how much electricity can a solar panel produce can it power a light bulb and also have electricity spare?

Answer 1

Photovoltaic panels and modules

For Mono and Polycrystalline cells the power output of a single cell is quite small (typically about 1.5 watts), so in order to obtain usable amounts of electricity, many cells are interconnected in series and in parallel.

They are built into a module, or panel, with an aluminium frame and covered in glass for protection.

Modules usually occupy about half a square metre and are virtually maintenance free. Sizes vary, but a typical panel might produce between 40-60W in peak sunlight and comprise of 30 to 40 cells.

These panels produce a 'nominal' voltage* of 12, 24 or 48 volts d.c depending on the way the cells are configured within the module.

Modules can then be connected together, in an array, to give higher current or voltage outputs. * actual voltage is higher to provide the necessary charge for a battery.

Lots more good stuff on first website...

Lots of FAQs on 2nd link...

Answer 2

Yes. This depends and the size and efficiency of the solar panel and the power consumption of the light bulb. If you want constant power when the sun isn't available, the panel should also be powering a bank of batteries and power drawn from them.

My closest exposure to solar panels was a neighbor who took a single one with him camping to power a single fan. It did a fine job of airing his tent during the day so it didn't heat like an oven. This was an application where the power was only needed while the sun was shining.

Compare to windmills originally installed to pump water for livestock and retrofitted with electricity generators *and* a storage battery. The primary use for the electricity was for listening to radio in the evening, when the reception was better. The use with a battery rather than purely for immediate power is demonstrated as being the norm rather than the exception in home applications.

Answer 3

A 5 ft by 2 ft solar panel in the desert near the equator will light a 100 watt light bulb and cost you $600 dollars. Unfortunately, you'll need a $2500 inverter to change it from 24 volts DC to 120 volts AC

Answer 4

the power produced by solar panel debends on two things
the sun light ( its different if you but it in Egypt for example from but it into Denamark)
the area of the solar panel
but an approximation is made in strong sun light ( in tropical countries) the power produced can reach a 1000W per square meter
andn you must know something sometimes solar power is not a main source some times it is used to reduce power consumption during the day and in the night they just switch over to normal electricty

Answer 5

One way to improve is celled-lensing. While they have done mirrors, they have not tried (or thought of) using a lens with a silvered surface. Basically working like a two-way mirror, the lens would be convex in a similar manner to a magnifying glass, but the other surface flat. Imbedding the photocell to the back of the lens allows the lens to focus light from a wider angle into an smaller area. By only bending the light into an area the size of the cell, you would waste little light. By having the lens squared rather than circular, you waste no space. Any light that bounces back my be bounced back onto the cell by the silvered surface. Having the convex shape also allows rainwater to clean the surface better than a flat one as the edges form channels which aid in removing dust. This would increase the conversion and low the maintenance over a longer period, without continuous cleaning. This method would boost output by only 5%. The most effective way possible is to create a black body which then contains the cells. With on way out, all light will eventually end up in the cell. This would theoretically create 100% efficiency. Any near black body would, likewise, create a cell of output percentage equal to its black body absorption rate. The thing is that the cells must line the walls and transfer the energy from carbon black into energy, as the carbon black is what creates the black body in the first place. All other methods to date, use more energy than is captured. So either the cells must be used in such a way as to cool off the carbon black after is gets hit by the photons, absorbing the heat energy from the carbon and transforming that into mechanical energy. The best thought I have is creating a sink of liquid helium within a circulation system and the inside of the black body must be in vacuum. This would cause the sink to heat as it pulls heat from the carbon via gradient heating. This would cause the helium to need to expand, which could then shed energy by turning a turbine. The turbine charges a generator and that charges a cell. This sounds much easier than it is and can only be done with nano-sized parts, not macro. This would mean each battery would be nano-sized, charged by a nano generator and turned by a nano turbine. That's a lot of work to make. Further, this can only be done below superconductivity temperature. Otherwise, the parts moving create too much heat and energy is stalled. Leading to overheating and possible rupture of the helium system as is expands and expels itself. Working, this system could produce 100% efficiency and never need maintenance as it would be enclosed.

Answer 6

there are many different types of solar panels, also the area and time in sunlight is a factor. But probably about 20-50 square inches could power a lightbulb if it were in bright sunlight continually

Answer 7

Nowadays with he progress of solar energy, powering a house is feasible.
Solar panel sizes, batteries and DC to AC converter will have to be calculated according to the electricity consumption you are expecting to use.
You can also have excess energy.
If your solar system is connected to the grid, this excess energy will generate additional savings to you.

Answer 8

Depends on the size of the solar panel and its design. There are various types, some are better than others.
http://www.rpc.com.au/products/panels/pvmodules/pvmodules.html
A more efficient user of sunlight is the solar furnace.
http://rhlx01.rz.fht-esslingen.de/projects/alt_energy/sol_thermal/flux.html

Answer 9

how big is the solar panel and how long has it been exposed to sunlight(this makes a difference), When done correctly you can power a whole house from solar panels, they are used in Europe a lot.

Answer 10

Well... yeah. but how useful is a solar powered light bulb? now if you could store the energy, that would be something else :)