What is Solar Power? How Do Solar Panels Work?

Most of us have seen solar panels- you know, those big blueish panels- either on top of houses or maybe even on recent projects we have built. Is solar power just the newest “thing” or is it “the” thing (or one of several things) to help us with the current energy crisis. But what exactly are those panels and how do they work? In today’s episode of Electrician U, Dustin explains this aspect of electrical work, how solar power works, and talks about new tools/equipment that go along with it.

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SPONSOR: FLUKE

#electrician #electrical #electricity

A big shout out to today’s sponsor Fluke for sponsoring this episode. They provided us with the new SMFT-1000 Multifunction PV Tester Performance Analyzer to test out. This meter is an all-in-one testing device that verifies PV (photovoltaic) system performance and safety that is designed to be used in all aspects of solar type electrical work. But Fluke also makes the absolute best electrical testing meters on the market today. Offering meters that range from the basic tic type tracer to multifunction multimeters to meggers, Fluke is guaranteed to have a meter to suit your needs. Ask any professional in the trades who makes the best meters, and their answer will be Fluke. Check out their website to see the entire line of electrical & solar testing meters.
Electrical energy is harnessed from nature to be used in our daily lives. Whether its from a coal fired plant, a hydroelectric plant using water from a lake, wind energy from turbines, or even power from the action of the ocean’s waves moving back and forth, our power comes from energy- we are just harnessing and distributing it, not really generating it ourselves. So, it makes total sense that we use something that is renewable and abundant- enter Solar Power. The process of harnessing solar energy to be used starts with the sun as it releases photons that are captured by those blue solar panels. The panels themselves are made of 2 different layers of silicon. One of those has an excess of electrons and the other has a lack of electrons. As the photons interact with the different silicon layers, a difference in potential is generated and a voltage is induced. In essence that is the entirety of the process as it comes in from the sun.
But there are several other factors that come into play now that solar power is “generated”. Solar panels typically generate about 300w per panel. So, several panels would need to be linked together to generate the required wattage that the customer needs. Much like figuring out the size of a backup generator to power a portion of an overall load in the event of power failure, we must figure out what items need to be powered by the solar array. Another factor to consider is that the panels convert the sun’s photons on a DC level, while our power consumption is on an AC level. An inverter is required to convert this DC to AC and that inverter would also need to be sized and accounted for in the overall system planning.
Solar panels placement will also affect their performance. To operate at maximum efficiency, they must be aimed where they will be in sunlight (hard to capture those light photons if they are in constant shade!) for as many hours as possible and at the proper angle.

[jonlengel]

I’d love to see you go over a solar install and explain the components what they do and where they hook up and tie in to other parts of the system.

[hunterchrouser]

More Solar videos please! I would love to learn more about powerwalls and energy storage systems in general. Thank you

[MichaelJCaboose]

Residential solar designer here, discovered your channel while trying to better understand electrical code. Great video, would love to see more videos on solar!

[cheifciatable]

I'm a solar installer. I'm glad you did a segment about solar and the inner workings of it. The fluke tester would be a good tool to have, but way too expensive for my pathetic payrate at the moment.
I found your channel by looking up emt pipe bending. I continually check in with your channel to further educate myself about electrical work, since I have been dealing with main service panels, line taps and other interconnection methods. Thanks again for all of what you do. I've been learning a good deal about every aspect of my job and electrical work through not only what I do, but the content that you produce.

[MrDontcareify]

That’s crazy that Flue gave this to you because at retail I think this tester setup is quite expensive. It goes for, I think, close to $8000 or more.

[MrDontcareify]

What Dustin is talking about for the silicon in the panels is known as doping.

One side is boron doped the other side is phosphorus doped.

[Pikaohms]

Awesome! I'm currently in a photovoltaic class

[jimcapino]

Welcome to fluke. I was the one in Dec during your contest that I asked you to compare your voltmeter to fluke meters. I use the fluke 87, 88, and 99. I see you like this meter.

[QE]

If you do another solar based video can you explain what a neutral forming transformer is and why they are not built into inverters?🙏🏾

[pavelsidor]

First year adult mature apprentice (27 yo)

Company works in commercial but mainly
Maintenance

This stuff is gold mate! Been there for a month and I’m lovin’ ya videos

[GS-lhnx]

That fluke meter is nice but it looks like the ones that every electrician uses in the uk. Are they basically the same?

[SergeantSolar]

I wish u would have posted this b4 i purchased my elejoy solar millimeter

[tomnielsen]

Great job as always, the way that you explain things is very easy to understand, even when you are talking about things that I have no knowledge of, like solar panels. I have also notice the a change with your choice of words, Thank you

[leonardodivinci]

Can you do a review of the new Leviton edge switches and receptacles? Thanks.

[jamesg]

Just a suggestion but I would really like to see an AIO Solar Inverter Installation with server rack batteries and complete wiring of the off grid system

[raghunananlall]

Very nice. What is the price for that tool

[johnnyjohnson]

I've been using Fluke for 40+ years.

[MrsCyImsofly]

Thank you. Helps me plan my sensor system to prospect a future solar project's feasibility.

[richarde]

have they increased the efficiency rating of solar panels yet? the highest I’ve seen is 23% efficient.

[esthermcgough]

I bought a Bluetti AC200MAX so far i have added a 350w portable solar panel going to add to my setup as I can