AC solar panels with built in wiring/framing

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rollandelliott
rollandelliott Solar Expert Posts: 834 ✭✭
in Solar Product Reviews & Opinions #1
http://www.westinghousesolar.com/instantconnect/

I thought this product was pretty clever!
I bet eventually they will not have such a mess of wires on the back. A new microinverter with junction box terminals integrated inside of it will make the wiring less cluttered.

There is one other company that makes AC panels AUO solar.

I think a lot more solar panel makers will start offering something similar.
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  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    #2
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    Re: AC solar panels with built in wiring/framing

    It is a neater version of the micro-inverter system.

    Let's be clear: there's no such thing as an "AC solar panel". Use of that terminology is misleading. I distrust the phrase "Plug-and-Play" as well; makes me think of those DIY outlet-attached units that are such a bad idea.

    Also, this design must be exempt from the NEC DC-GFCI rules unless they have integrated that as well (I was under the impression all micro-inverters were, but have been told I'm wrong). The extra cost of adding GFCI per panel would be absurd, but that doesn't mean some officious bureaucrat wouldn't demand it.

    Since most of the time micro-inverters are still not cost-effective (and these units would be top $), mainly this would make installation simpler/easier for the average electrician (who seems to be neurotically paranoid about DC circuits :p ). Maybe that would off-set the additional per-unit cost.
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  • rollandelliott
    rollandelliott Solar Expert Posts: 834 ✭✭
    #3
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    Re: AC solar panels with built in wiring/framing

    Well it looks like the only distributor of this product is lowes
    for their 20 pack of 235 watt modules pricing with tax is about $2.61 a watt. Not too bad considering the system has everything included. It's around 30% more than a do it yourself system (where you source all the components individually) in my guestimate, but given that the labor is often more expensive than the goods the extra time saved during install might make this system cheaper.

    Let's face it the cost of panels can only become so much lower, future advances will have to come from faster and easier installation practices to lower the over all cost of solar and to make more people use it.
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