Shae Solar

Its simple. Other than we know what we are doing, we are not here to put our kids thru college one customer at a time. We have a friend that spent 130k on a solar install (lease) and it barely runs his house. They have issues when both AC units start as it trips a breaker and there isn't enough PV panels to run his house and shop.

We will give you completely honest answers, whether its in our best interest or not. Many say it, but give us a test.

Why do you not install panels on asphalt shingle roofs?

To us, putting hundreds of holes in a roof, that will expand over time with our TX heat doesn't make sense. Additionally most houses don't face the right way and have enough room for the needed panels so why bother? Finally, Texas hail. When you need a roof replacement, those panels have to come off. When they go back on, that's yet more holes in a roof. Not something we want on our houses.

How much will it cost?

Every install is different. If your shop is 30x40 and you want the same production as a 40x50 building, we have to use higher wattage panels, which increases costs. If your shop is further away or closer to your house than another, that's more or less wire and right now, wire is very expensive.

Do I have to go all in on solar?

Absolutely not. We fully support installing a battery only solution with no panels for those that want a generator, yet have no moving parts, no need for expensive propane or monthly testing and so on. We can deliver a system for the same or less costs that a generator and offer a longer warranty. And the nice thing is the cut-over from grid to battery is about 2-4ms, meaning your electronics wont cut off.

I heard inductive loads can be problematic for inverters?

With some inverters that's true. But not Sol-Ark. Additionally, we have a TX licensed HVAC contractor install soft starts on each AC unit as part of the install. This will also increase the life of the AC compressor.

What is Net Metering?

Net metering is the system that utilities use to credit solar energy system owners for the electricity produced by their solar panels. With net metering, you only pay for the electricity that you use beyond what your solar panels can generate.

What is credit back?

If you have solar panels on your property and produce more electricity than you use, you can sell that electricity to your local utility electric grid in exchange for utility bill credits. When you feed electricity into the grid, your energy meter “runs backwards”. On the other hand, if your solar panels don’t produce enough electricity for your needs and you need to buy energy from your local utility, your meter “runs forward” as is the case for people not producing their own electricity.

The bill credits that you build up from selling your solar panel’s excess electricity to the grid can then be pulled during the morning, at night, or during the winter – whenever your solar panels are not producing enough electricity.

How does solar affect my property value (Texas)?

Typically solar will increase the property value anywhere from 20-40% of what the all-in cost is. In Texas, the State Legislature made it so that the cost of the solar can not increase the property tax liability. Which is great news for Texas property owners.

How do I compare solar install quotes from different solar companies?

Most will say this is hard as most solar companies will try and bury details. However its really simple. Ask the following:

How many panels will be installed and what wattage are they? We use Canadian Solar or Trina Solar panels. Also we install bi-facial panels for maximum production as well as less issues in years 7 thru 25.
What is the panel efficiency rating? 20% or higher is what we use.
Are the panels polycrystalline or monocrystalline? We only use bi-facial monocrystalline as they are the more efficient panel.
What is the total installed price?
What is the total kw installed in PV (solar panels)? Your break even should be 5-7 years depending on the system size. If you will still have an electric bill that's 50% or higher than before solar, then why bother?
What is the amount of battery capacity and at what voltage and amp hour? For example, one 48v100ah battery is equal to four 12v100ah batteries.
What is the size in kw of the inverter and how many will be installed?
Detail any electrical boxes installed and explain what they are for? We install a master cutoff as well as a two pole manual transfer switch. The transfer switch is set to allow power to flow from the grid and solar in one position, and if there is ever an issue with the solar side, you can manually flip the switch and now the solar side is bypassed and you will use grid power. If you dont have the transfer switch, if there is ever an issue with the solar, you might not have any power to your house until the issue is resolved.
What is the amps used that can power the house when there is no solar production (at night)? This is the dirty secret most companies shy away from. To move battery power to the house it has to be converted from DC to AC power. Typically a company will install many batteries but realize batteries are storage not power. Most installs are usually around 50 amp of power when no grid power or solar production is available. That's 50amp of 240v. With a Sol-Ark 15k inverter, we can set it up where you have 50amps of 240v per inverter.

Can I add solar panels today and batteries down the road?

Sure thing. We do recommend at least two batteries to maximize inverter usage and to give a little run time on battery for the brief power outage blips. For that matter you can also install more panels down the road as well as additional inverters to handle the extra panels and to product increased runtime on battery.

What if I have issues with my solar system?

Generally speaking, if there are going to be issues it will be in the first few days. Once the system is operational, Shae Solar offers free help with your system for 60 days. Realize, if you do have issues with batteries, your inverter or panels, the manufacturers we use stands behind their equipment. So you can call any licensed installer and request help, not just Shae Solar. Although please give us a call. ;)

How does solar panels affect my insurance?

A report by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) found that most rooftop solar systems should be covered as part of your standard homeowner’s insurance policy. Contact your insurance company before you install your system to let them know about the addition to your property. You should be sure to verify that solar system replacement costs don’t exceed your current policy coverage limits in the event of damage. Adding solar should not increase your homeowner’s insurance premiums. If it does, you may want to find an insurer that provides discounts to customers who “go green”.

The NREL report does note that ground-based solar systems may not be covered and may require additional insurance. However in Texas, most insurance companies have a line for 'other buildings or property'. This is fences, AC units, car ports, metal buildings, and of course ground mount panels. Bottom line, always talk with your insurance company and ask where is this in your policy.

Power vs energy?

While these terms are often used interchangeably, they are two different parts of our electricity system. Energy is what the electrical loads in your home consume over time in order to operate. It is measured in Watt-hours (Wh). A thousand watt-hours equals one kilowatt-hour (kWh). It’s the total amount of (electrical) work that can be done, and it’s what we pay for every month on our electric bills.

Power, on the other hand, is instantaneous and measured in watts (W). One thousand watts equals one kilowatt (kW). It’s the ability to do (electrical) work in a given moment. For example, if you took a cup of coffee and placed it in a 1000-watt microwave for two minutes it would be just as hot as if you’d placed it in a 2000-watt microwave for one minute. Each time you used the same amount of energy (kWh) to heat the coffee.

How many batteries do I need?

This depends on what you want to run and for how long. Depending on what you want to do, you might need two batteries if you just want 2-3 hours of runtime on battery or you might need 48 if you want to be able to run for two days without any solar production or use grid power.

Is a generator a good idea if I have solar?

It all depends on your end state goal. Some people are wanting to eliminate the frequent power outages that last 1-2 seconds. Others, have reliable power and are only concerned about needing battery power two or three times a year or less and need 2-3 hours on battery. Yet others don't even have access to grid electric. Shae Solar can walk you thru all this and get you the system you want. However batteries are very expensive in quantity and thats where a generator can be more cost effective than betteries. Typically larger installs will combine batteries for the immediate need until a generator is up and running (2-5 min).

Instead of spending $40,000 on batteries or more, you can get a few batteries and then a generator that produces 18-22kw at 220v. Between the generator and a few batteries, you could run your house for days. And that is very economical.

The Sol-Ark inverters we use have a generator tie in that will automatically start the generator as needed, based on the program in place. Additionally, it will perform a monthly test to ensure everything is working as expected so there are no surprises down the road.

Can I charge my electric car (EV) on solar?

Sure thing. This largely depends on how big your battery is and what type of charger you are using.

The smallest plug-in hybrid batteries have a range of about 11 miles per charge and the largest fully electric batteries can go 370 miles between charges.

A level 1 charger runs on 120V and charges 4-6 miles per hour.
A level 2 charger runs on 240V and charger 10-30 miles per hour.
A level 3 fast charger is usually used at public facilities such as rest areas and can charge 80 miles per hour.

For a Chrysler Pacifica plug-in hybrid which can run 33 miles on its battery, you could fully charge the battery to with a level 1 charger in 5-6 hours. A level 2 charger can charge the same battery in 1 to 1.5 hours.

For a Tesla model 3 standard range which can go 250 miles on a charge, you could charge the battery to 80% with a level 2 charger in 6 hours or with a level 3 fast charger in 1 hour.

Different cars and models and chargers have different charging capabilities also batteries charge in different ways and it can be faster to charge a battery from 40% to 80% than from 80% to 100%.

Frequently asked questions

Why Shae Solar?