Residential Solar: The Difference Between Real And Rated Power

    by on Monday, January 16th, 2012 | No Comments

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    If your are considering installing residential solar for your home, it is important to understand the difference between rated power and what that is compared to real power and what it is.

    When installing a residential solar power kit the elements that involve your solar power system all come with a stated power rating. You can get panels that are rated from 12 watts all the way up to 200 watts and higher. These wattage figures are your rated power.

    These solar cells are rated to deliver the power as advertised but you must remember that this power delivery is tested as delivering that power under ideal circumstances. The industry labels these as “standard test conditions”.

    The calculations are assuming that the sun will deliver 1000 watts of potential power per sq. meter. Now, that is ideally, of course. It may be that in your location that figure could be lower so your output power will be lower too. Weather conditions and latitude can also affects you total power output.

    Also, you must calculate the power loss through all your equipment such as the connecting power lines, inverters etc.

    Finally, operating temperatures affect power output. You will generate and store more power at cooler temperatures. The standards test is measured at 77 degrees fahrenhiet and on a very hot roof you can expect power losses of up to 15%.

    New technology is constantly improving these figures but you must always figure these calculations when deciding on the size of the system you are going to install and how much power you will ultimately need to use on a daily basis.

    Our book, “Create Your Own Electricity At Home” presents all these figures just for starters and is a complete guide to help you get off the grid one step at a time…FOREVER! If you are considering residential solar power then do it right the first time and get the information you need to make an informed decision which can literally save your thousands.

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