Not all Solar Panels are Engineered the Same Way
When it's time to replace your automobile tires, you may not know exactly what to get. Of course, you can replace your tires with what came on your car and call it a day. Or you may do a little research and find a surprisingly broad array of tires that fit your vehicle, and not know how to choose. Do you go with Brand X or Michelin? What if Brand X might cost 30-50% less than Michelin? We’re not telling you which tire to buy. But the Michelin Man is well-known for a reason; ask many automotive enthusiasts and you’ll find that Michelin offers some of the best tires available.
As a roofing and solar power installation company serving the West Hills, CA area, we’re not experts on tires, but we are experts on solar panels. And we can tell you that like Brand X and Michelin, not all solar panels are made the same way. We work with SunPower, one of the leaders in solar and sustainable energy solutions for 35 years, for several reasons.
Keep reading below to see why SunPower is the right choice in solar panels for your Southern California home.
SEE ALSO: Should You Use a Rooftop or Ground-Mount Solar Power Installation?
Superior Design and Construction
SunPower’s 35 years of experience in solar means it is no newcomer to the technology. First, SunPower Maxeon cells absorb more sunlight on your roof and aesthetically look far better, too. Conventional solar panel cells have lines of metal paste on the front of the cell, and the panel's output power drops over time as the paste reflects sunlight and corrodes.
Another key differentiator is the thick copper foundation of SunPower cells. Copper is almost impervious to corrosion and adds lightweight strength to the cell. Conventional cells often employ only more metal paste on the back, offering virtually no reinforcement and becoming brittle with temperature extremes, leading to cracked cells that lose power.
On a roof, you'll have significant temperature extremes. California is blessed with warm days and cool nights, and those temperatures can vary as much as 35 degrees up and down in the same day for many weeks. That leads to continuous expansion and contraction of the connectors that bridge the solar panels. As you might guess by now, SunPower uses thick, robust connectors built to withstand the temperature swings. In contrast, lesser panels use thin, weak ribbon connectors that often break and render the entire cell inoperable.
One more thing that also saves money with SunPower. Because the panels are more powerful, generating more energy than others, you can buy and install less of them. That means fewer panels on your roof, and cost savings from panels and installation.
The Best Warranty in Solar
In tires, some high-quality manufacturers (like Michelin) offer mileage warranties so you can be confident that they are built to last. In solar panels, SunPower goes above and beyond the industry standard. While some solar panels offer 10-year warranties, SunPower offers 25.
What's more, the warranty goes beyond replacing the panel itself, including free shipping and installation of a new panel. Not that you may ever need this warranty, as only 1 in 20,000 SunPower panels fails – that's .005%! That's the peace of mind you want with an investment in solar.
Are you ready to invest in the environment and save on energy costs with a solar power installation in your West Hills home? Green Convergence is a SunPower Master Dealer with an exceptional record of service. Call us at (661) 491-5111 or fill out our online contact form to get started on your project. We’d love to hear from you!
