Keeping your solar panels clean Dirty solar panels lose up to 25% of their efficiency Solar panels require exposure to direct sunlight in order to produce the most effective electrical output. Dust and pollution settle on the protective glass layer of solar panels resulting in lower total power output. In extreme cases, shade cast by…
The Science of Solar Array Orientation South Africa is often considered one of the largest solar markets on the African continent. Under renewed calls for a shift away from fossil fuels and the necessity of relieving strain from an ageing power grid, we take a look at measured data to determine the optimum tilt and…
What are the different types of inverters? There are 3 major types of inverters: Pure sine wave Modified sine wave and Square wave South Africa operates on a 230V supply voltage and 50Hz. Therefore the electrical current periodically (50 times a second) reverses direction and changes its magnitude continuously. http://nanoelectrical.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/sine-wave-on-scope.mp4 If we measure the oscillations…
Understanding the difference between Polycrystalline and Monocrystalline solar panels So, you’re shopping around for solar panels and you are presented with the option of buying Polycrystalline or Monocrystalline solar panels. Which one do you choose? The colour comparison between monocrystalline (black) and polycrystalline (purple) photovoltaic cells Monocrystalline cells are made from a single silicon crystal,…
Grid-Tied or Off-Grid? What does grid-tied even mean? A grid-tied solar setup A grid-tied inverter takes the energy from your solar panels, converts it into usable electricity output and, by manner of speaking, injects the power into your electrical grid. Then when an appliance needs to consume electricity, the closest source will be your inverter…
Did you know that you can start small when converting your home to solar? You don’t need the expensive batteries right from the start. All you need is to install a grid-tied inverter and a couple of solar panels to get you going. Such a system will allow huge saving on your electricity bill as…
How does solar energy work? Photovoltaics is the direct conversion of light into electricity at the atomic level. Some materials exhibit a property known as the photoelectric effect that causes them to absorb photons of light and release electrons. When these free electrons are captured, an electric current results that can be used as electricity.…
