See What the Sun’s Free Energy Can Do For Your Life®
SMA Sunny Boy Solar 5.5 kW kit
USA Made Solar Panels
Production = 828 W Per Month ● Assumptions: 345 Watt STC Panel Rating [Factory Rating] @ 5 Sun Hours (Average).
SMA Sunny Boy SP series inverter comes standard with advanced features like it's off-grid capabilities and full grid management functionality. Solar systems are required by code to disconnect from the electrical grid when the power goes out. Traditionally, that meant your system would deliver zero power to your home, but not anymore. SMA has pioneered the Secure Power Supply (SPS), which will continue to deliver power from your solar system to your outlet when the sun is shining, even when the power goes out. A dedicated wall outlet is wired directly to the inverter, providing security and ensuring power is available when it’s needed most. SPS delivers up to 2,000 Watts of opportunity power when the grid goes down and the sun is shining.
You can connect an external outlet and a switch to the inverter in order to activate the outlet. In case of a grid failure, the outlet supplies a load with current from the solar system. When the outlet is activated via the switch, the load is supplied with current from the solar system. The inverter automatically regulates the energy supply of the outlet depending on the solar irradiation on the solar system. When the outlet is activated and a load is supplied with current from the solar system, the inverter is disconnected from the utility grid and does not feed into the utility grid.
The Sunny Boy’s multiple independent input channels, each with SMA’s OptiTrac™ Global Peak, mean hundreds of stringing configurations for flexible system design while solving the challenges of complex roofs and shading. The SMA Sunny Boy SP inverter series feature simplified design which means reduced costs for residential solar installations. The Sunny Boy US features an integrated DC disconnect, simplifying the installation and providing a safe system operation.
CA Rule 21 currently governs CA & HI Rule 14H utility interconnection for all net energy metering for all projects permitted and approved for interconnection. The change was designed to create a standard for inverters more capable of dealing with a volatile utility grid. Why is this needed? Utility companies are facing higher penetration rates of solar and in some cases are saturated and needed an additional low/high frequency ride-through. By using so called smart inverters the functionality keeps grid voltage from oscillating or acts like a shock absorber intended result is automatic stabilization of utiltiy grid voltage.
Line drawing questions or just stuck? No worries we have your back and will be here to help whenever you have questions about your purchased Kit. For orders larger than $2,000.00 a Technical Sales Team Group Captain will be assigned your account. Your Technical Advisors job is to coordinate all parts and pieces of your order and to work with you throughout the process. This support helps because we will be providing you with a single contact point to call with your questions. Your technical support contact does not replace the maufactures warranty technical support. DIY means you accept the responsiblity of reading and following the line diagram and other installation documents prior to tackling the installation.
NOTE: For detail support after installation customer must be willing or have the ability to connect to the SMA Smart Connected monitoring platform. The monitoring platform software is free but requires WiFi connnection to the inverter.
Blue Pacific Solar® SMA America Kit is featured with Mission panels. Mission Solar Energy, proudly assembled in the USA, is headquartered in San Antonio, TX with module facilities onsite. Mission Solar hardworking team calls Texas home and is devoted to producing high quality solar products. Our supply chain includes local and domestic vendors. 25 Year Warranty, UL Listed.
The do-it-yourself (DIY) craze is hardly crazy when one considers the mind-boggling cost savings resulting from this trend nationwide. In fact, many people wouldn't call it a trend at all, merely a return to the practical know-how of yesteryear when people simply had to do it themselves and took great pride in their handiwork! Yet few DIY projects are as cost-saving and investment-rich as the installation of a solar system.
The era of solar energy, as many would say, is upon us. From astounding new solar products like AC coupled backup systems and high efficient microinverters to banks of solar panels that provide electricity to run our homes and, eventually, even our cities, the solar revolution may well have begun in earnest. Yet too most people, how solar actually works is a mystery. How do these panels convert sunlight into energy that homeowners can use to power their appliances and their homes, a practice that ultimately protects the environment and leads to cheaper utility bills and economic freedom?
Photon to Electron
So how does a seemingly simple looking panel harness sunlight and transform it into electricity? Solar panels contain photovoltaic cells. These cells are where the conversion from light to electricity takes place. The cells must be made of a material like silicon or a similar single cell semi-conducting material. As light enters the cells, the semi-conductor pulls the energy in the form of electrons from it and allows them to flow through the material. In essence, this flow is actually a current. While the absorption of the light into the cell is enough to free electrons, the cells also contain an electric field that can steer the electrons where they need to go. The current is then steered to the bottom of the panel where it can then be collected and drawn for use externally.
Atomically Speaking
Most people don't think in terms of particles, but light actually hits the PV (photovoltaic) cells as photons. As each photon hits the PV cell, it gives up an electron. While this is putting it somewhat simplistically, this is, indeed, the moment of conversion. The freed electron is absorbed by the silicon where it flows with other electrons into current; hence, electricity is born. Some scientists would say that the real tricky part is enhancing the cell with an electrical field to get all these electrons in line to flow as a current in the required direction: enter silicon.
The Role of the Semiconductor
Silicon is popularly used as the solar cell's semiconductor. Yet it must do more than simply absorb photons; it has to employ an electrical field and get their current moving along. Moreover, it must be fashioned with impurities, because pure silicon will not do the job alone. Phosphorous and boron are added in a process referred to as doping and together these elements in their atomic interaction create the electrical field needed to move the electrons in the prescribed current they need to flow.
From Panel to Refrigerator
After the photons are transformed into electricity, the panels direct this energy to power the home. Some homes, those independent of the utility grid, must rely on battery storage to store energy, yet they may also have to rely on backup generators when there is too much demand on the size of the system. Many people use solar in tandem with the utility companies so that they have a convenient back-up during fluctuating periods of energy. This net metering partnership is a bit involved, but it has also been evolving to become more effective as more and more people choose solar to provide the bulk of electricity to power their homes.
Solar Panels
It goes without saying that solar panels are essential for a solar power system. Actually, what you will probably need is known as a solar array. That is because each panel generates a small amount of electricity. The number of panels included in your solar array depends on how much power you need to generate. PV photovoltaic modules, often referred to as solar panels, convert light energy into a direct electrical current (DC). As solid-state devices, solar panels have no moving parts and are extremely reliable and durable compared to any other generator electronic technology. While solar panels have become somewhat commoditized in recent years, there are important differences in form, quality and performance that can impact both installation time and long-term system performance. Our web pages presents a selection of high-quality polycrystalline and monocrystalline solar panels with a variety of features and cheap price points to suite virtually any homeowners project.
Solar panels come in two types; monocrystalline and polycrystalline. Where home or cabin owner wants their solar installation to be grid tied, off-grid or emergency solar backup each of those systems starts with a solar panel selection. Monocrystalline solar panels are generally higher efficiency, but they tend to derate faster in hotter conditions. Polycrystalline are sometimes considered a better choice for warmer climates, but the truth is that either panel type is so similar the differences are relatively not worth comparing.
What is the Best Solar Panel to Choose? The output power, voltage and current profile of the solar panels will dictate the number of panels needed and what inverters or charge controllers can be used. Small off-grid home or cabin kits often require 12 VDC output panels to directly charge batteries and/or operate DC loads. Larger solar panels with output voltages ranging from 24 to 50 VDC are more commonly used in grid-tie home systems where a high DC voltage is required to operate the inverter. If you have the roof or ground space with limited shading issues on your property, the larger solar panels may provide a better investment since the cost per watt is cheaper than smaller PV (Photovoltaic) panels.
Connect to the Grid or Not, or Both; That is the Question
PV (photovoltaic) systems can be grouped into two categories, off-grid and grid tied. In off-grid systems the energy produced by the solar panels must match the daily demand of the home or cabin, and the power is stored in a set of batteries. With grid-tie solar systems, the local utility company functions essentially as the battery bank during the night. In America, most solar systems are grid-tied with all of the excess electricity generated being fed back to the utility grid hence the term NET metering.
Off-Grid
When you hear the term off-grid which is synonymous with stand alone systems, you may generate a picture in your mind of rustic pioneer-type living in a cabin with few modern conveniences. In fact, this is not necessarily the case. While it is true that off-grid solar power is usually not sufficient to power an electric heating and cooling system unless you just won the Lotto or work on wall street, nearly all other appliances can be adequately powered with a properly configured off-grid system. You simply start with a daily energy budget and match the right components to meet your power demands. Check out our off-grid living page for some great information to help you plan the right system for you.
Solar panel mechanical characteristics such as dimensions, frame profile, and static load rating, as well as grounding and mounting locations will need to be understood when designing your home solar grid tied or off-grid system. Frame and back sheet color may also come into play for residential DIY customers. Black frame solar panels are very popular because the aesthetics of the panel blend very well with many roof applications.
Solar Mounting Structures, Racks and Trackers
Solar mounts and solar trackers are nearly as important as the panels themselves. Solar mounts provide the stability your panels require to remain in place. Solar trackers allow you to orient your panels automatically to take maximum advantage of the sun's rays. The IronRidge, SnapNrack and UniRack roof and ground mount module racking we sell were developed by teams of engineers working with installers in the field to ensure quick, efficient installation.
Outback, Magnum Energy, Enphase and SMA; AC Pure Sine Wave Power Inverters
The electrical current generated by your solar array will be direct current, or DC electricity. Most electrical appliances run on alternating current, or AC electricity. A power inverter converts the DC power of your solar array into AC power that your appliances can actually use. DC electricity travels in only one direction but AC electricity alternates back and forth. Without a power inverter, you will be forced to rewire your home and to purchase expensive DC powered appliances over lower cost mass-produced appliances made for the conventional home power source. In some cases, DC powered appliances will not be available and you will have to do without certain appliances. If you intend to be off-grid, you should consider propane to power things like stoves and refrigerators. Heat with a pellet or wood burning stove but make sure they are highly efficient modules that use less fuel.
Deep Cycle Batteries, Battery Monitor and Solar Charge Controllers
Without a deep cycle battery system, you will be unable to store the electricity that your solar power unit generates. This means basically that you will only have power when the sun is shining. Deep cycle batteries are specially configured to be charged and discharged frequently with a high demand system like a solar power system. The battery monitor provides a visual gauge of the electricity generated and stored by your solar power system, while the solar charge controller manages the process of charging your deep cycle batteries making sure they receive just the right amount of power but controlled and regulated throughout the day.
Battery Cables, PV AWG Wire / MC4 Connectors, Combiner Boxes, AC Disconnects; Electrical Distribution Balance-of-System Accessories.
These small items are minor but essential for making your solar panel kit work. You will need, among other items a solar combiner box, AC breaker panel, DC Breaker box, DC breakers, battery cables, remote temperature sensor, AC and DC wire and solar power cables. Cables and connectors on the solar panels we carry above 80 watts are generally manufactured with PV wire into the panel junction box that are listed to UL 1703. This can save time during installation. The modules with MC4 cable connectors are fully waterproof when connected, touch protected and designed for up to 600 volts DC and 30 Amps. It is important to keep in mind that PV cables cannot be safely disconnected under load. All of our grid tied and off-grid output cables are made with UV resistant wire that is Listed to UL 854. You may also wish to add other solar accessories. Blue Pacific Solar® also carries a variety of cable adapters that enable use of optimizers or microinverters that may not be available with the same connector type as the module chosen for the job.
Home Emergency Backup Generator
If you are worried about utility blackouts, take at look at Blue Pacific Solar® off-grid power generators and pre-wired, pre-engineered power center equipment. A backup solar generator can provide you with peace of mind during utility power outages and blackout or other weather related emergencies. With a grid-tie system when the utility provided power goes down, your solar power system is nonfunctional, you will be literally in the dark without a backup generator or battery bank to power essential loads. Your solar back up generator will automatically switch over to your battery bank and so that it takes over immediately in the event of a blackout when the grid goes down. Our solar generators are designed in compact kits that work by having stand-by batteries connected to an AC inverter.
AC Coupled Battery Backup Systems
Until very recently there were few options available to homeowner with grid-tied systems to utilize the energy from their solar panels when there is a utility blackout. On our backup solar page we offer a number of stand alone AC coupled emergency backup kits that use your existing solar system with our AC coupled system to provide power to your home in the event the utility goes down. The AC coupled system will take the energy from your solar panels and use it to charge a battery bank that will in turn power your essential loads. Additionally, SMA Sunny Boy 3000TL-US / 4000TL-US / 5000TL-US is a new innovative design and the next step in performance for UL certified inverters. A unique feature provides daytime power from your solar panels even in the event of a grid outage, without the need for batteries.
DIY (Do-it-yourself) off-grid / grid-tie solar panel kits and pre-wired home backup power packages. Solar can recharge your life while creating jobs in a new economy. Everyday Blue Pacific Solar® Technical Sales Consultants are hard at work engineering new ways to help homeowners everywhere; see what the sun's free energy can do for their life.