Support Centre for Installers

When sunlight strikes a solar cell, it dislodges electrons from atoms, creating an electric current. Connectors on the cell's positive and negative sides form an electrical circuit. This flow of electrons generates electricity. Solar panels consist of numerous cells, and you can connect multiple panels to create a solar array. The greater the number of panels you use, the more energy you can produce.

A photovoltaic (PV) solar system is comprised of solar panels, racks for placing the panels on your roof, electrical wiring and an inverter. From sunrise to sunset, the solar panels generate electricity (DC) which is sent to an inverter. The inverter converts the DC electricity into alternating current (AC), which is the type of electricity required for household use. The AC power is delivered directly to your home’s main electrical service panel for use by you and your family.

PV solar panels are like puzzles made of tiny solar cells, enclosed in glass. These cells are made of silicon, a bit like computer chips. They have a positive part and a negative part that work together to make electricity, kind of like a battery. SunPower solar panels also have special adhesives and coatings to protect these cells and keep them working well even in different weather conditions.

• Maxeon Gen 3: 1500pcs/box
• Maxeon Gen 5: 1200pcs/Box
• Interconnection tabs:1200pcs/box

This will depend on your panel wattage, your battery watt-hour (Wh) capacity (a measurement of storage capacity) and the weather. A 150 Wh battery will charge faster than a 500 Wh battery because the 500 Wh battery has more storage capacity, therefore requiring more time to fully charge. In addition, a 100-watt panel will charge a battery faster than a 50-watt panel exposed to the same amount of sunlight.

Charging time will be affected by weather, shade, time-of-day, age and use of battery, efficiency of the charge controller, placement of the solar panels, and other operational factors. Be sure to look on your solar-compatible battery for an estimate of charging times as well as panel-wattage compatibility, and always check the charging characteristics of the battery to ensure it’s compatible with the wattage of the panel.

For higher battery capacity (greater than 150 Wh) we recommend using a 100-watt panel. Before doing this, however, please ensure that the battery you are charging is compatible with this wattage and use a compatible charge controller.

Your system will automatically shut down. Safety requirements prohibit the system from producing electricity during a power outage or blackout, because there is a chance that the system could feed electricity into the electric grid while utility workers are accessing the grid. The system will restart automatically when power is restored.