Solar panels on the roof: description, installation methods, principle of operation, reviews

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

Until recently, the use of sunlight as a replacement for traditional energy sources was perceived as something fantastic or possible only under special conditions. Today, such solutions do not look incredible, but the problems of their implementation in practice for ordinary consumers also remain. In itself, the installation of solar panels on the roof is quite simple and optimized, but this does not eliminate the difficulties in organizing the operation of such batteries.

Basic kit of the system

The working infrastructure of a solar generator includes a battery station, an inverter unit, an energy converter, a controller and control equipment, directly panels with photocells and mounting and connecting fittings. Each component can be represented by different devices that differ in technical and operational characteristics. For example,a small residential building with solar panels on the roof is provided with a power of 1.5-2 kW. It should be noted that there are both complex and local stations that can serve different groups of consumers. Powerful batteries provide enough power to cover all your electrical needs, from a street lamp to a heating boiler. Less productive systems are intended for summer cottages, although energy-consuming equipment in the form of pumping stations and working power equipment is often used at the sites.

The principle of operation of solar batteries

The most prominent and prominent part of a solar power plant is the inverter panel. There are different technologies for its manufacture, up to the fact that manufacturers are developing secret recipes for photocrystalline fillers. Standard devices include a silicon panel with coatings based on boron and phosphorus. It can be either a single plate or a combined one - from two or more elements. There are active electrons in different layers of the coating, which, under the influence of light, start the movement of particles, provoking the generation of current.

The accumulation of the received energy is provided by copper strips connected with the panels. They can transmit current either to energy storage devices, or directly to consumers, for example, lighting equipment located on the site. In order for the solar panels on the roof to take the most advantageous position with respect to the arrival of rays, the design also provides for automation. Thanks to thermal sensors, it reactsinto the light and directs the panels towards the sun.

Choosing a location for installation

In order to initially increase the performance of the system, it is desirable to consider the optimal location of the panels on the roof. Follow the following rules:

• Accounting for the fall of the shadow. If the installation area is under the shade of a tall tree for most of the daytime, the efficiency will, of course, be extremely low and will not even make it possible to pay back the cost of maintaining the module. Therefore, the most exposed area to the sun's rays is selected.
• Correct panel orientation. Even if the design provides for an auto-rotate system, it is advisable to initially choose a position that will be most advantageous in terms of falling bright sunlight on the photocells.
• Slope calculation. A common mistake in the installation of panels is their location at an angle corresponding to the slope. In other words, the design simply fits on the slope without any corrections. This is a fundamentally wrong approach, since the angles of the slopes (30-45 degrees) may not match the slope, which will be the most advantageous in a particular region. Experts recommend installing solar panels on the roof at an inclination equal to the geographic latitude of the local region. That is, the angle will correspond to the degree of latitude.
• Determining availability. The operation of the panels will be associated with regular maintenance and technical support of the structure. Therefore, the physical accessibility to the panels on the roof is also assessed in advance.

Options for creating a carrier base

To install the panels, it is recommended to mount a power block on which the frame of photocells will be fixed. This design can be made at home. You will need a metal corner and fasteners. It is desirable to make connections by welding - again, with the help of an inverter, even an inexperienced home master will form joints. The most important thing is to correctly calculate the base in terms of size and weight so that it does not break through the roofing and, in principle, allows you to perform a reliable fixation. The complexity of mounting solar panels on the roof lies in the installation of the carrier platform to the truss system. The fact is that fixing as such is not carried out to the roof elements, but to the roof beams in the under-roof space.

From the side of the attic, a strong load-bearing frame is being made, on the basis of which the welded profile structure will be fixed. It is best to use bolted connections so that the installation can be disconnected at any time. To do this, holes are calculated in advance, the configuration of the mutual layout is formed, etc. Obviously, it will be necessary to create a technological opening in the roofing.

The process of mounting solar panels on the roof

Each panel with photocells is enclosed in a metal profile frame. Manufacturers initially think over the configuration of the future mount, leaving gaps and holes for fixing. At the installation stagepanels must be prepared with appropriate fastening equipment and on the carrier platform.

In addition, it is necessary to prepare damping and insulating materials. They will protect the mounting system from corrosion damage and strong vibrations from wind load. This is a kind of lining between the supporting structure and the panels. Next, the solar panels are installed on the roof at the selected point - by means of hardware through the technological holes, the panel body is screwed to the metal profiles. If possible, use adjustable or swivel latches to adjust the position of the panels.

Electrical measures

No less important stage at which network wiring and equipment connection are organized. There are different ways to solve these problems, but the most reliable method is considered to be the autonomous connection of solar panels on the roof with an independent power source. Panels with a converter and storage blocks are introduced into the autonomous power supply system. This will require generators with a small power of about 500 W with household voltage up to 220 V.

Wiring is done with standard twisted-pair, heavy-duty, outdoor cable. All connections of the equipment are made using electrical contactors - as a rule, they are included with solar panels. As an alternative solution, you can think about the possibility of connecting to the central power grid, but then it will not be possible to use the power plant asbackup power supply.

Integration of solar roof windows

A design-optimized version of the solar panel that eliminates the need for special installation measures. The panel is already built into the roof window, so only the installation of the frame structure is required. If desired, the panel can be removed from the supporting body and leave one window with blinds or other protective fittings.

Some manufacturers offer the installation of solar panels on the roof of the house in ready-made roof windows. That is, the panel is designed and manufactured specifically for the dimensions of the existing opening, taking into account the characteristics of the frame. Then it remains only to make a few holes in the design of the window unit and bolt the panel. To connect the cable, a small channel is created with a wiring route leading to the attic or attic. Here, by the way, equipment that accumulates and converts energy can be located.

General workflow guidelines

Before starting work, you should sketch out a rough plan for the placement of the structure - this will allow you not only to determine the optimal method of fastening, but also to minimize possible miscalculations of the installation. You should also take into account the advice of manufacturers on mounting solar panels on the roof of a building. For example, the instructions often mention the need to maintain a gap between the surface of the panel body and the roofing. In order toFor optimal distribution of energy throughout the photocell area, it is also recommended to place rectangular panels horizontally - that is, with the long side along the cornice.

System Operation

The best way to control the system is through automation. Modern domestic solar power plants allow using the remote control to program the operation of both panels and storage equipment. But this does not mean that physical maintenance will not be required. Periodically it is necessary to check the condition of the solar panels. On the roof of a private house, it is advisable to provide a small technical platform with a set of necessary tools and consumables. From time to time, adjustment operations, inspection of the photocells, cleaning of the structure and replacement of consumables as necessary will need to be performed.

Reviews about solar panels

In Russia, there are not so many private homeowners who have tested the possibilities of solar batteries. Nevertheless, the impressions from the first acquaintance with this energy source are mostly positive. Even a relatively small coverage of the required energy volumes causes positive responses. Users note the wide possibilities for the accumulation and distribution of energy with its subsequent rational use in accordance with requests.

On the other hand, many of those who have installed a solar panel on the roof of their house note the difficulty in maintenance and the high cost of consumables. Still high cost of equipmentremains a major barrier to solar expansion.

Conclusion

Despite the obvious benefits from the development of alternative energy sources, there are still problems of their use at the level of the mass consumer. These are not only technical nuances faced by users, but also conceptual features of energy generation. For example, the installation of solar panels on the roof in private country houses can justify itself only in warm regions, where there are high levels of so-called insolation. It is a measure of solar energy that comes to earth with light rays. And it is not at all the same in the southwest and northeast of the country, in particular. Also, experts recommend taking into account the ratio between the required energy and potentially generated by solar batteries. It is possible that even under conditions of favorable insolation indicators, certain characteristics of the panels simply will not allow you to achieve a positive effect of saving energy.