The concept of using solar energy as a resource for maintaining domestic infrastructure has been part of the mass consumption market for several years. It has a lot of advantages, which are expressed in such aspects as environmental safety, the infinity of energy supply and, most importantly for many consumers, the absence of bills to pay the service provider. In other words, the solar battery in the country is a free type of energy supply that does not harm the environment. But, in addition to advantages, there are drawbacks to such systems, which to this day do not allow the use of photovoltaic energy for a wide mass of consumers. This is largely due to the high cost of equipment, but there are also nuances in the technology of installation, operation and maintenance of batteries. One way or another, the technology deserves to consider in more detail the feasibility of its application as a power source for systems and lighting elements in the country.
General information about "sunlight"
The tasks of supplying lighting equipment are not particularly difficult for photovoltaic modules. If you recall that some systems of this type are able to serve homes along with heating and electrical appliances, then street lamps on solar panels for giving can be considered as a consumer of energy with minimal load. Despite this, batteries in the form of photocells are equipped with modern devices for controlling equipment. The fundamental question in the choice will affect the autonomy of solar lighting kits.
There are two main power configurations. In the first case, it is provided that lanterns and luminaires already in their structures will provide photocells for their own power supply. The second type of system assumes that power will be supplied from the network, so you can use traditional lighting devices in the same way as solar-powered lights for giving, but with a difference in the power scheme.
Lamps and lanterns on solar batteries
The simplest solution that a summer resident can afford, who wants to join in technological progress. The principle of operation of such devices is to generate current from ultraviolet radiation directly in the device itself. Typically, these are LED devices that have the following elements in their design: storage battery, LED semiconductor, light sensor, battery, microprocessor and photocell that converts solar energy into electricity. Modern street solar-powered lamps for summer cottages are able to work up to 8 hours provided that the battery is fully charged. Again, this is absolutely free energy that accumulates in the process of powering a solar cell from natural light. It is important to note that charging is possible not only in clear weather, but also in periods of low clouds, which expands the functionality of such lamps and lamps. The main disadvantage of such devices is the restriction on the installation site. Place lights, in particular, only in open places for natural light.
Solar powered lighting
If a network with access to centralized power supply is organized at the cottage, then using stand-alone devices for lighting is irrational. Therefore, as an alternative, a scheme is proposed in which the power of all lighting elements is realized. As a result, each street lamp for giving solar-powered will be powered from the main network through the same photocells, but on a different scale. The disadvantage of this system is that the daily charges and discharges of the batteries negatively affect their performance. A loop occurs that reduces the life of the elements. The way out can be various programs that automate the solar power supply schedule in order to optimize the accumulated energy consumption for lights. This reduces the load on the batteries, but complicates the system and increases its cost.
Photovoltaic Inverter Systems
This is a more technological option for organizing the supply of lighting devices using solar energy converters. Such systems are based on the same network power distribution, but there is also a fundamental difference, which is expressed in the addition of the complex to a photoelectric network inverter. In practice, the advantage of this configuration is that solar-powered lighting for cottages is powered by a central network, consuming exactly the amount of energy that was generated and consumed by photocells during the day. The question arises: how and where is the energy consumed during the day? The answer is obvious - to the food of other consumers of the cottage. So there is a redistribution of the produced resource in a mode sparing for solar panels. The system, as energy is accumulated, gives it to the power of other devices, thereby saving the working life of the batteries.
How to choose solar modules?
The solar module is a high-tech element, thanks to which the energy of light is converted into current. Accordingly, there are many requirements for it. First of all, the quality of materials should be considered. By the way, flashlights for summer cottages with solar batteries contain similar elements in the design, so the criteria can be similar. So, the aluminum frame should be strong and light, and also provide ample room for installation. The following is an assessment of the quality of the silicon used, the contact paste and the performance of the solder. With regard to performance and performance, the main characteristic is power. There are several types of power, since the device can work in different formats of power and power consumption. According to experts, the optimal power indicators for lighting systems are 12-24 V.
Equipment
Even a system with a small load requires the use of not only a module, but also additional communication devices, the list of which includes a solar battery for summer cottage. The standard type kit includes the following items:
- Battery Charge Controller
- Wiring.
- Circuit breakers.
- Set of connectors.
- Circuit breakers.
- Inverter.
Depending on the specific system, this kit may be complemented by other components. Or, conversely, exclude the inverter - but in this case the functionality of the system will be significantly reduced. It should also be borne in mind that this composition is one of the most affordable - of course, if we are considering a solar battery for a summer residence. The set for uninterrupted supply of the house, in comparison, has similar components, which at the same time have higher operational characteristics, which significantly increases their cost.
Solar Power Design
When the approximate requirements for the lighting system are defined, you can design the whole complex. To begin with, the maximum power indices required for lighting equipment are calculated. These data are needed to determine which solar battery in the country will better cope with the generation of a sufficient amount of electricity. At the same stage, a component composition is formed, including a photoelectric network inverter. Next, a circuit diagram of the modules is compiled. After that, you can proceed to the formation of the composition, including additional devices and equipment. It can be automatic machines, cables, electrical devices necessary for servicing the complex in a specific summer cottage. It is very important to provide a meter in the system that will allow you to analyze consumption and, possibly, make adjustments to the operating modes of the equipment.
Photocell Mounting Technology
Traditionally, the installation of photovoltaic modules is carried out on the roof. Modern models also allow installation on special supports and even on the ground. If the cottage does not allow the installation of elements on its roof, then you can use alternative sites or use the roof of a neighboring building. In such cases, the solar battery in the country is installed on the basis of the frame structure. This is a system that includes slats with corrugated surfaces and special clamps. The advantages of this principle of fastening include strength and the complete elimination of the risk of sliding elements on the roof. At the same time, the shape of the carrier rails is developed with the possibility of even distribution of the load on the modules.
Installation process
Installation is carried out in several stages. The first to install supporting elements and brackets that will hold the main structure. Further, rails are mounted on the fixing parts. In the future, modules will be mounted on them. Using frame systems, 3 to 9 photovoltaic components can be installed. Their specific amount depends on how much power the solar battery consumes in the country to supply lighting devices. Non-standard configurations with one or two modules are often used. In this case, it is worth purchasing installation kits from an aluminum profile with a set of mounting accessories.
Reviews of Solar Panels for Lighting
The technology of energy supply through sunlight is still not very familiar to the Russian consumer, but the adherents of ecological houses begin to learn it from the dachas. As a rule, a solar-powered lamp for summer cottage becomes a kind of experiment, the results of which form an opinion on the effectiveness of this technology. And the reviews are generally positive. It is noted that there is no need to pay for energy, since it is taken, roughly speaking, from nowhere. And yet this applies to single stand-alone devices. If we talk about the power of lighting systems, sometimes working on dozens of devices, then there is a significant reason for criticism. The cost of buying and installing modules that can service such systems can amount to tens of thousands of rubles.
Conclusion
The very idea of energy-saving technologies in the form of using natural natural energy seems very attractive. On the market, the solar battery for home, cottage or other objects is presented in different versions, which allows you to choose the best option for each case. But the most important thing is the potential of the equipment in terms of economy. Many novice users of such technological solutions are ready to put up with the cost of buying equipment, hoping that in the future they will pay off. In this sense, the lighting system of the summer cottage should be considered as one of the areas of economically viable use of solar batteries.