Types Of Solar Panels

There are 2 main types of solar panels, and their working depends upon different factors.

Thermal solar panels

The heating ones collect solar energy through thermal collectors. These panels use coils and plastic pipes. Solar energy heats the liquid running through the pipes to heat it. This heat energy is used to heat up pools, homes, Jacuzzis, spas, and the like. They can be used in floor heating systems. After getting these types of panels, you can bid farewell to all other types of heating devices. Ensure that you have a motor pump, as it is required to keep the liquid flowing through the pipes.

Photovoltaic cells

These types of solar panels use silicon. When sunlight interacts with silicon, direct current (DC) is generated. And thus, these panels generate electricity only during daytime. These panels come in different sizes, and based on that, you can either power up some electrical devices of your home- or even the entire house. If you want uninterrupted power supply even at nights, or cloudy days, you need to attach a battery to the solar devices, to store the extra electricity, which can be used in the ‘dark times’.

Talking about batteries, you can go for lead acid batteries, which are quite inexpensive. But they need to be filled with distilled water at regular intervals, so that they don’t run out of charge. These batteries are generally used in cars, and are easily available. If you want, you can go for other batteries, like glass mat ones, which are more expensive. If you belong to cold areas, you might want to get gel batteries that do not freeze at low temperatures.

Coming back to the panels – both categories of solar panels need a glass structure to embrace collection cells. Also, both types of solar panels require ideal conditions to work at their max. Ideal conditions imply on direct sunlight. And thus, these solar panels are generally fixed in such a way, that they face south. These panels are great for saving energy, but they don’t prove to be efficient in areas where there is not enough sunlight. If you stay in areas where the climate is cloudy, investing in these panels might not be the best option for you. For these areas, wind turbines are more preferred for generating green energy.

You can see that home solar power systems are ideal for houses that lie in sunny areas. Depending upon your requirements, you can get different types of panels- or even build one your own! Do not let the initial costs scare you, as the ROI of these panels is very attractive.