What are the most common questions when choosing a photovoltaic solar kit? In this article we address different questions so that your decision is clearer when betting on solar energy.
Should a 60-cell solar panel always have an MPPT charge controller?
Yes, an MPPT solar regulator is needed to be able to connect grid connection panels (between 200W and 270W) for 24V to 48V installations. The regulator allows us to connect the panels in series, thus increasing the panel voltage (result of the sum of the voltage of each panel) above the battery voltage and thus carrying out an adequate charge of the batteries associated with the photovoltaic system. The MPPT regulator modulates the voltage obtained for this purpose, in addition to improving the energy generation of the photovoltaic system without increasing the intensity (the intensity of a branch of panels in series is equal to the intensity of a single panel).
The more batteries, the better the installation will work for me?
No, the relationship between solar panels and batteries must be proportional, because if the capacity of the batteries is much higher than the combined power of the panels, the battery charge will take longer to complete and the battery will suffer, shortening its useful life. .
Does any charge controller work with solar batteries?
No, they are selected according to the type of battery and the loads that are going to be connected to the system. Regarding the type of battery, we must pay attention to the charge curve, if it performs equalization, programming of absorption voltages, etc. Regarding the connected loads, we must bear in mind that in installations where current peaks occur due to motor starting, MPPT regulators must be installed.
Do batteries have memory effect?
No, the deep cycle marine battery do not have a memory effect, but they do leak, losing capacity if they are not properly charged and equalized when required. This sulfation produces a reversible capacity loss with the appropriate charging media.
Can another battery bank be put in parallel to expand capacity?
No, the battery bank is the only part of a photovoltaic solar installation that cannot be expanded, if already used batteries are grouped with new ones, there may be an imbalance due to the different internal resistances. If you want to increase the energy autonomy of the home, it is recommended to change the entire bank for another that offers more voltage and check compatibility with the rest of the elements of the photovoltaic installation.
Can batteries be regenerated once their useful life is over?
Regeneration only recovers sulfation in batteries. If the battery is faulty because it has exhausted its life cycles, no regeneration process will return the active matter to the grid. You can only recover batteries that have been stored for a long time, batteries that have been badly charged for a long time, and some other very particular cases.
Can I put several charge regulators with different plates on the same batteries?
It is not the most advisable, but several regulators can be installed in the same installation in order to be able to use panels with different powers and electrical characteristics (with which panels from previous installations can be reused). Care must be taken to configure the same load parameters in all the regulators and use the same length and section of wiring so that they read the same voltage.
Should I disconnect the batteries from the regulator in homes for seasonal use?
No, the regulator is used to maintain the batteries at floating voltage, even if we are not using the installation, if we disconnect the batteries from the system, it will self-discharge and surely when we return home the battery will be discharged or sulfated.
Does an installation with solar panels and batteries have to pay a toll to the state?
No, it is completely legal and no toll is paid in the case of isolated houses with batteries. As long as the electricity is not sold to any other home, we must only comply with the low voltage regulations in the installation and materials used to comply with the law.
Are there solar panels that produce energy at night?
No, although the plates can give us some voltage on full moon nights there will be no current intensity and therefore energy to be used.
Do solar panels produce power on cloudy days?
Yes, even if the day is cloudy or with diffuse radiation, the small solar panels receive irradiation and even if it does not produce 100% of its power, we can have between 10 and 20% production compared to a sunny day.
5 tips before buying solar panels
Currently any type of home or industry can install solar energy, the only essential requirement is to have available space in which to install the solar panels, whether on the roof, ground or roof.
- You have to know what your goal or need is.
In short, there are 3 main needs for which solar panels are installed:
- If you want to save on your electricity bill.
- If you want to disconnect from the electrical network.
- Or if you need to bring power to a totally isolated area.
Depending on what your objective or need is, you will have one type of installation or another. Basically the facilities are divided into:
- Network connection
- Isolated
- Or hybrid
This way you will know if you need batteries or not.
- Be clear about the consumption you need to supply.
In other words, you have to know the energy needs of your home or company. The best thing is that if you have an electricity bill, check the kW you consume.
If you do not have an invoice or cannot access it, you will need to make a list of the appliances or electrical devices that you need to use.
- Correctly dimension the installation.
The number of solar panels that are installed depends on several factors, such as the available space and the type of energy consumption of the home or industry. In fact, with the solar calculator you can roughly estimate how many watts of solar panels you need to install.
For this, it is necessary to seek advice from a good professional, who will take into account the budget and available space, the type of energy consumption and the production curve of the system.
Correctly sizing the installation can save us up to 20%.
- One of the main tips that few people take into account is: Think about the future.
The components of a solar installation have a long useful life, for example a panel has a useful life of 25 years, so we want the installation to serve us today, but also in many years.
That is why we recommend planning if in a short period of time the consumption of the home is going to increase, either because you are going to have more children, buy more electrical appliances, decide to install air conditioning, an electric car or any new situation.
In the end, all these changes increase our energy demand, so it is worth taking this into account when considering our photovoltaic installation.
- Know well the location, orientation and inclination of the panels
The panels must be installed in a clean area, avoiding as much as possible any type of shadow that could affect production.