"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.