"Grid Tie" Solar System Types 1. Basic Grid Tie: Generates electricity when the sun is shining and supplies this power to your house and excess power is fed back into a utility grid for later use. 2. Grid Tie with Battery Backup: Generates electricity when the sun is shining, supplies this power to your house as well a keeping batteries charged to provide backup power in the event of a blackout.

Basic Grid Tie Solar Electric System A basic "net metered" grid tie solar electric system changes DC solar electricity into useful household type AC electricity and also sends excess power generated back to the utility company. When your electric meter spins backwards your electric bill is reduced, and your neighbors will be using clean and quiet solar power. This is an efficient and simple system. Your utility grid acts as an infinitely sized 100% efficient battery.

Grid Tie with Backup Power (battery based) Grid tie systems may also include batteries, providing limited back-up power during grid outages. A battery-based inverter allows you to send power back to the utility and protects your home against power outages. The additional cost of a battery based system offers reliable power during a grid power outage. This system consists of a solar array, inverter with battery charge controls as well as a battery bank. These systems are more complicated in nature and require a sub panel to be installed. These systems do not supply uninterruptible power to the entire home, they supply power to the sub panel of pre-determined critical circuits. These circuits usually supply a refrigerator, and certain lights and rooms within the home. Solar grid tied systems with battery backup capability are more expensive and typically less efficient. The DC power generated by the solar panels needs to be reduced to 48 volts to prevent the batteries from overcharging and gassing out. In areas where utility supplied electricity is reliable the extra expense and loss of efficiency of a battery based solar system may prove to be less economically advantageous.

GO Solar Company 12439 Magnolia Blvd. PMB 132 North Hollywood, CA 91607 Phone: 818.566.6870 Fax: 818.566.6879 State of California - Contractor License Number - C46 Solar 685319