How To Choose Photovoltaic Panels

Most photovoltaic panels on the market are made of silicon. Nevertheless, it varies according to the method of production. You will most often encounter three types - mono crystalline, polycrystalline and amorphous panels.

What type of panels to choose?

In general, mono crystalline panels have the highest efficiency. To produce the required amount of electricity, you only need to cover a smaller area of ??the panels with them. However, in general, mono crystalline panels tend to be more expensive.

The production of polycrystalline solar panels is simpler and cheaper. Thanks to this, they can be bought at a more favorable price. On the other hand, you have to count on a slightly lower performance. When choosing, it is advisable to compare the area of ??your roof or the place in the garden where you want to install the panels with the amount of electricity you need to produce. If you have enough space and do not have excessive energy demands, buying polycrystalline panels can pay off.

Amorphous panels then represent a much less common type, in the production of which a thin layer of silicon is applied to glass or plastic foil. They are generally less effective than mono- and polycrystalline panels. On the contrary, their advantage is the ability to produce electricity even from scattered light. They work better even in autumn or winter, when there is less direct sunlight. They are used, for example, in situations where the panels cannot be placed in an ideal position and it is necessary to install them, for example, to the east or west.

Where to place the panels?

The ideal position to achieve optimal performance of solar cell is to the south, on a roof with a slope of about 35 °. Of course, not everyone has a roof or uncovered area in the garden, which allows the installation of panels in this position. In practice, fortunately, even in a not ideal position, the panels will work without problems - even in eastern or western orientation. Performance will be lower in this case, but it will not be a dizzying slump. You will only need to install a few more panels to compensate for the lower sunlight intake.

Although the correct position of the panels on the roof is important, it is no less important to make sure that the panels are not obscured by any obstacles. It can be, for example, the shadow of the crown of a tree, a chimney or an adjoining house. Even a small shadow will reduce the performance, not only of the shaded cells, but of the entire photovoltaic system. In tests prepared in recent years by colleagues from abroad, they found that the shadow can reduce the performance of the system by up to 30%. When planning where to place the panels, therefore, carefully check the selected places and make sure that there is no large shadow at any time of the day.

Beware of damage!

Our test of solar cell showed one major inconvenience. The panels are fragile goods and many of them are damaged during transport or due to improper storage. Sometimes defects and cracks were visible when the panels were unpacked with the naked eye, sometimes we only detected them with the help of a special electroluminescent measurement. However, the reality remains the same - it can easily happen that you receive the ordered panels in a damaged condition.

How to reduce this risk? We must first say that it will probably not be possible to eliminate him completely. In order for micro cracks to form, it is sufficient for the supplier to stack a large number of panels on top of each other in the warehouse, for another shipment to fall on it during transport, insufficient protection against damage during packaging or a number of other possible situations. Nevertheless, you should look at at least a few indicators when buying that may indicate unscrupulous treatment.

When processing the order, find out if the supplier will bring you panels in the car, which will deliver only the panels. If they travel in a mixed forwarding van with other goods, there is a risk of damage when in contact with other consignments. If the carrier transports them on pallets, make sure that the panels at the bottom of the pallet are not loaded with other components of the solar power plant. Again, this is a possible damage scenario. Among other things, watch the method of packaging. If the packaging is damaged or even missing, there is a clear reason to doubt the condition of the panel. Do you already have a solar system at home and are they suspected of being mistreated? Then you can order measurements from a specialized company. It can detect the number of micro cracks and defects and tell you with great accuracy how your panels are doing.