Solar Panels

PV Solar Panels

What is a solar panel?

The main component of a solar panel is a set of solar cells. A typical residential PV panel consists of 60 or 72 cells to produce about 320W. However, this isn’t the only layer of the ‘solar sandwich’.

The soldered cells should be encapsulated. EVA (ethylene vinyl acetate) is typically used for this purpose. After that, a thin layer (6-7 mm) of glass is added on the front side, facing the sun. The backsheet is produced from a durable polymer-based material to prevent water, soil, and things like that from entering the panel from the back. There is also a junction box to enable connections inside the module.

It is all placed into an aluminum frame. The frame will provide protection against impact and weather. It will also allow the mounting of the panel in a variety of ways, for example with mounting clamps.

How solar panels turn sunlight into electricity

In a solar cell, crystalline silicon is sandwiched between conductive layers. Each silicon atom is connected to its neighbors by four strong bonds, which keep the electrons in place, so no current can flow. Here's the key: a silicon solar cell uses two different layers of silicon.

N-type silicon has extra electrons, and P-type silicon has extra spaces for electrons, called holes. Where the two types of silicon meet, electrons can wander across the P/N junction, leaving a positive charge on one side and creating negative charge on the other.

When one of these photons strikes the silicon cell with enough energy, it can knock an electron from its bond, leaving a hole. The negatively charged electron and location of the positively charged hole are now free to move around. However, they have only one way to go because of the electric field at the p/n junction. The electron is drawn to the N-side, while the hole is drawn to the P-side.

The mobile electrons are collected by thin metal fingers at the top of the cell. From there, they flow through an external circuit, doing electrical work, like powering a lightbulb, before returning through the conductive aluminum sheet on the back. Well, that’s it – the physics behind solar magic.

Choosing solar panels

We offer solar panels for sale by well-known brands such as Canadian Solar, Hanwha Q CELLS USA, MISSION SOLAR, Panasonic Eco Solutions, and Solaria. They come in different energy production capacity, weights, sizes, and prices. Please contact our specialists to help you buy solar panels.

How we work:

• Our warehouses are located on both east and west coasts of the USA: California, Washington, Colorado, Texas, Florida, New Jersey, and Missouri
• We process all orders within 24 hours and ship them within 48 hours
• Delivery normally takes between 4-7 business days
• All of our suppliers are trusted solar panel manufacturers

This is what makes A1 SolarStore the best place to buy solar panels.

Advantages of our solar panels:

• Easy installation
• Reliability and durability
• Full energy independence
• Affordable solar panels prices

Please consult one of our specialists before buying a solar panel for your house or cottage.

After installing solar panels on the rooftop of your house or cottage, you will isolate yourself from energy price fluctuations and voltage drops. Once you have paid off your solar panels and their installation, you can forget about the traditional energy sources for at least 25 years.

Types of solar panels for your home

Monocrystalline Panels

They are created from monocrystalline silicon. These panels are very efficient but have higher price per Watt.

Due to their source material properties:

• Energy conversion efficiency is 16-18%
• High efficiency under low light conditions, which is important for power production during fall and winter

Monocrystalline silicon is created in specialized growth vacuum furnaces. Due to its purity of 99.99%, energy efficiency is much higher than of polycrystalline panels. This type of solar panels is most appropriate for marine vessels, RVs – or any places with limited installation space. Homeowners also buy solar panel of this type for their home installations.

Polycrystalline Panels

The main advantage of polycrystalline solar panels is their affordable price. In cases when the maximum generation of energy from 1 Watt is not the main goal, installation of affordable solar panels is the best option. Polycrystalline panels are made of a large number of crystallites of different sizes and orientation. They are not as efficient as monocrystalline modules, but lately that difference in efficiency is quite small. Affordable solar panels work best for residential houses and large commercial buildings or factories.

Solar panels capacity

To understand the number and efficiency of solar panels you need to make your house completely energy independent, there are few factors that you need to consider:

• Amount of power necessary to ensure the work of all appliances in the building (refrigerator, iron, vacuum cleaner, etc.)
• The sun rays intensity
• Geographical location
• DC to AC losses and battery charge/discharge losses
• Losses in the conductors

Let us assume that the electricity consumption of a house is 300 kWh per month. By dividing this value by 30 days and 7 hours of active work of solar panels per day, we get 1.42 kWh. You will always need to add 40% loss on battery and an inverter to the resulting number. This way, to provide a small house with electrical energy in the summer, you will need an array of solar panels with a capacity of 2 kWh. In order to receive enough electricity in spring and autumn, it is better to increase the array by 50%, or by another 1 kWh.

The most popular solar panels among our customers are 300 W solar panels. We offer solar panels ranging from 290 Watt to 360 Watt at competitive prices.

Popular brands of solar panels

There are lots of brands that offer high quality PV solar panels for sale today. When choosing manufacturers and components for our products, we prefer the newest technological developments. That is why the solar panels and their components we offer are highly efficient. When buying solar panels, pay attention to the following solar panels for sale:

1. Panasonic

Panasonic PV modules have 27% higher power density compared to other brands. That allows generating 19.7% more energy from 1 m² (11 ft²). Panasonic solar panels cost slightly more than alternatives, but perform better, are more reliable, and have a much better warranty.

2. Canadian Solar

Canadian Solar produces highly mobile, compact and flexible self-sufficient solar power stations. They are 11% more efficient compared to other modules. They also have excellent efficiency under low light conditions – up to 97%.

3. Q Cells

Q CELLS solar panels may not offer industry-leading efficiency (around 18%) or performance, but their price-quality ratio makes them a good option for many homeowners who are planning to go solar.

4. JA Solar

JA Solar has made strong investments into PERC cell technology, ensuring higher performance warrantied for 83.1%. A very strong performance warranty and a relatively low solar panel price is a good reason to opt for JA Solar.

5. Trina Solar

Trina Solar has a solid reputation and large global distribution network across 30 countries. Trina offers a range of solar panels incorporating many of the latest cell technologies, including bifacial, half-cell, dual glass, PERC, and N-type mono-crystalline cells.