PRACTICAL PHOTOVOLTAICS

(Page 7 of 7)

July/August 1981
 
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Even though the panels themselves shouldn't require maintenance, it doesn't hurt to dust the covers every so often to let as much sunshine in as possible. And while you're doing so, it's easy to make a quick inspection of the connections.

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A BRIGHT FUTURE

Yes, photovoltaic power is here . . . and with a little scrounging, you may well be able to set up an affordable system today. Furthermore, the odds are that in a few years solar-electric homes will become commonplace. ARCO Solar, for example, claims that it will be selling economical homesized arrays by the mid-1980's. Perhaps not long after that, the most common powerplants will be those right on our own individual rooftops!

EDITOR'S NOTE: T.J. Byers's own photovoltaic system consists of six panels rated at 16 volts and 1.2 amperes each. The setup is currently wired parallel to provide 7.2 peak amps of charge to a 12-volt battery bank. From there, the power is delivered both to 12-volt appliances and to small 110-VAC inverters.

The panels themselves are "B" grade (cosmetically defective) and consist of 32 obsolete 3-inch-diameter cells . . . which T.J. managed to obtain for about $5.00 per watt several years ago. On a monthly basis, the system provides about 25 kilowatt-hours (KWH).

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