If you are hesitant about acquiring a residential solar power system, small solar panels may be precisely what you are searching for. Less expensive than larger panels, ffortunately they are much less powerful; as an introduction to solar energy, however, they can work best with the homeowner who isn’t quite ready to completely solarize his or her home.
Small Solar Panels Don’t Create a lot of Energy
As you can imagine, a small solar panel will usually have fewer watts than a larger panel. Experts at the Solar Guide, for example, note in which a two square foot panel would typically produce about 50 watts, while an eight square foot solar panel would generate more in the neighborhood of 190 watts. Panels are priced per watt, it’s also important to be able to receive a rough idea for the type and quantity of household items a unique panel will be able to power from the product description. For comparison purposes, let’s use the average California installing of 3100 watts, which typically powers the full residence. Next to that particular example, 200 watts certainly doesn’t seem like it will power much more than the couple of lights. For example, the Grape Solar 880 watt system, in line with the product’s manufacturer, is capable of doing powering a 15 cubic foot refrigerator and nothing or else. As mentioned previously, the cost of these smaller panels represents a much smaller investment than would a large panel array, and are infinitely expandable, also.
Small Solar Panel Kits
The Grape Solar 880 watt will be one example of a small solar panel kit that can also be used as a regarding “starter” solar system for homeowners. More commonly, these pores and skin kits are by simply recreational vehicle owners and boating enthusiasts to power on-board components and appliances by keeping battery bank fully assessed. These particular kits usually contain panels rated anywhere from 50 to 440 watts, depending upon how heavily the vehicle or boat is used as well as how many appliances are on stance. Larger, more powerful systems will also require a greater number of batteries as well as an inverter. The panels within these kits are usually 12-volt type, since most boat and RV components and accessories use 12 volts of DC power. Inverters become necessary when appliances run on household current, or AC power.
Small Panels are great for Remote Areas
Another common use for small solar energy panels is to power an off-the-grid lodge or cabin. It’s a low-cost and low maintenance method of keeping a backup battery bank charged in order to power several DC appliances. Free Sun Power shows an 800-watt system that closely resembles the Grape Solar kit, using eight 100-watt panels. For a disastrous power backup system, a configuration of the many 150-watt panels in many used, depending upon the power necessary to. For outdoor accessories such as security lights, electric fences or water fountains, much smaller panels are often used. Smaller still are the solar panels that power electric exhaust and vent fans, as well as solar cellular phone and laptop battery chargers. In fact, backpacks, laptop carrying cases and messenger bags are now available with built-in solar panels with which to charge your cellular devices. Small-scale solar living is gaining momentum with each passing day!
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