Here are the basics for those needing a refresher or are un privy to how solar panel energy collection works. The solar panels collect photonic energy from the sun through collection cells which heat up, and the heat is then transferred into the circuit in the form of electricity. This then passes through a controller […]

To shed some light on the frequencies in which we are talking about, this is not the power output frequency (Hertz). Think more along the lines of changing voltages. High-Frequency inverters will be a good choice for those needing to increase a low-voltage direct current into a higher active current for appliances and similar equipment. […]

This may surprise you, but no, solar panels will collect photonic energy from any sunlight source, and at night the moon is like a giant reflector. In 2022, research done at Stanford University found that solar panels will collect, on average, point-zero, five Watts of power each night. This may not seem like much, but […]

Your solar inverter is either beeping as part of its normal routine or because it is having a serious issue that needs to be addressed. Being able to tell the difference is the key to fixing your system and getting rid of the sound. Identifying the source of the beeping is fairly simple once you […]

Negative grounding in solar inverters is the grounding of your solar system via rods. Grounding neutralizes your system’s charges by placing a rod into the ground made of conductive materials. The ground itself is not charged, but the rods are what are negatively charged within the system. Therefore, the charge of the grounding rod depends […]

The sun’s rays have enough energy to travel across space and provide both light and heat to the earth; from these photonic particles, modern solar panel technology can harness this power in both heat and light forms. Modern inventors have created a multitude of different solar power collection devices and gadgets that have led to […]

There are specific basic measurements for electricity, and many known ones include the ohm and watt. However, solar panels are a relatively new technology, which means there will be new terminologies such as WP or Watt Peak. A Watt Peak is the power measurement, under the Standard Testing Conditions (STC), used to explain the maximum […]

This will depend on the gauge size of the cable; solar panel cables #10 AWG (American Wire Gauge) will be limited to fifty feet in length. If there is a need for longer cable lengths, options will be available at the #8 and #6 AWG sizes. As for rooftop specifications, the installer will be wise […]

Each controller model will come with a voltage limit, which comes in twelve, twenty-four, and forty-eight volts for solar panels and between three hundred and three thousand volt systems. So most forty-eight-volt panel systems will allow for about fourteen panels and twenty-eight panels. You can check this on the label, but you should have this […]

More than just a single check will be needed to ensure that a solar system controller is working properly and efficiently. The best tool for this would be a multimeter that can check the actual flow of electricity, one with voltage and amp testers will be recommended. You will want to start with testing the […]

The first place the power will go is to the storage batteries; once the solar power being generated produces the electricity used by the home, the excess will be stored. After the batteries are full, off-grid systems should have a shut-off switch with monitoring software. If not, meaning there is no regulatory safety mechanism, the […]

The primary purpose of a controller and inverter is to manage the power flow that is pulsing through the solar panel system at any given time. In short, solar panel systems will need an inverter to convert the DC current into the usable AC current required for commercial and residential use. These devices are used […]

There will be a rating on the inverter of how much total wattage a unit can handle, using a standard three hundred Watt Solar panel and a five thousand-watt inverter, for example, a total of seventeen panels can be hooked up to the system. So the math is quite simple in this regard; the thing […]

To start, measure your roof’s surface area and then consult a carpenter about the load-bearing abilities of the support beams. The standard three hundred and twenty watts solar panel will be about seventeen-point-five square feet, divided into the square footage of your home’s roof will reveal the number of panels possible. If you have an […]

There are various approaches to setting up a solar inverter control panel on the home; these setups can be placed on a wall and are, in most designs, the last stage the sun’s energy completes before being funneled into the home or the city’s power grid. Some homeowners will even have units inside the home […]

When working with an electric circuit or system, one of the first steps will be to contact the local power grid operator’s office and shut the power off to the controller unit. Making sure that the voltage in the building is off will prevent unnecessary dangers from electrocution or fire. Next will be to ensure […]

As with any electrician’s repair job, one of the first steps will be to shut off the power to prevent any harm to the person doing the work. The next move will be to disconnect any breakers or circuit switches before unhooking any of the components of the inverter, which an electrician can replace or […]

Let us take a step back and look at the process of manufacturing a solar inverter, which goes through assembly and comes to quality control. Then, panel performance is tested through what is called performance ratios, or PR, and this is calculated during operation and what was defined in the contract. The first of these […]

Let us back up and start by looking at the system; the solar cells capture the solar energy, store some in the batteries, and send it to the inverter, which then converts the photonic energy into an AC current to be stored in the battery or sent out to the power grid. There will be […]

A Solar Panel inverter is a mechanism that converts the Photovoltaic (PV) solar panel into an Alternating Current, Direct Current, which can be fed into the commercial grid as a surplus of the daily needs of the home or business farming this energy. Typically, the inverter equipment will last an owner about ten to fifteen […]

The simplest setup a person can have is a collection panel, which sends energy to the inverter, which converts that photonic energy into usable A/C power and is stored in a battery for later usage. In short, the PV panels can be directly connected to the inverter, with the risk of overeating and overcharging included. […]

For those not Privy, an MPPT stands for Maximum Power Point Tracking, a feature that can aid an inverter hooked up to the later power grids. These units ensure that the Solar Panel Inverter works efficiently throughout the day and when collectible photon radiation is being reflected. With a unit like this, a solar panel […]

There are three varieties of solar capturing panels: the thin layer, the monocrystalline, and the polycrystalline. The one common element that is the most active amongst all molecules, no matter the type of panel made, will be silicon which makes up about ninety-five percent of the panel sold. Another way to think about this would […]

When producing solar panels, the materials must be efficient and durable, which requires the highest-grade materials available. Currently, one such material is silicon, which takes an expensive amount of energy to purify and make usable for solar panel manufacturing. Therefore, combined with the price of refining and producing the photovoltaic cells and the costs to […]

Solar panels are not more efficient due to scientific and technological limitations. While the theoretical limit is high, technology has not yet caught up to that limit. Even the limit itself for efficiency is not very high. It will take a long time to move past these limits. However, when we eventually do, it will […]

Solar panels can be, technically, any distance away from your home as long as you have the appropriate setup. This includes the cords, the placement, and the direction they are facing. Each solar panel is slightly different. However, the closer your solar panel is, the better. You will spend less on cords and experience fewer […]

How Tesla Powerwall Batteries last varies greatly depending on several factors. These factors include the usage and care of your battery and environmental factors. It is also not fully tested how long these new batteries Tesla has implemented might last. The time they last are said to be anywhere from the average lithium-ion lifespan of […]

For those not privy to the AH acronym, it stands for Amp Hour; one simple way to look at it would be to use an example of fifty AH, which can provide five Amps of power for ten hours or fifty amps for a single hour. A standard Tesla Powerwall will have a storage capacity […]

When batteries connected to your solar system fill up, your system either feeds into the grid or stops altogether. When you are connected to a grid, your system keeps generating and instead feeds into it when you can no longer gather that power. If you are not connected, the system stops altogether. However, your solar […]

All energy sources except for solar power do not come from the sun itself. This includes both renewable and nonrenewable energy sources. However, the sun is needed in almost all renewable energy sources. This is because they would not be possible without the sun’s power. Although this is true, renewable energy sources are currently not […]

This is going to be a variable situation that will depend on the geographical location you reside in; in other words, laws in different areas will have different regulations depending on the location of the home. For example, cyclone or tornado areas will be restricted to units no closer than one meter from the roof’s […]

Energy from the sun is very important for our world and ourselves. We have many words for the energy from the sun, including solar energy, solar radiation, and sunlight. While they all refer to the energy from the sun, they all have slightly different meanings and descriptions. Solar energy is the most common term, as […]

Solar panels are usually all faced in one direction and at a certain angle. As long as that direction and angle are possible, the solar panels will be faced that way by professionals. If it isn’t possible, a direction and angle as close as possible are aimed for. You may be wondering why this is […]

To put it simply, a renewable resource is a product that can be used over a long time and for many generations without the fear of running out. Unfortunately, there are very few truly renewable resources out there, and one of the most widely talked about is sunlight. Sunlight is one of these resources that […]

There are going to be different types of inverters available to the general public, the most commonly used are the types for cars and other vehicles, which can be handy when needing a jump. The other will be the type used for storing power from alternative energy sources. For an average build, these types of […]

There are a bunch of carpenter’s tricks and tools that will help a roofer find the rafters under the shingles, which include making a pilot hole in the roof and swinging the tool until it makes contact with a rafter. This is most useful when attaching and installing solar panels on the roof of the […]

Let me put it this way: Solar energy is collected in photons, which produce electricity that can be stored and utilized later. The difference between the two is whether the power can be utilized by humans or in what elemental form the solar photon is in. There are other ways to produce electricity for human […]

There is going to be a learning curve that comes with utilizing today’s solar panel technology, and it used to take days and even a certain number of weeks for the panels to produce enough usable charge. However, after the turn of the Millenium, the technology has gotten futuristically better in which it will only […]

There are going to be certain times when certain systems will not be set up correctly, which in turn will not collect as much energy as was estimated. This will cause a situation where the homeowner uses more electricity than their system produces, which will show up in the utility bill. The best thing to […]

There are going to be noticeable changes to the energy bill now that everyday technology has begun to evolve. In order to conduct business, some professionals will need more than just one smart device but multiple different phones and tablets. This means that there will be additional charges that will show up monthly because more […]

There is going to be a large range in which certain brands of batteries will need to be replaced, and the general consensus would be that the solar panels will need to be replaced and updated every twenty-five years. Then, of course, there are going to be certain models that will last fifty years, but […]

As the climate changes become more apparent and possibly settle into another longer-term pattern, regions will begin to assess what sustainable resources will be available to them. This will include animals, plant life, water, and sunlight. Those being some of the more basic resource based sustainable, there are going to be other things that will […]

There is a learning curve that humanity is currently going through in developing technologies, and our knowledge of Earth’s sustainable resources will be crucial in becoming a sustainable resident of Earth. For example, as we began heating our homes and building items that made carrying heavier objects easier, there was a point at which fire […]

They do not put solar panels on electric cars because they are generally impractical. In addition, solar panels cannot fully support a car as cars generally require a lot of energy to run properly. However, many car manufacturers have begun to research how to make this possible. In addition, a need has arisen to move […]

PTO in solar is the permission to operate. This permission to operate your solar setup is designated by your area’s utility company and the government.  It is the last step in the process of setting up that verifies everything has been done correctly and the power grid is ready to compensate for the new addition. […]

Solar does seem to be better than electric. However, each has its benefits and downfalls. Solar power is known for its clean energy that helps support our environment while making things cheaper for whoever has access to it.  However, high purchasing costs and the time it takes to pay off solar panels are often not […]

Many people hear of the fantastical world of renewable energy through the trendiest technologies like solar and wind power. The obvious problem with these sources of energy is that they are heavily dependent on certain weather conditions, which begs the question: are there renewable sources of energy that don’t rely on the weather? The answer […]

If you’ve heard about the many different types of renewable energy, you might be curious about which ones don’t require a turbine to generate electricity. The most obvious answer is solar power because the light captured by solar panels is converted directly into electricity instead of being used to spin a turbine. However, a few […]

Whether you’re looking for greater energy independence or just want to do your part for the environment, when you’re looking at investing in a solar system, it is a good idea to gauge how much power you need and consume. The truth is that a 6kW solar system will produce different amounts, primarily based on […]

Solar roof installers make a lot of money, up to $70,000 a year. However, you may be unsure of how to get started.  With Tesla, it is easy enough. Even without any experience, you can work for Tesla. All you need is a high school diploma or equivalent. However, the company would love to have […]

Mono PERC Half-cut Cell solar panel is a lot of technical jargon combined into one monstrosity of a term. Thankfully, separating each one becomes easier to understand, and their benefits can be fully understood when put back together. “Mono” simply refers to the monocrystalline cells of a solar panel – it means there is a […]

Solar panels aren’t just useful for powering your home. The heat energy captured from the sun can also be used to heat water that you might use for things like showers or washing dishes. Unfortunately, there isn’t a standardized area where a solar hot water system booster switch is installed. Some people have the booster […]

When trying to figure out a solar system, one of the major requirements is deciding what size system you need. However, unless you track your wattage use closely, it may be hard to understand how much power you need or where you can easily cut back. Thankfully, many people do pay attention to their wattage […]

It isn’t always easy to determine how many solar panels you need for a system. While a lot of it depends on how much sun you get and the size of your solar panels, you can still get an idea. For example, for a 5kW solar system, you can expect to use at least 12 […]

We all know that solar panels absorb light from the sun. That is why solar panels are called what they are. Even the material is known as photovoltaic (PV), which is related to the sun. But what exactly does that mean? This means that solar panels depend on the light of the sun to run. […]

According to the Energy Information Agency (EIA), most homes use about 29,360 watts a day (or 29.36 kilowatt-hours). This is equal to about 1,223 watts an hour, or 10,715 kilowatt-hours a year. But, of course, this changes throughout the year. Depending on the temperature in your area, you may need to run AC or heating […]

When discussing topics about solar energy and potential solutions, many people come up with the idea of covering some of the world’s largest deserts with solar panels to generate electricity. So using this empty space would be a good thing, right? Unfortunately, it’s not as easy as just placing a bunch of solar panels and […]

One of the aspects of solar power that many people don’t realize when they first start researching it is that the power generated from photovoltaic cells in solar panels comes as direct current (DC). Therefore, to be able to use solar power for most applications, an inverter is necessary. Fronius inverters can experience overvoltage and […]

Voltbox is another company that is working hard to get your money. They have spent a lot of money on marketing, even getting usually reputable news sites to support the product. With all of that effort, you may think that the company is pretty trustworthy, right? Unfortunately, that is not the case. Voltbox, like many […]

Many solar panel companies provide their data online, such as their efficiency, voltage, wattage, and more. While this is nice and useful for some, it is a lot of gibberish for everyone else. This makes it difficult to determine which solar panels and solar panel companies you can trust. Unfortunately, with the rapidly increasing demand […]

Electricity bills are often some of the most expensive of any bill, but they are necessary to keep more than just the lights on in our houses. It makes sense then that many people look for easy ways to save on their electric bills. The truth is that no commercially available products will correct or […]

When it comes to electricity, whether you’re looking at your bills or interested in planning a solar panel system, all the terms and units can be confusing, almost to the point of being purposely obtuse and unhelpful. A kilowatt-hour (shortened to kWh) is simply a way to measure how much energy is being used by […]

While there are a variety of renewable and clean energy sources out there to be harnessed for fighting back against climate change, solar power is often recognized as the most suitable option for most residential purposes. Astronergy is a Chinese company that manufactures and distributes solar panels like the Astro 5, AstroHalo, and AstroNova series […]

Thinking about installing a solar panel system on your own? Confused about all the different cable sizes and types there are out there for what seems like a simple circuit? While you might think that you simply need one set of cables for solar panels to an inverter and from the inverter to a group […]

Solar is a great way to get a little bit of money saved. Instead of paying the utility company, you can use the sun to knock off some or all of the cost, depending on the amount of power you use. While solar sounds like a great idea, they can, unfortunately, be a little costly. […]

When setting up solar panels, you want to make sure it is set up to be as efficient as possible. This means that you need to take everything into account. For example, any trees above where you want to put solar panels could cause shade, making the system less effective. Did you know that your […]

Home batteries and off-grid power solutions have come a long way over recent years, and Tesla is just one of the companies pioneering changes in how we think about power. A Tesla Powerwall 2 has a usable capacity of 13.5kWh which can power the average American household for anywhere between 10 and 15 hours on […]

With rising numbers of incidents causing thousands of households to lose power for days or even weeks, many people are looking into solar systems and backup power generation to keep the lights on. On paper, Tesla claims that a single Powerwall 2 unit can easily last upwards of 20 years after the initial installation. This […]

When considering purchasing and installing a solar system to help offset the cost of your electric utility bill or for an off-grid application, the numbers can quickly become confusing. You want to make sure you can power everything you need without exorbitant prices ruining your wallet. Even though it may seem like a 5kW system […]

Renewable energy sources are on the rise around the world, and we are only just learning about some of the unique challenges they provide in recent years. Many people like the idea of solar power because it has a relatively low visual impact, and any excess energy can be sold off back to the national […]

Although the photovoltaic cells of solar panels generate electricity as a direct current, energy can still be lost if it has to travel over long distances.  Reducing or preventing this loss will ensure that your energy bills are as low as possible, thanks to being supplemented by solar energy. While it is possible for solar […]

Having solar for your home can increase property values if you are ever thinking of selling. It can also be a great investment if you are thinking of staying in your home long-term as well, as it provides savings for the long run on your electricity bill.  Unfortunately, there are many shady companies out there […]

Tesla has made great strides in the technology of the electric vehicle and battery industries, inspiring generations to come with better, cleaner sources of energy. Now, Tesla’s Powerwall looks forward to becoming a standard piece of equipment in many, if not all, solar power systems. By bypassing local utility companies that charge for electricity and […]

Whether you’re looking to upgrade an RV’s existing solar system or design a new off-grid electronic system, a solar inverter is an essential component. Inverters take the direct current power generated by the photovoltaic cells of solar panels and convert it to the alternating current that most devices use. SunGoldPower is just one of many […]

Not to be confused with the many other businesses that go by similar names, Green Choice Energy, Inc. is an American company based out of Vista, California. Unlike the majority of the other companies under similar names, Green Choice Energy, Inc. is not a scam full of pushy salespeople. They service all of Southern California’s […]

There are a lot of solar panels out there, and unfortunately, not all of them are good. Finding a company that works for you, is trustworthy, and has an installer in your area can be hard.  Perhaps you stumbled across JA Solar and want to know more about their 340-watt panels? Don’t worry. We’ve got […]

Solar panels are large, bulky, and often an eyesore. Recently, Tesla released solar roof tiles meant to be a better, alternate option to power your home with the rays from the sun. But, unfortunately, they are also very expensive and need a team of specialists.  Thankfully, there is a new competitor on the market. GAF […]

Florida Power and Light (FPL) is an electric utility company that supplies most of Florida’s residents with the energy they need to keep the lights and other appliances in their homes. FPL’s Solar Together is a new program that aims to provide all FPL customers with an affordable solar option for a more sustainable future.  […]

Solar products are becoming increasingly available to the general public for those looking to install their own systems and take advantage of the tax credits supplied by the federal government. Whether you want to invest in solar to become energy-independent in a remote location or simply want to make a little extra money selling energy […]

Enphase is a great solar system that provides power to your home. It helps you to keep power even when the grid goes down, or there’s a particularly bad storm, and it can lower your energy costs.  Though the system is expensive, it can help you save money in the long run as it allows […]

The demand for renewable energy technologies is constantly increasing, and solar power is just one answer to the problems of energy generation for a growing population and climate change. Despite deriving their name from our closest star (the Sun), solar panels do not strictly need sunlight to charge or function in general. However, using artificial […]

So you’ve heard that a 4kW solar system can power a home, but what exactly does that mean? A small home, a large mansion, or a tiny shack out in the woods? Generally, they recommend a 4kW home can provide enough power yearly to support an average family of five.  Keep reading below to see […]