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Thing To Know Before Installing Solar Cells
Because Thailand is a country in the tropics. As a result, the weather is mainly hot and stuffy. Of course, the hotter the weather, the more It will cause us to turn on the air conditioner or fan to help cool off for a longer period of time, until the electrical appliances we turn on will have to work harder as well. This causes the monthly electricity bill to rise quickly and it would definitely not be good if we had to pay such a large amount of money every month.
To help reduce costs, many homes are becoming more interested in installing solar cells. Because it is only a one-time investment, it may receive an incredible return, whether it is a reduced electricity bill because of using solar energy or being able to sell the electricity back to the electricity authority. This is considered a payback for the installation or an additional source of income. Do you see how much it's worth? But before you decide to install a solar cell system, You should be aware of the considerations that Thai Watsadu brings to you today.
What are the things to consider before installing solar cells?
1. Basic calculation of home electricity usage
When installing a solar PV system, it is very important to calculate your home's electricity usage habits. To help you know the sum of all watts and to choose the right equipment to install, such as batteries, solar panels. or inverter Including requesting permission from relevant agencies smoothly.
Give an example of calculation
- 5 light bulbs, 10 watts (W) each, turned on 5 hours/day = 10 W x 5 (number of light bulbs) x 5 (hours), total 250 watts (W).
- 1 rice cooker, 500 watts (W), used for 2 hours = 500 W x 1 (number of rice cookers) x 2 (hours), total 1,000 watts (W)
- 1 fan, 100 watts (W), turned on 8 hours a day = 100 W x 1 (number of fans) x 8 (hours), total 800 watts (W)
2. Selecting complete installation equipment
Installing a solar PV system includes not just solar panels. There are still many devices that are used together. To convert solar energy into electrical energy before being used. The basic equipment of solar cells is as follows.
- Solar panels : are a medium for receiving sunlight from the sun to convert it into electrical energy. For Thai Watsadu, they are available in 150, 180, 380, and 450 watts. By choosing a solar panel, you should choose the wattage to match the total wattage of the electrical appliances. To give you a better understanding, we will take the sum from above as an example.
- Take the sum of the electrical energy consumption values 2,050 ÷ 5 (in hours of sunlight that is likely to be received in 1 day) = 410 W
Therefore, the solar panel you choose should have a power of 410 W. Of course, there is probably no manufacturer that will produce solar panels to cover the numbers for each house you calculated. For this case You may have to move to using a solar panel with a power of 450 or 550 W, 1 sheet, or 3 sheets of 180 W, which is in the right wattage, not too much and not too little.
- Battery : It is a device for storing direct current electrical energy obtained from solar panels. This applies to Off Grid solar cell systems only. By selecting the appropriate battery, the sum of the electrical appliances should be taken into account in the calculation. To make calculations easier, Thai Watsadu would like to use the above sums as an example.
- Sum of 2,050 watt appliances ÷ (12 volt battery voltage x 0.6 percent battery current usage x 0.85 inverter efficiency) = 334.9 amps (Ah)
The battery you should choose is 12 volts (V) 334.9 amps (Ah), which is definitely not available because the calculation results from each house are different. In this case, you should choose a 12 volt (V) battery. ) 120 amps (Ah) 3 pcs. or 12 volts (V) 200 amps 2 pcs.
- Solar Charge Controller : is a device used with off grid solar cell systems. It has the ability to control the frequency of electric waves from the solar panels to the battery and control the power supply. By how to choose a solar charger The simplest controller is Checking the Imp value behind the solar panel you choose. For example, the Imp value of a solar panel is 14 A, then choose a solar charger that is more than 14 A, such as 20 A or 30 A. If anyone installs more than 1 solar cell panel. Then add the Imp value on the back together, for example, 3 180 W solar panels, 9 A each = 9 + 9 + 9, you will get 27, which should use a 40 A solar charger.
- Inverter : is a solar cell power converter that is required in Off Grid solar cell systems and On Grid systems. Its function is to convert direct current (Dc) from solar cells to alternating current (Ac). To forward to electrical equipment in the house or building By selecting an inverter, take the total wattage of each electrical appliance together.
Give an example
- 5 light bulbs, 10 watts each = 5 x 10 will be 50 watts.
- 1 rice cooker 500 watts = 1 x 500 will get 500 watts.
- 1 fan, 100 watts each = 1 x 100 will get 100 watts.
Then add a total of 50 + 500 +100 = 650 watts. Therefore, the size of the inverter you should choose should be 1000 watts.
- Solar cell wires: Used to connect to various devices to send electricity to flow through devices and appliances well. You should choose a cable that has heat resistance properties higher than 80 degrees or more to prevent the cable from catching fire. There are 2 types of electrical wires.
- DC cables are electrical cables for direct current. Used to connect solar panels to the inverter. and connect the inverter to the battery. The DC wires are also divided into 2 colors: red is the positive wire and black is the negative wire. which should connect the terminals correctly
- AC power cables are electrical cables for alternating current. Used to connect the inverter to the AC breaker and connect to home electrical appliances.
- Circuit Breaker : It is a necessary equipment when installing solar cell systems in Off Grid and On Grid systems to help cut off electricity when there is a short circuit or leakage from lightning, surges, overcurrent, etc., preventing electric shock or damage. fire Which will connect to the wires at the points that deliver electricity to various devices. Both direct current (Ac) and alternating current (Dc) breakers should be installed. The symbol can be seen on the front of the packaging. Circuit breaker And choose a breaker with fewer amps than the power cord. Because when there is excess electricity The breaker will cut off the power immediately.
- Meters : It is a device for reading electrical energy values. That helps check electricity and remaining power or excess production. To prevent power from returning to the electricity transmission line. It also helps send a warning signal to the inverter to reduce production capacity before the current value stabilizes.
If you want to choose equipment that is complete and suitable for the electrical appliances in your home or the area you want to install. You should seek additional advice from experts. To evaluate electrical appliances Using various equipment, including designing layouts for installation Because it is related to electricity. Therefore, it may cause harm if there is a miscalculation.
3. Requesting permission from the agency
For installing an Off Grid solar cell system, there is no need to contact or request permission from the electricity authority. Because most of them use electricity that is stored in batteries. But for On Grid solar cell systems, it is necessary to request permission from the relevant agencies as follows.
- Local government agencies such as Subdistrict Administrative Organizations and municipalities in the area to modify buildings, demolish buildings, modify roof structures before installing solar panels.
- Office of the Energy Regulatory Commission By attaching documents required by the government to submit through the website. To notify energy business operations that are exempt from applying for a license.
- Provincial Electricity Authority Metropolitan Electricity Authority You should register to participate in the electricity resale project or request electricity through the website and attach the documents specified by the agency as well.
When everything is finished, you will need to pay the various services and enter into a contract regarding the purchase and sale of electricity. The Electricity Authority will then request to inspect the internal orderliness and change the type of electricity meter to a meter for calculating solar cells as well as connect it to the COD system, which is a system for supplying electricity into the commercial system in order to start selling electricity to Electricity itself
4. Check the condition of the roof.
In most cases, solar panels can be installed on almost any material. Whether it's a wooden roof, tiles, cement, metal, there is no need to worry. But what should be more taken into consideration is the condition or lifespan of the roof because the installation equipment, including solar panels, is quite heavy to a certain extent. If your roof is already damaged or damaged It may make it difficult to install the solar panels or they may come loose during use. It can be damaged and cause you to pay for repairs on both the roof and new solar cells.
5. Solar panel installation direction
If you are thinking of installing a solar cell system to harness energy from the sun for maximum benefit. You should also consider the direction of installation of the solar panels. In Thailand, the sun typically rises in the east and passes south before setting in the west. Therefore, it is best to install your solar panels facing south as this will allow the panels to receive sunlight. Good throughout the day
But if there is a problem such as large trees or shade from various buildings blocking the sunlight, it is recommended to install it in the east direction. (receives sunlight in the morning) or west (Receives sunlight in the afternoon) because it is still the direction the sun travels before setting over the horizon. And if possible, avoid installing in the north. Because it may cause less sunlight and is not worth installing.
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