WHY ADD MORE SOLAR PANELS?

With your original decision to install a solar system, you’ve already taken the steps to reduce your electricity bill and convert to clean, renewable energy – but eventually, you may require a PV system expansion, or adding solar panels to an existing system. Sometimes solar customers may find that their circumstances change regarding the amount of energy it takes to power their home, such as an increased use of electricity due to the installation of an EV charging station. 

Because you already have solar panels installed, you probably understand the basics of what goes into a PV system expansion. However, adding panels to an existing solar system comes with its own set of challenges, so there are a few things to consider beforehand.

THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN ADDING SOLAR PANELS

If you’re an existing solar system owner who’s thinking about adding to your PV system, here a few things you should consider before installing:

Your Increased Energy Needs

There are many reasons why your home may begin consuming more energy, and the solar array that met your needs yesterday is now undersized for today. You might start requiring more energy from your solar panels: installing new appliances, an EV charging station, an addition on your home, a pool in your backyard, or even just the fact that your family is home more than ever. 

Your Roof Space

Often, roof mounted arrays can be constrained by available roof space, but the good news is that there are options. If there isn’t room left on your roof, there are several alternative routes you can take to achieve your goal! You may consider installing ground-mounted solar or adding panels to another surface such as a shed or carport. Luckily, the solar tax credit covers ground-mounted structures as well as arrays installed on a roof.

Your Inverter’s Capacity

The initial installer company sized the inverter to be compatible with the energy output of those panels. Depending on how many panels you wish to add to your system, your inverter may not be able to handle the additional energy output. This would require a new inverter to be installed to properly convert the sun’s energy into usable electricity!

OUR PROCESS FOR PV SYSTEM EXPANSION

At Sun Service Specialists, we begin the process of adding solar panels to an existing system with a conversation. From there, we’ll look toward a site survey and an assessment of your current system. This allows us to understand how much energy your panels are currently producing, how much energy you’re currently using, and by how much you wish to increase your energy production. We will provide you with a quote for the additional panels and installation before plotting the timeline necessary to complete the installation process. 

With over 50 years of combined experience, the team at Sun Service Specialists are more than capable of adding solar panels to your system and would be happy to help solar customers in need of our services. If you’re interested in a PV system expansion, please contact us today by scheduling an appointment!