Solar battery: device and principle of operation

Just recently, when we were still in school, a solar panel for generating electricity seemed like something fantastic. It seemed to us that they could only be used on spaceships. But 20-25 years have passed and solar batteries have not only appeared in watches and calculators, but are already capable of providing electricity to private houses and summer cottages. And modern solar power plants can provide electricity to small towns. Solar batteries are widely used in European countries, the USA, Israel and other regions with high solar insolation. And their use already gives significant savings in electricity and hot water supply.

Solar energy can be converted to heat and electricity. The very first steps in using the energy of the sun were made by man precisely in the direction of obtaining heat. We can say that in this case there is no transformation either. The principle of operation is simple. It consists in collecting solar heat. Therefore, the devices for this are called solar collectors. The principle of operation of such installations is to collect heat using an absorber and transfer it to the coolant. The latter is water or air. Such installations are often used for heating and hot water supply of private houses. The second use case is converting it into electricity.

Plants on our planet have been converting solar energy of chemical bonds for millions of years. This process, called photosynthesis, produces glucose. The principle of photosynthesis has been known to humans for a long time. For more information, read the link provided.

In this article, we will talk about generating electricity using solar panels. For this, photovoltaic cells are used. These are silicon-based semiconductors that generate a constant electrical current when exposed to light. Compounds of silicon with cadmium, copper, indium are used as a material for photocells. In addition, they may differ in manufacturing technology.

• Monocrystalline;
• Polycrystalline;
• Amorphous.

Photovoltaic panels made of silicon monocrystals are considered the most efficient and highly efficient. Polycrystalline silicon solar cells are cheaper and have the lowest cost per watt of electricity. There are also amorphous silicon photovoltaic cells. Make of them. They are produced from amorphous silicon. The production of such elements is simpler than mono and polycrystals. As a result, the price is lower, but the efficiency is poor (5─6%). In addition, amorphous silicon panels have a shorter lifespan than the previous two types. To increase the efficiency of the elements, copper, selenium, gallium, indium are added to silicon.

Photovoltaic cells are combined into a solar cell. As a rule, the number of photocells in a battery is a multiple of 36, but there are other options. In addition to the solar battery, solar systems also include other devices in order to accumulate and distribute electricity. In particular, these are:

• Battery (one or more);
• Inverter (converts voltage from 12 or 24 to 220 volts);
• Controller for managing battery charge-discharge and supplying power to the network.

According to their purpose, two large groups of devices can be distinguished. Low-power solar panels (up to ten watts) are used in mobile gadgets or power banks for charging. Systems with more capacity are used for the electrification of private houses and summer cottages. They are usually located on the roofs and facades of houses, less often on areas next to the house. There are devices that allow you to track the sun and change the angle of inclination depending on its position. Now let's see how a solar battery works and what determines its efficiency.

How does a solar cell work?

Solar energy is converted in series connected photocells. Let's consider the principle of operation of a solar battery at the level of photovoltaic cells. The photocell is based on a silicon crystal. Silicon compounds are very common in nature. The most famous is silicon oxide or sand. A silicon crystal can be simply called a large grain of sand. Crystals are grown artificially in the laboratory. Usually they are obtained in a cubic shape and then on plates. The thickness of these plates is only 200 microns. It is 3-4 times thicker than a human hair.

On the obtained silicon wafers, a boron layer is deposited on one side, and phosphorus on the other. There is an excess of electrons at the points of contact between the silicon wafer and boron. On the other side, electrons are missing along the border of the silicon wafer with phosphorus. There are formed "holes", as they are called. Such a joining of boundaries with an excess amount of electrons and their disadvantage is called a p-n junction.

When sunlight hits the photocells of the battery, their surface is bombarded with photons. They knock out excess electrons at the border with phosphorus, and they begin to move towards "holes" at the border with boron. Thus, an electric current arises, which is the ordered movement of electrons. Metal paths are fed to the photocell, through which the current is collected. This is the principle of operation of a silicon photocell.

The power of one photovoltaic cell is small and the voltage is about 0.5 volts. Therefore, they are sequentially combined into batteries of 36 pieces to get 18 volts at the output. This is enough to charge a 12 volt battery. Here you also need to take into account that the declared voltage and power will only be when the battery is operating at maximum efficiency, which is rare in real conditions. The assembled battery is placed on a substrate, covered with glass and sealed. The glass used must transmit ultraviolet light, since the solar cell also converts this part of the spectrum. The collected batteries can be combined with each other in series and parallel chains. It turns out to be small.

Today solar panels are installed in their homes and summer cottages to save energy. Such miniature solar systems operate all year round. The main thing is that the surface of the panels is clean and the sun is shining. In some cases, their effectiveness is higher on a frosty sunny day than on a summer day. This is due to the fact that warming up somewhat reduces the efficiency of their work.

It should be noted right away that it is impossible to completely abandon electricity from centralized networks. But by installing a solar battery, you will be able to significantly save on utility costs. The option, of course, is not suitable for an apartment. It is normal to operate such a system only in a country house or in a country house, where there is enough space for installing solar panels.

In the central regions of Russia, the solar system pays for itself in about 5 years. In the southern regions, the payback period is significantly reduced. Collectors are often installed together with solar panels to heat the house. There are now factory-made solar collectors that can heat water all year round.

As for the installation of solar panels, the following points should be noted here:

• The panels must be installed on the south side of the roof, facade or on the site with the south side;
• The tilt angle corresponds to the latitude value of your region;
• There should be no objects nearby that cast a shadow on the solar panels;
• The surface of the panels must be regularly cleaned from dirt and dust;
• It is advisable to use systems with tracking the position of the sun.

Now you are clear on how solar panels work and what they can do. It is clear that one should not abandon the centralized supply of electricity. Modern solar systems are not yet able to fully provide the house with energy in cloudy weather. But as part of a home's combined energy system, they are very appropriate.

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Solar panels are considered to be a very efficient and environmentally friendly source of electricity. In recent decades, this technology has been gaining popularity around the world, motivating many people to switch to cheap renewable energy. The purpose of this device is to convert the energy of light rays into electrical current, which can be used to power a variety of household and industrial devices.

The governments of many countries allocate colossal amounts of budgetary funds, sponsoring projects that are aimed at the development of solar power plants. Some cities fully rely on electricity from the sun. In Russia, these devices are often used to provide electricity to country and private houses as an excellent alternative to centralized power supply services. It is worth noting that the principle of operation of solar panels for the home is quite complex. Next, let's take a closer look at how solar panels work for home in detail.

The first attempts to use the energy of the sun to generate electricity were made back in the middle of the twentieth century. Then the leading countries of the world were trying to build efficient thermal power plants. The concept of a thermal power plant uses concentrated sunlight to heat water to steam, which in turn rotates the turbines of an electric generator.

Since, in such a power plant, the concept of energy transformation was used, their efficiency was minimal. Modern devices directly convert the sun's rays into current thanks to the concept of the photoelectric effect.

The modern principle of the solar battery was discovered back in 1839 by a physicist named Alexander Becquerel. In 1873, the first semiconductor was invented, which made it possible to put the principle of operation of a solar cell into practice.

Principle of operation

As mentioned earlier, the principle of operation is based on the semiconductor effect. Silicon is one of the most efficient semiconductors currently known to mankind.

When the photocell (the upper silicon plate of the converter block) is heated, electrons are released from the silicon atoms, after which they are captured by the atoms of the lower plate. According to the laws of physics, electrons tend to return to their original position. Accordingly, electrons from the bottom plate move along the conductors (connecting wires), giving up their energy to charge the batteries and returning to the top plate.

The efficiency of photocells created using the single-crystal method of silicon deposition is significantly higher, since in such a situation silicon crystals have fewer faces, which allows electrons to move in a straight line.

Device

The design of a solar cell is very simple.

The design of the device is based on:

• panel body;
• transformation blocks;
• accumulators;
• additional devices.

The body performs exclusively the function of holding the structure together, having no more practical use.

The main elements are transducer blocks. This is a solar cell, consisting of a semiconductor material, which is silicon. We can say that solar cells are composed, the device and the principle of operation of which are always the same, of a frame and two thin layers of silicon, which can be applied to the surface, both by monocrystalline and polycrystalline methods.

The method of applying silicon affects the cost of the battery, as well as its efficiency. If silicon is applied in a monocrystalline manner, then the battery efficiency will be as high as possible, as will the cost.

If we talk about how a solar cell works, then we shouldn't forget about batteries. Typically, two batteries are used. One is the main, the second is the backup. The main one accumulates electricity, immediately sending it to the electrical network. The second stores excess electricity, and then sends it to the network when the voltage drops.

Among the additional devices, controllers can be distinguished, which are responsible for the distribution of electricity in the network and between batteries. As a rule, they work on the principle of a simple rheostat.

Diodes are very important solar elements. This element is installed on every fourth part of the converter block, protecting the structure from overheating due to excessive voltage. If the diodes are not installed, then there is a high probability that the system will fail after the first rain.

How to connect

As mentioned earlier, the solar battery is quite complex. The correct solar array layout will help you achieve maximum efficiency. It is necessary to connect the converter blocks using a parallel-serial method, which will allow obtaining optimal power and the most effective voltage in the electrical network.

Varieties of solar panels

There are several types of solar cells, which differ in the structure of silicon crystals.

There are three types of photocells:

• polycrystalline;
• monocrystalline;
• amorphous.

The first type of panels is cheaper, but less effective, since if silicon is applied by a polycrystalline method, then electrons cannot move in a straight line.

Monocrystalline solar cells are distinguished by their maximum efficiency, which reaches 25%. The cost of such batteries is higher, but to obtain 1 kilowatt, a significantly smaller area of ​​photocells is needed than when using polycrystalline panels.

Flexible solar cells are made from amorphous silicon, but their efficiency is the lowest and amounts to 4-6%.

Advantages and disadvantages

The main advantages of solar panels:

• solar energy is completely free;
• allow you to receive environmentally friendly electricity;
• pay off quickly;
• easy installation and working principle.

Disadvantages:

• high cost;
• to meet the needs of a small family for electricity, a sufficiently large area of ​​photocells is needed;
• efficiency drops significantly in cloudy weather.

How to achieve maximum efficiency

When buying solar panels for your home, it is very important to choose a structure that can provide your home with sufficient power. It is believed that the efficiency of solar panels in cloudy weather is approximately 40 watts per square meter per hour. In fact, in cloudy weather, the power of light at ground level is about 200 watts per square meter, but 40% of the sunlight is infrared radiation, to which solar panels are not susceptible. It should also be borne in mind that battery efficiency rarely exceeds 25%.

Sometimes the energy from intense sunlight can reach 500 W per square meter, but when calculating, it is worth considering the minimum indicators, which will make the autonomous power supply system uninterrupted.

Every day the sun shines for an average of 9 hours, if we take the average annual figure. In one day, a square meter of the surface of the converter is capable of generating 1 kilowatt of electricity. If the residents of the house consume approximately 20 kilowatts of electricity per day, then the minimum area of ​​solar panels should be approximately 40 square meters.

However, such an indicator of electricity consumption is rarely found in practice. As a rule, tenants will use up to 10 kW per day.

If we talk about whether solar batteries work in winter, then it is worth remembering that at this time of the year the length of daylight hours is greatly reduced, but if the system is provided with powerful batteries, then the energy received per day should be sufficient, taking into account the presence of a backup battery.

When choosing a solar battery, it is very important to pay attention to the capacity of the batteries. If solar panels are needed to run at night, backup battery capacity plays a key role. Also, the device must be resistant to frequent recharging.

Despite the fact that the cost of installing solar panels can exceed 1 million rubles, the costs will pay off within several years, since the energy of the sun is absolutely free.

Video

How the solar battery works, our video will tell.

At all times, mankind has striven to make the most of the benefits provided by nature. The proof of this is the invented solar panels. The principle of operation of solar panels is quite simple. It is thanks to them that our calculators used to work at any time of the day, in summer and winter, regardless of the type and frequent change of the battery. The modern world is characterized by the use of solar energy in various fields and scales, from current tablets to airplanes. This article will inform you about how the solar battery works, its types and principle of operation.

• A bit of history
• Classification

A bit of history

As you know, the solar cell is not the first invention to use the all-encompassing energy of the Sun as an alternative to electrical energy. The first attempts at using sunlight were in terminal power plants, which have a more common name as "collectors". Their principle of operation was to heat water to 100 ° C using the sun's rays, the result of which was the generation of electricity. The work of the collectors consisted of a multistage transformation of energy: the accumulation of sun rays, boiling of a liquid, the formation of steam, the movement of a steam engine and the conversion of thermal energy into mechanical energy.

Unlike a collector, a solar cell directly transforms the Sun's products into electrical energy. It should also be noted such a feature of the solar battery as the use of light, not heat, which allows generating electricity even in winter.

Today, the principle of operation of these devices is based on converting the action of rays into electric current (photoelectric effect) using special semiconductors, which make up the entire battery.

The pioneers of the photoelectric effect are three distinguished physicists. The very phenomenon of such a process was described by a physicist of French origin - Alexander Edmond Becquerel in 1839. Then, in 1873, the first semiconductor was discovered to implement the action of the photoelectric effect by the English electrical engineer Willoughby Smith. The principle of operation, the scheme of the solar battery were described in more detail, and the laws of the previous discoverers were confirmed in 1905 by the world famous Nobel Prize laureate Albert Einstein.

Definition and Basics of Energy Transformation

The solar cell device consists of a plate equipped with a chain of interconnected semiconductors (photocells). Photovoltaic cells perform the function of converting sunlight into electrical current. Therefore, in order to understand the principle of operation of this device, you should study its basics, namely photocells.

Photocells are semiconductors that transform the action of quanta of electromagnetic radiation, which can only move at the speed of light, into electrical energy. The process of this transformation is called the photoelectric effect, which appears under the influence of sunlight on the structure of the photocell. The peculiarity of the structure lies in the heterogeneity, which is created using alloys of various materials and impurities to change its properties from the point of view of physics and chemistry.

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These very impurities create negative and positive transitions (p-n), which are the basis for the operation of two semiconductors and the conductivity between them. In addition to this method, which forms the inhomogeneity of the structure of photocells, the following are also used:

• combining semiconductors with different bandgap widths;
• changing the chemical composition of the photocell in order to form a graded-gap structure;
• a combination of the above methods.

The transformation of energy directly depends on the physical and electrical properties of the structure and the electrical conductivity of semiconductors (photoconductivity). A photocell consists of different types of electrons and their layers. The negative type acts as the electrode on which the charge arises, and, accordingly, the positive type is the anode (receiver) of this charge. The accumulation of solar energy takes place in this way: electrons emerging from the negative layer under the influence of sunlight are received by the anodes. Leaving the layer of positive electrons, they return to their original place. Then the steps are repeated. As a result, the energy of the Sun remains inside the device.

Classification

Depending on the material and manufacturing method, the following types of solar cells are distinguished: silicon and film.

Silicon batteries are devices, the main active material of which is silicon. Silicon is characterized by high performance compared to other materials used to create these devices, therefore it is in great demand. By their structure, silicon devices are divided into three subspecies:

Film devices are divided into the following types:

• based on cadmium telluride using film technology;
• based on an alloy of copper, indium and selenium, the efficiency of such devices is 16-20%;
• polymer film devices made from organic photocells, their efficiency is 5-6%.

The solar panels connection diagram consists in calculating the load and setting up the charge controller. The simplest scheme can be seen using a garden lantern as an example. These garden lights are gradually becoming widespread due to the bright illumination of paths, lawns and personal plots. In winter, the light of solar-powered garden lamps is less bright than at other times. The circuit in this case consists of a photosensitive element, a storage battery, and a solar battery.

Today, developments are underway for the production of large-scale fields of solar cells in the Antarctic. Such power plants will accumulate energy during the six-month polar day, which occurs in the northern territories - in the summer, and in the south - in the winter. Solar energy is a worthy alternative to electric current, so its range of applications is wide. Batteries powered by sunlight are even used to manufacture spacecraft.

Is it expensive to heat a house with gas? Or do they constantly turn off the light at your dacha? Or maybe you are tired of overpaying for electricity? The installation of a solar battery will help you, which will provide you not only with electricity, but also with heating. In this article, we will look at how a solar battery works and how it differs from a solar collector.

What is the essence of a solar battery?

A solar battery, also known as a photo battery, is a photographic plate that changes conductivity in its individual areas under the influence of sunlight.

This allows you to convert the energy of these transitions into electrical energy, which is either used immediately or accumulated.
In order to understand the principle of a solar battery, you need to know a few points:

So how does a solar cell work?

The negatively charged panel is exposed to sunlight. It causes the active formation of additional negative charges and "holes". Under the influence of the electric field, which is present in the p-n junction, the separation of positively and negatively charged particles occurs. The former go to the upper layer, and the latter to the lower one. Thus, a potential difference appears, in other words, a constant voltage (U). Based on this, it can be seen that one photoconverter works on the principle of a battery. And in the case when a load is connected to it, a current arises in the circuit. The current strength will depend on parameters such as:

There are several types of solar cells: poly- and monocrystalline, as well as amorphous.
Monocrystalline ones are the least productive, but at the same time the most inexpensive. In this regard, their use is justified as an additional source of energy in case of disconnection of the centralized power supply.
Polycrystals occupy intermediate positions in these two parameters, and therefore can be used in remote areas without a centralized power supply.

Amorphous solar cells are highly efficient, but very expensive. They are based on amorphous silicon.

These developments have not yet reached the industrial level and are at the experimental stage.

Why do you need a controller in a solar panel?

Solar panels, the principle of which was described above, could not effectively replace central power supply systems if they were not equipped with controllers capable of controlling the state of charge of the solar panel.

Controllers allow you to redistribute the energy received from solar panels, directing it, if necessary, directly to the source of consumption, or storing it in the battery.
There are several types of solar cell controllers that differ in the degree to which the overall efficiency of the solar cell system is increased.

In order to join the use of alternative energy sources, it is not at all necessary to purchase an expensive solar battery. There are more affordable examples of using solar energy to generate electricity. These are the currently popular solar-powered garden lights.

Such flashlights allow you to illuminate your personal plot in the dark without spending additional electricity on it.

The principle of operation of such flashlights is that by means of a phytoplate mounted in the upper part of the flashlight, solar energy is captured and converted, which is accumulated in a small battery located at the base of the flashlight. The accumulated energy consumption occurs in the dark.

Quite often, those who live in their own home have to deal with the fact that the electricity is cut off for technical reasons or because of an emergency. Such problems cause not only discomfort, but also many problems, for example, food deteriorates, it is impossible to do work if this requires the use of electrical appliances. What to do in such a situation? It is worth installing solar panels that allow you to solve this problem as quickly as possible and can only deliver benefits and nothing more.

A solar battery (or panel) is a battery (called a photographic plate) that changes its conductivity and releases energy when exposed to sunlight. It is this transformation that will allow the residential structure to be enriched with the necessary electricity. Typically, solar panels are of various types.

The following designs are on sale:

• Monocrystalline;
• Polycrystalline;
• Amorphous.

Each design has a certain performance, which directly affects the principle of operation and price. The plate with the minimum power is considered to be a battery made on the basis of monocrystals, and they also have the lowest price. Basically, they are trying to be used in those conditions where the constant supply of electricity is not too important.

The owner of a private house and directly such batteries must carefully monitor that the photovoltaic panel is clean, since if a large amount of contaminants such as snow, bird droppings and even dry foliage gets on its cover, this will reduce the efficiency of the work and reduce the level applied voltage. The solar battery for the home works according to a special principle.

Namely:

1. The energy of the sun is captured by a silicon-based plate.
2. When heated, energy is released.
3. Next, electrons are activated, this contributes to their movement along the conductor.
4. The conductors direct the current into the cavity of the battery, this forms a kind of recharging.
5. Through a wired connection, the current is supplied to household appliances.

The principle of operation of the installation is quite clear, but it is worth familiarizing yourself with the peculiarities of battery maintenance and whether it is required at all. Initially, it should be noted that the moving part is completely absent in the solar battery, since these are stationary structures.

How is maintenance done to keep the solar panel working?

As a rule, cleaning the coating should be done every 7 days. Experts believe that this is quite enough to maintain the optimal condition of the plates in a clean state. A number of other procedures are also required, this will allow the panels to be operated without problems, as well as to exclude the formation of defects and malfunctions.

Be sure to conduct:

1. External examination to identify loosening of fasteners and the formation of cracks in the frame.
2. Panel cleaning.
3. Checks the power cable for exposed wires that could cause a fire.
4. Monitoring and fixing the state of automation and instrumentation indicators.
5. Tracking the battery level.
6. Monitoring the state of the structural units of the block for the detection of corrosion formations.
7. Inspecting the strength of the panel casing.

Also, adjustments to the position of the structure are necessary, it depends on the season and tightening of each threaded connection. In addition, you can water the panels from a hose with the most ordinary running water, for which 4 procedures per year are enough.

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Solar cell efficiency and other parameters

Solar panels are made from a material such as silicon, and when buying, you should pay attention to such features as the presence of an efficiency indicator, which should exceed 20%, and a high level of resistance.

The presence of tempered glass, resistance to the most severe weather conditions, polycrystalline coating, if the product is installed in a region with hot temperatures, it is necessary.

Monocrystalline coating is important for areas with unfavorable climatic conditions. Modern silicon solar cookers have several advantages. Those who already use such installations respond extremely positively.

The following products are recognized:

• Autonomous;
• The most economical in terms of funds, since no electricity payment is required;
• Very easy to use, since no adjustment is needed;
• Profitable, since the resource is replenished automatically;
• Environmental;
• Safe;
• Practical, as they can be used as a reserve or as a main one;
• Very durable.

There are also some disadvantages, but against the background of many positive qualities, they can be called insignificant. These include the high cost, low resistance to weather disasters, the need to prepare a site for the location of the structure, maintenance, a decrease in productivity in the winter, the need for modernization, if necessary, increase power and, accordingly, productivity.

Types of solar panels

Monocrystalline products are recognized as the most affordable products for capturing solar energy, since they are made using the simplest technology and can be significantly inferior in power to other types of plates. Each species has its own characteristics, due to which their choice occurs.

There are three types of solar cookers:

• Monocrystalline;
• Polycrystalline;
• Amorphous.

Panels made on the basis of polycrystalline silicon are the most expensive products, since they can accumulate solar energy even in conditions of increased cloudiness and cloudy weather. Their feature is high productivity, as well as slow cooling of the silicon melt. After the web has completely cooled down, it is subjected to repeated heat treatment.

These plates are available in dark blue.

If amorphous silicon is used for the manufacture of the slab, then these are products that are not produced in large quantities. These designs are at the stage of improvement, modernization, since some test models have gone on sale.

What solar panels are mainly made of

Many owners think that if they have created such equipment on their own, then for this you just need to follow the technology of collecting the system, but you should also meet the high requirements set.

The composition of the elements for capturing solar energy is very simple, since all structures consist of:

• Solar module;
• Controller;
• Battery;
• Inverter;
• Primary converter;
• A set of wires;
• Devices capable of monitoring the battery charge;
• Battery power take-off devices.

In addition, polymer film roll coatings may be present on the plates, which are needed to protect against external factors. The solar panel is designed to capture the rays of the sun and convert them into electricity.

Solar battery device and design nuances

As soon as all the necessary devices, as well as materials and inventory, have been purchased, you can begin direct construction. Anyone who himself invented and invented a solar battery on his own must start with the design, in which important points were taken into account.

Namely:

1. Location of the structure.
2. The angle of inclination of the product.
3. Calculation of the bearing capacity of the roof, if the installation will be carried out on the roof itself, and not on the walls or foundation of the house.

For the frame, an aluminum corner is used, the thickness of which must be at least 35 mm. The volume of the cells must completely converge with the number of photocells. For example, 835x690 mm. Holes are made in the frame for hardware. A sealant is applied to the inside of the corner in 2 layers. The frame is filled with plexiglass, polycarbonate, plexiglass or any other material.

In order to seal the seams between the frame and the material web, it will be necessary to carefully press the sheet along the entire perimeter.

The product is left in the open air until completely dry. The glass is fixed at 10 points, in pre-prepared holes, which should be located in the corner of the frame and on each side. Before fixing the photocells, you need to clean the surface from dust. Next, the wire is soldered to the tile, for which the contacts are preliminarily wiped with an alcohol solution, and placed under the flux. When working with a crystal, you should be as careful as possible, as it has a too fragile structure.

The tire is laid along the entire length of the contact and is slowly warmed up with a soldering iron. Next, the plates must be turned over, and the same actions must be carried out. Then the photocells are laid out on the surface of the plexiglass in the frame, and they are fixed on the mounting tape. As a fixer, ordinary silicone glue can be applied, which is applied in a dotted manner. One small drop is sufficient as it is very durable.

The location of the crystals should be with gaps between them of 3-5 mm, so that when heated under the influence of ultraviolet rays, there is no deformation of the surface. It is imperative to connect the conductor along the edges of the photocells to the cavity of the common busbars. The soldering quality is tested by means of a special device. To seal the panel, a sealant is applied between the sheets of the slabs. Careful pressure of the canvases should be done to ensure maximum adhesion to the glass. The edges of the frame are also coated with sealant.

The side of the frame is equipped with a connector for connecting Schottky diodes. The frame is covered with glass for protection and the joints are also sealed to prevent moisture from entering the structure. On the front side, you need to varnish the panel. The panel is installed on the roof, walls or any other place intended for it in advance.

Solar panel efficiency

As already noted, there are different types of solar panels and each of them has its own characteristics. It is worth noting that there are also hybrid designs for capturing solar energy, but their cost is much higher, and they are mainly used for industrial buildings.

Naturally, the quality and performance of any solar battery directly depends on the efficiency of its solar cells, which can be affected by such a factor as:

• Climatic conditions;
• Weather;
• Duration of day and night;
• Uniformity of panel illumination;
• Changes in air temperature;
• The presence of dirt on the plastic;
• Irreversible losses.

Basically, the efficiency or, in other words, the performance of solar panels directly depends on the uniformity of the lighting of the structure. For example, if one of the photocells of the structure has a low illumination intensity, unlike the others, then this will cause an uneven distribution of the sun's rays when it hits the panel, which means that overload and a decrease in the overall energy output will occur.

To reduce the influence of such a factor, in some cases, they simply turn off the photocell that fails.

To ensure maximum performance of the solar panel, you should point it directly to the sun, depending on the season. Some owners of such structures prefer to install special installations, through which it is possible to remotely control or, in other words, turn the structure in the desired direction. There are systems with automatic rotation depending on the location of the sun, which move independently during the day without assistance according to a given program.

In addition, the efficiency of the product can be affected by the presence of dust and dirt on the plate, since some photocells darken and thus an uneven distribution of the solar energy intake begins, as described earlier. There is a special composition on sale that can be used to cover the surface of a solar battery and thereby exclude the accumulation of various pollutants on it.

How a solar battery works (video)

A solar battery is an expensive equipment, regardless of whether it will be assembled independently or bought ready-made, and the need for constant maintenance can cause discomfort, but once having invested in this product, you can be content with the constant presence of electricity for a long time and no payment for him.