Description

Is this solar panel kit right for me?

This 5kW ground mounted solar kit is a serious residential solar system. It’s one of the most popular installed PV systems. The average American uses 920kWh per month. Based on that average this system could provide 40-90% of your usage and reduce your bill by as much as 90%. If you’re an average consumer of electricity (920kWh/month), this 5,330W system is probably a great fit for you.

A 5kW Solar Kit requires up to 299 square feet of space. This 5kW system provides 5,300 watts of DC direct current power. This could produce an estimated 350 to 850 kilowatt hours (kWh) of alternating current (AC) power per month, assuming at least 5 sun hours per day with the solar array facing South. The highest output will be achieved with an unobstructed south-facing view of the sun for maximum solar power. The actual power generated will vary based on location, equipment and installation factors. Refer to your electric utility bill to find the actual kWh used per month and compare it to how much power these low cost 5kW PV systems can generate.

• Solar Panels – 13x 410W tier-1 144-cell polycrystalline PV modules with 25 year warranties.
• Grid-Tied Inverter – SMA Sunny Boy string inverter with Secure Power Supply and Rapid Shutdown.
• Racking and Attachments – Industry leading IronRidge ground racking mounts the solar panels on the ground.
• System Monitoring – Free with every kit purchase! View and analyze your solar energy production in real-time.
• System Design and Financial Analysis – We’ll custom engineer this system for your home and calculate the payback on your solar investment.
• Not Included – Concrete, schedule 40 pipe, wire, conduit, fittings, breakers, AC/DC Disconnects (if required), junction boxes and a sub panel (if required). All these items can be purchased at any electrical supply shop, Home Depot or Lowes, and will typically cost $1,500 or more for larger systems. Our technical support representative will provide a shopping list once your plans are complete.

How easy is it to install?

• You can install a 5kW ground-mounted solar system in one or two weekends.
• Our kits use industry leading solar panels, inverters, and racking systems specifically selected and combined to make do-it-yourself installation possible.
• A homeowner who has wired an AC outlet and is comfortable working with electricity can install our Solar kit.
• The micro-inverters in our kits have significantly improved the safety of installing a solar panel system by generating standard AC power instead of dangerous DC power.
• Micro-inverters allow you to have as few or as many panels as you like and to easily expand your system later. They simplify installation as well as allowing monitoring of each module independently. Since each panel is an individual system they maximize the power output from each panel resulting in an average 15% increase in power generation per panel.
• If self-installation is not for you, we can help you find a local solar contractor to help you with the process.

What is the installation process?

A typical solar ground-mounted system for a home can be installed within one or two weekends once a permit is obtained from your city or county. After that, it’s just 5 easy steps until you’re producing power from the sun.

1. Take your plan set to your city or county and apply for a permit to install. The plan review process can take up to 10 days. Once the city or county approves your plans and issues your permit you may begin installing your solar system.
2. First, the racking and mounting system must be installed. This is the most laborious process of the solar installation process. You have to dig deep holes and pour concrete.
3. Once the racking and mounting system is secured in the ground, the solar panels and inverters can be quickly installed. The inverter(s) are then tied into the grid through a dedicated breaker in your main service panel.
4. When the installation is complete, your city or county inspector must sign off on it. You can accomplish this by scheduling an inspection meeting with them.
5. Lastly, you must send the final job card, interconnection paperwork, and your net metering agreement to your utility. They will then grant you Permission to Operate. It can take up to 4 weeks after passing inspection for your utility to provide you Permission to Operate. With our interconnection service we will process all the paperwork for you.