Created by Joan

© Copyright 2008 All Rights Reserved Alternative Power Systems, Inc.

Site Assessment

    There are many things to consider when designing a photovoltaic system. What goals does the customer have? Does the system need to be expanded in the Future. The design needs to ultimately reflect the end size. The need to define the size of the system is the first thing to be considered. Next, where is the array going to be placed? A designer should come out and perform a solar insolation test to see not only where to put the array but if the array will be shaded. The Solar Pathfinder has been the standard in the solar industry for solar site analysis for decades. Its panoramic reflection of the site instantly provides a full year of accurate solar/shade data. There is new technology coming out all the time. The Solmetric Suneye gives the customer a detailed analysis of their site. Any good designer should have the most up to date technology.

     Where is the power panel going to be mounted in reference to the main for the house? It needs to be in a dry and cool place. Also the batteries need to be located near the power panel and designed for the environment they are placed. Part of the site assessment is to get distances for wire runs and conduit sizes. The designer should spend ample time with the customer to get a good feel for what the customer wants. Always look for any variables such as “this may vary” or “estimate only” clauses in a bid. This could be a sign that the cost of your system may be much higher when the estimate turns into an invoice.

     The goal of any designer should be to keep the systems overall voltage drop under 5%. If the voltage drop is say 12% for the over all system, 7% of the production would never be able to be used. Hence, if the cost of the system was $20,000.00 and seven percent of that could not produce because of the voltage drop, then the system costs $1,400 more than it should have. Having a good designer is critical to the photovoltaic systems overall performance.

Area’s Proven Expert  Design, Sales, Installation and Service of Photovoltaics, Solar Thermal, Hydro, Wind, Standby and Backup Generators.   NABCEP Certified Installer

    We are the area’s most experience designer and installer of Building Integrated Photovoltaic Systems. Our designs are not limited to conventional framed panels, we can incorporate solar panels in the form of shingles, roofing tiles, and roll out laminates for metal roofs. We have all these products in our show room and more!

                Our systems are designed to be effective, visually pleasing and safe. All our systems comply with local and national codes, including NFPA 70, the National Electric Code (NEC).