Yes. A study by the National Renewable Energy Laboratories (NREL) found that solar panels have become significantly more reliable since 2000. Researchers found that panels installed after 2000 have a failure rate of 5 panels for every 10,000 installed. That’s a failure rate of just 0.05%! In fact, the solar panels installed by Freedom Forever are so reliable that we guarantee the amount of power that they will produce for 25 years.*
* Subject to the terms and conditions of your agreement
What can cause a solar panel to fail?
Manufacturing defects can cause a solar panel to fail. Panel manufacturers are very careful to keep defective solar panels off the market. If they detect a faulty production run, those panels won’t ever make it to market.
Weather in rare cases can cause panels to fail. Extreme hail, tornadoes or hurricane strength winds could damage panels to the point that they have to be replaced. But in general, ordinary weather events should not damage solar panels.
High heat and humidity can cause panels to fail at slightly higher rates than they would in more temperate climates. These types of failures are also rare. The solar panel failure rate for modern solar panels is very low. Unless the panels are defective or damaged, they rarely fail.
Can you get electrocuted from solar panels?
Normally, all parts of a solar system that conduct electricity are sealed, so you can’t get electrocuted by solar panels for just touching them. However, if you disconnect any part of the system during the day when the panels are generating power, you could run the risk of electrocution if you touch exposed wires. That’s why it’s best to leave any system repairs or upgrades to the pros.
How long does Freedom Forever warranty their solar panels for?
Freedom Forever’s warranty covers your entire solar system, not just the panels. We guarantee that your system will produce the amount of power we promise it will for 25 years. If it ever stops producing power or produces less than we said it would, we’ll fix your system and reimburse you for any savings you lost while it was down. We even monitor your system for you to make sure it’s working the way it should. If it needs repairs, we’ll get ahold of you and schedule a time to come out and fix it.*
* Subject to the terms and conditions of your agreement
What about reliable power when the sun goes down?
Solar batteries are coming down in price and can extend the amount of time your system provides power. Batteries make the most sense for people that pay for electricity under Time-of-Use rates (TOU). Those rates are often higher in the evening after the sun goes down. During those high peak hours, the batteries can provide power to the home. Batteries can also power critical circuits during power outages.
Do solar panels provide power to your home during power outages?
Normally, solar panels don’t provide power during power outages. A solar system has a special current-interrupting circuit that shuts off power to the grid during blackouts. This is done so crews working on power lines don’t get electrocuted by power supplied from home solar systems. A solar system can be configured to provide power to selected circuits during an outage, but they probably can’t provide enough power to run the entire home. A special inverter is required if you want your solar system to provide power to you during a blackout.
Freedom Forever can design and build reliable systems that use batteries
If you have critical systems in your home that need power during blackouts, or you want batteries to avoid high TOU rates, Freedom Forever can help. All you need to do is schedule an appointment to speak with one of our Independent Authorized Dealers. They will discuss your power needs with you and inform you of your options. Freedom Forever can then design and build the system that you need.