I. Introduction
     a. How Solar Panels Work
     b. Future of Solar Panels
  II. Why Solar Panels?
     a. Global Benefits
     b. Personal Benefits
  III. Types of Solar Panels
     a. Types
     b. Efficiency
  IV. Grid Tie & Off Grid
     a. Grid Tie
     b. Off The Grid
  V. How Many Solar Panels?
     a. Reducing Electricity Usage
     b. Figuring Out How Many
  VI. How to Find Best Price
    a. Best Price
    b. Payback Estimate
  VII. Pre Installation
    a. Permits
  VIII. Installation
    a. Ground Mounted Panels
    b. Roof Mounted
    c. Thin Film
    d. Where to Face Solar Panels
  IX. Apply For Rebates
    a. Finding and Submitting
  X. Maintenance
    a. Upkeep
    b. Testing Panels
  XI. Feedback & Questions
  XII. Solar Vocabulary

VII. Solar Panel Installation

Ok, so now that you learned the basics about solar panels, figured out how many you need and found the place your going to purchase your solar panels system, it's time to get those sun soaking puppies up up and running.

There are a few different options when it comes to installation and you can choose to do it yourself if you feel comfortable or pay someone to do it for you which costs usually $1000+ depending on the size of the job. You can have the solar panels installed:

-With a ground mounted system if the area gets enough sunlight and clear from obstructions.
-Mounted on the roof, which requires holes through the roof and mounted into the rafters
-With thin film solar panels that are literally glued to the top of your roof

Ground Mounted Solar Panels

Static Mounted System
The most cost efficient is just using a static setup that point the solar panels in the most efficient area for sunlight exposure. There are a few different variations of this type of system, for example your solar panels could sit on top of a single pole, on the side of a single pole, or panels on multiple adjustable, supporting legs. You would just choose whatever works best for your situation.

Active Solar Tracker
For a few thousand dollars you can purchase Active Solar Trackers which are ground mounted, however, they have a special optical sensor that follows the sun throughout the day and maximizes the energy absorbed. Keep in mind the more mechanically complicated the system is, the more that could go wrong with it. This type of ground mounted system is best for individuals who are handy or know of someone that could maintenance it.

Passive Solar Tracker
Another more costly option, but not as much as the Active Solar Trackers are Passive Solar Trackers. This type of system uses the sun's heat to move liquid from side to side inside the tracker, allowing gravity to turn it and follow the sun, using no motors, no gears and no controls to fail. By using either type of solar tracker you'll help your solar panel get the most sun possible throughout the day as it automatically points your solar array to a perpendicular line with the sun.

Mounted on Roof

Solar panels can be mounted on many different types of roofs. Shingle roofs are the easiest to work with and tile roofs can be a bit more challenging. Ideally it would be best to have the solar panels installed while your in the process of having your roof built, but the majority of us aren't sitting at our computer desk looking up at the stars, so let's move on.

The mounts will go through the roof with stainless steel bolts that are secured into the rafters. It can be a tricky process locating the rafters on your roof so if your not experienced or know a little about carpentry, you could Google different ways to find the rafters and do whatever you feel the most comfortable with or try to find a friend or relative to give you a hand. Another option is finding the closest solar panel installation company and pay them to do it.

Thin Film Solar Panels

Although thin film solar panels don't absorb the sunlight with as much efficiency as others, there are a lot of benefits to installing these types of solar panels. Unlike monocrystalline panels, you don't have to mount the thin film solar panels on your roof. The thin film panels are literally glued onto the roof which means no holes. Putting holes in your roof can void your warranty and even damage it if it’s not done correctly. Also, thin film solar panels don't weigh as much as other panels that contain large amounts of silicon with structural support. Thin film solar panels work better than conventional panels in very hot climates, such as Southern Nevada and Arizona. Thin film solar panels also do a better job of producing energy at the beginning and end of the day during times of non-direct sunlight.

A good idea for anyone buying solar panels is getting a friend or better yet a neighbor to go in on buying the solar panels with you. The more quantity you buy the less expensive they will be. If your neighbor purchases solar panels with you, you could even save on installation by working out a deal with the company you are using since you are side by side.

Where to Face Solar Panels

You will get the maximum output of your solar panels if they are pointing to a “true south,” perpendicular to the sun during midday. There are a couple different methods you can use to go about doing this.

First of all, magnetic south (that you find on a compass) is different from true south. True south is where the sun is. The most accurate way to go about doing this is finding your magnetic declination where you are installing the solar panels. Grab a compass & find out your magnetic declination by visiting this site: http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/geomagmodels/Declination.jsp. This is a calculator where you simply type in your zip code and it calculate the magnetic declination for you.

For example you may see something like 14° 33' E. So if your compass is pointing to south at 180 degrees, you simply add 14 degrees to 180. That means your true south is at 194 degrees. If your location is West instead of East like my example, you would subtract the numbers. So if it showed 10° 20' W, and your compass pointed south at 180, you would subtract 10 from 180, leaving your true south at 170. Now find your true south on the compass and thats where you will want to point your solar panels. If your solar panels are going on your roof and not facing your true south, it is usually more effective to install the solar panels in the same plane as the roof direction, instead of having an awkward mount to position them to true south. If the solar panels aren't facing your true south, that is fine, but they just won't produce the maximum amount of energy they are capable of. Having them ground mounted is usually the easiest method to assuring they are facing exactly where you want them to be.

Another way of finding your true south would be to look at a shadow cast by a perfectly vertical object (a telephone pole for example) at noon. The shadow will run perfect with true south.

Part VIII. Rebates-->