You can actually get a higher power yield or efficiency out of your solar panels once you take note of the importance of these parameters during your solar panel installation.
By Engr. Ajiboye:
How to make use of PV modules parameter during Installation for higher Efficiency.
∆= out-put power/input Power
∆ array efficiency
Out-put power= Pv- output power
Input power=. Power from the sun
The following are important PV array parameters
1 Pv- modules cross sectional area in m²
2 PV modules mounting kits
3 ISc or short circuit current
4 Voc or open circuit voltage
5 PV array Tilt angle and Exposure to sun.
PV modules sectional area.(m²)
The Most people choose roof mounts by default. They cost less, take less time to build, and take advantage of unused space on your property. Even though ground mounts have extra material and labor costs associated with the installation, they offer a number of benefits as well.
Building your system at ground level makes it easier to clean, maintain and replace the equipment. You also may discover that you don’t have enough space to build your system on your roof, due to obstructions, sharp angles or simply a lack of roof space.
In these cases, ground mounts may be your only option. Likewise, if you don’t have a yard (common if you live in a big city, for example) then the roof would be your only viable place to build.
The dimensions of each solar panels in relation to the available space on roof top will determine if ground mount will be the best to accommodate all the Pv-modules.
Also note that the physical size of the Pv-modules and numbers of each cells of individual modules in the array does not imply high out power efficiency.
Poorly mounted solar modules will result into poor out-put power.
Solar mounting kits. This includes
L- Foot
Mid clamps
End clamps
Mounting Rails
L foot: provide firm support for the mounting Rails. This attached or screwed to a solid point on the roof.
Mid clamps: As the name imply it is use to hold together two or more pv- modules at the middle.
End clamps: this use to hold tigth the Ends of solar arrays firmly to the solar rails.
Mounting Rails: this provide firm base support for the pv- modules and arrays to ensure aeration between th PV and the roof top.
Summary
The solar mounting kits provide
1 firm support to the solar array on roof top against heavy wind.
2 they are also use to control temperature rise between the roof top and arrays as the allow air to circulate in between arrays and roof top.
They are also use mostly to hold the array for best exposure to sun.
Shading. Shading is factor that affect the total output power of array this most significant in string inverters installation.
As small as a solid shadow of leave, cable strand and other solid material on one cell of a pv- module in array can reduce the output power by 20%.
After solar array mounting the surface should be off solid dirt that cud shade the surface of any cell.
ISc short circuit current:
- This used to determine cable gauges best for the installation.
- Also used to determine the current rating of the DC disconnect switch or DC circuit Breaker suitable between array and charge controller.
- This also use to determine the best capacity of charge controller for the particular installation.
VOc or open circuit voltage:
Total voc of the array determine the PV voltage of the charge controller Required.
The PV voltage max of the charge controller should be higher than the total voc of the array to prevent over voltage which can damage the charge controller.
Tilt angle and Array Exposure: The best Tilt angle is the latitude of that area.
Solar panels should point directly toward the equator for maximum exposure to the sun. If you live in northern hemisphere , you want to face your panels as close to true solar south as possible. If you live south of the equator, face them north instead. East and west work at a reduced efficiency, if you’re building on your roof and can’t change the orientation. (Never build a system facing away from the equator. It won’t produce a significant amount of power.)
Solar array produce more power with irradiance with lower ambient temperature, The path of sun should carefully study before grounds mounting thought they are trackers that track the movement of the sun for maximum out put from the array.