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Solar Panels for Homes

Even if you haven't decided which system you will be using or how much power you will want supplied by your solar panels, this is a good time to see what lies ahead.

Basically, you are going to be looking at three important considerations:

Brand, output, and type of solar panel.

Solar Panels for Homes - Brand Name Companies

First, you should make sure that the brand, or company, that makes the solar panel is well-known and has a good reputation.

Why?

For the same reason, you will most likely buy a Toyota, Ford, or Mercedes over a Gumpert. The reason?

Service, price, and warrantee

Well-known manufacturers provide available maintenance, service, and parts as well as available help from local dealers.

Well-known brands make good quality panels at good prices because they are higher production and live up to a reputation.

It is important for the warrantee, since many panels are guaranteed for up to 20 years. You want to be sure the manufacture will be around in 17 years, if needed.

Some leading brands that we recommend are:

AEE Solar
BP Solar
Evergreen Solar
General Electric
Kaneka
Kyocera

Mitsubishi Electric
Matrix
Sanyo
SunWize
Sharp
Uni-Solar.

These companies can work with you to figure out what your power needs are and what panels will be best for the system you will be using.

The second factor in choosing solar panels for homes is the type of panel you will need.

Solar Panels For Homes - Types of Panels

The choice of type of panel is not really a choice. Most panels for home use are made basically the same way at this time, so we won't go into detail here.

However, technology is at work 24/7, so you will want to stay up to date on the "new and improved" products that will be coming out.

You can also say that there are three categories of home solar panels according to what they are used for, portable panels, residential panels, and commercial panels. We'll touch briefly on these:

Portable panels - used for gadgets and charging low-voltage batteries, for example. These do have many uses but are not for your home solar panel needs.
Residential panels: Residential system solar panels normally are designed to be connected with other solar paels in a high-voltage array connected to the utility grid.
Commercial panels: Solar panels used in industrial applications are usually stand alone 12VDC modules connected to a battery bank.

Again, working with a reputable dealer will save you a lot of wasted time when it comes to make specific choices.

The third factor in selecting solar panels for homes is the power output.

Solar Panels For Home - Power Output

What you will need as far as power will depend on many factors, such as where you live (sunlight available), what your normal power consumption is, what type of system you opt for (grid-tied or off-grid, for example), and your budget.

A reputable company will help you figure all these things together in order to find what you will need. They can also help you to see where you can start small and grow later, if needed.

The power output, or solar panel watt, is one way of categorizing the "size" of a solar panel. These can vary from very small (1-5 watts) all the way up to more than 200 watts output.

To sum things up, it is best to go with a well-known company. They have the latest technology. They provide a guarantee, repair, and maintenance. They help you find out exactly what you will need.

You will be sure to have a panel and system that will pay for itself before the warrantee time is up.

On the other hand, if really want to do-it-yourself, you can make your own solar panels. See more information under our DIY pages.

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