Solar Earth Inc.

Parts of Solar Panel System | Components of Solar

A solar panel is a form of renewable source of energy that has shifted our dependence on a healthy lifestyle from non-renewable sources of energy. Solar energy is the energy that comes from the sun. Solar panels capture the sunlight that is converted into electricity for productivity. Installing solar panel systems commercially or in your residential home is beneficial and cost-effective nowadays.  

Solar Earth INC. offers you the best solar panel system installation at affordable prices and in reliable and friendly ways. There are three main types of solar panel systems that are used within the solar industry  

Monocrystalline solar panel  
Polycrystalline solar panels  
Thin-film(amorphous) solar panels  
Monocrystalline solar panels tend to be more efficient in warm weather as compared to the other form of solar panels. Solar panel system performance suffers when the temperature goes down or cloudy weather is there. Monocrystalline solar panels perform better in heat areas and have the longest life projections.  

Parts of a Solar Panel and What They Do

A few years ago, the primary source of energy was coal, wood, etc. and renewable energy was a secondary source of energy. Hydropower and wind power have uplifted the game and those nondegradable forms of energy started demolishing. Solar energy is free and green energy which gets the sunlight for free and converts it into electricity by protecting the environment as well.  

Parts of a solar panel have different functions that they need to perform to ultimately produce the best of the services. Parts of a solar panel and their functions are the following:  

A solar panel system has different parts that form a complete system for your residential or commercial purposes. The major parts here include:  

  • Solar glasses  
  • EVA  
  • Back sheets  
  • Aluminum frames  
  • Junk box  
  • Connector s
  • Silicone glue  

Solar Earth INC. understands all these kinds of solar panel systems and provides better services in every regard of the part of the solar system.

parts of solar panel

Solar glass:

Once the solar cells have been encapsulated in EVA films, a glass sheet is placed over the front side of the panel where the cells interact with sunlight. The glass provides protection from the elements, such as weather, dust, rain, and hail. It is typically made from high-strength tempered glass, which is around 3-4mm thick and designed to withstand mechanical loads and extreme temperatures.
To meet the IEC minimum standard impact test for solar panels, the glass sheet must be able to endure hail stones with a diameter of up to 1 inch, traveling at speeds of up to 60 mph. Additionally, solar cells can reflect up to 35% of the sunlight that falls on their surface, which can negatively impact their efficiency.
To combat this, the rear side of the glass is coated with anti-reflective chemicals such as graphene, titanium dioxide, and silicon nitride. This coating helps prevent losses due to reflection and allows more sunlight to reach the cells, improving the overall efficiency of the panels.

Back Sheet:

After the solar cells have been encapsulated in EVA films and the front side of the panel has been covered with a glass sheet, a backsheet is added to the rear of the panel. This layer serves as a moisture barrier, providing mechanical protection and electrical insulation for the solar cells.
Backsheets are made of various types and grades of polymers or plastics, each offering different levels of protection, thermal stability, and long-term UV resistance. Typically, the backsheet layer is white in color, but it is also available in transparent or black, depending on the manufacturer and module design.

EVA:

EVA, short for “ethylene vinyl acetate,” is a specialized polymer used as a transparent plastic layer to encase solar cells and keep them in place during production. It is crucial for the long-term performance of solar panels as it is highly durable and able to withstand extreme temperatures and humidity, preventing moisture and dirt from entering.

The EVA layer is sandwiched on either side of the solar cells to provide shock absorption and protect the cells and interconnecting wires from vibrations and impact damage, such as from hailstones or other objects. A high-quality EVA film with a high degree of “cross-linking” is essential to ensure the longevity of the solar panel and prevent water ingress.

During the manufacturing process, the cells are first encapsulated with EVA before being assembled into the glass and back sheet.

Back Sheet:

A layer of material called a backsheet is added to the back of the solar panel. It serves as a barrier against moisture and a shield for both mechanical protection and electrical insulation. Different types and grades of polymers or plastics are used to create the backsheet, each providing varying degrees of protection, thermal stability, and long-term resistance to ultraviolet (UV) radiation. The color of the backsheet layer is usually white, but it may also come in transparent or black versions, depending on the manufacturer and the module’s design.
It forms a rare host layer of the panel providing both mechanical protection as well as electrical insulation.

Aluminum frame:  

The aluminium frame serves several purposes, including protecting the edges of the laminated section that encloses the cells, providing a sturdy structure to aid in mounting, and maintaining the panels’ shape and position. To ensure they can withstand extreme stress and loading from high winds and other weather impacts, these frames are typically designed to be lightweight, stiff, and durable.

The weight of the solar module is significantly impacted by the aluminium frame, which can be either silver or anodized black. The frame may also be coated with additional elements such as silver or nickel, depending on the manufacturer. The corner sections of the frame can be screwed, pressed, or clamped together during assembly to provide varying levels of strength and stiffness.

Solar cells:

Solar cells are the main component responsible for converting sunlight directly into electricity. They typically have a rectangular or hexagonal shape and are made of purified and crystallized silicon. The cells are connected by a network of very thin wires known as fingers/ribbons and busbars, which conduct the electricity generated from the cells to the terminals where it can be used to power appliances.
Solar cells come in various designs, colours, technologies, and configurations. These factors play a significant role in determining the efficiency and durability of the cells. When multiple solar cells are arranged together and connected with busbars and fingers, they form a solar module. These modules are available in different sizes, ranging from 60 to 144 cells or more.

Aluminum frame:

The aluminium frame serves several purposes, including protecting the edges of the laminated section that encloses the cells, providing a sturdy structure to aid in mounting, and maintaining the panels’ shape and position. To ensure they can withstand extreme stress and loading from high winds and other weather impacts, these frames are typically designed to be lightweight, stiff, and durable.
The weight of the solar module is significantly impacted by the aluminium frame, which can be either silver or anodized black. The frame may also be coated with additional elements such as silver or nickel, depending on the manufacturer. The corner sections of the frame can be screwed, pressed, or clamped together during assembly to provide varying levels of strength and stiffness.

Junction box:

The junction box is a small, weather-proof enclosure located on the rear side of the solar panel. It is designed to securely attach the cables needed to interconnect the panels. The junction box serves as the central point where all the solar cells are interconnected and must be protected from moisture and dirt.
All junction boxes contain bypass diodes, which keep the electricity flowing in one direction and prevent it from feeding back to the panels. Over time, bypass diodes may fail and need to be replaced. Therefore, the cover of the junction box can usually be opened or removed for servicing. However, as solar panel technology has advanced, junction boxes have also improved to better perform their functions. Many modern solar panels now use more advanced and long-lasting diodes and non-serviceable junction boxes.

Connectors:

Solar panels are typically linked together using MC4 connectors, which are specialized weather-resistant plugs and sockets. MC4 stands for multi-contact 4mm diameter connector, and these connectors are designed to be highly durable, UV-resistant, and capable of maintaining a reliable connection with minimal resistance at both low and high voltages, up to 1000V.
Silicone glue:
It is most commonly used in solar panels and creates a strong bond and is resistant to chemical moisture and other weather conditions.

Silicone Glue:

In solar panels, the most widely used adhesive is silicon. This material forms robust bonds and is highly resistant to moisture, chemicals, and varying weather conditions, making it ideal for use in solar panel assembly. Additionally, silicon is a prevalent semiconductor material commonly used in electronic devices. Hence, silicon glue is frequently employed in the manufacture of solar panels.

Common Parts of a Solar Panel Involved

Solar panels have made our lives much easier. Solar panel manufacturers are vertically integrated which means one company supplies and manufactures all of the main components including the silicon ingots and wafers. However, many other manufacturers assemble the solar panels using externally sourced parts including the cells, polymer back sheet, and Eva materials.  

The component they are going to choose is not known sometimes and they do not always have control over the quality of the product. Because of this reason, you should be sure about the best suppliers available to you. Every common part of the solar system involved has its unique function and works collectively with each other.  

Solar PV cells convert sunlight directly into DC electrical energy. The performance is determined by the cell type and characteristics of the silicon used in the type of solar PV cells. The two main types of silicon can be crystalline and polycrystalline silicon. The front glass then acts as a protective layer for the PV cells in any weather conditions. The glasses are almost 3 to 4 millimeters thick and it’s designed to resist mechanical loads and extreme temperature changes.  

Aluminum foil plays a critical role in protecting the edge of the laminated selections. While the back sheet is a rare most common solar panel sheet that acts as a moisturized barrier to prevent any external damage. Junction boxes and connectors are the important central point where all the cells are interconnected for better working.  

A typical silicon crystalline solar panel will generate enough energy to repay within two years of installation

Different Parts of a Solar Panel

The solar panel is the way to the future. It is a renewable form of energy that provides Free electricity from solar power and great incentives in the form of a 26% tax credit from the government. It also leaves an incredible environmental impact. The main parts of solar panel are essential to form a better solar panel system.  

The four basic components of a solar power plant include  

  1. The basic part of solar panel  
  2. Charger controller  
  3. Inverter  
  4. Battery bank  

Solar panels are the most visible element of your system that is the face of the system. If you decide what kind of solar panels you’re going to choose for your house you pay for what you decide to install for your home or business. Though the savings of purchasing a budget panel may seem appealing in the short term however it will showcase the worst performance over time.  

A solar panel system incurs a huge investment and hence it should be advertised to invest only in the best quality. Solar panel systems come with a warranty of 25 years and hence it is important to check the quality and have knowledge about every component that goes into making the solar panel system. Buyers should be aware of the different parts that are used in the making and their functions and how they work and should not be fooled by buying substandard components. 

Spare Parts of Solar Panel

Each solar panel has about 80% of the crystalline silicon that can be recovered through the refined and proper recycling process. There are many spare parts of the solar panel that can go through the recycling process including electric junction boxes, glass and plastics, aluminum frames, and brackets. Recycling not only helps the healthy environment but also helps us to get the spare parts in the hour of need.  

These spare parts are available in the market at different prices depending upon the solar panel component manufacturers. You can get the first-hand spare parts of solar panels from the market easily, however sometimes you have to buy second hand spare parts to ensure that your solar system works properly and without collapsing your roof as well.  

Solar Earth INC. is a family-owned company that has been providing its services in Santa Barbara for more than a decade now. We are known for our great portfolio and reliable services in the market. Our customer satisfaction is our priority. Whenever we supply spare parts for solar panels, our technicians ensure that the parts are properly adequate and reliable. We not only provide the square part services but also offer to replace your solar panel system parts that cause hindrance in the whole system to generate more electricity.

Solar Panel Parts List

Understanding the product and components of the solar energy system helps you have a better overview. It tells you that proper functioning is important. A potential solar power system owner takes time to understand what summarizes a photovoltaic array and how different components work together to produce electricity for energy needs.  

Each part of the solar panel is unique in its size and structure therefore the application of photovoltaic arrays is different from one another. A photovoltaic system can be used on a rooftop or ground-mounted system to generate energy for a residence or building. The standard residential or commercial solar system consists of solar panel parts list such as  

  • Solar panels  
  • inverters  
  • Wiring   
  • Racking and mounting  
  • DC or AC disconnect  

Some systems have additional components added to the core set of the solar panel system such as  

  • Charge controller  
  • Batteries  
  • Balance of systems  

 These are used as additional items and are usually used off-grid. Solar panels are usually made up of solar cells, framing, and glass and they work by collecting and harnessing the energy from the sun and converting it to the form of electricity for standard electrical devices inside the home or building.  

Solar energy helps us to reduce our electricity expenses to acceptable levels and helps us to save the environment in a better way. Being an owner of a solar panel system, it should be your firm responsibility to accept the best for yourself as well as for your environment and make sure that each solar panel part is inserted to form a better solar panel system to protect your house or building.  

FAQs

Do Solar Panel Parts Also Require Proper Maintenance?

Every part of solar panels requires maintenance just like the solar panel systems maintenance. It will ensure better productivity during the lifespan of solar panels and will prevent them from corrosion.

Are Second Hand Solar Panels Worth The Investment?

Solar Earth INC. offers second-hand solar panels in reliable conditions. You can only get the best second hand solar panels if you purchase from a respectable company that does not neglect the priority of its customers. 

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