Author Archives: drake

Beth – Athens, Ohio

Athens Electric reworks existing  solar electric systems as well as installing new.  Here we have added modules to the array and run appropriate conduit and wiring to the power center.   The system had many problems, including serious safety issues, all of which we addressed with this tune up.   This off grid system will soon manifest its optimum performance.

Drake having fun with an off grid upgrade.

Marshall – Amesville, Ohio

4.7 KW Grid-tied Solar Photovoltaic System
Sharp 235 watt modules
PV Powered 4800 Inverter

When Marshall adds solar hot water to replace his electric hot water heater, he should be able to supply all of his electrical needs with his solar PV system.

Gary & Mary Ann – Amesville, Ohio

2.1  KW Grid-tied Solar Photovoltaic system
10 Sanyo HIT Power 210 N solar modules
SMA SunnyBoy 2100 Watt Inverter

Right in downtown Amesville, Gary and Mary Ann’s house is a perfect site for solar.

Due to the limited roof space, the design of this system required careful planning, to find modules that would fit the area available and still provide at least 2 kW of solar rating.  (2 kW is the smallest array that the State of Ohio will provide grant money for).  The Sanyo HIT Power solar modules have the highest power density available.  These 10  – 210 W modules produce 2100 watts of power, or 2.1 kW.

RD & Peggy – West Virginia

Athens Electric installed a grid-tied system with battery backup for an off grid home in West Virginia.

Although the size of the photovoltaic system is small, 650 Watts, soon to expand to 1040 Watts, it serves more complex purposes than a grid tie only system.   It provides back up power in times of power outages.  The batteries can be charged from a generator, the grid or the solar array.

The heart of the system is the Outback VFX 3648 inverter, capable of feeding 3600 Watts of power into the homes wiring system in the event of a power outage.  A 48 volt battery bank stores the power to be used in the case of an outage.