Mono Crystalline or Copper Indium Selenium solar cells

[Zute]

Looking at getting a Solar system fitted to our house. The monoCrystalline seems the more popular and is half the price of the CIS system. Its also only 16 panels (3.03kw) compared to 40 panels of the CIS (3.3kw).
The CIS panels will still work when partly shaded where the Mono panels stop working or so I'm told. Any one had any expirance or thoughts on these ?

[blitz]

The mono crystal ones dont stop producing they just have a reduced capacity.

All of them you can shine a torch light on at night and get a voltage reading and obviously that is only on part of one panel in the string, as to the amount of power you get from the torch light, well it's probably micro amps.

I have had to do that when an installation has gone wrong for what ever reason to ensure that the polarity is correct and that there is continuity, when I have finished the installation at night.

[bee utey]

Monocrystalline is better so long as you have no shading problems. If one cell is shaded that whole panel goes down, only the blocking diode on each panel allows the panel string to keep functioning. If you cannot avoid tree branch or pole shading the CIS are the go. Their main advantage comes from the individual cells being in long thin strips, allowing then to be partly shaded and partly still producing power.

Another possibility is to look at a low voltage system, where all panels are connected in parallel. Any shaded panel only reduces output by its own output. Aiming panels in different directions is also feasible.

See: http://www.choiceelectric.com.au/pdf..._Edge_spec.pdf

and http://www.selectronic.com.au/sppro/

[eddy]

http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/For a good rundown on answers regarding solar systems,check out the Green Tech Lounge on the forum

[baldivistribe]

We had the option of mono or cis panels. In the end im wish i could glad we went cis they work well in the low light/cloudy days compared to the mono panels. Im sure there will be others who disagree but i can only share my experience and opinion. I just wish i could take home with me some of the 55 mega watts im making here at work.
get a few quotes and jump on the forums, do your homework and find whats best for your situation.
cheers
steve

[mick88]

What about battery storage, anyone got any idea's what is best?
Our plan is to eventualy go solar and do away with mains power alltogether.
Also are wind generators a good option as a supplement?

Cheers, Mick

[bee utey]

What about battery storage, anyone got any idea's what is best?
Our plan is to eventualy go solar and do away with mains power alltogether.
Also are wind generators a good option as a supplement?

Cheers, Mick

Battery backed solar systems are expensive, and subject to more problems than a grid connection. If you are already connected to the grid and can get a feed in tarriff then grid connected solar is the way to go.

Battery backup on the other hand is both feasible and sensible as you don't discharge the batteries every night and every cloudy windstill day. Look at the Selectronic website for battery back-up/grid inverter combos.

[rovercare]

http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/For a good rundown on answers regarding solar systems,check out the Green Tech Lounge on the forum

I've found that alot of "learned" people about solar are quite nieve.........and painful to deal with, that forum is full of bad advice aswell as good

[rovercare]

Mono if you have no removable shade issues, than spend the extra putting on a larger system, which will far outweigh the losses

[rovercare]

What about battery storage, anyone got any idea's what is best?
Our plan is to eventualy go solar and do away with mains power alltogether.
Also are wind generators a good option as a supplement?

Cheers, Mick

Not worth it financially