FAQs

No. Solar photo-voltaic (pv) systems strictly generate electricity and do not directly heat or contain any water whatsoever. Many people initially confuse the old-style solar water heating systems that were popular in the '80's with solar PV power systems. Since there is no water in a solar power system, the overall weight is very low. Most systems weigh less than 4 lbs per square foot installed.

Considerably faster than the roof already on top of your place, or the deck in the back, the spa, the air conditioner, the car in the driveway, etc.  The question of "payback" for a solar system is somewhat unique for a similar property value enhancing product because a solar system is capable of paying for itself over time in real money saved. This contrasts with other property value adding systems that mostly do not contribute anything more than equity.  To more directly answer the economic question of payback, the actual return on investment for a system will depend upon power rates in your area, the tax treatment, state credits and/or any utility or similar grants are factored in.  In addition, the number of hours the system is exposed to the sun and the temperature will vary the amount of generation the system produces.   After the net cost of installing a system is estimated, consider how this figure compares with what we all pay at the current power rates over a year right now.  Then consider what you pay in 5 years.  If your utility bill averages $300 per month then you are presently paying $3,600 per year; and, $36,000 over a 10-year period!   This equates to about the costs of two of our most popular systems before any possible credits buy down the cost.  Utilizing solar power does make economic sense, even if our power rates were to never increase. . .

Solar power systems generate the most power when they are exposed to direct sunlight.  They will still generate some power during rainy or overcast skies, but at a reduced output.  If the solar system is of the type that is directly connected to the utility power in the service panel (called a "utility interactive" system and also the type that we sell), the system will generate what it can in sync with the utility power and contribute to your overall power requirements in varying amounts. If the system generates more power than the home or business is using at the time, then the excess power is used by your utility to re-sell to your neighbors, etc.  If the solar system is not generating enough power at the moment to run your loads, then the utility power will make up the rest.  During the nighttime a solar system generates no power and the utility power provides all the power for the home or business.  When the sun comes up again, the solar system will once again begin to produce power in sync with your utility and contribute to your power requirements.  If the system is large enough the system will provide all the power required and send the rest to the utility for a credit.  The power meter literally will spin backwards.  Ideally, you should size your solar system to "spin" your meter backwards during the day about the same number of revolutions you consume at night.  In this way, you are are a "zero-net" power user.  At least from an electrical usage perspective.

Yes.  The output of the electrical conversion devices (known as "inverters") that convert the solar dc power to usable AC power are UL listed and produce power of the same or of superior quality than delivered by your utility company.  In fact, the inverters continually monitor the quality of your utility power and will only supply power in sync with delivered power if their power meets acceptable minimums. The inverters operate by matching the incoming phase and voltage of the utility power.  In this way solar power generated "on-site" will be free of exposure to transmission vulnerabilities that often cause brownouts, spikes or surges, or similar problems caused remotely.  In this way solar power systems can and do provide a measure of power quality assurance protection when they are providing the majority of your power needs.

Unfortunately no. At least this is true for the non-battery type of solar system, which is most common.  The utility-interactive systems are designed to match the utility power characteristics to perform in concert with that power.  If the utility power fails, the inverters also immediately shut down to prevent any power flowing FROM your house into the lines which might injure the lineman.  They are designed and certified to operate this way.  In order to provide power for your house during a utility outage, there must be a means of isolation between your generator and the utility lines.  This is the same for any standard generator setup.

Look at your power bill.  Somewhere on your bill will detail your average daily power use in KWh.  Take this number and divide it by the number of sun-hours your region usually receives.  That number can be found by looking up data gleaned from solar resource tables taken from the "solar radiation" link below.  For most locations however you can estimate an average daily usable sun-hour number to be about 4 to 6 hours.  This means your solar array will receive an average of "peak solar resources" of that many hours on average everyday.  So for example, of your daily power use is 20 KWh and you live in an area that receives 5 hours of sun, then you will need to generate 4,000 watts of power in those 5 hours to generate your power needs for that day.  A 4 kw solar system therefore is required for you. 

Solar radiation Historical hourly data resource link listed city by city. To get an hourly estimate for your city look at the data recorded under "lat" (for latitude on earth).

Article 690 of The National Electric Code (NEC) applies to photovoltaic power systems. The article has provisions that apply to solar arrays, circuits, inverters, grounding, disconnects and controllers. Article 690 is available online from the National Fire Protection Association NFPA. Explore the 2017 NEC codebook here. Look for article 690