which type of solar panel
- Thread starter nahnotme
- Start date
pappajohn
LIFE MEMBER
its all down to the type of crystal and the way its cut and the substrate its mounted on.
amourphous......not waterproof and normally free standing.
polychristaline......waterproof and normally mounted or free standing and the most efficient of the three.
Monochristaline....no experience but not very efficient.
i ordered an amourphous panel from maplin....£60 .....80w
then i googled what id ordered...
oh:
lucky they where out of stock so cancelled and bought a 120w poly off ebey....£400.
roof mounted and works a treat. :thumb:
amourphous......not waterproof and normally free standing.
polychristaline......waterproof and normally mounted or free standing and the most efficient of the three.
Monochristaline....no experience but not very efficient.
i ordered an amourphous panel from maplin....£60 .....80w
then i googled what id ordered...
oh:lucky they where out of stock so cancelled and bought a 120w poly off ebey....£400.
roof mounted and works a treat. :thumb:
Last edited:
Types of solar panel
There are three main types of solar panel in commercial production, all with some advantages and disadvantages. All three are based on silicon semiconductors - the difference is the form that the silicon is in. Panels based on other chemistries are under development. Cadmium telluride and copper indium diselenide panels may well appear in production soon, and there is also research being carried out on using the photosynthesis effect that plants use to convert sunlight to useful forms of energy. However, you are unlikely to come across technologies other than silicon for the time being, so we will just consider silicon on this page..
Monocrystalline solar cells are made from thin wafers of silicon, sliced from large crystals that have been grown under carefully controlled conditions. The cells are typically a few inches across, and a number of cells are laid out in a grid to create a panel . Relative to the other types they have a high efficiency, meaning you will get more electricity from a given area of panel - useful if you only have a limited area for mounting your panels, or want to keep the installation small for aesthetic reasons. However, growing large crystals of silicon is a difficult and very energy-intensive process, and so the production costs of this type of panel have historically been very high. Production methods have improved though, and prices have fallen a great deal over the years, partly driven by competition as other types of panel have been produced.
It is rather cheaper to produce silicon wafers in polycrystalline form, as the conditions can be less tightly controlled. In this form a number of interlocking silicon crystals grow together. Panels based on these cells are cheaper per unit area than monocrystalline panels - but they are also less efficient, and in terms of pounds-per-watt there is not a great deal of difference.
The newest type of panel is based on amorphous silicon. Here the silicon atoms are not ordered in a crystal lattice at all. The production methods are quite different - instead of growing crystals, the silicon is deposited in a very thin layer on some kind of backing substrate. Sometimes several layers of silicon doped in slightly different ways to respond to different wavelengths of light are laid on top of one another to improve the efficiency. The production methods are complex, but less energy intensive than crystalline panels, and prices should come down as panels are mass produced using this process.
One advantage of the very thin layers used is that the panels can be made flexible. Types are available that can be curved to the bend in a roof for example, or even attached to a flexible backing sheet so that they can be rolled up and put away when they are not needed! The disadvantage of amorphous panels is that they are not as efficient per unit area as monocrystalline panels - typically you will need nearly double the area for the same power output. Having said that, for a given power rating they do perform better at low light levels than crystalline panels - which is worth having on a dismal winters day. At least one manufacturer now produces a hybrid panel, where a layer of amorphous silicon is deposited on top of single crystal wafers. This gives some of the advantages (high power, but still efficient at low light levels) - and some of the disadvantages (not flexible and relatively high price) of the different panels.
There are three main types of solar panel in commercial production, all with some advantages and disadvantages. All three are based on silicon semiconductors - the difference is the form that the silicon is in. Panels based on other chemistries are under development. Cadmium telluride and copper indium diselenide panels may well appear in production soon, and there is also research being carried out on using the photosynthesis effect that plants use to convert sunlight to useful forms of energy. However, you are unlikely to come across technologies other than silicon for the time being, so we will just consider silicon on this page..
Monocrystalline solar cells are made from thin wafers of silicon, sliced from large crystals that have been grown under carefully controlled conditions. The cells are typically a few inches across, and a number of cells are laid out in a grid to create a panel . Relative to the other types they have a high efficiency, meaning you will get more electricity from a given area of panel - useful if you only have a limited area for mounting your panels, or want to keep the installation small for aesthetic reasons. However, growing large crystals of silicon is a difficult and very energy-intensive process, and so the production costs of this type of panel have historically been very high. Production methods have improved though, and prices have fallen a great deal over the years, partly driven by competition as other types of panel have been produced.
It is rather cheaper to produce silicon wafers in polycrystalline form, as the conditions can be less tightly controlled. In this form a number of interlocking silicon crystals grow together. Panels based on these cells are cheaper per unit area than monocrystalline panels - but they are also less efficient, and in terms of pounds-per-watt there is not a great deal of difference.
The newest type of panel is based on amorphous silicon. Here the silicon atoms are not ordered in a crystal lattice at all. The production methods are quite different - instead of growing crystals, the silicon is deposited in a very thin layer on some kind of backing substrate. Sometimes several layers of silicon doped in slightly different ways to respond to different wavelengths of light are laid on top of one another to improve the efficiency. The production methods are complex, but less energy intensive than crystalline panels, and prices should come down as panels are mass produced using this process.
One advantage of the very thin layers used is that the panels can be made flexible. Types are available that can be curved to the bend in a roof for example, or even attached to a flexible backing sheet so that they can be rolled up and put away when they are not needed! The disadvantage of amorphous panels is that they are not as efficient per unit area as monocrystalline panels - typically you will need nearly double the area for the same power output. Having said that, for a given power rating they do perform better at low light levels than crystalline panels - which is worth having on a dismal winters day. At least one manufacturer now produces a hybrid panel, where a layer of amorphous silicon is deposited on top of single crystal wafers. This gives some of the advantages (high power, but still efficient at low light levels) - and some of the disadvantages (not flexible and relatively high price) of the different panels.
pappajohn
LIFE MEMBER
Oooops.....
looks like i got the poly and mono the wrong way round but I know what i was trying to say..oh:
looks like i got the poly and mono the wrong way round but I know what i was trying to say..
oh:Wildman
Free Member
1st class info Dane, now where can I get 120W panels for under £100 hee hee
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So will I. What stand will you be on?
No stand 
Hope to see you there
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Hi Wynnie l fitted the biggest and cheapest one l could find to fit the space l had on the roof and it works a treat last summer never needed any hook up for the weekends and hardly needed the geni, you fitting it yourself.
Paul
scotjimland
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- Jul 25, 2007
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l got a big inverter and had it fitted in the ring main with a relay so the existing 240v tv,s work, why do you need to change the 12v light bulbs there having you on. you will need extra batteries to store the power.
Paul
yeah thats all included charger, fittings, labour the lot.
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I have me telly on now via an inverter but even after having two more leisure batteries fitted to make four it still screams at me, probably cos I have the blown air heating and laptop on too much. I live in my winnebago fulltime and wild camp a lot see.
Im gonna see how I get on with this new solar panel and if me batteries still keep dying I'll change me bulbs and TV.
Wildman
Free Member
you don't need to change to LED bulbs but you save an awful amount of power if you do. If relying on battery power every amp/hr counts.
S
sinbad1
Deleted User
hilldweller
LIFE MEMBER
It's interesting in the way it exposes The American Way. No hint of reduce the load just keep piling on the energy production until it matches their load.
"I really need a bigger inverter".
Wildman
Free Member
You may also like to consider a wind generator, far superior especially in the winter.
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MicknPat
Free Member
Our RV in the lounge area alone has 10 dual or single bulb lights each bulb being 21watts and the heat that comes from them when on
I also are looking at changing them to LEDs
Mick
hilldweller
LIFE MEMBER
With that amount of light I can see you posting "LEDs are useless" sometime in the future. You are used to serious lighting, must have a good all year tan. ( Only half joking, some small bulbs do output loads of UV ).
Have a look at Ultra Bright Leds and Led products at bargain prices with super fast delivery - by Ultra Leds U.K for some ideas. Not cheap so far I've not had any failures.
Not a cheap exercise for you.
What you should try before spending any more money is put the inverter as close to the batteries as possible with thicker cable.
Well, solar panel fitted, leisuretec were very proffesional and accomodating and even did a couple of other little jobs while I was there. Not sure how to check how efficiently its working ??? maybe you have to have an extra digital reader thing ??? so will just wait to hear for the inverter screaming...hopefully it wont. Now wheres that sun gone ?
scotjimland
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- Jul 25, 2007
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Hi
I assume they fitted a charge controller .. some have a digital display showing output of panel.. other cheaper ones don't .. If that's the case ask the installer if he can fit a digital ammeter or have the controller changed../ upgraded .
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