Nowadays, many homes or businesses are planning to install solar energy systems, but the cost of installing a solar energy system is relatively high, so it is inevitable that we will have some doubts before installing a solar energy system. For these common questions, in this article, we will try to solve them for you. Let’s go through the questions about solar energy systems below.

1. Should I install a solar system?

Before you consider installing a solar energy system, you have to observe whether your area is suitable for installing solar panels. If your area has more sunlight, you can consider installing a solar system. The more power your solar system generates, the more money you can save you by using solar energy.

In addition to this, you have to consider the payback period of your solar system. The payback period of a solar system means how long it takes for the money you save from your solar system to be offset by the cost of the solar system. Generally, we recommend that the payback period for your solar system be less than half of the life of the solar panels.

If you are in a sunny area and you estimate a shorter payback time for your solar system, you may be able to install a solar system. If you do not meet the above requirements, you should not install a solar system to avoid financial losses.

2. Can I use solar panels and solar inverters without batteries?

Yes, your solar panels and inverter can be used if your solar system does not have solar batteries. This is a grid-connected solar system, except that you need to connect the inverter to the grid so that you can transport the excess power to the grid to avoid wasting the power generated by the solar panels.

However, this type of use is more dependent on the grid, and when the grid fails, your solar system will also stop working in an instant to prevent your maintenance staff from being harmed, which will result in your home not being able to use electricity properly.

3. Can I use the solar panels directly without batteries?

No. The electricity generated by solar panels is direct current, but the electronic devices we use nowadays are usually AC appliances. So the electricity generated by solar panels will not be able to provide power support for electronic devices. If you are in an area where direct current is used, it is not recommended to use the electricity generated by solar panels directly, as the electricity generated by solar panels will change due to the strength of the sunlight, and the voltage will fluctuate, which may lead to the damage of electronic devices.

4. What are the functions of solar panels?

The main function of solar panels is to convert the sun’s light energy into electricity, output DC power, provide power support to electronic devices through inverters, reserve it in solar battery and deliver it to the power grid. But this is not the only function of solar panels, solar panels can be used as the main components of solar water heaters, to realize the conversion of light energy into heat energy. Solar panels can also be used as a mobile power source, such as a solar charger controller, which has a solar panel on its surface and a battery inside, so that the solar charger can directly charge a cell phone or laptop.

5. Do solar panels need direct sunlight to work?

No, the solar panel’s power generation principle is the photovoltaic effect, which means that as long as there is sunlight, the solar panel can work. Even if the sky is full of dark clouds, solar panels can still generate electricity. This is when solar panels utilize more than visible light, the sun emits different radiations, some of which are no longer visible to the human eye, and solar panels can use this energy to generate electricity, just in smaller quantities. But if the solar panels are in direct sunlight, then the solar panels will generate the most power.

6. Can solar panels store energy?

Solar panels can store very little energy, almost can not be said to store energy. However, solar panels can store energy indirectly through negotiation. Solar panels can store energy indirectly through negotiation, such as battery storage, network storage and thermal storage. Among them, battery storage and network storage are the common use of solar cell storage and storage through the power grid. For thermal storage, we generally do not use, this way is mainly the solar panels generated by the conversion of electrical energy into thermal energy storage, but the cost of this storage method is high, the need to take up a larger place, is not suitable for home use.

7. Are solar panels expensive?

Although the price of solar panels has dropped by 40% since 2015. But the price of solar panels is still relatively expensive. And there are many factors affecting the price of solar panels, generally speaking, the price of solar panels is about 0.1 dollars / watt. The cost of a 300W solar panel is $30, but the exact price depends on the type, brand, and quality of the solar panel. For people who want to buy solar panels, you need to know your needs first, and then consult with your local salesperson in detail.

8. How far can solar panels be located from the house?

Normally, solar panels should be kept at a distance of more than 0.5m from the house, but this varies depending on the power of your solar panel and the way it is installed. Because when the solar panel generates electricity, it may produce a certain amount of electromagnetic radiation, which is generally small, but if it is in a relatively close range, it may have a certain impact on the human body if it is irradiated for a long period of time. And solar panels in the generation of electricity, will produce an electric field around, if we are in the vicinity of the electric field of the pace is relatively large, the phenomenon of electrocution may occur. For the specific distance, you can seek help from the installer.

9. Can solar panels cause cancer?

No, solar panels may produce some electromagnetic radiation in the process of generating electricity, but for electronic devices, they will produce electromagnetic radiation after being energized. However, the electromagnetic radiation generated by solar panels is relatively weak, so if you are not in the vicinity of solar panels for a long time, there is no possibility of cancer. Even if you are in the vicinity of solar panels for a long time, the probability of cancer is still very small, but you still need to stay away from solar panels appropriately.

10. Is it legal to install my own solar panels?

Before installing solar panels, you need to make sure that you have land ownership. It is possible to install solar panels on your own land, but they cannot take up public land resources. You also need to have local planning permission, you should apply for planning permission from your local town planning department. If your solar system is to be connected to the electricity grid, you will need to assure the authorities that it will not pose a safety hazard to the surrounding electrical equipment and will not pollute the grid. If you can do all of the above, it is legal for you to install your own solar panels.