Finding its origins in the Latin word “omnibus” (for all), the term bus bar in electricity indicates that it carries all of the current in a particular system.
How does it work?
The system that interests us today is the solar cell.
Thin strips of copper coated with aluminum, interlinked with even thinner strips compose a solar cell: the bus bars and the fingers.
Without giving an extensive course in electricity, it is important to understand that electricity faces resistance when travelling through matter. Resistance leads to a loss of power. The amount of current that can safely travel through depends on the size and the material of the bus bar.
Both function as a vast collecting system. The fingers collect electricity created by the cell and deliver it to the bus bars. Bus bars from each cell are welded together in an interconnected circuit. This circuit will deliver the panel’s electricity to an inverter. Finally, the inverter will transform the direct current harvested by the cells into usable alternating current.
Precautions :
The key and main problem with cell efficiency lies in the ability to collect as much electricity produced by the silicon wafer and to transport it with minimum loss of power. Bus bars and fingers are made out of copper and aluminum, both excellent metallic electricity conductors.
However, metal carrying electricity gets hot. Tin and nickel have been reportedly used in bus bars coating for a long time. While having the great advantage of being much cheaper than aluminum, they also offer greater resistance to electricity and generate more heat.
When travelling through the system, the electricity has to pass the welded extremities of each bus bar. You can find welding materials and processes in all color, shapes and prices. However, only a strict welding process with a good quality welding material guarantees the current will not meet unexpected resistance at the welding points. In turn, that could allow for less power loss or excessive heat.
What do we do?
Consequently, at Eco Green Energy, we source our grade A cells from tier 1 trusted suppliers only, with a bill of material to support our statement.
Also, our AUTOWELL soldering and welding machine guarantees impeccable connection points between the 5 bus bars of our panels and no loss of power.
At EGE, we claim and we prove our quality!
