If you don't have enough space on your roof to install solar panels, ground mounts are the best option. But the question is, how far can the solar panels be from your house? That's a question you need to answer before any setup. If you're too far away and you're not getting the results you want, what's the acceptable limit? In this article, we will tell you How far the solar panels can be from the house.
You can install solar panels up to 500 feet from your home, but that will require long and expensive wires to prevent energy loss. A distance of 50 feet or less will keep the voltage drop at 2%, which is the acceptable limit for current.
How Distance Affects Solar Panel Output?
There are many reasons why a solar panel's rating and actual output differ, but when it comes to distance, it's all about wiring. The farther the solar panel is from the house, the longer the cable will be. If you can maintain a distance of 100 feet or less, the energy and voltage drop will be 3% or less. If it's more than 100 feet, you'll need longer, thicker cables. When current flows in a circuit, voltage is lost due to wire resistance. Longer wires create more resistance and therefore greater voltage drop. With solar panels, you want to maximize output, so use the shortest possible wires to install.
According to the electrical specification, the voltage drop should be 3%. A distance of 100 feet between the solar panel and the house can result in a voltage drop of 3% or less, which is acceptable. As you go down 900 feet and beyond, the drop can be as much as 3.7%. Let's say you're using big, thick wire. Thin, fragile wires can see more voltage drop. ATO provides high quality solar panels for you, such as 60W, 80W, 120W portable solar panel.
How Far Can Solar Energy Transmit?
In theory, you can install solar panels from any distance as long as you have enough cable wires. If you are willing to use longer, thicker wires then you can set the panels hundreds of feet from your home.
Suppose you want to run a barn with solar power. If the shed is 300 feet from your house, it may be better to install solar panels on the shed than to use 300 feet of cable. If the barn is not strong enough, it cannot support rooftop solar panels. At this point, you can choose to install solar panels on the ground.
The direct current (DC) generated by solar power generation is susceptible to energy loss and voltage drop. The best way to prevent this is to shorten the distance between the house and the solar panels. High voltage solar systems are ideal because they produce lower amps.
Low voltage solar systems are more likely to overheat from higher amps. Long cables generate more heat, so a 48V system is suitable. The further the solar panel is from the house, the higher the voltage.
