During the installation of solar installations, as with other such works, errors may occur. Their effects may be reflected in the correct functioning of the installation, improper efficiency or high failure rate of the solar installation. Sometimes such errors have a significant impact on the return on investment and even on the safety of use. Knowing the most common errors will allow you to eliminate them at the stage of installing solar collectors and avoid additional corrections. What are typical mistakes and how to avoid them?
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Incorrectly executed solar installation plan
One of the most common mistakes is an incorrectly made collector installation plan. This usually happens when the object is not checked thoroughly enough and the place where the photovoltaic panels are to appear is not looked at thoroughly enough. As a result, the installation is obscured by tall trees or neighboring buildings. In such a case, it will quickly turn out that the photovoltaics are not fully effective and therefore do not fulfill their role.
To prevent this situation, not only the place where the photovoltaic installation is to be installed, but also its surroundings, should be thoroughly checked. It is not always possible to install it on the roof of the building, and then it would be better to use another object or place in the garden. It should be ensured that there are no or no elements in the area that would cover the pv panels . Based on the inspection and calculations, a design plan for the installation of photovoltaic panels should be prepared, taking into account any possible disruptions to the proper operation of the installation.
No calculation of electricity demand
The most common mistakes made when installing solar panels are the lack of or inadequate determination of energy demand. This is a mistake that can directly affect the efficiency of the installation and therefore delay the return on investment.
At the stage of planning the installation, it is necessary not only to check where and how big the photovoltaic system should be. It is also necessary to familiarize yourself with the specifics of the building and the needs of the users. It is worth getting to know the daily use of energy and the habits of the household members related to the use of electricity.
This will make it easier to calculate the real demand for electricity in a given facility. The devices from which we can read the fact that the collectors produce too little energy for the real needs of the building are photovoltaic inverters .
How to calculate energy needs?
A well-selected photovoltaic installation should meet the demand for electricity on an annual basis. It will slowly produce a surplus in the summer, which will be stored in energy storage . The accumulated reserves will be perfect for winter days. The average household in Poland uses about 4200 kWh of electricity per year. For these parameters, the house needs photovoltaics with a capacity of approximately 5.00 - 5.25 kWp. Estimated calculations should be made taking into account electricity bills from the last year (or several), the angle of inclination of the planned installation and the orientation of the building relative to the sun.
Diameter of installation pipes too small or too large
Typical errors when installing a photovoltaic system include incorrectly selecting the diameter of the installation cables in the collectors - they cannot be too large or too small.
What does too large a pipe diameter mean for the installation?
- can lead to increased heat loss to the environment from the outer surface of the pipes.
What are the dangers of too small a diameter of solar cables?
- reduction of the flow rate of the heating medium (glycol solution) below the required value.
- increase in electricity consumption by the circulation pump, which will start working more intensively.
Solar installation is one of the most ecological solutions that guarantees large savings. However, for this to happen, photovoltaics must meet the assumptions of efficiency, effectiveness and safety. Even small errors during the installation of collectors, such as incorrect installation of the temperature sensor or improper connection of solar panels, can affect photovoltaic installations. Therefore, it is worth eliminating them at an early stage, and not at the end of the installation start-up process.