PV Gap

Lisa Said:

What are some things I need to look for when buying solar panels?

We Answered:

Well, wattage and size are important , so too is voltage and current. All of these should be matched to the project you have in mind, other wise it is just like buying a random battery and hoping it fits in your camera.

Perhaps the biggest issue will be cost. For any appreaciable project solar pannels can get really expensive

Danielle Said:

Buying Solar Panels...?

We Answered:

Are you aware of the complications that go along with installing a solar system? A solar panel might put out about 100 watts at 24 volts DC. What would you use it for. The typical solar system has a lot of panels connected in series. The output is connected to an inverter to make 120-240 volts AC. This is connected to the power grid if it is to be used. Also if it is felt that the system should provide power during an electrical outage, there will be batteries. How big would you wan it to be? Mine has forty panels with two inverters. It supplies all the electricity for the house, with some left over to supplement my gas heat.

Read the Q and A in the Search box at the upper right of this page, by searching for solar panel. Also study all you can get your hands on.

Olga Said:

How can i get 10 amps and 18volts from a 60 watts solar panel without buying additional panels?

We Answered:

You can't. Power is equal to voltage times current. That's a fundamental rule of electric circuits.

If your panel produces 60 watts (power), then the best you could do is 10 amps at 6 volts (10 * 6 = 60, and a watt is equivalent to an amp-volt), or 3.3 amps at 18 volts (3.3 * 18 = 60).

What you COULD do is try to generate more than 60 watts with your existing panel. If you arrange some mirrors so that more light falls on the panel, then you can probably generate more power. You'd need 180 watts to get 10 amps at 18 volts, so you need 180 / 60 = 3 times as much light on the panel assuming that the watts produced increases linearly with incident light. In reality, you'll probably need more than that, and you might not be able to get up to 180 watts. But if you don't mind possibly damaging your solar panel, it's worth a shot.

I hope that helps!

EDIT: A current booster increases the current output by decreasing the voltage. It doesn't break the rule that watts = amps x volts. If you can't accept a voltage lower than 12 volts, you're only going to get 5 amps of current, because 12 x 5 = 60. You'd have to drop to 6 volts to get 10 amps. And that's in a perfect world; in reality, there will be some power dissipated by the current booster.

Becky Said:

What Is A Good Web Site for buying solar panels.?

We Answered:

try this site : http://www.mrsolar.com/page/MSOS/CTGY/wa…

It's very good

Elmer Said:

What Should I Look For When Buying Solar Panels For My Home?

We Answered:

try a company like travis perkins they deal with this sort off thing

Alan Said:

how much do solar panels cost and r thay worth buying?

We Answered:

The "true" cost of solar panels for a solar electric system on a residential house is largely determined by rebates and incentives. The current market rate for a solar electric system is around $8-10 per installed Watt. How many Watts you need is determined by your electricity usage. You can find out more about sizing a solar electric system here....

http://howto.altestore.com/Articles-on-R…

If you already have a very efficient house and lifestyle, it might be worth looking into a solar electric system. If not, you're much better off investing your money into energy efficient appliances and fixtures and trying to make your electricity usage as small as possible.

Just to give you an idea, there really isn't a "typical" house so a solar electric system can range anywhere from $10,000 to over $100,000. It is all about minimizing your electricity usage before you look into renewable technologies.

If you want to see some prices on some solar panels, you can see them here.

http://www.altestore.com/store/Solar-Pan…

Hope this info helps.

-Dave C.