| I just want to tell you up front that I like to keep things | | | | small more manageable pieces or systems. Don't look |
| simple. I do a fair amount of research regarding solar | | | | at the whole, look at it as several smaller pieces or |
| panels, solar energy, solar inverters, etc... The one thing | | | | systems. |
| that drive me crazy is all the sites out there that take | | | | That's what I like to do with solar power systems. So |
| these subjects and make them as convoluted (just like | | | | let's take one part at a time. |
| this word) as possible! | | | | The solar panel is the first and most important part of |
| Do you remember trying to learn about something that | | | | the solar power system. (without the solar panel it's |
| just seemed to be way too overwhelming to ever be | | | | just a "power system") The solar panel is a system |
| figured out? For me it was cars. I remember driving | | | | unto itself, so let's look into this system. |
| around in my first car with a bunch of my buddies, we | | | | The solar panel in simple terms is basically a |
| were getting low on gas (as usual) and decided to pull | | | | weatherproof box with a clear top that houses any |
| over and stop across from the neighborhood park. I | | | | number of solar cells electrically connected together in |
| don't even remember why we decided to open the | | | | a way to produce a usable voltage with a positive and |
| hood, but there we were looking down at everything | | | | a negative wire coming from the ends of the solar |
| that made the car mobile. | | | | cells out of the box to be connected to the rest of the |
| Today I can look back at that same picture in my mind | | | | power system or directly to an appliance. |
| and identify 95% of what was under the hood, but | | | | This is an obviously simplified explanation of a solar |
| back then I couldn't even tell you where the air cleaner | | | | panel although accurate. Not extremely helpful if your |
| was! (it's the first thing you see right on top of the | | | | trying to build your first solar panel. I apologize for that, |
| engine) | | | | but this really isn't the best place to post step by step |
| Over the years I was taught to take any large task, | | | | instructions. |
| project or piece of equipment and break it down into | | | | |