"Solar" misquotes
:: October 21, 2011

Is the $50 card free or is it "Free"?

What do they mean by "Your Solar Solution".  Are they really your solar solution or are they something else? Who knows. Anyway, an underline would do just fine.

Arguably the best one is on the about us page where they claim to have installed 100's of "state of the art systems". 

 

 







 



 

SMA Inverter Warranty
:: October 18, 2011

Recently, a few homeowners asked if the SMA warranty could be extended.  5-year and 10-year extensions are available if purchased within 60 days of installation.

5-year warranty
Model Number USD
Sunny Boy 2000HF-US/2500HF-US/3000HF-US $500
Sunny Boy 700-US, Sunny Boy 3000-US/3800-US/4000-US                  $500
Sunny Boy 5000-US/6000-US/7000-US/8000-US $750
Sunny Boy 8000TL-US/9000TL-US $750
Sunny Boy 10000TL-US $1,000
Windy Boy 3000-US $500
Windy Boy 5000-US/6000-US/7000-US/8000-US $750
Sunny Island 4248-US/5048-US $750
   
10-year warranty
Model Number USD
Sunny Boy 2000HF-US/2500HF-US/3000HF-US $1,000
Sunny Boy 700-US, Sunny Boy 3000-US/3800-US/4000-US                  $1,000
Sunny Boy 5000-US/6000-US/7000-US/8000-US $1,500
Sunny Boy 8000TL-US/9000TL-US $1,500
Sunny Boy 10000TL-US $2,000
Windy Boy 3000-US $1,000
Windy Boy 5000-US/6000-US/7000-US/8000-US $1,500
Sunny Island 4248-US/5048-US $1,500
   
Average SDG&E Bill
:: June 22, 2010

From January 2007 to February 2009, the average residential SDG&E bill was $129.53 with an average of $75.22 electric charge and $54.31 gas charge.

Date Electric Charge Gas Charge Total
1/1/2007 $73.75 $54.67 $128.42
1/11/2007 $73.75 $50.91 $124.66
2/11/2007 $73.75 $54.59 $128.34
3/11/2007 $73.75 $58.71 $132.46
4/10/2007 $73.75 $52.47 $126.22
5/1/2007 $77.46 $52.47 $129.93
5/9/2007 $77.46 $55.03 $132.49
6/11/2007 $77.46 $55.23 $132.69
7/1/2007 $75.73 $55.23 $130.96
7/11/2007 $75.73 $53.31 $129.04
8/11/2007 $75.73 $45.31 $121.04
9/12/2007 $75.73 $45.31 $121.04
10/1/2007 $74.02 $45.31 $119.33
10/9/2007 $74.02 $47.27 $121.29
11/1/2007 $71.17 $47.27 $118.44
11/11/2007 $71.17 $51.27 $122.44
12/11/2007 $71.17 $53.95 $125.12
1/1/2008 $70.81 $54.11 $124.92
1/12/2008 $70.81 $55.11 $125.92
2/11/2008 $70.81 $55.95 $126.76
3/11/2008 $70.81 $60.95 $131.76
4/1/2008 $70.81 $63.18 $133.99
5/1/2008 $75.84 $68.26 $144.10
6/1/2008 $75.56 $68.67 $144.23
7/1/2008 $75.56 $73.95 $149.51
8/1/2008 $75.56 $59.98 $135.54
9/1/2008 $80.25 $60.85 $141.10
9/1/2008 $80.25 $53.31 $133.56
10/1/2008 $80.25 $52.73 $132.98
11/1/2008 $80.25 $44.45 $124.70
12/1/2008 $80.25 $48.35 $128.60
1/1/2009 $79.35 $50.13 $129.48
2/1/2009 $79.35 $43.98 $123.33
       
Average $75.22 $54.31 $129.53


Source: SDG&E

Optimal Tilt and Azimuth for a San Diego Solar Installation
:: June 1, 2010

For a fixed photovoltaic array, a tilt of 32 degrees from horizontal and an azimuth of 194 degrees from true north will yield the highest annual production (kWh). You can download the production estimates for a standard 5kW system here.

Notes:
Model: PVWatts
Climate: San Diego
Latitude:  32.7333 degrees
Longitude:  -117.167 degrees
DC Rating: 5kW
AC-DC Derate: .77
Array Tracking Mode: Fixed
PV Array Shading: None

Analysis was created by SanDiegoSolarPower.com using the Solar Advisor Model designed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. 

Disclaimer: 
In no event shall SanDiegoSolarPower.com be liable for any special, indirect or consequential damages or any damages whatsoever, including but not limited to, claims associated with the loss of profits which may result from the use of this information, negligence or other tortious claim that arises out of or in connection with this data.

Top 25 most efficient solar panels
:: May 24, 2010


Rank    Company STC Wattage Model Number Family Efficieny*
1 SunPower 315 PL-SUNP-SPR-315E, SPR-315E-WHT-D, SPR-315E-WHT-U, T5-SPR-315 Monocrystalline  19.32%
2 SunPower 310 PL-SUNP-SPR-310, SPR-310E-WHT-U, SPR-310-WHT-U, T5-SPR-310 Monocrystalline  19.01%
3 SunPower 305 PL-SUNP-SPR-305, SPR-305E-WHT-U, SPR-305-WHT-U, T5-SPR-305 Monocrystalline  18.70%
4 SunPower 230 SPR-230-WHT-U Monocrystalline  18.49%
5 SunPower 295 SPR-295E-WHT-U Monocrystalline  18.09%
6 SunPower 225 SPR-225-BLK-U Monocrystalline  18.09%
7 SunPower 290 PL-SUNP-SPR-290, SPR-290-WHT-U, T5-SPR-290 Monocrystalline  17.78%
8 SunPower 220 SPR-220-BLK-U, SPR-220-WHT-U Monocrystalline  17.68%
9 SunPower 217 SPR-217-WHT-U Monocrystalline  17.44%
10 SunPower 215 SPR-215-WHT-U Monocrystalline  17.28%
11 SunPower 210 SPR-210-BLK-U, SPR-210-WHT-U Monocrystalline  16.88%
12 Juli New Energy 215 JLS215P Polycrystalline  16.84%
13 SunPower 208 SPR-208-WHT-U Monocrystalline  16.72%
14 SunPower 205 SPR-205-BLK-U Monocrystalline  16.48%
15 Juli New Energy 210 JLS210M Monocrystalline  16.45%
16 Cuantum Solar 275 SUNPORT 275P Polycrystalline  16.37%
17 ET Solar Industry, Green Power 280 ET-P672280, ET-P672280 Polycrystalline  16.10%
18 SunPower 200 SPR-200-BLK-U, SPR-200-WHT-U Monocrystalline  16.08%
19 Juli New Energy 205 JLS205M Monocrystalline  16.06%
20 ET Solar Industry, Green Power 275 ET-P672275, ET-P672275 Polycrystalline  15.81%
21 Juli New Energy 200 JLS200M Monocrystalline  15.67%
22 Suntech Power 200 PLUTO200-Ada, PLUTO200-Adb, PLUTO200-Ade, PLUTO200-Adf Monocrystalline  15.67%
23 Zhejiang Wanxiang Solar 280 WXS280P Polycrystalline  15.61%
24 Centrosolar America 270 E270 Polycrystalline  15.53%
25 ET Solar Industry, Green Power 270 ET-P672270, ET-P672270 Polycrystalline  15.53%

*Efficiency defined as:  STC Watts/Area of panel divided by 1000W/m^2

Only monocrystalline and polycrystaline panels with a STC wattage of 200W or more were included.
Data Source: California Energy Commission's approved list of photovolaic modules as of March 28th, 2010.

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