Solar Power Home Installation Packages

Components

• Solar system packages usually include solar panels (modules), inverters, electrical parts and installation wires. Each kit also includes the mounting assembly, which depends on the planned location of the solar panels. These are typically rails for rooftop mounts, or racks/ poles for ground-mounted projects. The panels clamp in place on the mounting assembly. An electrician wires the modules to electrical components, including the DC/AC inverter, and to the house electricity apparatus and to the utility meter, if applicable. The inverter converts the raw, direct-current electricity produced from the solar array into alternating current, which powers regular appliances. Owners with battery backup must purchase the batteries for their respective system.

Grid-tied Kits

• A grid-tied solar power installation package provides the components needed to connect the property's main electrical panel to the utility company's electric meter, or grid. Homeowners can use power generated from the solar power system on sunny days. On cloudy days, when the system does not have enough sunshine to produce sufficient power, the grid meets the home's electricity requirements. Numerous states have "net metering" regulations, which allow homeowners whose system generates excess electrical power to sell the energy back to the utility company.

  Grid-tied systems do not operate during power outages. The Solar Technologies website states that grid-tied systems offer greater efficiency and cost less than solar power systems with battery backup. The additional cost does not benefit a property owner unless the area has frequent power outages.

Off-Grid Kits

• Many people who live in rural locations where power transmission lines are expensive to run, select stand alone, off-grid solar power systems to provide electricity for their homes. Along with the basic components, such as modules and an inverter, the off-grid solar power kit must include a battery bank. The batteries store energy produced by the solar array. It's important to calculate the average kilowatt-hours (kWh) usage each day. This figure determines the amount of electricity the solar panels must generate to service the home and recharge the batteries to full capacity. Usually, homeowners living off the grid have other power systems to complement solar energy units, such as wind turbines or gas/propane generators, during low solar energy production.

Battery Backup

• Some grid-tied systems link to the main utility power grid and have battery backup. A solar-powered battery provides a reliable source of electricity to designated circuits during a power outage. The system automatically makes a seamless switch to back-up batteries. Most batteries provide four to 12 hours of power to carry important loads. Even when operating on battery power, the solar panels continue to create electricity and top the batteries off at full capacity each day.

Warranties

• Many installation companies offer warranty on workmanship and the removal, replacement or repair of equipment that malfunctions in an ordinary operating environment. Although each manufacturer has its own product warranty, the industry's standard guarantees offer customers a five- to 10-year warranty on materials and a 25-year performance warranty. The performance warranty refers to assurances covering the minimum power output of the solar panels over the warranty period, such as 80 percent. Inverters usually have a guarantee period of 10 years.