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Harnessing the Sun for Your Home - Key Components
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By Rick Chapo
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Using the power of the sun is becoming increasingly attractivefrom an economic and environmental aspect. If you're goingsolar, you need to know the components.
Solar Components
While generally considered electric platforms, solar systemsdefinitely have unique components. Here's some of the jargon youare going to need to be familiar with before buying.
1. Photovoltaic Cell - This is the key piece of any solarplatform. Known as a PV cell, it is typically a small cellcontaining a silicon substance under glass. When the sun hitsthe cell, the silicon undergoes an electrical reaction thatcreates a charge. The charge is collected by small wires.Depending on the nature of the cell, each should produce roughlyhalf a volt.
2. Solar Panel - A collection of solar cells joined as a unit ina frame. A single panel typically is insufficient to produceenough energy to power anything of significance in your home.
3. Solar System - Also known as a photovoltaic system, a solarsystem is an interconnected set of solar panels. This is whatyou see on the roofs of home or other areas around homes andbuildings. A solar system converts enough sunlight intoelectricity to provide most or all of the power required by ahome.
4. Orientation - Before installing a panel system, one has togive some thought regarding where to put it. The sun tracksacross a structure in a particular way. To maximize the energyproduction, the panels have to be oriented to receive themaximum amount of sunlight. This, of course, results in themaximum amount of electricity.
5. Direct Current - A type of electricity that flows in only onedirection. Solar cells produce direct current electricity.
6. Alternating Current - Electricity that flows in bothdirections. AC power is used by utilities and in practically allappliances and machines in a home.
7. Inverter - A key component in a solar panel system. Theinverter converts the direct current produced by the solarpanels into AC power that can be used in the home or fed backinto a utility power grid system.
Obviously, there are a wide variety of systems for convertingsunlight into power. Making yourself familiar with the abovecomponents is a good place to start.
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