Do I need a solar system?
Solar systems offer cost savings, freedom from power blackouts, increased home or building security, and lead to a cleaner environment. Depending on the size of the solar system you choose, the system can reduce your utility bills and provide backup power and heat, or can make you self-sustaining and independent of the electric and gas utilities. For many government buildings, there are significant incentives for making your building more "green," and of all the systems available the SolarCombo® system maximizes the ability to make the building environmentally friendly with use of a combined solar electricity and water heating system.

What is the "SolarCombo®" combined power and heat system?
The SolarCombo® solar systems use a patented, UL and Dept. of Commerce approved, solar panel that simultaneously generates electric power and collects heat from the sun. Thus, these systems provide both power and heat in the form of hot water (or other liquid) to the consumer. Traditional solar panel electricity systems simply lose the excess heat generated by the panels into the atmosphere, but the SolarCombo® system harnesses that heat and applies to an integrated coiled piping system that directly heats the water running through it and takes it directly to your water heater. The SolarCombo® system can be applied to an individual home, to a large commercial or industrial building, or to a remote facility - even one without any roof.

What is the benefit of the combined power and heat vs. just the power system?
As a minimum, the heat generation part of the combined system will augment or replace your water heater. Depending on the BTU capacity of the combined system selected, your water heater has to work less or hardly at all, reducing your gas bill. In addition, the water circulating through the solar panels keeps the panel temperature lower, similar to the way your car's radiator works, increasing the panel life and efficiency over traditional systems.

What size and type of solar system fits my needs?
The average household uses between 30 and 60 Kw-Hrs power and 40 to 60 kBTUs heat per day. Your power and gas utility bills will provide a record of energy that you have been using. The size best suited for your specific household or commercial building depends on the services you expect from the system. The type of system depends on your choice of power and heat, power alone, grid-tied or or not, and with or without battery backup.

What is the cost of the solar system I need?
Please visit the "Systems" part of this web site accessable from the main page for the price and capacities of a selection of types and several sizes of solar systems. For more detailed quotations, please feel free to contact us at sales@solarcombo.com.

What is the difference between a system rated in "Kilowatts" Vs. Kilowatt-Hours"?
The average sun day is approximately six hours, longer at low latitudes, shorter at high latitudes, during which useful solar power and heat is captured. So, for example, a 2 kWatt system will deliver 12 kWatt-Hours of electric energy per day. The solar panels of the 2 kWatt system collect 50 kBTUs heat per day which is stored in the system tanks.

Do I need batteries in my solar system?
Batteries are required to sustain your houselold or business in the event of a utility power failure after sundown, whether your system is large enough so that you are independent of the utility, or if don't have utility service.

What is a Grid-Tie System?
A Grid-Tie System feeds excess power back into the utility network, or “grid.” The solar system is connected to the power company lines through the electric meter to slow, or even reverse, the meter to the extent of the power not being consumed by the household or business. Grid-Tie Systems are available with or without battery backup. With a larger system, you could actually "earn" money for supplying the electricity grid system with power generated from the sun.

What is the “Rebate” program, and how do I get a Rebate?
Many states offer a rebate for solar electric and heating systems installed in the home or commercial building. The electrical system rebates run $3.00 to $4.50 per Watt of installed solar power depending on the city and state where the system is installed. Rebates for the heating part of the system vary considerably depending upon the the city and state. Everyone is eligible for rebates for a system installed in accordance with the building codes. See http://www.californiasolarcenter.org/incentives.html.