Q:    What is your return policy?
 
A:    NO HASSLE return policy. If the item you purchased is not described properly, not working, or damaged from shipping- We will refund your purchase price including the shipping cost. If you change your mind, you can return the item in the condition that was sent to you and in its original package - We will refund to you the purchase price.
  

Q:    When can I expect my order to arrive?
 
A:    We ship purchases Monday thru Friday. We usual ship all purchases within 24 hours of receiving payment and in some instances the same day. You will receive a tracking or delivery confirmation number immediately upon shipping. We pride ourselves in offering 1st Class Fast shipping and service.
  

Q:    Do you ship internationally?
 
A:    We do offer international shipping options! Although many of the items are very costly to ship outside of the United States due to the size and weight of the packages. If you are still interested in having an item shipped internationally, please send us your postal code, city, and country for an accurate shipping quote.
  

Q:    Do the solar panels come with a warranty?
 
A:    Our Sharp Solar panels come with a 25 year warranty, Sunforce panels come with a 5 year warranty and all other panels come with 90 days.  We provide insurance on all our shipments to insure the item gets to you in good working condition.  There are no moving parts so all our panels should last a long time.

 
Q:    Can I wire this DIY kit into my home electric meter?
 
A:    Stand alone kits can be used to power some items in your home without costly equipment. Larger more expensive grid-tie systems require special equipment and utility provider permission. These kits give you an opportunity to experience benefits of solar without a huge investment and can still be useful should you decide to do your entire house.

 
Q:    How long will it take to charge my battery?

A:    This will depend on the watt rating of the solar panels and the Amp Hour capacity of the battery. Ah battery X Voltage = Watts that can be stored to the battery. The watt rating specifies the number of watts produced in an hour of sunlight (ex. 35AH battery X 12V = 420 Watts 45w solar panels would recharge this battery in less than 10

 
Q:    Are these panels weatherproof?
   
A:    Yes, all of our panels are designed to be used outdoors.
   
 
Q:    What size system do I need to run household items?
 
A:    This depends on the power consumption of the item multiplied by the number of hours it is used per day. This can vary greatly even for the same item. A television could be 100 watts up to 1000 watts. If you have a specific use, please provide an estimate of the daily power requirements of the items you are trying to power.
 

Q:    What is the wattage rating of a solar panel?
 
A:    Solar panels are rated in watts. EXAMPLE 12 volt 15 watt panel averages about 15 watts per hour of sunlight. If you have 8 hours of sun, it will put about 120 watts into a discharged battery in one day.
 

Q:    What is a solar panel?
 
A:    A solar panel is basically a battery charger. When exposed to sunlight it produces DC current much like a common battery charger that runs off standard household 110 Volt current.
 

Q:    Do I need a solar charge controller?
   
A:    The solar charge controller regulates the amount of energy that the panel puts into the battery. Once the battery is fully charged it opens the circuit to prevent damage caused by overcharging. When you use some of the stored energy, it automatically closes the circuit and starts to recharge the battery during sunlight hours.


Q:    Do I need a battery with my solar panels?
 
A:    A panel alone can operate DC items directly such as pond pumps without a battery or a controller. In this application the pump would only run during sunlight hours.

 
Q:    Can I add solar panels later?
 
A:    Yes, Multiple panels can be wired together in most cases. If you wire 3-15 watts panels in parallel (all 3 positive leads wired together and all 3 negative leads wired together) you would get 45 watts per hour. The voltage would remain at 12 volts.
 

Q:    What kind of battery do I need for my system?
 
A:    Batteries used in solar systems should be a deep cycle type. A standard car battery would be damaged quickly by deep discharge cycles. There are two common types of batteries that work well with solar. A sealed lead acid deep cycle is the preferred type or a standard "marine type" also works in well-ventilated areas outside of your home.
 

Q:    What is an inverter?
 
A:    Inverters are used to convert 12V DC energy from a battery to standard 110 AC voltage that is found in homes in the US. You simply hook the two leads from the battery to the inverter and it will run standard AC items. Inverters are rated in watts and have two ratings-Continuous Use and Peak. Peak is what it can handle for a short period of time.  Many items require more energy to start than they do once they are running.  As stated above, once you know the wattage of the item you are trying to run, you will know what size inverter to use.