Which solar panel is right for you?
There are two different types of solar panels – one produces heat and the other produces electricity, each having its own working mechanism.
The first type of solar panel takes the sun’s thermal energy to heat water or oil through thermal collectors. Plastic piping and coils are usually used in these panels, and
the sun heats the liquid that runs through the coils to pass on energy. These solar panels are generally used to heat swimming pools, spas, Jacuzzi, and hot tubs at home or work. When coupled with
a hot water flooring systems and your hot water tank, they can also be used to heat the interiors of buildings and provide hot water. Once you have installed this type of solar panel at home, you
can reduce your reliance on additional heating sources. Bear in mind, though, that a motorized pump is often required to help the flow of the liquid in the system.
The second type of solar panel (often called photovoltaic cell system) typically uses silicon as a semi-conductor material, and DC (direct current) electricity is generated when
silicon interacts with sunlight. Based on this working mechanism, these solar panels only work in the day time when sunlight is available. Dependent on the size of your solar panel system, the
electricity produced can be used to power general household appliances or even the entire house.
In case you would also like to power your house with solar panels (photovoltaic cell system) at nights or on unpleasant days, you will need to have batteries to store the excess
electricity. A cheap option is to use the lead-acid batteries that are commonly used in cars, but always remember to fill them with distilled water so that they will not lose their charge. You may
also opt for more expensive batteries, such as the absorbent glass mat batteries. They are sealed and hence do not require distilled water to retain their charge. If you live in a cold area, gel
batteries are good choices as they do not freeze in low temperature.
Both types of solar panels use a glass frame to hold the collection cells, and both require direct sunlight to function at their maximum capacity. Hence, the solar panels are
usually placed to face south in order to gain the greatest exposure to the sun rays throughout the day. Although solar panels can be used anywhere to tap the sun’s energy, solar panels obviously do
not work effectively in places where cloudy weather dominates throughout the year!
