What types of Solar Panels are there?
Once you have decided what size solar panel system you would like, the next stage is to work out what type of solar panels will meet your needs. This shouldn’t be a decision based only on price, as power efficiency, longevity, warranty, and the area needed are all important factors.
Too often people base a purchasing decision on price alone, and then in two years wonder why no-one answers the phone from the “fly-by-night company” they purchased their solar panels from when the inverter dies or the output is cut in half. It’s also very important to recognise that there are different qualities of panels on the market and you should compare “apples with apples”.
There are three main types of panels: Monocrystalline, Polycrystalline, and thin-film or Amorphous, and it’s important to recognize the advantages and disadvantages of them all. If your sole hurdle when buying panels is cost, then I suggest you compare “like with like”. It’s wrong to compare the price of Mono with the most recently developed Amorphous panel and make your purchasing decision based on price alone.
One of the most important distinctions to make with regards to solar panels is the differing wattages on the market. Watts are related to the output of each panel, so a 200W panel would output 200 watts per hour. You should expect to pay twice the price of a 100W panel.
Warranties
Solar PV (photo-voltaic) panels have a performance warranty that should last up to 25 years, and a guarantee of five to ten years. Also, your specialist can provide a warranty on workmanship, which is typically five years. Ask your solar specialist who is providing the warranty, the name of the importer and/or manufacturer, and what steps are likely to happen if something fails.
If a cheap solar panel importer stops trading in the future, their warranty obligation ceases. You are going to feel far more peace with a well-known brand which has service agents for warranty work in Australia.
These are three main types of solar panel available, each with their own benefits:
Monocrystalline Cells
Monocrystalline panels are a proven and reliable technology, used for the past 50 years and still popular today. They have the best conversion efficiency at 12-18% of all sunlight. As these have the highest power to size ratio, they’re the best option if you have limited roof space. They also degrade very slowly, generally losing 0.25 – 0.5% per year. Their lifespan can be 25 years, and even up to 50 years if looked after.
Disadvantages:
Monocrystalline cells don’t perform as well as other panels in shady conditions, and they are quite fragile. They can be more expensive to manufacture due to their complexity.
Polycrystalline Cells
Polycrystalline compares fairly well in performance and longevity to monocrystalline, and provide efficiency of 12-13%. Well known brands include BP SX, Sharp and Kyocera.
Polycrystalline panels provide excellent longevity (around 25 years). They work optimally at 25 degrees C but will lose some efficiency at higher temperatures (over 50 degrees C), which is typical in the Australian summer.
Amorphous Thin Film
Thin film panels typically have a lower efficiency at 6%, however, Cadmium Telluride Thin-Film panels (CdTe) have progressed to 11% efficiency. These are more suitable for inland Australian conditions where space is no problem and temperatures are hot. Amorphous panels don’t lose energy in higher heats.
Disadvantages are: Lifespan is reduced; there is a 3-6 month breaking-in period; and they typically require 2-3 times the roof space for the same output of crystalline cells.
When choosing your solar panels remember to focus on the goal of recouping your initial costs through savings in electricity. The more efficient and higher watt panels can do this faster. However, if you are looking at solar farms in Outback Australia where temperatures regularly get higher than 40 degrees celcius and there is a bit of cloud cover (these panels also work much better in the shade}, then these panels could be suitable.
The Requirements of Solar Panels
With the various types of solar panels, the owner must ensure they are maintained and kept free from dirt and shade, because these things have a bearing on solar power output.
Panels are installed facing north and at a roof angle of a minimum 10 degrees. Do the solar panels you want physically fit into the space you want to install them? Each solar panel is about 1.6 m long by 0.8 m wide. A 1.5kW solar panel system requires around 12 m² of north-facing roof space. As mentioned, this footprint varies depending on the type of panel. Don’t worry if you can’t work out the amount of unshaded space the roof has for your panels, because your specialist will calculate it precisely when quoting. You may want to be conservative with the space, though, in the event you wish to add more panels later to cover more of your energy needs.
My Solar Price specialise in solar power, solar hot water, and solar pool heating quotes. For three free quotes you can visit My Solar Price.
Sphere: Related ContentSydney - Australia’s Harbour City
If you consider an evening in the Harbour City is mainly clubs and pubs, think again. Use your imagination and you’ll find another side to Sydney nightlife. There are several unusual night-time opportunities in the most historic of Australian cities – a history of ghosts! One of Sydney’s haunted and historic areas is The Rocks, the early favourite gathering place of whalers, sailors, convicts and gangs.
To explore a different flavour of Sydney’s nightlife, travel to Kings Cross. Kings Cross has a rich social and cultural history and yet is a notorious suburb. It is filled with real-life crime scenes and clubs, with exciting tales of wheeling, dealing and corruption.
If your idea of a good night out involves something with a lighter theme, visit Luna Park. The amusement park is well lit up and you can be thrilled on the wild rides.
Thrill seeking of a different kind awaits those who are game to venture high above the harbour with a bridge climb. For an evening on the harbour rather than above it, hire an experienced skipper who can sail you to a secluded bay in the harbour and drop anchor. You could dine in wonder when the lights of the city reflect magically on the water, and witness the beautiful views of the Sydney Opera House and the Harbour Bridge.
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Sphere: Related ContentWilderness Escapes in Tasmania
If anyone loves getting out into the wilderness, surrounded by native life, then they should absolutely go to the Australian island of Tasmania. For holiday information about the island including accommodation, attractions and things to do, consider visiting the Tasmania Visitors Bureau. This island is blessed to have an amazing combination of lush wilderness escapes, a long and interesting heritage and endless scenic landscapes. International travellers will need to make prior arrangements for accommodation and transport, so planning is essential. The Tasmania Visitors Bureau saves travellers from going through all those hassles connected with travel bookings. Fast and in-depth answers to all questions about your visit to Tasmania are given free of charge.
Travellers who are fond of high impact sports and other adrenalin-pumping activities would enjoy Tasmania. Activities like rafting, jet boating, diving, horse riding, sea kayaking, climbing/abseiling and cable hang gliding are guaranteed to keep groups busy and in high spirits. Rafting is available on several rivers in Tasmania including the Derwent River, Arthur River, Picton River and Franklin River. A special mention ought to be made about white water rafting on the Franklin River as it is a fantastic multi-day adventure spot. A minimum of ten days would be taken to complete a full trip along the Franklin. On this trip adventurers will come across the stunning rapids present at the Great Ravine. Travellers interested in a one-day rafting trip from Hobart, can do so at Picton River.
If horse riding is your love, there are plenty of riding options over the Tasman Peninsula, Central Highlands, Strahan, Ben Lomond and Coles Bay. Sea kayaking is yet another activity that is very popular in Tasmania and kayak operators can be located in Strahan, Hobart, Freycinet, Bathurst Harbour and Bruny Island to name a few. The Tasmania Visitors Bureau also elaborates on such adventure sports as abseiling/climbing, caving, and cycling/mountain biking. Tourists who are looking for some abseiling/climbing experience in their holidays should enquire about the guided trips in places like Tasman Peninsula, Coles Bay, Cataract Gorge (Launceston) and Ben Lomond. For keen cyclers, bikes are available for hire to cycle around Hobart. Bikers can also trek through the mountains and the national forests of Tasmania.
Most visitors will not be keen on adventure sports and they can look for fishing and cruising opportunities. Cruising provides a great, relaxing experience for visitors and is an enjoyable way of seeing the fabulous rivers and harbours of Tasmania. Gordon River Cruises is one of the most popular tours on the island. A holiday to Tasmania remains incomplete without a captivating sail on the renowned Gordon River. For visiting heritage locations and finding the best fishing opportunities, visitors are advised to see the West Coast of Tasmania.
The Tasmania Visitors Bureau are the specialists for Tasmania holidays and cheap package deals. Tasmania holiday packages not only take the pain out of planning a vacation but save you time and money also. Great deals for Hobart accommodation are in good supply too.
Sphere: Related ContentThe Development of the Diesel Engine
The principal outstanding feature of the diesel engine is its efficiency. By compressing air rather than using an air-fuel mixture, the diesel engine isn’t limited by the preignition problems that plague high-compression spark-ignition engines. Thus, higher compression ratios may be achieved with diesel engines than with the spark-ignition variety; commensurately, higher theoretical cycle efficiencies, when compared with the latter, can often result.
It ought to be noted that for a given compression ratio the theoretical efficiency of the spark-ignition engine is greater than that of the compression-ignition engine; however, in practice it is possible to operate compression-ignition engines at compression ratios high enough to produce efficiencies greater than those attainable with spark-ignition systems. Furthermore, diesel engines don’t rely on throttling the intake mixture to control power. As such, the idling and reduced-power efficiency of the diesel is far superior to that of the spark-ignition engine.
The principal drawback of diesel engines is the emission of air pollutants. These engines typically discharge high levels of particulate matter (soot), reactive nitrogen compounds (commonly designated NOx), and odour, compared with spark-ignition engines. As a result, in the small-engine category, consumer acceptance is low.
A diesel engine is started by driving it from an external power source until conditions have been established under which the engine can run by its own power. The easiest starting method is to admit air from a high-pressure source, about 1.7 to nearly 2.4 megapascals, to each of the cylinders in turn on their normal firing stroke. The compressed air becomes heated sufficiently to ignite the fuel.
Other starting methods include auxiliary equipment and include admitting blasts of compressed air to an air-activated motor geared to rotate a large engine’s flywheel; supplying electric current to an electric starting motor, similarly geared to the engine flywheel; and applying a small gasoline engine geared to the engine flywheel. The selection of the best starting method depends on the physical size of the engine to be started, the nature of the connected load, and whether or not the load can be disconnected during starting.
Looking for cheap cars? Brisbane can offer cheap cheap cars for students, workers and visiting backpackers. Pool together and share the costs.
Sphere: Related ContentWhich method of carpet cleaning gets the best results?
Carpet is such a wonderful addition to any Brisbane home, but just like all fibre products, the looks and longevity of a carpet hugely depends on through cleaning and maintenance.
Generally, proper carpet care involves regular vacuuming and cleaning using these techniques: shampooing, foam cleaning, dry cleaning, bonnet cleaning, and steam cleaning, or hot water extraction.
Now, the question is, which one of these techniques deliver the best results? Most carpet makers, including professional carpeting and cleaning organisations, are unanimous with their answers.
They state that steam cleaning or hot water extraction is the most thorough way to clean even the grummiest carpet. Steam cleaning is the most common technique used by professionals. In fact the Australian Standard even states that other methods are only interim cleaning methods and that hot water extraction is the primary method.
Steam cleaning uses a hot water cleaning solution that is sprayed on the carpet via a high pressure delivery system. A truck-mounted or portable machine is then used to thoroughly extract the solution (together with the dissolved dirt). However, note that the truck-mounted equipment is more powerful than the portable one and should be used where possible.
Steam cleaning also consists of a number of phases - from pre-vacuuming to remove the dry soils in the carpet before wetting and turning to mud, treating stains and spots (if any), pre-spraying with a cleaning solution, agitation (hand or machine operated) of the cleaning solution into the carpet, hot water extraction, rinsing with a neutralising aid, and speed drying.
But why is it considered the best? Because only steam cleaning does the following:
- The high amount of heat it uses kills bacteria, molds, fungus, and dust mites, making it the most hygienic process to clean carpets.
- It doesn’t leave any residue if done correctly, making your carpet soft, fresh and clean once dry.
- It is the only method that has the vacuuming process used the entire time which means more “nasties” are removed from your carpet.
As we all know, carpets are very expensive - so you want them to always be in great condition and to last as long as possible.
Highly recommended by professionals, steam carpet cleaning is the best way for you to maintain your valuable investment in soft floor coverings.
Now that we know the best method for keeping your carpets clean the question most asked is how long will my carpets take to dry after cleaning?
The time frame for carpets to be totally dry depends on several things, such as the level of soiling and the cleaning method used. Generally, it can be anywhere from 30 minutes to 12 hours. The Australian Standard states that up to 24 hours is acceptable.
If you use steam cleaning or hot water extraction by a professional, drying should take 2 hours to 12 hours. Take into consideration the following factors to determine how long it will take for your carpet to dry, and what you can do to make it dry much faster.
The type of fibre- This is by far the most important thing. Wool carpets take a lot longer to dry then synthetics. Wool carpets are about 30 % absorbent compared to the few percent range for synthetics.
Thickness and Weight of the Carpet – The heavier the carpet, the longer time it will need to dry.
Exposure to Air – If your room doesn’t have windows, or if the windows are shut, to create ventilation, evaporation will be lessened. Turn on the fan in your room to improve air flow, making your carpet dry faster. During hotter seasons, turn on the air conditioner instead.
The Humidity and Weather conditions- Obviously the higher the humidity the longer it will take for carpets to dry. Is it a hot fine day or a cold wet day for example?
Now, if you really need your carpet to dry at a much faster rate, opt for professional carpet cleaners that offer speed drying services on top of state of the art equipment and years of experience.
Carpet Cleaning Brisbane specialise in carpet cleaning Brisbane as well as other associated services. Carpet Cleaning Brisbane are highly trained, professional Brisbane carpet cleaners.
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