PV Gap

Jason Said:

Is this amount big enough for solar panel system?

We Answered:

You need to contact a contractor and get an estimate.
This link will give you a free estimate.

http://www.calfinder.com/estimate/solar-…

http://solarlease.solarcity.com/?utm_ter…

http://www.google.com/products?q=solar+p…

Ernest Said:

Has anyone used a solar heating panel system with an Intex pool and filter? Do they work?

We Answered:

The pool store guy is right. Those intex pumps are junk. Look for a used 1Hp pump or buy one from Harbor Freight.

You can unplug the Intex pump and use the new pump to push the water through the Intex filter. That is how I did mine. I have to clean the filter more often because the increased water flow.

Someday I will just buy a sand filter and have a really clean pool.

Donna Said:

anybody owns a house solar panel system does it really save you money on electricity?

We Answered:

We have solar electric panels on our roof. It's only break even, in other words, the same price as grid electricity in the long term. However, that's because we were low users in the first place. If you have a large electric bill and expensive electricity, you have a chance to save some money over the course of years. It won't make you a millionaire, and as you noted, generally requires an up-front investment. You can email me if you're interested in the details of our system.

Be careful of scams that suggest you can build and install your own panels. Here's an expose' of one such company: http://www.nlcpr.com/Deceptions6.php

Scott Said:

How to set up a solar panel system for a static caravan.?

We Answered:

Before you can figure out how much you need to make, you need to figure out how much you use. You need to figure out how much power the items you are powering draw, and for how long. If it is AC items (like you use in your house) you can use a kill-a-watt meter to measure how much power you use. http://www.altestore.com/store/Meters-Co…

If they are DC powered, used off your battery without an inverter, you'd need to do the math of how many watts and for how many hours. Many items have a label on the back telling you the max watts they use, multiply that times the hours a day you'll use it.

Once you know how many watt hours you need a day, put it in a calculator like this to figure out the size of panels and batteries. http://www.altestore.com/store/calculato…

For the fridge, if you can use a propane powered one, you are much better off. They use a ton of electricity, it'll be expensive to try to power it off solar.

Tanya Said:

How much will a solar panel system cost to run a whole house?

We Answered:

I have a 3.74 kw dc system. The full cost to have the system installed was $26K. I got a $10K rebate from my utility and a fed tax credit (it has been increased to 30% of the total cost so it would be $7800). Not all utilities will allow your meter to run backwards, mine does. It was estimated my system would pay for it's self in 6.2 years. My city just passed a 20% rate increase, so I should break even much sooner. My system is tied to the grid so I sell them my excess and buy what I need when the sun isn't up. I don't have a storage system. I create about 90% of my summer usage and about 75% of my winter usage. My bills went from about $200 down to about $20 for the summer. In the spring my bills are closer to $10.

I highly recommend getting a quote from a local installer, because local rebates and incentives can have a big impact on the over all costs. Where you live, the angle of the panels, any shade issues etc. can all have an impact on production. Any quality company should be able to tell you how much it will cost, a fair estimate of production and an estimate of how long before you break even. It helps if you can give the installer a usage history, I was able to get 2 years history from my utility.

It always helps to begin with conservation.

Jo Said:

I'm in college but I want to save energy, is there a small inexpensive solar panel system to invest in?

We Answered:

Sadly, even an expensive solar panel system does not produce very much electricity.

One of my colleagues installed a $30,000 system on his house several years ago. The system only produces a little over 4,000 kilowatt hours annually. Which is not very much electricity for the amount of money that he spent.

Just to pay the interest on the mortgage that he took out on his house to pay for the system is almost 60 cents per kilowatt hour, and that does not even include depreciation or maintenance on the system. That is a very expensive way to produce electricity.

If you want a solar system that is more cost effective and costs less money. I recommend that you try a solar hot water system instead. It costs much less than a solar photovoltaic system and will reduce you gas bill substantially because you will not have to use much gas to heat hot water except in the winter when the sun is not shining.

Ross Said:

Can you use a car battery for in a solar panel system or do you need a Deep Cycle Battery?

We Answered:

The only difference between a normal car battery and a deep cycle battery, is that deep cycle batteries are tougher. They hold up better when put through a "deep cycle", that is, when you discharge them to around 20% and fully recharge them. A normal car battery will not hold up to this kind of abuse for long, however, if you are not seriously discharging it, then yes your car battery will work.