This is a panel of several solar cells(about forty)connected in series. a solar cell is made of two silicium's plates, in each plate was added small amounts of elictricity drivers like bore inside the positive plate and phosphore into the negative plate. light will disrupt balance towards the plates and bring electrons motions, thus electricity.
1)Light
Also called electromagnetic wave(in star trek or something else, c’est pas sorcier ou question pour un champion), this is the only one wave able to move beyond the void(unlike sonic waves, for instance. When a ship in star wars is farting in a big badaboum it's not possible). Its speed in a vacuum is almost 300000 km/h, and nothing known can exceed this speed. the more light will meet a dense thing, the more it will be slew down and deviated(on the other side we have the sound's speed which is always growing with density). One can consider both the light as a wave and a plurality of particles, photons. a photon is heaviless and neutral, that's why it can move until the highest speeds. a photon's energy increases with light's frequency. for exemple a photon's gamma ray brings really billions of time more energy than a photon's radio ray. gamma, radio, mojito….what does it mean ?
Just as light(visible) is only a part of the electromagnetic waves range. Their spectrum covers a lot of several kinds of waves, from long wavelengthes(several km)to small wavelengths(smaller than an atom size). Electromagnetic waves include: radio waves, microwaves, infrared, visible light, ultraviolet, X-rays and gamma rays finally with the shortest wavelengths, therefore the higher frequencies. in fact light could be seen as an energy's motion "quantified" from little photon's packs to little photon's packs.
the two light sides wave/particles have been discovered because of the photo electric effect, light that strikes metal drives it to send electrons. we have noticed that a weak blue light could move those electrons , but not a strong red light. Why ? because a photon “blue light” will have a higher frequency than “red photon”, so he will be able to dislodge the electron unlike the red one. when an atom's electron touches a defined energy level it jumps on a higher orbital or it isn't, no way it keeps quiet. And when it touches this energy level and there is no higher orbital from where it was laying on the couch watching TV, well he moves his ass…thus if there is electron butts motions, there will be electricity!
Summary, the less light will be filtered by atmospher, the more it will keep energy, its high frequencies able to activate electron motions into the sun cell, therefore induce current! that's why a sun panel will be more efficient with a clear sky and a high sun .
2)Panel
Small diagram of a photovoltaic cell:
The negative side(N) is doped with atoms having more electrons than silicon(here, phosphorus), and the positive side is doped with atoms having less electrons than silicium(the positive face P, here bore). When photons will strike the N face, if they carry enough energy they will initiate electron's transfert towards P face, creating electric juice. the power given by the sun on the earth floor is around 1 kw/m2, but the yield of cells generally does not exceed the 20% Thus for a panel 1 m2 not more than 200 watts roughly.
3)several kinds of panels
There are basically three types of solar panels:
.the monocrystalline, it has the best yield. It is blue uniform but it is expensive on the other side.
.the polycrystalline, with a yield slightly worse, cheaper too. It is and blue marbled.
.L’amorphous, weak yield but steady whatever the light strength available. Cheap, uniform color brown / gray.
Notice: the panel shall be as possible in face with the sun, inclination must consider the latitude of the place, thus the panel should be on a swivel support.
Notice: panel's performance will become null if 50% its surface is masked.
Notice: never clean the panels with chemicals. Clean water regularly to maintain good performances.
Notice: even with the maintenance time after time the yield will decrease.
4)Connections
Generally behind the sun panels there is a box which includes by pass diodes, it's useful to avoid a battery unload in panels. If there is no by pass diodes it should be set up. if we fix several panels with a load distributor we could forget those diodes. To avoid overloading a regulator or a load limiter should be installed too, as for wind turbines.
Two panels in series doubles their voltage produced, connected in parallel it doubles their power(ampérage)produced. we need to separate panels with by pass diodes. It is obviously necessary to adapt the diameter of the cables connected by the current strength and the distance between the panels and the battery. Ouàlaouala en gros quoi.