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| How Solar Electricity Works |
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1. Solar panels
2. Inverter
3. Main switch box
4. Power meter
5. Consumer loads
6. Utility grid
Summary
When the sun shines on the solar panels, DC electricity is generated.
The DC electricity is then fed into an inverter to be converted into AC electricity.
After that, the converted electricity will be used to power appliances in your home.
The excess generated electricity will be fed back into the utility grid.
Solar panels
Sun light is converted into electrical power via the photovoltaic effect. The electrical power produced is direct current (DC) like a battery, which cannot be used by normal electrical equipment in a household straight away.
Inverter
The current coming from the Solar Panels is converted into AC in order to make the energy compatible for standard electrical consumers. The inverter deactivates at night and automatically starts operating in the morning when sunlight is sufficient. The inverter is the operations centre of your Solar Power System and as such, useful system information can be obtained from the inverter’s display.
Main Switch Box
An additional AC Isolator Switch connects the Solar Power System to the existing infrastructure. It also protects equipment from being harmed by eventual over currents from the inverter if it is in a faulty condition.
Power Meter
In most cases, older power meters will be changed to a Bi-directional Digital Meter when the Solar Power System is installed at a house, however confirm any necessary changes with your utility provider.
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