At Suntegrity Santa Rosa, we have been installing home solar systems for Santa Rosa residents for many years. One of the most common questions we are asked is what equipment do you need for a home solar system. There are four key components which are listed below.
- Note that solar systems can be on your local power grid (if available) or off-grid. Despite differences in how power is managed, the equipment in both configurations is, for the most part, the same.
The Four Main Components of a Home Solar System
- Solar Panels: The most well-known part of the system and the one most people are familiar with. In 2017, solar panels have become more efficient and 20 percent of the sunlight hitting them is now converted into power. On average, a modern solar panel will produce 265 watts of power, however, there are variances in this total depending on design.
- A Power Inverter: The power produced by most solar systems is DC (direct current) however, home electrical systems require AC (alternating current). Because of this, a power inverter is needed to convert the power solar panels produce into a usable form for your home electrical system.
- Batteries: These are needed to store the energy collected by the solar panels. For an on-grid system, this stored energy is sent back into the power grid as needed by the electrical company. This leads to credits on your power bill reducing overall cost. An off-grid system uses this stored energy when more power than the solar panels are producing is needed.
- Controllers: The last components are the controllers. This serves as a safety precaution in case of a power outage. For an on-grid system, this is a matter of worker safety as during an outage you don’t want power being sent to power lines that are being worked on. For an off-grid system, this protects from damage to your batteries which can overcharge in an outage which can lead to them becoming unusable.
Suntegrity Is Here to Help
When installing a home solar system for Santa Rosa you want to do business with an experienced company. At Suntegrity Santa Rosa, we have installed over 500 solar systems and have the experience needed to install a solar system that meets your needs. Our long list of satisfied customers speaks to the quality of our work. Call us today to learn more.