What is a Solar System?
A simple solar system consists of a solar module/panel, a regulator/charge controller, a battery and your load.

Where does the power/electricity come from?
The power is produced by the solar panels which generate electricity when exposed to sunlight. This power charges the 12 volt batteries.

How can I use my 240 Volt appliances?
An inverter is required to be installed in your solar system. The inverter will be connected to the batteries and will convert DC (low voltage electricity) to AC/240 volt electricity.

What does "load" mean?
Your "load" is the total electrical demand of all your appliances and is measured in watt hours per day or amp hours per day i.e lights, TV, radio etc.

Do I need a special cable?
Yes, to avoid voltage drop, you will need cable of larger diameter than standard cable used in house wiring.

Can I add to my system at a later date?
Yes. Solar systems are designed to grow with your needs. Additional solar panels and batteries can be added as required, but it is better to have a large battery bank to begin with.

What is Voltage or Volts?
Voltage is the rating of the amount of electrical pressure that causes electricity to flow in the power line.

What is a Watt?
A watt is a measurement of total electrical power.

What are watt hours?
Watt hours are the quantity of electrical energy used or produced when one watt is used for one hour.

What are amps?
Amp hours is the number of amps used or produced in a given hour equals the number of hours. Batteries are rated in amp hours.

Do I need a back up system?
Yes, it is wise to provide for poor weather by having on hand a generator and/or battery charger or in automotive applications a battery management system.

Where does the power/electricity go?
The power produced by the panel flows through the cable, through a regulator and into the battery.

Where is the power/electricty stored?
The battery is your storage of power. It is your "Power House" or fuel tank.

How can I get power at night when the sun is not shining?
From the batteries which have received power from the solar panels during the day - your "Power House".

What does the regulator do?
The regulator/controller controls the amount of charge going into the battery from the solar module and stops the battery from overcharging.

Is it always necessary to have a regulator?
The safe answer is YES. Except in the case of the solar panel being a SELF regulating type panel.

What is battery cycling? When does cycling occur?
Cycling is a partial discharge of a battery and then re-charging it to full charge. For example at night time your load discharges the batteries, without any solar charge coming into the batteries. As the sun comes up the next day the solar modules will charge up the batteries again.

Can I change the alligator clips on my solar panels to something else?
Yes you can. The clips can be easily changed to other things e.g. Anderson plugs.

What does "load" mean?
Your "load" is the total electrical demand of all your appliances and is measured in watt hours per day or amp hours per day i.e lights, TV, radio etc.