A solar panel has to be connected to a charge controller to regulate current, and a battery to store the electrical power. You will need adapter kit cables to wire the solar panel(s) and charge controller, and tray cables connecting the charge controller to a deep-cycle battery.

On-grid simply means solar power equipment (array or solar panel) is connected to the electrical grid, while off-grid refers to systems that are not connected to the grid and therefore store the generated power for later use. Off-grid systems are not affected by grid blackouts.

Solar panel performance may be hindered for a number of reasons. Most commonly environmental conditions such as indirect sunlight, temperature rise, cloudy sky, and dirt and stain build up on the top glass will cause a reduced power output.

Solar panels can be connected in series or in parallel to meet your electrical circuit size and power demand. Connecting solar panels in series will have the effect of adding up their operating voltage output, while system current output will be the same as that for one panel. While connecting solar panels in parallel will have a different effect; individual panels operating current output will add up to be the system output current, while system output voltage will be the same as the output voltage of one solar panel. To meet the optimum power output and system rating for your power system, you can use both parallel and series connections.

The best way to gauge how many solar panels you need is to understand and define the power load needed from this system. Power is measured in Watts, and capacity is commonly measured in Watt-hours (multiplying power output in watts by the required number of hours of operation multiplied by a safety factor of 1.5-2). Therefore, it is wise to size your battery bank first based on the minimum required capacity, and accordingly, decide how many panels or how much power input is needed.

We suggest not. Walking on solar panel will exert excessive pressure on small area, it may cause cracks and damage of the panel.

Yes, it can. The optimum operating voltage of this 550W solar panel is 41.97V. So it's suitable to use for charging your 12V Marine Battery and 48V Lithium Battery (by connecting at least two solar panels in series). Please note that you need to connect the solar panel(s) to a Charge Controller supporting a 12V or 48V system.

You can clean the panels with a non-abrasive sponge and water.
We suggest regular maintanence to swipe the dust, sand and other dirts away. Built up dirt and stain will reduce the power output of the panel.