The solar components you can expect to find in the initial design include:
Contact us to get a free preliminary estimate which will show five core pieces of info: Project Size (kW), System Output (kWh), Project Cost, Incentives Overview and Site Drawing. If the preliminary estimate looks acceptable to you, we will schedule and complete a site visit to confirm our measurements.
Once we have verified your site details, we will present a proposal with system output, warranties, incentives and firm contract price.
Our consultants are some of the best in the business with decades of combined experience. We strive to make the in-home conversation informative, educational and transparent so that you understand our process and why MH Electrical and Solar is the clear choice for your home solar system. Unlike many of our competitors, our employee retention is extraordinary, which means you get highly qualified solar professionals who are knowledgeable about every aspect of your project.
Once you receive approval for financing (or make a down payment if paying cash) and sign your contract, our in-house design team submits paperwork, obtains necessary permits, and ord system according to the preliminary design.
Once we have determined the qualification and feasibility of your project, we begin creating an initial design. Designing a solar system is not a 30,000 foot in the air Google image alone process. Your energy solution is unique to you based on the size, shape, and age of your house, its fixtures and appliances, your consumption habits, your finances, and your short and long-term energy goals. This means that each system should maximize solar production per watt of the panel as a rule, but also should be customized to each client to fit the:
o energy use per one’s lifestyle, size of the home, and planned useo the structures, systems, architecture, and solar exposure availableo budget and desired rate of return on investment
o aesthetic tastes of the homeowner
Additionally, the initial design takes in the physical layout and other logistical factors to determine how the solar components can fit together to optimize efficiency and
aesthetic taste. The solar components you can expect to find initial design include:
o SolarPanels
Standard Solar Panels that create electricity are called Photovoltaic Panels or PV Panels for short. Each panel is a made up of a grid composed of thinly sliced wafers of semiconductor material, usually, silicon, laid flat and sandwiched inside the weatherized rectangular PV panel. When exposed to sunlight, the silicon wafers free any extra electrons. These electrons are collected inside the panel in a positive and negatively charged grid of metal wiring. As the electrons are freed the +/- charged wires direct them along the metal grid creating an electric current — a.k.a. electricity.
Every solar panel has a nameplate sticker on the underside that tells you the brand, and electrical characteristics including the maximum wattage output of the panel. One thing that is important to note is the +/- % noted next to the wattage. In some cases, panels will have as much a -5% rating off of thenameplate wattage. It’s a subtle distinction, but 5% less production out of thebox amounts to 5% less savings over time.
o Array
The solar panels are laid out in an array with each panel facing the sun in the same angle and plane, thereby duplicating the current from panel to panel.
o Inverters
As the sun’s power is in Direct Current (DC) and our homes and businesses run on Alternating Current (AC), the electricity from the solar panels are run to an Inverter which converts the DC power of the sun to usable AC power.
o Micro-inverter
Increasingly, panels are made with the inverter components included in each panel. These microinverters convert the power from DC to AC at each individual panel location eliminating the need for the string inverter.
o Balanceofthesystem
Beyond the panel and the inverters, the balance of the solar system is made up of the roof stands and racking, as well as the methods and materials that attach the panels to the structure, the wires and conduit that moves the electricity from the panels to the inverter, and the inverter to the electric panel. In short, the balance of the system is all of the things beyond the panels and inverter needed to properly install and integrate a working solar system.
Having worked in most cities and counties throughout the Front Range for nearly 5 years, we have a proven track record of quality designs that set the standard among building departments and inspectors. In fact, numerous city and county building department staff throughout the region have chosen MH Electrical and Solar based on the caliber of our work. This is made easy by our owner being a Licensed Electrical Contractor.
Our project management team will reach out to you to schedule a time frame to install your solar system, coordinating all required inspections and commissioning.
Our solar installers and electricians possess the experience and technical expertise that sets them apart from competitors with high employee turnover. MH Electrical and Solar trains in house all technicians, electricians and installation staff so that the final product on the roof exceeds expectations.
Once the system is installed and the building department has signed off, MH Electrical and Solar will coordinate with your utility company for interconnection to the grid. Thisfinal step is the literal “flipping of the switch” after which your system will beginproducing clean energy for decades to come.
The last phase of your solar project is the one that lasts the longest: saving money. As a company dedicated to the long term, we scrutinize the solar panels themselves but also the people and companies behind them. It’s common sense, but as people get excited about solar savings, they often overlook the fine print. MH Electrical and Solar builds systems that will last 40 years, meaning that your savings will start on day one and continue long after your system is paid off.
Degradation
All solar panels produce less power over time. Any solar production warranty will have a written plan of power degradation. Savings predictions should always take this planned degradation into account. This is an important schedule as cheaper panels will decrease production (degrade) faster curbing the long-term savings.
We encourage multiple bids and support comparisons. This is a long-term investment as well as a long-term addition to your home, therefore deserving a thorough study. In the end, we are confident in our systems and our holistic approach to energy solutions and trust you will come to the same conclusion.
More Energy Solutions from MH Electrical and Solar
Solar is an amazing product that has very little maintenance while producing measurable long-term energy output. However, all systems are not created equal. It is important to fully integrate your solar power system into your home, work, and lifestyle needs. For more energy solutions, contact MH Electrical and Solar today.
