Pick the Correct Solar Panel for your DIY Solar Powered Home

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Do It Yourself Solar Power means Picking the Right Solar Panel for your needs.

Are you looking into harnessing one of the only remaining free sources of energy... the sun? DIY Solar Power homes are becoming more viable every year, as solar systems are now more affordable. Even with the reduced costs, one starting out into this technical mine field should be careful to understand what they are getting with their solar power systems. Not all things are created equal and this is true when it comes to Solar Power Panels.

In this article we will go over the different types of solar panels, which should help you pick the correct solar panel for your Solar Powered Home system.

Not all Solar Panels are created Equally 

A Solar or Photovoltaic (electricity from light) panel is made up of dozens of solar cells that are connected together to produce a higher electric current than a single cell would be able to generate. The quality of an individual solar power cell makes a difference on the amount of energy generated and under what conditions. To ensure that you are getting the best quality solar power panels for your money lets go over the three types of solar cells that you can use on your DIY Solar Powered Home.

Types of Solar Panels 

Monocrystalline (known as Single Crystal) cell is made from a single crystal of silicone. These type of solar power cells are considered to be the best (most expensive) as they are the most efficient at converting the suns light into the power. They also tend to perform the best in most conditions (light & temperature) and have the best warranties covering usually 25 years.

Polycrystalline (known as Multiple Crystal) cell is made from many crystals of silicone. This type of solar power cell is considered to be the second best and tends to be more cost effective than the Single Crystal cells. They also work very well in most light conditions but the effectiveness is reduced when partially shaded by trees. Warranties for these types of panels usually cover 20 years.

Amorphous cells are a non-crystalline, chemically bonded form of silicon. These solar power cells are good for special applications such as a partially shaded roof. These cells perform better than single and multiple crystal cells when partially shaded but in direct sun light it is the least efficient of the three. Warranties usually cover 20 years.

Another Additional Cost to Consider with your DIY Solar Powered Home 

Another thing to consider when picking panels for your DIY Solar Powered Home is the wattage produced by each. The less wattage a panel produces means the more panels needed to generate the same amount of power of a more efficient panel. An Amorphorous solar panel will generally need more than double the coverage area of a multiple crystal panel to generate the same amount of energy. This will increase the cost of materials such as mounting brackets.

In Conclusion 

Picking the correct solar power panel truly has a direct affect on the overall cost and return on your Solar Powered Home investment. For most solar powered home systems the multiple crystal cell panels are your best choice but be sure to, make a plan and decide what it is you want from your solar powered home system. There are many products available on the internet that can help you with this process.

Save Time, Money and Aggravation, Click Here to learn more about Solar Panels from the Solar Power Professionals.

If you plan to hire a solar power contractor, visit my lens Tips for Hiring a Solar Power Contractor and it will help you avoid costly mistakes.

DIY Solar Power 

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