Solar panels are increasingly being installed by homeowners to save electricity bills. It is a smart financial investment for many homeowners who are worried about rising electricity costs, and who want a system that both cuts their bills and generates green energy.
As you get offers from solar companies, many factors to consider – the equipment that you choose for your system, your financing options, and the installer that you select- all have an impact on your savings of solar system. This article will assist you to evaluate the different solar panels and inverters available so you can choose the best quality solar products for your home.
There are two main parts to the grid-connected solar energy system: the solar panels, which generate electricity from sunlight, and the inverter, which converts the electricity into a form that you can use in your home. Some also incorporate a monitoring system, which allows you to check how much power you’re generating and utilizing. Sustainable power source resources-solar panels and solar batteries are considerable, long-term investments. That’s why it’s important to know about the quality of solar products you’re getting. When you decide to go for a solar system, you take the time to understand, judge the longevity, and quality of solar equipment. Solar panel installation in Australia suddenly rises since the last few years. Nearly a quarter of Australian households have already made the move to solar. So, there is a lot of good-quality solar panel and battery available in Australia. But like any electrical system, sometimes unexpected errors arise and that’s why having an extensive guarantee is very important. So you need to know about solar and battery warranties, quality before buying the solar system.
How to choose your solar panels
- Determine solar panel efficiency compared with the industry average of 16-18%
- Check solar panel manufacturer warranties. The solar panel manufacturer provides average warranties of 10-25 years.
- The cost of your solar PV system
- Compare the cost to relative efficiency. Most solar panels provide an energy efficiency rating between 11 to 15 percent, which is the percentage of solar energy that is being converted into usable electricity. You need to check the best efficiency at the same value.
Check Product and Performance warranties of solar panels
Solar systems are included by several components- solar panels, solar inverter, solar racking, solar performance monitoring, solar storage, etc. The solar panels are the key elements of a solar power system. The essential attributes to consider are efficiency, cost, warranty, and technology type. Solar manufacturers bundle them together.
Solar panel warranties protect your solar investment and are an important part of any solar installation. A warranty from the solar panel manufacturer or installer ensures production levels and equipment reliability. There are a few various kinds of warranties that keep your panels covered, and understanding both the differences between them and what products feature the best warranties is important to make sure you get the best deal for your solar energy system.
A solar panel has two warranties- a performance warranty and an equipment warranty. Performance warranty defines the expected performance of a system over time. A solar panel’s performance warranty will typically guarantee 90% production at 10 years and 80% at 25 years. An equipment warranty will typically guarantee 10-12 years without failing. The equipment warranty covers the defects in product materials or workmanship. In Australia, An equipment warranty will typically guarantee 10-12 years without failing. But some might be as high as 25 years.
Regarding batteries, Solar batteries can be installed to store energy for later. Storage batteries allow a PV system to operate when the electric grid is not available. Solar battery manufacturers provide warranties that guarantee the performance of a battery to a certain level.
Almost all battery manufacturers give a warranty ensuring a battery’s performance for several years. According to the manufacturers, these warranty terms can vary especially for different types of batteries. If you’re comparing battery warranties, you’ll see that many lead-acid batteries have guarantees less than 5 years, while most lithium-ion battery manufacturers offer more than 10 years warranty. Most property holders taking advantage of charge and drain their batteries every day – this is known as a “cycle”. To ensuring battery life for several years, some battery manufacturers give a warranty for guaranteed performance over a specific number of cycles. The number of cycles your battery is warrantied for (if any whatsoever) is dependent on the chemistry of the battery. Most quality batteries in Australia are ensured to perform to their outlined standard for around 10 years from installation and most of the battery cycle life between 4000-8000 cycles.
Which inverter should I choose?
The solar inverter is one of the most significant components of the solar power system. It’s the activity of the inverter in your solar system to convert the solar energy into something you can use. Solar panels take solar energy and make it into direct current (DC) power. The inverter’s responsibility is to convert the direct current (DC) of a PV solar panel into alternating current (AC) current that can be fed into your home to operate your appliances.
There are two general sorts of inverters: string inverters and module-level power electronics (MLPEs). (MLPEs). Both microinverters and power optimizers are both MLPEs.
String inverters are the lowest cost option for a solar system. If your system has optimal conditions for production, it is usually a good choice for your home. When your solar panel system has a string inverter, all panels feed all the DC power they produce to a single inverter. The inverter then changes the DC energy to AC power, so your solar energy is ready to utilize.
MLPEs are commonly increasingly costly, but it can be more efficient. MLPEs are a good decision if your solar system might be slightly shaded. When you use microinverters, each panel has its inverter to transform the power it creates and feed it to your home. Power optimizers are also installed on every panel, but power optimizers are paired with a string inverter. The power optimizer makes it simpler to convert from DC to AC, at the point it is sent to the main inverter.
Products with remote diagnostics
If an issue occurs with your solar panels or battery, its source may not generally be clear. Using remote diagnostics to distinguish the issue remotely can save your time and money and get you fully operational faster.
Prefer local companies that have been in business for a long time
If you want to buy solar panels, you should prefer a local solar panels company that has been in business for a long time and have a strong presence in the community. There are many solar companies in Australia that have decades of experience that have added solar installation to their portfolio.
The most significant reason is that all together for a contractor to honor their labor warranty with you, they need to still be in business. The labor warranty, which is separate from a manufacturer’s warranty, could be 5 to 10 years long, and much more with a few companies. With the rapid growth of residential solar across the country, a lot of new companies have jumped up for the time being. A company that has been doing business for just several years may accomplish great work, but running a company profitably for decades is a different skill than installing solar panels. You should choose those local solar companies that have been doing business for some years with a long track record of servicing your system and buying the equipment of the solar system.
Follow review sites
If you are independently researching solar installer companies, you need to check review sites to get the customer reviews about solar system equipment. There are many solar companies in Australia. But you should choose those solar companies which have more positive customer feedback. You can get the most reliable solar system equipment with proper warranties from those solar companies.
Choose the right installer
Your installer is one of the most significant factors of your solar installation. When you choose a solar installer, you should review their certifications, licenses, track record, and reputation in the market. You should also be aware that Clean Energy Council accredited installers are certified and trained to ensure your system meets industry best practice standards and all relevant Australian Standards. If you are looking for a local solar installer to install or service your solar or battery storage system, use the tool on the website of the Clean Energy Council to find a Clean Energy Council accredited installer near you.
We know that solar investment is a big decision. So here we discuss a few guidelines which can help you to get quality solar products from a reliable solar company.