Small Steps to Solar Independence

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 Not everyone can afford to go for the full off grid system right out of the gate but that shouldn't stop you from starting somewhere. I am a really happy to see smaller stand alone devices coming into vogue on the market recently. The technology isn't going to stop the world but at least its a start. I stumbled across this little gizmo here today and thought I would share. 

 It's a self contained solar light that has an extension cord to get the panel out into the sunlight to charge the 3 on board triple A batteries. I have seen several outdoor lights available listed as security, or spot lights but they mostly have the solar panel attached to the housing of the lamp itself. Where this one lets you get the panel out into the light with its 20 ft line so you can light up the dark little nooks and crannies during the day as well as at night. 

 The ease of installation permits even the less electrically informed among us to take advantage of free power without the hassle of playing with car batteries and solar controller and all that jazz. 

 The drawback to a system this small is a short life. It is only expected to produce light from all its 10 leds for 2 hours, and there is a low switch that lets you run it at half power for 4 hours (5 leds). If you want to just go out into the shed to grab a few things than 2 hours will be more than enough but if you  need to be out there for a little while than you may find it advantageous to get 2 sets that way you can produce up to 8 hours of light, in case your needs would so demand. 

 I think this will be a fantastic little setup if you need to get some candle power going in a dark spot without a candle or and electrician. This is probably the next best thing to a set I brought to your attention earlier in my article First Solar,Amorphous panels  . And its surely an easier way to get you on the road to your first solar experience.
 
 Though if you need a stronger light source than that, you should probably go for the amorphous panel set and get a 12v battery. Then you can pick up something like this florescent 12v light that will provide an amazing amount of light for its size and power consumption. These can be easily wired up to a standard lamp socket (like the ones in your house) then you just supply the 12v current and you are in business. Of course you can use the above mentioned amorphous panel set's 200 watt inverter to run any old household lamp as well.(albeit a bit less efficiently)

 Just be sure you don't get your 12v Dc (battery power, and solar panel power) and your 120v Ac (inverter power) confused.
  

Mono-crystalline Panels

   
   Mono-crystalline solar cells are created by first growing actual crystals or boules of silicon then slicing them thin to put into solar panels. This is the oldest and most efficient type of solar cell commonly available. 

   Pictured here is a relatively low cost set to help you get started on your first solar experience, if you have a few more dollars to spend than would be necessary for a poly setup of the same wattage production. 

 Being more efficient, a mono-crystalline solar array will take up less space than either an amorphous or a polycrystalline solar system with the same output value. So this would be the perfect type of panel to buy if space is too much of an issue. This solar panel will suffer the same setbacks as a poly system but it will produce more peak power.  Being that this is a set though you will have fewer headaches in the initial install (which can make a first solar experience rough) 

 Even with the initial extra expense of this type of panel you should still see a savings in your utility bill by the first year easily. If you are really serious this kind of technology is the longest lived at a typical loss of efficiency of .5% or less a year. This particular guarantees 90% of total expected production to still be available in this panel for 10 years.  


  This is an excellent choice for a first solar set if you are in it for the long haul. 




 Pros

   Mono-crystalline panels have higher output levels per inch than the other technologies commonly available today.

  Mono-crystalline panels have longer expected lifespans than other tech

  Mono-crystalline panels are the old kid on the block so this is tried and true tech




 Cons

  Pretty much the same as the poly panels they are of rigid construction only and suffer loss due to shadowing.

   

   The set pictured here in particular comes with a solar controller with protections for your battery and other appliances. 

  It also has an inverter so you can plug your AC stuff right in.

Polycrystalline Solar Panels

Polycrystalline Solar Panels

 The poly panels are the next step up from amorphous panels in terms of efficiency, you can get a bit more watt for size, so you don't have to give up as much real estate to catchin rays.

   
  They are however a little pricier than their less efficient kin, but due to the manufacturing process utilized in their construction. They are still a good, lower cost alternative to fill your, first solar, need for power. 

  Polycrystalline cells are typically cast from a molten silicone solution to create a many crystal type of structure, hence the term Polycrystalline. The panel shown here is 12.7% efficient as apposed to the amorphous type that has an efficiency rating somewhere around 6-8 %. 

  Pound for pound though you will get a lot more bang for your buck with this kind of panel overall. Manufacturing costs are so much lower than the more efficient Mono-crystalline panels, and there have been advances in the efficiency of the poly type to make them a real competitor. If you have a little more to spend this would make a good first solar panel.

  Pros
   Polycrystalline panels are more efficient than thin film solar panels               (amorphous)
 
  Polycrystalline panels take up less room than thin film panels to collect the same wattage


  Polycrystalline panels are less costly to manufacture than mono panels so the consumer pays less overall per watt


 Cons
   Polycrystalline panels are heavier than amorphous and delicate to handle due to their cast construction
  
   Polycrystalline panels suffer greater losses from shadowing on part of the collection surface


  

   This kind of panel is the most popular in use as of now, due to the low watt to dollar ratio. This is certainly the way to go for a first solar system if you have a place to mount them that is rigid and out of the shade. Perfect for the roof of a house or in a field without any overshadowing structure.
  

 

What Is Amorphious, First Solar panel

  What is amorphous, in Latin it is spelled "amorphus". If you asked a Greek speaker "What is amorphous?" They would tell you it is spelled amorphous which is where we get the spelling in English.

 It's definition is; "having no determinate shape or structure, shapeless, unorganized."

 If you asked a chemist "What is amorphous?" They would tell you "Its of a solid: not crystalline, or not apparently so."

 Amorphous solar panels are usually marketed as "thin film Pv panels". They are constructed from a vaporized silicon and applied in an amorphous form or (a-Si). Amorphous  silicon being without apparent structure or shape is without the crystalline structure of conventional silicon Pv cells. Due to the non-crystalline composition it is flexible in nature, so when it is applied to a flexible surface it can form a panel with the same overall properties (flexible). A-Si can be applied at a low overall temperature so plastic can withstand the process and due to its flexible nature you can use it as a base for flexible applications. There are other materials used for thin film pv panels but this is the amorphous variety.



    
   If you want to try your hand at your first solar panel to produce electricity, it may be wise to start small. If you get the principles down with a small amorphous solar panel set (PV) than you will know better what to do with a full blown off-the-grid solar panel array to fuel all your electricity needs.

  The main thing to remember is not to run appliances that require more power than your first solar panel can handle.  As a rough rule of thumb...