SOLutions in Solar Electricity

"The job is done. Awaiting final inspection before turn on. The pictures have been updated to reflect finished product. It was a breeze (other than the paperwork that is). Link is www.geocities.com/kn6fm/Solar.html Let the sun shine. We are ready. Test showed about 13 kWh on a partly cloudy day. Thanks again for your quick response."
(California, 40 SP75 modules, ST2500 inverter.)

"Have been meaning to thank you for the great service and informed advice on every step of the installation process. You have never let a single question go unanswered and I want you to know how much I appreciate your professional attitude and encouraging help. If you need any testimonial other than this note, feel free to ask and if anyone wants to talk to or e-mail a satisfied customer they can call me or e-mail and I will be happy to share my experiences with them. My system is up and running. Been amazingly overcast since the very day I turned it on but still making 7 - 9 kWH a day."
(California - 32 SP75 modules, ST2500 inverter.)

"My panels have arrived! I was a little worried about sending you guys $12K just on the sayso of a web page. But your service has been excellent. I have a suggestion: If you could put together some dated customer testimonials or something like that on the web page, I might have been a little less uneasy about my first purchase from you. As it is, I will recommend you to my neighbors."
(California - 32 PW1000 modules.)

"We are up and running. What a fantastic feeling when John turned off the power and we still kept our lights on! That is empowerment. I hope we can be on the solar home tour next year like some new friends were this past Oct."
(Texas - 12 SQ80 modules, pole mount, SW4024 inverter, PC500 power center)

"We are net metering with Gunnison rural cooperative. They were so nice and wanted to learn more."
(Colorado - 12 SQ80 modules, pole mount, SW4024 inverter, PC500 power center)

"I want to thank you for doing the PV bulk buy. I had been thinking a little about PV, but when I saw your ad in Home Power, it definitely got me thinking a whole lot more seriously about finally doing it."
(New York - 16 AP1206 modules, SW5548 inverter)

"Thank you for spending so much time on the phone yesterday. Your tutorial really cleared up some questions and misperceptions I had developed. I sent my order with a cashier's check today. I have decided on an SW5548 and 4 cartons of SQ80 (in addition to a copy of your book). Thank you for everything! It's very exciting to have made the first step toward becoming our own power company! You've probably heard that a few times before."
(Maine - 8 SQ80 modules, SW5548 inverter)

"I am building a cabin in the mountain off grid. I was really impressed with the price you have on inverters…(later) Received the inverter yesterday. Great service, thanks."
(Washington - SW4024 inverter)

"We received our order of 12-AP1206's, the 4KW Trace 4024 and the Pulse 500 power center from you just a few weeks ago. We were thrilled! Thank you so much for all your help. Your book is fantastic! We're just now starting the wiring and the conduit runs into the house and the well pump house. Back-breaking work in this rocky Arkansas soil. Suggestion: Would it be a good idea for you to put ‘testimonials and success stories’ on your web site? Folks (we're first in line) could sing praises of solar, of you in particular and of your book, etc. Just a thought! Might give a little boost to your already very high credibility ratings!!!"
(Arkansas - 12 AP1206 modules, WattSun Tracker, PC500 Power Center, SW4024 inverter)

"Thank you for your quick service."
(Oklahoma - 16 AP1206 modules, DC250 disconnect, C40 controller with digital meter, SW5548 inverter)

"We had our first "real-world" test of the PV system the other day. Power was out after a heavy snow storm. Everything worked great!"
(New Hampshire - 8 AP1206 modules, TCB10 combiner box, PC250 power center, SW4048 inverter, TM500 battery monitor, T250 transformer)

"Just wanted to let you know that I appreciated the quick delivery of my order of 1 set of two 75 Watt Photowatt panels. The last company I dealt with took four months to get a single set to me, you took 10 days!!! Great service."
(Pennsylvania - 2 PW750 modules, 4 PW1000 modules)

"Just wanted to let you know about the power outage we had over the weekend. A storm system had passed through our area in N. Jersey during the evening. My wife and I came home around 10:30, the rain & wind had pretty much stopped - about 11:20 the power went out. The Trace worked as its supposed to. My wife was very impressed and very pleased with the whole setup. About 8 hours later I checked the batteries, (344 Amp-hrs.) down to only 80%. So we didn't have to worry about food going bad, or flushing the toilets (well pump). My wife as I said was really happy with everything and thought it well worth the cost. I did point out to her what the alternative would have been: Roll out the generator; fuel & oil it; start it up; plug it in; go to the basement & flip the transfer switches. All using flashlights. I was very pleased that the complete system got a good workout, everything works as it should. I was very tempted to turn on my front entry lights just to "mess with people's heads" - so they would see I had power, but: "I don't hear a generator." I may just do that the next time it happens! Great product!"
(New Jersey - 10 PW1000 modules, DC250 disconnect, TM500 battery meter, SW4024 inverter)

"Earlier in the year, I ordered 6 AP1206 modules through the PV Bulk Buy. These are working out quite well. I noticed that the most recent deadline has past, but that you mention that some items may still be available in the FAQ section of your site. I'm considering adding 4 more AP1206 modules. Are there any left? Thanks. Also, I enjoyed reading your recent letter. It helped to put things into perspective. It's great to see that PV is making a positive environmental impact. I just hope more people realize this and get on the bandwagon!"
(Ohio - 6 AP1206 modules)

We got this email March 2004.
"I was reading a CD copy of HomePower that a friend in Colorado recently sent, and saw an article on an installation you did.
Thought I'd drop a line and say hello, altho you have no reason to remember me. About 20+ years ago, I was part of an ARCO panel bulk buy thru you. The panels were installed on our 38' trimaran in San Diego. Well, we're still aboard and presently in Pago Pago Harbor, American Samoa in the South Pacific (waiting for cyclone season to finish) and one of those panels is still doing fine - still providing its rated output. We left the States in 1988 and have spent most of our time cruising out here in the South Pacific. As finances and technology have advanced, we've upgraded our system to some degree. Our system now consists of four Siemens SP75s, one (old) ARCO M55, one BP 55 watt panel and a Xantrex C35 controller all connected to two banks of paired Trojan T105 batteries, providing for 450A/H. We enjoy showing the locals (and many previously sceptical yachties) the advantages (and
quietude) of PV. Altho we do have a small auxilliary diesel to get in and out of tight anchorages, we otherwise have a totally PV-powered home. Our system runs all our computers and peripherals, interior and navigational lighting (I'm making my own LED lighting modules), communication gear, navigational instruments, small power tools, stereo, and (the biggest hit out here in the islands) our ice cream maker! Glad you're still doing well, and thanks for giving us the original opportunity and impetus for getting 'off the grid' and unplugging from the petrochemical monster."
(South Pacific - Arco ASI16-2000 modules)

We got this letter from January 2005. Virginia and Herb were almost 70 years old when they bought their off-grid PV system in 1983 and built their retirement home in the Arizona desert. Herb was over 90 when passed away a few years ago. Virginia still writes to us every year.
"Yes, you are right about our PV system lasting - it goes on and on with no problems, only 3 battery replacements in 20 years and that lightning strike years ago which caused us to replace the controller designed for us. The new controller was much simpler and more effective as we now pump water and charge of the batteries instead of separate functions. A year ago, Phil was here to replace a fuse box connected to the system and while he was here he checked out the PV system, climbing upon the battery house roof where the 16 Arco solar panels are. He said the panels are still putting out a great charge after the 20 years since we got them from you. So we'll be looking forward to another 30 years or so!"
(Arizona - 16 Arco ASI16-2000 modules)