Request for recommendations & advice

[mikeyork]

We have an Eichler home (flat roof with plenty of free unshaded space) in San Rafael, CA. We get plenty of sun nearly all year around. Our electricity useage averages about 700kwh/month (heating and hot water are gas). We are looking for a grid-tied system.

Can anyone recommend suppliers and/or installers with good reputation and affordable financing in Marin Co or nearby?

I see some panels have built-in DC->AC inverters. What's the opinion of the experts here on the efficiency, efficacy and costs compared to regular DC systems?

What about the extra costs involved in a system that supplies power to the home even when the grid is down (happens a couple of times a year on average, usually for a few hours)?

Thanks for any help/suggestions.

[Mike90250]

I see some panels have built-in DC->AC inverters. What's the opinion of the experts here on the efficiency, efficacy and costs compared to regular DC systems?

If you have troublesome shade or other site issues, the micro-inverters are good. If you have a clean site, I would go for a conventional inverter.

And with all the installers popping up, I don't know who to suggest, except check with the Calif State Contractors Lic board to see if complaints are filed against the lic # your contractor is using.

https://www2.cslb.ca.gov/OnlineServices/CheckLicense/LicenseRequest.asp

[russ]

The systems that supply power in the event of the grid going down are expensive and an ongoing cost plus you must take care of the batteries.

In your case where you only expect to lose power for a few hours a year a small standby generator would be much easier and cost effective.

The solar system should be grid linked like Mike mentioned.

Again as Mike pointed out, the micro inverters are simply an extra cost unless you have a special condition such as partial shade.

[mikeyork]

Thanks for the suggestions regarding power outages.

Regarding inverters, you mention mini-inverters, which I assume are attached to each panel. However the panels I have heard of from Andalay I believe have the inverter built in. As far as I can see the advantages are (1) Safety -- no high DC voltages to deal with -- and (2) ability to simply add panels without having to re-design the whole layout. However I can't see any prices quoted on the Andalay site but I believe they are being offered through Lowe's.

Do you have anything to say about them?

[Mike90250]

Do you have anything to say about them?

Panel mounted micro-inverters are still un-proven, and their failure rate has not been reported at all by their developer.

My personal feeling is to reserve them for tough cases where larger inverters are not suitable because of limited array area, shade, or other hard to solve factors. If you change 1 inverter for 15, you have many more chances for failures.

High voltage AC, or high voltage DC, both will kill the careless. It's also the same scare story about electric cars, they will electrocute the paramedics, when they are cutting you out.

[mikeyork]

Thanks.