Solar panel installation – finding the right solar installer for you
Which solar installer is the best for your needs? Looking for the best solar panel company? Read in depth guide on finding solar installers.
Which solar installer is the best for your needs? Looking for the best solar panel company? Read in depth guide on finding solar installers.
Solar batteries are an important part of any solar energy system, allowing the energy from the sun to be stored and used later.
Before investing in a backup power system for your home, it’s important to consider how often you’ll need backup power and what you need to power with it.
Get a free battery backup power system or hybrid system quote. Battery backup works whether or not you have solar or are grid-connected.
There's a lot to consider when planning a DIY renewable energy system, but special consideration should be given to these 5 concepts.
An introduction to deep cycle batteries: Types, how they're different from car batteries, and why they're used in renewable energy systems.
Learning how to size a deep-cycle battery bank correctly is one of the most important parts of DIY solar or renewable energy system design.
It’s possible to expand a deep cycle battery bank that's in use. Learn what to know before expanding a battery bank with new lead acid/lithium batteries.
What is connecting batteries is series vs. connecting batteries in parallel? Learn how wiring batteries in series vs. parallel affects voltage.
Tips for measuring state of charge in FLA, AGM & Li batteries (voltage isn't the best way of measuring state of charge in solar batteries).
This two-part video series explains how to charge a deep cycle battery properly for use in a battery-based solar or renewable energy system.
Learn how to store solar batteries safely in cold weather. Storing deep-cycle lithium, flooded lead acid, and sealed lead acid batteries is covered.
2-part video series on the fundamentals of understanding and measuring rates and quantities of electrical energy for DIY solar projects.
Voltage-schmoltage! Read more about the four main voltages used in RE systems.
Learn the basics of inverters in solar and renewable energy systems with this overview (including some history) of inverter basics.
The role of an inverter in a solar electric system is to convert the solar panels' DC electricity into 120/240V AC power for your home.
Inverter waveforms can be listed as sine wave, pure/modified sine wave, square wave...But what do these different inverter waveforms mean?
With all the types on the market (string, battery-based, hybrid, RV/marine), it can be hard to select the right inverter for your needs.
A step-by-step guide to installing an off-grid inverter and integrating it with an auxiliary AC power source.
A charge controller is a charge regulator to keep batteries from overcharging. Learn about how a solar charge controller works with altE.
When sizing PWM solar charge controllers in renewable energy systems, you must know the solar panel current and voltage and battery voltage.
When sizing MPPT charge controllers in renewable energy systems, understanding battery voltage, input voltage and output current is key.
Information on wire sizing and a universal AWG/mm2 wire sizing chart to help in designing a 12V, 24V, or 48V DC renewable energy system.
These tables show the allowable ampacity (maximum current the cable can carry) for wires in conduit, raceway, cable or directly buried.
This DIY solar resource helps DIY solar installers to size cables, breakers, and fuses for a battery-based 12V, 24V or 48V solar inverter.
Solar energy can be generated in any location, so the question is: How well will solar work in your location? The answer comes down to insolation.
While DC appliances are usually more efficient than their AC counterparts, they're typically more expensive and harder to find.
Yes, but appliances operating at 240V are expensive to run on solar PV. Refrigerators are typically the largest cost-effective solar loads.
A loads list is an essential calculation for off-grid renewable energy systems. It determines the electricity needs the system must meet.
Use this database of power ratings for common appliances to estimate the Watt-hours your renewable energy system needs to supply.
This kWh calculator answers the question 'How much solar power do I need?' by helping to calculate your home electricity usage in kWh.
Planning to install a DIY solar electric system? This checklist of tools for a DIY solar power system installation can help your project.
Diagrams, examples, and schematics for wiring solar panels in series and parallel and schematics for wiring batteries in series and parallel.
A collection of handbooks on energy efficient building best practices for buildings in hot, humid, dry, mixed, and marine climates.
Whether you plan to DIY or hire an installer, you'll benefit from understanding the components for your solar panel (photovoltaic) system.
Selecting what types of alternative energy to power your home with is more about what's available and economic than about what you want.
This beginner's guide to solar and wind renewable energy systems covers assessing power needs, planning costs, net metering, and more.
Interested in solar but need help deciding which kind of solar electric system is right for you? Start here for helpful info & resources.
Solar maps helpful for planning a solar panel installation in the USA, including a solar insolation/irradiance map and a solar PV potential map.
A table of the high, low, and average solar insolation measurements for many large cities in the United States.
Solar insolation/irradiance and PV potential maps helpful for planning a solar panel installation in the Caribbean, Mexico & Central America.
Solar maps helpful for planning a solar panel installation in South America, including a solar insolation/irradiance map and a solar PV potential map.
Solar maps helpful for planning a solar installation anywhere in the world, including a solar insolation/irradiance map and a solar PV potential map.
A glossary of alternative energy and renewable energy terms, definitions, and synonyms for use as a resource in a DIY renewable energy projects.
Watch 24 recorded webinar sessions from our 11th annual Virtual Solar Conference. Sessions from OutBack, IronRidge, SimpliPhi & more.
Watch 8 recorded webinar sessions from the altE 2021 Virtual Solar Installer Conference. Sessions from OutBack, Schneider, KiloVault & more.