Common Solar Questions
Explore these frequently asked questions and get answers to your solar questions. We would love to answer any questions you might still have.
Simply click on a question to show the answer.
Your savings will depend on your usage, shade and space for placement of panels with Southern exposure, along with the NEMS exchange rate of your utility provider. We’re typically able to save you money and put you on a path to ownership, and get you as close to free power as you can get.
PG&E will let you go about 20% over your previous years usage. If you can prove your lifestyle will change (retire and home more) or energy usage will go up (installed a pool or shop etc) they may allow more.
The industry typically prices a cost per watt. Industry standard right now for residential premium panels is about $3.75 – $3.85/watt. Click here for a free, personalized, no obligation quote.
Solar can be financed a number of different ways. You can pay cash. We also have lenders that range from 2.99 to 6.99 depending on term and credit. Terms are from 5 years to 20 years. Systems can also be financed by local banks and credit unions.
Those ads are misleading and use word play. They’re taking into assumption your existing bill, and saying for the same price or less you could be buying a solar system. They’re calling that getting it for free.
There is a Federal 30% tax credit (reduces to 26% Jan 1 2020) but nothing is actually free.
AMPWRX does both. Roof gets them up out of the way with less cost to install because ground mounting pins are not needed. Ground pins ad $.25 to the cost per watt. There will likely also be trenching required. Ground mounts are great if you have the room and maybe the main roof is bad/shaded/not facing South, or not big enough to hold the number panels needed.
Not without a battery. They don’t want the grid charged to potentially cause an injury situation to a lineman working on the grid.
To keep your power on when everyone else is down, you need a battery. We are Sonnen and LG battery dealers.
Most likely yes, especially if you have PG&E. The best way is to let us build you a free quote based on your actual energy usage and roof design so we can see the actual numbers and potential savings.
Unless you’re independently wealthy with a love for tech, if it doesn’t save you money it’s not worth it. We typically save at least 20% off the current electric bill cost on a path to ownership.
126 385 watt modules produces about 202 amps (facing South, no shade). A layout of 18 panels × 7 panels on a ground mount would be approx 115.5 feet long and 24.5 feet wide.
The simple breakdown is that solar only produces power while the sun is up, and more in the summer months than winter.
So during the day the panels are producing more power than you’re using. That power is either going to go backwards through the meter to your utility provider and will be exchanged back to you later or to a battery or batteries.
The batteries aren’t typically a cash flow investment because the initial cost of them are high (10k for LG, 15 – 20k for Sonnen of same size). They’re awesome if you cannot be without power, say to water a vineyard. Difference in price is because of the warrantied amount of discharges. Nothing beats the Sonnen Warranty.
The battery bank would be set to power some predetermined circuits that you choose.
Our premium panels have a 25 year parts/labor/service and 25 year production warranty. However, even after 25 years they will be producing over 80%. We could simply add a panel or two to keep you going for years longer.
It’s typically around 5 to 7 years. Our goal is to try to get a 15 year plan to pencil so you’re paid off and have 10 years or more power under warranty with no payment. We strive to make your payment less than your current power bill.