels would mount on your roof, so the bigger the roof the more solar panels you could fit and the more power you could enjoy.
Then you can go as big as solar farms where you would need a plot of land to house them. This many panels would be powering a small town or business.
Besides space, to place the solar panels on, you would need a place to store the energy that you collect from the solar panels, and that is usually in the form of a battery bank.
Also, you would need a way to regulate how that energy goes into the battery bank, then you need a way to use the power that you have collected, in the way of an inverter. The last thing would be a way to monitor your batteries, as to not let them go down. To let you know when to stop using the electricity if need be.
Solar Panel Electricity: Is It Enough Juice?
Depending on how many solar panels you use and how much wattage each panel is, it will determine for the most part if you have enough electricity to power your needs.
There are a ton of variables in the actual solar panels, and the battery bank used. No panel or battery is true to its number. The numbers offered are under perfect conditions and no conditions are perfect.
So you would want to overcompensate and estimate only getting about one third to one half the actual power from a system you choose. Just some quick ideas of variables that would affect the power supply of the panel and the batteries.
The power that the solar system would produce would depend on the sun and where you are located in the world. The angle of the panel at any given time is an important factor.The batteries would depend on how they are stored and if getting adequate ventilation to keep them as cool as possible. Also, the temperature that they are exposed to. If the batteries are stored in warmer temperatures versus cooler temperatures they will produce less power.
There are so many variables to consider, and no two solar systems are alike. They are almost as unique as the individuals themselves that are using them. This video below might be able to explain things a little better.