The most important part of any solar power system is the solar panels. These are what actually collect the sunlight and convert it into electricity. The electricity generated by these panels is DC which is suitable for powering many small gadgets and devices. A lot of appliances will operate on AC power which may mean you will also need an inverter.
The inverters are used to convert the DC power into AC power to be used by your appliances. These are similar things to what the police use in order to power coffee makers and power tools in their car. You need an inverter to run household appliances that do not otherwise convert the electricity into DC. You can purchase a solar power system which includes batteries, the electricity which is generated will be used to charge the batteries. This means that electricity will be available even if it's dark. The bigger the solar panels you choose to install, the more power you have available. A single panel system will normally power lights for a number of hours, however if you add more devices you might need more panels.
Solar panels are still fairly expensive and so creating a system with lots of solar panels it may seem too expensive. If you want to run your whole house from solar power then you will need a fairly large array of panels in order to generate enough power. You will also need batteries and some form of backup just in case your system cannot provide enough power. At today's costs it will take around 5 years before the solar panels will have paid for themselves. This means that after five years the electricity generated will be completely free. Solar panels should last for a very long time and need very little maintenance, so if you intend to live in your house for a long time then solar panels could be a viable option.
Credits And Tax Breaks Take Sting Out Of Cost
There are some tempting tax breaks and other incentives that are offered by federal and local governments. These make the idea of renewable energy more inviting, these tax breaks will sometimes be as much as half the price of your system. Solar panels can be expected to last for 10 years before they need replacing, plus you won't need to purchase power from a utility company ever again.
Many people are reluctant to make the switch because they think that they won't be reliable. We all need electricity all day and all night, we need electricity no matter whether it is sunny or overcast outside. Batteries really do let these systems down as they are nowhere near as advanced as the solar panels themselves.
It is true that solar panels won't generate as much power on cloudy days, and may not generate any during the night. However it is possible to store this power in batteries which will see you though the night. You can also sell your excess power back to the grid and then buy from them during the night. This works like a battery in a way, and it is more efficient.
The technical writer Rick Walkending is particularly passionate about issues corresponding to vinyl garden windows. You might find out more about his work on garden replacement windows at http://www.replacement-windows-tips.com and various other sources for garden replacement windows information.
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