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How To Buy Solar Panels -- What To Look Out For

By John Greenspan

Republish: EasyPublish™ Published: 26Dec2009 Word count: 427 Viewed: 408 time(s) Get Free Content For Your Site

When you buy solar panels, there are various factors to look out for that make your investment pay off. Among the important criteria, type of photovoltaic panel, brand and specification are the most important.

In general, there are 3 major types of photovoltaic panels -- portable, residential and commercial systems.

Portable photovoltaic panels are very small products that can supply low voltages (and limited power) to hand-held or portable gadgets. There are rollable solar chargers, foldable photovoltaic panels and small, thin-film panels. The type of photovoltaic panel to be used depends on your application.

Residential and commercial solar power generators are made using either crystalline silicon, thin-film or string-ribbon technology. They are much larger than portable solar panels and require inverters to convert direct current to alternating current. This conforms the electricity supply to the requirements of the household or commercial electricity supply.

Choosing a suitable brand is another major consideration. Purchasing from leading solar panel brands ensure that you have the service and advice that will most likely serve your needs. When it comes to repair and maintenance, spare parts and labor are adequately catered for -- more so in larger companies than in smaller mom and pop shops.

Here is a list of leading solar panels brand: BP Solar, Evergreen Solar, General Electric, AEE Solar, Kaneka, Mitsubishi Electric, Kyocera, Sanyo, SunWize, Suntech, Sharp and Uni-Solar.

There are professionals in these companies that can help you size your solar power system. With your average power consumption figures and number of sun hours at your location, they can determine the specifications you need for your solar panels and other related components.

Depending on your budget, you may be advised to install as many solar generators as is required to supply all your household electricity needs. Or you can install the solar panels in stages. The specifications for each option are different and it is important to purchase a system that fits your requirement so you'll not spend more money than necessary.

Along with solar panels, other necessary components for a home solar power system are inverters, batteries and mounts. These, too, have different specifications and you'll need to choose one that suits your need.

Another consideration when buying solar panels is the warranty period. Companies offer different warranty periods and it is important to check that this period is much longer than the calculated payback period.

Keeping these pointers in mind as you shop for solar panels, you are better equipped to buy solar panels that can serve you for decades and put money back into your pocket.

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