Published on May 8th, 2021 | by Sunit Nandi

Tips on Choosing the Best Solar Panels for Your Needs

Solar panels are an alternative power source. Every day, they are more and more included in the life of ordinary people and are used for household purposes. Despite their low prevalence, they are already actively represented on the market in a large assortment. Various products differ in the way of work, capabilities, technical characteristics, and service life. Mission Solar panels offer various choices to buy solar panels of the best-class performance for diverse purposes.

The Principles of the Solar Panel Work

Solar panel plates are coated with boron and phosphorus. When sunlight hits them, the plate heats and generates electricity. Here, with the help of bromine, zero particles are created, and with the help of phosphorus, free electrons, and under the action of copper layers, they move and generate solar electricity. This is the basic idea behind solar panels.

Another feature of receiving electric current from solar panels is the generation of constant voltage, which is insufficient in its capacity to service electrical appliances in the house. Therefore, a prerequisite is the installation and connection of an inverter that converts solar current into direct current with a power of 220 V. And if you also purchase a generator, it can accumulate the energy received from the batteries in the daytime and use it at night when there is no sunlight. This provides smooth operation of solar panels through time.

Panel Selection Criteria

There is an enormous range of products in the solar panel market, differing in technical characteristics, manufacturers, cost. It will be difficult for a non-professional to choose the right one on his/her own. The recommendations below will be of use in this case.

Mission solar panels are a good investment for housekeeping and businesses looking for reasonably priced units for their alternative electric installation. For solar buyers who have ample installation space, Mission Solar’s standard wattage products may be a good option, but the company also has some panels that offer above-average efficiencies (that will have a higher price tag). Mission Solar also offers standard panel warranties.

The Quality and Number of Elements in the Module

Batteries are made up of a certain number of modules that generate voltage. This is how the rated power is determined. Each element is a photodiode with silicon, the power of which in operation is about 0.5 volts. If we take a standard module, which consists of 36 elements, its total nominal voltage will be 12 Volts, and at the point of maximum power – 18 Volts (36 consecutive elements of 0.5 Volts). Moreover, the capacity will also be affected by the size of each of the elements included in the module. A charge of 18 volts will be enough for the battery (12 volts), and there will also be a difference that will go to the consumption in the wires and losses in the controller.

Accordingly, if a module consists of 72 elements, it is designed for a higher nominal voltage 24 V. But when choosing a module with 72 elements, be careful as there are panels with a series-parallel connection that will not be able to serve a voltage of more than 12V. This is because they are made from the waste of square solar cells. But, on the other hand, their price is an order of magnitude lower. Therefore, the required number of elements in the module will directly depend on the needs of the system – 12V, 24V, or 48V.

According to quality, panels are subdivided depending on the class:

The highest Grade A. When using such batteries, over time, the efficiency decreases by only 5%.
Medium Grade B. After a long period of use, the power is reduced to 30%.
Low Grade C. Aging batteries will cause up to 50% loss of power.

The quality and number of modules directly depend on the price of solar panels. When choosing, be sure to pay attention to the thickness of the elements in the module since thickened ones allow you to generate more power and will last longer.

How to Choose the Right Solar Panel

Earlier, we listed the main criteria that should be followed when choosing solar panels. The most important of them are manufacturer, quality and number of elements, maximum power, as well as the presence of protective diodes. Today, the buyer of a solar battery is faced with a choice: monocrystalline and polycrystalline.

Monocrystalline. They are distinguished by a high percentage of efficiency, and with each year of operation, the declared indicator practically does not decrease. They are considered for regions with a scorching sun.
Polycrystalline. Here, the crystals are combined into photocells. This type of battery is more suitable for small electricity supply needs a summer cottage or a country house.

The decrease in the power of a solar panel during operation can be reduced, and, most often, this is because of the quality of the laminate. And the result of the darkening of the film is a reduced light transmission and the percentage of energy generated and converted. Therefore, do not save money on the quality of the modules choose the Grand A with a high-efficiency factor.

Tags: best solar panels, choosing, tips

About the Author

Sunit Nandi I'm the leader of Techno FAQ. Also an engineering college student with immense interest in science and technology. Other interests include literature, coin collecting, gardening and photography. Always wish to live life like there's no tomorrow.