All home solar panel systems

All home solar panel systems start with a collection of solar electric modules, called the PV array. The array can be installed on a roof or on the ground. usually, people install them on the roofs of their homes, but many installations can be done on the ground. It just depends on the space available and your individual needs.
 

The solar modules are strung together

The solar modules in an array are usually wired together in groups, each called a series string. The series strings are joined together near the array in a combiner box or other device, and wiring from the box brings the power to the rest of the system components at a ground level. The first component that these supply lines connect to depends on the type of system. We want to give you a snapshot of the three main solar systems. We will cover the systems and the hardware needed for those systems.

Grid-tied system

A grid-tied system is by far the most common type of residential PV system, as well as the simplest and least expensive. It connects to the electric utility grid and uses the grid for both storage and backup. When the array creates more power than the homeowner can use, then the excess power is fed back into the grid, turning your meter backward, and you get credited for the power. When the home needs more power than the solar array can provide, the house automatically pulls power from the grid.
 

Off-grid system

The ultimate in self-sufficiency, off-grid systems have no connection to the grid. Instead, they have batteries that store the extra energy produced by the solar panels, and then when it get's dark, the batteries take over and power the home until the solar panels take over again.
 

A grid-tied system with battery backup

A gird-tied system can be combined with a battery so you can have the best of both worlds. You can have the self-reliance associated with a solar system and a battery, and you can be tied to the grid and receive the benefits of net-metering and have it as a backup in case you don't have enough power with the solar system and a battery to store the energy.

To find out what panels are right for you, go to HahaSmart.com and try our price checker tool. You can see how much a system will cost, and how much you can save over the next 20 years.

For more information relating to going solar, don't forget to visit our solar blog section for more handy guides and articles.