Solar Panels? Need some help.

[Moondrelor]

Hey guys,

 

I've always wanted to get solar panels, but I can't seem to learn about them well enough and research them well enough to figure out how to tell if the solar panel I'm getting is any good, and if this is something that 2 people could install with minimal margin of error. Can anyone with good knowledge on Solar Panels help me out here? I'd love to be able to either power my home and garage, or at least cut my electrical bill down in half to start off with, and grow into buying more solar panels over time.

 

Thanks fella's

[You_are_a_cunt]

http://www.yinglisolar.com/en/solar-basics/

 

Solar panels can be installed fairly easily by a single person, as long as the required knowledge is there. If you have no idea what you're doing, you're better off getting some professional help since it involves fiddling with the mains power line

[RedSphyxis]

http://www.yinglisolar.com/en/solar-basics/

 

Solar panels can be installed fairly easily by a single person, as long as the required knowledge is there. If you have no idea what you're doing, you're better off getting some professional help since it involves fiddling with the mains power line

lel what you're saying and that avatar is just perfect

[You_are_a_cunt]

lel what you're saying and that avatar is just perfect

teehee. I am, after all, a mini-Doc Brown

[Moondrelor]

http://www.yinglisolar.com/en/solar-basics/

 

Solar panels can be installed fairly easily by a single person, as long as the required knowledge is there. If you have no idea what you're doing, you're better off getting some professional help since it involves fiddling with the mains power line

 

So, would these panels be good?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00F9HUXWO?keywords=Solar%20Panel&qid=1450274434&ref_=sr_1_1&refinements=p_n_feature_keywords_two_browse-bin%3A6907043011&s=lawn-garden&sr=1-1

Care to maybe explain what exactly a 250W panel means? That it can generate 250wH? Or what? I don't really understand these ratings.

 

Also would this be a good inverter?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00XJCVC44?keywords=Solar%20Panel%20Inverter&qid=1450274818&ref_=sr_1_2&s=lawn-garden&sr=1-2

[Coaxialgamer]

So, would these panels be good?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00F9HUXWO?keywords=Solar%20Panel&qid=1450274434&ref_=sr_1_1&refinements=p_n_feature_keywords_two_browse-bin%3A6907043011&s=lawn-garden&sr=1-1

Care to maybe explain what exactly a 250W panel means? That it can generate 250wH? Or what? I don't really understand these ratings.

 

Also would this be a good inverter?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00XJCVC44?keywords=Solar%20Panel%20Inverter&qid=1450274818&ref_=sr_1_2&s=lawn-garden&sr=1-2

from what it seems , it will constantly generate 250w (this depends on how the manufacturer rates it ; peak power ? Expected power ?Worst case ?)

 

It should in theory be able to power a 250w device (not counting power loss through cables , inverters , transformers etc )

[Moondrelor]

from what it seems , it will constantly generate 250w (this depends on how the manufacturer rates it ; peak power ? Expected power ?Worst case ?)

 

It should in theory be able to power a 250w device (not counting power loss through cables , inverters , transformers etc )

 

So then, essentially, let's say that 250w was it's peak power. So let's say it was getting peak power for 8 hours.

250W * 8h = 2000Wh?

And that would be fed back into the grid?

 

But considering there are 2 panels. Then;

(2 Panels * 250W) * 8h = 4000Wh

And any power that I'm not using, would get fed back into the grid?

[KemoKa]

Oh oh oh oh oh @Moondrelor, I can totally help you with this! This is the industry I work in!

What do you need to know?

[Real_PhillBert]

So, would these panels be good?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00F9HUXWO?keywords=Solar%20Panel&qid=1450274434&ref_=sr_1_1&refinements=p_n_feature_keywords_two_browse-bin%3A6907043011&s=lawn-garden&sr=1-1

Care to maybe explain what exactly a 250W panel means? That it can generate 250wH? Or what? I don't really understand these ratings.

 

Also would this be a good inverter?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00XJCVC44?keywords=Solar%20Panel%20Inverter&qid=1450274818&ref_=sr_1_2&s=lawn-garden&sr=1-2

 

At peak it could generate 250W. However you should really plan on a 40-50% of that for normal use.

 

My neighbor just put in a bunch of professional cells, and says it was a great way to prepay for 20 years of electricity. 

 

YMMV.

[Moondrelor]

Oh oh oh oh oh @Moondrelor, I can totally help you with this! This is the industry I work in!

What do you need to know?

 

Everything ;-;

[KemoKa]

Everything ;-;

okay.

 

If you have a conventional solar array, it sits on your roof and generates power. Optimizers are hooked up to each panel, linked in series and the power the array generates is fed into an inverter which converts it to AC. The AC power is fed directly into the grid instead of your own house, but a meter is hooked up to it. The meter measures how much power you generate and you get credit (NOT to be confused with the utility giving you a check - that is NOT what happens) for the power you generate, because what you generate takes load off of the power station. the credit is equivalent to the cost of electricity per Kilowatt-hour. If you use less electricity than you generate, then the extra electricity you make after your bill is reduced to zero is put into the credit for next month's bill (meaning that you could use that as free electricity for bitcoin mining or running a render farm - again, you don't get legal tender for your generated power).

 

Normally it's a good idea to get a professional* company to do it unless you're super-handy. I say professional* because all it may mean is that an electrical engineer stands on your lawn and oversees a load of men-with-vans climbing on your roof (which they need building permits and electrical permits for), bolt big aluminium rails onto the roof of your house, and attach the panels to them, hook up an inverter, meter, all that, and then you sit back and get credit... and relax your hands after all of that form-signing and back-and-forth about mistakes they made in filling out the forms. MAKE SURE YOU GET A COMPANY RUN BY PROPER PROFESSIONALS, NOT JUST PEOPLE WHO SAY THEY ARE!

 

For a small house with a relatively low power draw at 20 cents per kilowatt-hour, a 5kW system should take in the neighbourhood of 5-8 years to recoup your investment, after which electricity is basically free forever unless you start drawing waaaaaay more power than you generate. Or unless one of the panels dies.

 

If you want an off-grid solar array, that's a bit more complicated - not really what I do around here, so... You'd need a Tesla Powerwall for something like that. Or a few lead-acid batteries in your basement.

[KemoKa]

Honestly, I don't understand why they don't have a standard for off-grid houses where they just have the entire house as a giant 12/24/48v DC rail to power stuff with, and then use voltage pumps for all the other voltages that you need. It could totally work.

[Moondrelor]

okay.

-snip-

 

My brain is full

 

About how much does it cost to have "Professionals" install it?

[manikyath]

so, i've researched about solar panels myself a while back, and i found a very high performance inverter with battery connector for an off-the-grid setup, the lowest available model was 1500 watts, and cost around €3700...

 

so the price of that inverter is kinda tripping me off...

[KemoKa]

My brain is full

 

About how much does it cost to have "Professionals" install it?

Depends on the size of the array. Multiple thousands of dollars, certainly.

[Moondrelor]

Depends on the size of the array. Multiple thousands of dollars, certainly.

Ew... I just want 1 or 2 panels, and see how far it will decrease my bill..

 

Two 250W panels maybe? And a 1000W Inverter? Would run me less than a grand..

[KemoKa]

Ew... I just want 1 or 2 panels, and see how far it will decrease my bill..

 

Two 250W panels maybe? And a 1000W Inverter? Would run me less than a grand..

Yeah, I was gonna say... at that point it would probably be less hassle just to build it yourself. You'd need to research it well, though, so as not to fry yourself.

[dalekphalm]

from what it seems , it will constantly generate 250w (this depends on how the manufacturer rates it ; peak power ? Expected power ?Worst case ?)

 

It should in theory be able to power a 250w device (not counting power loss through cables , inverters , transformers etc )

I looked at the detailed specs for that Panel, and it rates 250W as max power:

 

Maximum Power: 250W

So I would equate that with Peak power output.

 

So then, essentially, let's say that 250w was it's peak power. So let's say it was getting peak power for 8 hours.

250W * 8h = 2000Wh?

And that would be fed back into the grid?

 

But considering there are 2 panels. Then;

(2 Panels * 250W) * 8h = 4000Wh

And any power that I'm not using, would get fed back into the grid?

For feeding it back into the grid, you'll need a setup that can handle that. That means additional equipment. You'll need a transformer (To convert from the DC these panels will output to the appropriate AC voltage in your grid (Eg: 110/220V AC, etc) and a few other pieces. Having a system that automatically feeds back excess power into the Grid can get pretty complicated, unless you buy expensive pre-built devices.

[Moondrelor]

Yeah, I was gonna say... at that point it would probably be less hassle just to build it yourself. You'd need to research it well, though, so as not to fry yourself.

 

Might Uncle is a electrician. Maybe he can help me out.

 

But how much would 500W worth of panels actually help me on my electrical bill. Say if Electricity is 0.13kWh

[KemoKa]

Might Uncle is a electrician. Maybe he can help me out.

 

But how much would 500W worth of panels actually help me on my electrical bill. Say if Electricity is 0.13kWh

Depends on how much you use, of course. I mean, 500W's worth of panels (like, two) would proooobably generate around two or three kWh per day, maybe more, assuming that you have reasonably good weather with a south-facing roof with lots of open sky. There are ways to improve the savings - switching to LEDs rather than incandescents or CFLs, shutting down or hibernating the computer, stuff like that. The panels by themselves might mitigate the cost of powering your microwave or stove. I'd say... 20 dollars a month? If you had nothing but 8 hours a day of constant sunlight, then it would probably be closer to $40 a month.

 

That's just my guess though.

[Moondrelor]

Depends on how much you use, of course. I mean, 500W's worth of panels (like, two) would proooobably generate around two or three kWh per day, maybe more, assuming that you have reasonably good weather with a south-facing roof with lots of open sky. There are ways to improve the savings - switching to LEDs rather than incandescents or CFLs, shutting down or hibernating the computer, stuff like that. The panels by themselves might mitigate the cost of powering your microwave or stove. I'd say... 20 dollars a month? If you had nothing but 8 hours a day of constant sunlight, then it would probably be closer to $40 a month.

 

That's just my guess though.

 

Hmm, then the summer should be nearly free power I use only like 40-60 bucks worth of electricity, and during the winter only 90.

[KemoKa]

Hmm, then the summer should be nearly free power I use only like 40-60 bucks worth of electricity, and during the winter only 90.

hmmm... well, that's assuming that the panels operate at full efficiency... and I've got old news for ya, that will almost never be the case. :unsure:

But it does sound like you'll save quite a large chunk.

 

[Moondrelor]

hmmm... well, that's assuming that the panels operate at full efficiency... and I've got old news for ya, that will almost never be the case. :unsure:

But it does sound like you'll save quite a large chunk.

 

 

Well, yeah. Lol. I figure they won't run at full efficiency, I forgot to include that but hey, I'll be cutting at most 1/3 of my electrical bill That's always good! but then again, 1000 bucks / 30 saved ducks per month then ya know... 33 months to pay off, idk if I'm going to do it

[KemoKa]

Well, yeah. Lol. I figure they won't run at full efficiency, I forgot to include that but hey, I'll be cutting at most 1/3 of my electrical bill That's always good! but then again, 1000 bucks / 30 saved ducks per month then ya know... 33 months to pay off, idk if I'm going to do it

hmmm... yeah... that's a while...

Although, with just a couple of panels, if you end up moving somewhere I suppose you could throw them in the back of a truck and just haul them to wherever...

[Moondrelor]

hmmm... yeah... that's a while...

Although, with just a couple of panels, if you end up moving somewhere I suppose you could throw them in the back of a truck and just haul them to wherever...

 

That's true... Or... Invest a bit more money.

 

A inverter and two panels would cost 838.98

So under the impression I save 30 bucks a month.

ROI would be 28 months.

 

Add a 3rd panel, that would cost me 1188.97

So under the impression I save 45 bucks a month, with the 3rd.

ROI would be 26 months.

 

That's not too bad I guess.

But this is basing the price off just the panels and inverter... Is there anything else that I would need?