Questions and Answers for Grape Solar 265-Watt Mono-Crystalline Solar Panel (4-Pack)

A:  The answer depends upon the input voltage and amperage rating of your MPPT controller. Usually the max amperage input of the MPPT controller determines how the panels are wired together. I wired my panels together in two sets of two panels wired together in series, then the two sets wired together in parallel so that the max amperage did not exceed the capacity of my MPPT controller. See the attached diagram. Hope that helps.

A:  Hi Denny, As long as the voltage limit of your charge controller is greater than than 80 V (assuming a 12 volt battery), you can have two panels in series. If it is less, they must be in parallel. Series connections improve the voltage loss over a long cable run, but parallel connections improve panel performance if there is partial shading. The panels will function in either configuration, your final choice will depend on the controller specs and the physical layout of the panels. Please call 1-877-264-1024 with any further questions.

A:  You would be better off getting a complete kit through a Home Depot ProDesk. The complete kit would include panels, micro inverters, cables and mounting hardware. A kit like this would require installation by a licensed electrician.

A:  A lot of 'stuff' would be needed and it depends upon the answer to many questions. Do you have a south facing roof? What kind of roofing material do you have on your roof? Asphalt shingle, tile, metal etc? You said you wanted to tie into the grid, and by this I assume you mean to sell the power generated from the solar panels back to the utility who presently supplies you with power. Does your electric company allow this? Some do not. You need to call them and ask if they do and what kind of house meter and interconnections do they require. Often they require you to use a licensed electrician to do the entire installation. You need to start there and move forward.

A:  There are many websites out there with solar calculators you can use to figure out how many hours of sun on average you can expect. Google 'solar calculators' and try several to make sure you are getting consistent answers. Considering how near the equator you are I suspect the answer is "LOTS". :-)

A:  In an off-grid system, panels produce power that gets fed onto a battery bank. The hours of power depends on how much power you use. This is a very complicated question that requires more information in order to give you a useful answer. For more information contact support@grapesolar.com.

A:  The answer depends upon the location of the panels and how far they are from your disconnect circuit breaker panel or charge controller. If the panels are within 50 feet assume no less than 10 gauge multi strand wire designed specifically for outdoor solar panel interconnection use. Don't go cheap on the wire. You will regret it. The charge controller depends upon how you are connecting the panels together. Do some research here on your own. Make sure the charge controller is a MPPT controller (MPPT maximizes the solar panel collection) rated at 60 to 80 amps and 150 volts min. To go cheap here is a big mistake.

A:  In order to answer that we would need to know how many panels you plan on using in total, the voltage of your battery bank and how far components would be installed from each other. If you send an email to support@grapesolar.com describing your ideal system we can help you with a design.

A:  If you type "Grape Solar 265" into a Home Depot search you will see the four pack and it's price.

A:  The price listed is for the four panels combined as a package with shipping included. I looked around pretty extensively and I could find no lower price than Home Depot.

A:  The total wattage is 1060, but remember that this is only under test conditions in a lab (sort of like the mileage figures you see on car window stickers).

A:  Each panel is rated at 265 watts. The four panel package is rated for 1,060 watts. Please remember the rating is based upon ideal conditions, meaning clear sky during the summer with the panels placed at the correct angle to the sun for your location.

A:  Each panel is rated at 265W, so that total wattage for a four pack would be 1060W.

A:  265 is the STC or Standard Test Condition of a solar panel. It is a lab specification which a user will never experience. What you want to look for is the PTC rating of a panel which is real world application specification made by a 3rd party testing agency and the PTC for this panel = 236 watts. It is clearly stated in the panel specification. Hope that helps.