6kW Solar System

6kW solar system

Every 1 out of 10 houses in the US already has a solar panel system installed. The number of home installations is only going to grow: a 2021 Pew Research Center survey says that almost nine-in-ten U.S. adults (89%) favor expanding use of solar power and around half of Americans are at least considering installing solar in the near future. The average size of a home installation in the USA is 5–6 kW. Here at A1SolarStore you can find a complete 6kW solar system kit for sale where all the parts are already sized together.

Grid-tie, off-grid, hybrid systems

There are three types of systems: grid-tie, off-grid and hybrid. Grid-tie is the most simple one. Your house is connected to the grid just like it was before but instead of using commercial electricity you power home with the current from your panels. You can sell extra energy into the grid to make your electrical meter go back. This is known as net metering and it’s the main way in which the solar system pays for itself.

A 6kW solar system can cover 70-100% of energy needs of a medium-sized house. The panels, however, don’t work at night and you rely on the grid at this time. Power outages in the grid cause all grid-tie systems to shut down — that’s a safety requirement. You can, however, add a battery for critical loads.

The complete opposite of a grid-tie system is an off-grid system. It’s a smart solution for a house somewhere in a deep forest where there are no power lines. With the battery backup, 6kW off grid solar system can provide enough energy to power your entire home. You get complete energy autonomy with a reliable green energy generator that makes no sound, doesn't need fuel and doesn’t smell. However, this configuration is slightly more expensive because of the batteries and net metering is not available.

Finally, there is hybrid system design which, you guessed it, is a hybrid between grid-tie and off-grid systems. You are connected to the grid, you have solar panels but you also have energy storage. Hybrid systems provide uninterrupted power supply: if a power outage happens in the grid, the hybrid inverter just switches the appliances to battery support. Hybrid systems also deal better with peak time usage, using batteries to avoid higher electricity rates. Thus a hybrid 6kW solar system with a battery gives you better savings and is more comfortable to have. You need a special inverter to build a hybrid installation.

6kW solar system cost

Solar panel system can be considered a long-term investment. The upfront costs can be significant, but the money returns to you eventually. Especially with the rise of gas prices, there is no better time to switch to solar than now. A 6 kW solar system in the US pays for itself in 6–8 years. Since the average lifetime of solar panels exceeds 25 years, you can expect the system to at least double or triple your investments. The ROI can be reached even faster if your state has a higher number of peak sun hours or a good net metering policy and solar incentives. This is one of the reasons why solar energy is so popular in California: there is a lot of sun and there are lots of programs that make a switch to solar easier. A 6 kilowatt solar system in Los Angeles can pay for itself in 4–5 years.

So how much does a 6kW solar system cost? Using the incentives, you can get a good system for around $7,500–13,000. 10 years ago you would have to pay over $16,000 for the same capacity. PV modules were also much less efficient back then and thus you would need more space for a system. However, a 6 kW solar system cost heavily depends on the panels that you choose and type of installation. Ground-based systems are cheaper to install, but they need more maintenance and they take up land. Grid-tie systems are the cheapest, while hybrid and off-grid options are slightly more expensive.

When it comes to choosing solar panels for your 6kW solar panel system, you should know that the cheapest PV modules come from China. Trina Solar, Jinko Solar, JA Solar are undisputable leaders on the market. American and Canadian manufacturers, like Silfab, Mission Solar and Canadian Solar, are a middle-of-the-road choice in terms of cost. The most expensive panels come from brands like Sunpower, LG, Panasonic, REC, Solaria. Their panels are expensive, but the quality is top notch.

A 6kW solar system kit includes around 12–20 panels. The average size of a 60/120-cell solar panel is 39 × 66 inches. These panels usually provide from 300 to 400 Watts of power output. Larger 72/144 cell panels are around 40 × 77 inches in size. They provide over 400 Watts of power. Your installer should help you with planning an installation.

How to install a 6kW solar panel system

In most states installing a solar panel system can be done only by certified contractors. What’s more, you’ll have to get a permit to put solar panels on your roof. Generally, installers handle all sorts of paperwork associated with the installation. Getting the papers and scheduling the inspections take most time out of the whole process of installation.

The installation of a 6000 watt solar system should take from 3 to 6 weeks. First, the contractor should inspect your roof and provide you with a thorough plan of your future system. You sign a contract and the installer collects all the permits and approvals from authorities. Finally he builds the solar system. After the installation is complete, the utility company installs a new meter and connects the system to the grid.