Maintaining Your Solar Power System

There is very little maintenance that needs to be carried out on home solar power systems.

There are some basic checks that should be carried out on a regular basis. Typically these should take no more than a few minutes to carry out.

As Required

• Clean the solar array. A dirt and rain repellent glass polish can help keep your solar array cleaner for longer.

Every three months

If your solar controller includes a display that shows power input and power output, check that your solar array is keeping up with power demand

• Check ventilation in battery box has not been blocked
• Check battery area is still weatherproof
• Clean dirt and dust off top of batteries
• Visually check all battery connectors. Make sure they are tightly fitting. Clean and protect with petroleum jelly where required

Every six months

• If you have a multi-battery system and your solar controller has the facilities to do so, equalize the battery pack.
• Check electrolyte level in batteries and top up with distilled water where required (when your batteries are more than five years old, you should do this check every three months)
• Using a voltmeter or multi-meter, check the voltage on each individual battery. Ensure the voltage is within 0.7 volts of each other.

If one or more battery has a big difference in voltage, follow the instructions on ‘weak battery’ in the troubleshooting section of this book.

IN CONCLUSION

Solar power is an excellent and practical resource that can be harnessed relatively easily and effectively.

It is not without its drawbacks and it isn’t suitable for every application. To get the best out of a solar electric system, it is important to do your planning first and be meticulous with detail. Only then can you be assured that you will have a system that will perform properly.

From an enthusiasts perspective, designing and building solar panels from scratch is interesting, educational and fun. If you’re tempted to have a go, start with something small – a shed light is always a good starting point – and feel free to experiment with different ideas.

It is quite amazing the first time you connect a solar panel up to an electrical item – it’s usually a light bulk – and watch it power up straight away. Even through you know it is going to work, there is something almost magical about watching a system that generates electricity seemingly from thin air!

Teaching children about solar electricity is also fun. There are small solar powered kits suitable for children. These can be assembled by little fingers and teaches them about electricity and solar power in a fun and interesting way.

If this book has inspired you to ‘have a go’ and install a DIY solar panel yourself, then this book has served its purpose. I wish you the very best for your project.

Useful information home solar power systems:
http://www.greenearth4energy.com/solar-panel-systems.html

Learn how to building solar panels:
http://ezinearticles.com/?Building-Solar-Panels-From-the-Comfort-of-Home&id=3717430

Learn how to DIY solar panel:
http://ezinearticles.com/?Do-It-Yourself---Building-Your-Own-DIY-Solar-Panel&id=4088790