PV Gap

Annie Said:

Can I hook up a series of solar panels directly to a home power circuit?

We Answered:

NO! You need special equipment to make any hook up to the electrical system. Solar panels are direct current or DC and your electrical service is alternating current or AC. You would need inverters and phase matching equipment to make those kinds of connections.

For a Photovoltaics system to work properly you will need batteries for storage, wiring to handle the system amperage , inverters, phase converters, and fairly large arrays of solar panels to make the system worth while.

Andre Said:

how much does solar panels cost for you home?

We Answered:

I just got a quote for my place. It came out $8/Watt installed.

The quote was for 24 - 210W panels. Dividing the total quoted price by the 24 panels comes out to $1,750 per panel.

This includes the complete system with the converter and cutoff switch to connect it to the grid. This is also a top-of-the-line system. There are cheaper systems with shorter life spans. My quote was for a system with a 30 year life expectancy.

There is a Federal tax credit in 2009 of 30% that will bring the system cost down. There are also nice state tax incentives in CA.

Penny Said:

How many and which Solar Panels are for my home?

We Answered:

Without details about your location and usable roof space I can't give you a concrete answer. Those 2 main factors will dictate how much of your energy consumption you may offset. I would however recommend the company I used when I went solar- Global Solar Center. If you visit their site @ http://www.globalsolarcenter.com/ you may request a free solar quote that includes a feasibility check, a break-even analysis, estimated annual savings, projected return on investment and a breakdown of all the incentives you will be eligible to receive. They educated me about everything involved with a solar installation and made the decision making process very simple. Good Luck with your project!

Audrey Said:

How many and which Solar Panels are for my home???Are they good of bad?

We Answered:

it depends on what you want. Heating water or electricity. It also depends on whether your home is ideally situated - not all of them are. Email me for more help if you like.