| 1) Solar module - This is the heart of the system. | | | | load controller maintain a proper current and |
| Solar modules are made from multiple | | | | voltage from the solar system to the electrical |
| Photovoltaic (PV) cells soldered together. | | | | appliances in a household. Fluctuation in the power |
| PV cells are made from a semi-conductive | | | | level will degrade or damage electrical equipment. |
| material and are capable of generating electric | | | | 5) Power inverter - Since the solar cells only |
| current when exposed to sun light. Among all the | | | | generate Direct Current (DC), the power inverter |
| parts, this is the most expensive components. | | | | is used to convert the DC to AC (Alternate |
| 2) Battery bank - The battery units act as the | | | | Current). Most household electrical appliances use |
| power storage system for the home solar power | | | | AC. |
| system. The type of battery most commonly | | | | 6) AC generator - The generator acts as a |
| used for solar setup is the deep cycle. It generally | | | | backup power supply during winter or cloudy days |
| lasts longer and discharges the power on a | | | | when the solar cells are not producing any power |
| consistent level. | | | | or when the battery bank depletes. If you are |
| Depending on the energy requirement, a home will | | | | using a solar intertie system for your home, an |
| usually use a battery bank with 8 or more | | | | AC generator is not necessary. |
| individual batteries connected together with stout | | | | 7) Transfer switch - If the solar system uses an |
| cables in either series or parallel arrangements. | | | | AC generator, the transfer switch alternates the |
| 3) Charge controller - The batteries cannot be | | | | power source between the battery bank and the |
| charged directly from the solar module. This is | | | | AC generator. The switching is either done |
| impractical because of the inconsistent power | | | | automatically or manually. |
| output from the solar cells. | | | | 8) AC load controller - This is the safety system |
| Instead, a charge controller is used to charge the | | | | of the solar setup. The component includes |
| battery. It will feed current into battery bank at | | | | appropriate fuses to maintain the voltage and |
| the right voltage to maximize its efficiency. | | | | current at a safe level. |
| 4) DC load controller - As its name implies, a DC | | | | |