Solar Power Overview

Solar Power Overview

A solar power system is created by integrating a number of components, including:

  • Solar power panels to generate the power
  • Solar inverter to convert the power from the solar panels into power that we can use
  • Mounting system to connect the panels to the roof
  • Cables and other components to connect the panels to the inverter and to connect the inverter to your home’s or business’s power
  • Monitoring devices so that we can check that the system is running as it should
  • Power optimisers if there is partial partial shading of the solar panels

Some systems also incorporate battery storage. Please contact us if you are considering battery storage.

Each of the above components can:

  • be from a different manufacturer
  • vary considerably in price
  • vary considerably in quality and performance
  • have a different warranty

Some companies put systems together using the same components and sell systems or a range of systems that are all the same.

Central Solar Systems uses different components to design systems that best suit a customer’s needs and budget. We don’t have any set systems. We can do this because our director is an electrical engineer and Clean Energy Council accredited designer of solar power systems. He is constantly assessing emerging solar panels, solar inverters and other system components. This allows Central Solar Systems to provide the most up to date tailored systems that will suit almost every customer’s needs and budget.  

 

Below is some more detailed information for people who are interested

Solar Power Panels

Solar power panels turn sunlight into electricity. They are therefore placed to optimise the amount of sunlight that hits them, for example, on the roof of a home or factory.

Solar panels are therefore subjected to extreme weather conditions, including wild storms, large humidity fluctuations, large temperature fluctuations, etc. Some panels can handle these extremes much better than other panels.

Solar power panels also produce less power as they get older. Some panels produce more power than other panels over the years.

It is costly to replace solar power panels. A solid manufacturer warranty is therefore very important. It isn’t uncommon for customers to be left without a warranty on their solar power panels. In 2011 there were 400 solar panel manufacturers approved to sell panels in Australia. Today the number is less than 70. That represents a lot of customers left without a panel warranty.

At Central Solar Systems we are doing our best to ensure that we offer a range of solar panels that are suitable for most budgets. We also assess other factors, including the quality of the panels, the durability of the panels (their ability to withstand extreme weather conditions for many years) and the manufacturers’ local support/warranty capability.

Our range of solar power panels currently includes: SunPower, REC, Q Cells, Hyundai, Jinko and Trina.  

Other Solar Power Items

The solar inverter takes the power generated by the solar panels and turns this into power that we can use in the home or business, or to export to the grid. There are low cost inverters which are very basic, through to high quality inverters that are more efficient and/or may be capable of having batteries directly connected.

The term “battery ready” can be confusing. Every single solar power system with any inverter is solar ready. This is because there are battery inverter/chargers that can connect batteries to your home’s power, just like a solar inverter connects solar panels. Some solar inverters have the battery charger built in, so the batteries can connect directly to the solar inverter. We will discuss this further on our Battery Storage pages.

​We can help you to choose the best inverter for your needs and budget.

More Information

The mounting system is a very under-rated part of the system.  The mounting system needs to hold the panels in place for many years, through very hot and very cold weather, cyclones, rain, etc.  As with the other components there is a wide range of quality and life expectancy.  We use a high quality mounting system that has been proven over many years of use.

More Information

A solar power system should also include high quality cables, isolators, circuit breakers, etc.  We source all of our balance of system components from reputable, well known Australian based distributors.

There are many different forms of monitoring available. These can provide visibility of the following:

  • ​Power produced by the solar power system
  • Household/Commercial energy consumption
  • Power exported to the grid
  • Power flow to and from battery storage
  • Etc

​We can advise on the best monitoring for your needs.

Battery Storage connects to your household or business power and is normally charged by a solar power system. Depending on the power tariff, the battery storage can also be charged using lower cost power from the grid, for example, between midnight and 7am.

Battery storage can be used to: 

  • Provide power to your home or business during peak power tariff periods when grid power is very costly
  • Provide power to your home or business at any set times to decrease the power taken from the grid
  • Provide backup power to your home or business during a blackout.  Not all battery storage systems are capable of providing battery backup power

There are two types of battery storage systems: 

  1. AC Coupled Battery.  This is a battery storage system that connects to any home or business.  It comes with its own inverter/charger, so it is separate to the solar power system.  It can therefore be used in cases where there is an existing solar power system.  There are many products in this category, including Tesla Powerwall.
  2. DC Coupled Battery.  There are a few types of DC Coupled connections.  The main one is where a battery storage system connects to a solar hybrid inverter that has a battery connection as well as connections for the solar power panels.  The solar hybrid inverter can be installed initially and the battery can also be installed initially or in the future.  The DC coupled battery option is more efficient than the AC coupled battery option.
 
Central Solar Systems provides both types of battery storage systems. 
 

Solar Panel Installers - Gold Coast, Logan, Brisbane, Tweed

The experienced team at Central Solar Systems are renowned as specialists in the industry and local installers across the Gold Coast, Brisbane, Logan, Redlands and Tweed. We are here to provide residential and commercial customers with the best solar power solutions, including products from SunPower, REC, Q CELLS, Hyundai, Fronius, ABB, Sungrow, the best battery storage systems with products from BYD, Sungrow and LG Chem, all at the most affordable prices. Contact our office to find out more.

Central Solar Systems also provides residential and commercial customers with EV Charging solutions and comprehensive servicing including scheduled maintenance, trouble shooting and component replacement.