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Beginners Guide to Comparing Solar Power Kits

Posted Posted in Solar Energy Articles     Comments Comments Off
Nov
19

Solar power kits are becoming more popular across the United States as the prices for energy and electricity continue to rise and people search for alternatives to the status quo. A solar kit is a great way to reduce or even eliminate your energy costs, at least when they are related to electricity, while developing your independence from “the grid” and investing in futuristic and sustainable technology. As a result, there are more kinds of solar kits available for purchase today than at any previous time in history. However, it can be more than a little confusing to sort through the wide range of kits as a beginner. This guide will provide information on things to keep in mind when comparing solar kits.

The first thing to keep in mind when comparing solar power kits for your home is that the photo voltaic panels you buy will have a large effect on the quality and amount of electricity they can generate. In other words, not all solar panels are created equal. It is tempting to try to buy the cheapest solar panels you can find when you begin shopping, as everyone wants to save money. However, the dangers of buying a kit that is suspiciously cheap are that you might have to pay much more in the long run when you eventually replace it with a high quality kit after it fails prematurely. While there is no guarantee that a more expensive solar kit will last you longer than a cheaper one, the odds are definitely tipped in the favor of the more expensive kit. Similarly, you will find some solar kits are designed as high efficiency panels, which means they will be capable of converting more energy from sunlight into electricity; however, these kinds of solar kits are likely to cost much more than the traditional kind. As always, what you choose will depend on what you need.

Another thing to keep in mind when comparing solar power kits for your home is that your needs will vary depending on the amount of energy various appliances in your home use each day. When you purchase your kit, you will need to make sure that it is capable of powering all of the appliances in your home through the electricity it generates and stores in its battery for a suitable amount of time. For example, if your home consumes 38 kwh, which is the average rate of consumption for a home in the United States, you will need to be able to collect and store 38,000 watts x 24 (for 24 hours) each day to have enough energy to completely run everything in your home from your solar panel kit. You will probably want to have slightly higher collection and storage capacities to account for cloudy days and days when you happen to use more energy.

As you can see, the process of purchasing solar energy kits requires some thought, but it is manageable. When buying solar power kits, think of your energy needs and the quality of your kit.