This video demonstrate how a grid-tied home solar power system works. It
shows the exact process from the moment sunlight hit the solar panels,
the actual power conversion and how the DC(direct current) electricity
from the panels converted to AC(alternating current) for home use, as AC
is the compatible form of energy for most home appliances.
10 Myths About Home Solar Power System
Myth #1: Home Solar Power System Will Be More Efficient, Should You Wait?
Fact:
These days the media loves to hype emerging technologies, but the truth
is we're still using the same solar technology we were back in the
1960's. Since then, solar has become only moderately more efficient
(unlike computers or cellphones which experience dramatic improvements
in short periods of time).
Myth #2: Solar Power Does Not Work In Cloudy, Foggy and Cool Places
Fact:
Solar panels work just fine in ambient light and will produce
significant energy in the fog or on overcast days. In fact, solar panels
are actually more efficient at cooler temperatures than hot ones
Myth #3: Home Solar Power Energy Is Stored In A Battery Bank
Fact:
Nearly all modern solar panel systems are grid tied which means they're
connected to the conventional electricity grid. Your system generates
power during the day and excess is fed back into the grid through a
system called net metering. When this happens, your meter spins
backwards and your utility company credits you for that power.
Myth #4: Solar Panels For Home Needs Constant Maintenance
Fact:
Solar panels have no moving parts and do not require regular
maintenance. Typically the recommendation is to hose off the panels once
a year or so, but many panel owners actually never clean the panels and
instead rely on the rain to do the job for them. Typically this will
cause only a very slight loss in efficiency (about 5%) over the lifetime
of the panels.
Myth #5 : Home Solar Power Panels Caused Roofs To Leak, Deteriorate or Even Collapse
Fact:
Solar panels actually protect and preserve the portion of the roof they
cover, but don't take our word for it. Check out this picture of solar
panels that have been through a hurricane. If there's ever a problem
with the roof that needs to be repaired, panels can easily be removed.
Myth #6: Home Solar Power System Is Very Expensive and Will Never Pay For Itself
Fact:
Perhaps one of the most unfortunate solar myths is that it's only for
rich people or environmentalists, when in reality many homeowners choose
to go solar simply because it eliminates their big monthly electricity
bill. In fact, solar is a very wise choice for people who could actually
use the extra couple hundred bucks a month that they're currently
paying in power bills.
Myth #7: When Grid Power Is Out, The Home Can Still Have Power Using Solar Energy
Fact:
When the power goes out, grid-tied systems go out too. That's because
it's not safe to be pushing electricity back out onto the wires while
workers may be trying to fix the problem, so your inverter (the big box
near your meter that turns DC electricity created by the panels into
usable AC current) recognizes that the grid is out and shuts your system
off.
Myth #8: Home Solar Panels Will Make The Roof Appears Ugly
Fact:
In the last ten years there's been a growing awareness of how smart
renewable energy is from both environmental and economic perspective, so
solar panels are finally coming into their own and being regarded as an
enhancement instead of an eyesore. It's about time! Homeowners'
associations that used to be steadfastly against solar have changed
their policies and are now going solar in groups.
Myth #9: Installing Home Solar Panels Will Increase Property Tax
Fact:
In California and many other states, solar installations are
property-tax exempt. From an investment perspective, this means that
installing solar panels will increase the resale value of your house
without costing you an extra dime in property taxes. The same cannot be
said for other home investments such as swimming pools, a new deck, etc.
Myth #10: Home Solar Panels Require a Tracking System To Follow The Sun's Angle
Fact:
Though tracking mechanisms can provide efficiency gains for your solar
panel system, they typically do not increase efficiency enough to
justify the additional expense and maintenance of moving parts in
residential situations. More importantly, most homeowners don't have the
additional space required for these systems.
