25 Responses

1. I hadn’t done too much digging to find appropriate information on solar
   powering a house, but this video series (4 videos) is nice and lengthy –
   goes over nearly all aspects of solar power. I’ve found some
   questionably-legal Grid Tie inverters rated for 1kW, which I’m tempted to
   try out, given that I can basically expand as I go with 100w solar panels
   to begin with.

3. Excellent video! I am looking at possibly working in the solar industry
   after I finish college. Your videos are a huge help. Thanks and keep it up!

4. Excellent solar energy video series, mjlorton. Thanks for making and
   sharing it!

5. Great video, I picked up some ideas for my system . Thank you

6. Hello Martin. This is a great video and has helped me a lot. I am
   installing a small system which I want to improve in the future. I am
   connected to the grid but the system I am installing has battery (off
   grid). I Have 4 PV panels 280 watts each (1120) . They are connected to
   the batteries through an MPPT controlller. I have an inverter 2000watts . I
   am having difficulty understanding how to connect the inverter to my house.
   Do I have to turn off the breaker on the circuit to connect the inverter or
   it is not necessary? Is there a sequence I must follow or it is straight
   forward? I do not want to burn the inverter. Please help me and thank you.

7. How to Solar Power Your Home / House #1 – On Grid vs Off Grid

   How to Solar Power Your Home / House #1 – On Grid vs Off Grid

   How to Solar Power Your Home / House #2 – How to save energy / electricity
   for solar power

   How to Solar Power Your Home / House #3 – How to size your solar power
   system

   Tutorial: How to Solar Power Your Home / House #4 – Off Grid setup, PWM vs
   MPPT

   Tutorial: How to Solar Power Your Home #5 – Solar Panel and System
   Installer selection

   How to Solar Power Your Home / House #6 – Monitoring devices to measure
   energy and save money

   How to Solar Power Your Home #7 – Grid Tie v Micro Inverter v Power
   Optimizer v Charge Controller

8. Hi,

   what ‘small’ system you would recommend, for a small apartment.
   i would like to starting with something small, for example, to power my PC
   only.

   it uses around 100 watt, and i would like it to run on few batteries and
   have not too large solar panel to charge them..

   i usualy use my PC on evenings, so would like to charge those batteries
   during the day..

   we live in Israel so plenty of sun..

   what type of battery/panel would you recommend?

   thanx!

9. Thanks for being so detailed. I took notes and wrote that all down.. time
   to get to work.

10. What about health effects from SMART meters and dirty electricity from
    solar panels?

11. Very informative video and a very well done vid also. Thanks!

12. I just found this series of videos and have to say that it’s a wealth of
    knowledge. I have been trying to find info on how to configure my on-grid
    house here in western Canada and have to say this is definitely a video
    series I will follow closely. Thank you.

13. 2:11 for the video

14. Hello mr lorton i have been following your tutorials for the last year, and
    untill then i had no idea about electronics or solar power, but with your
    help i have now set up a 500watt system in my mountain cabin in Aragon
    Spain i have a 2000 watt pure sine wave inverter, and according to all the
    rules that’s wrong, i have 4 ordinary 75 amp hour car batteries that work
    my washing machine and fridge plus 750watt microwave with no problems. i
    would just like to thank you for the way you teach without complicating
    things and i have helped several other friends with there problems, in this
    vicinity, and have told them of your web site. Once again thank you very
    much coulden’t have done it without your help.yours gratefully KEN LUKE.

15. Thank you so much for this video. I live in India and the Solar Market here
    is similar to what you have in South Africa, maybe even worse. This video
    helped me get an idea of what I need and what I need to do :)
    I will be following the rest of this series. Thank you once again!

16. Great video, I recently bought some PV’s and a controller just to play
    around with. I wasn’t aware of all the various options you have put
    forward. You’ve got me thinking now. Thanks and keep up the great work. 

17. The new electric car batteries can be storage, since they are so large.
    This may soon become the back up battery system for a house, since a car
    battery could run a home for 3 days, if you have an efficient home, that
    uses Geo thermal BERM basements to heat the house at night. 

18. Hi, what i would like to ask, is what about having some ~6kW power solar
    panels on the roof, and use them for water heating, and hot water could run
    in the floor heating sistem, and heat the house in the winter ? how much %
    of power you get in the day, when there is no sun ?

19. i have a small house, about 400sq ft. i don’t run many lights at all. just
    want to power the necessities, such as,,, tv, pc, hot water heater, and hot
    plate. would like to eventually go completely off the grid, but feel i
    need the grid somewhat until i completely understand the solar setup. what
    do you recommend starting out with? thanks, kc

20. lol, well i don’t have 200k to spend on $30.00 a per month eletricity bill
    !!!!! maybe your friends will outfit my place for no charge ,( I will make
    a vid too) thanks for the vid!!!

21. A great video. I will listern to it again. thanks
    peter kagbala

22. Oh, so that is how I convert to AC. Thanks. I thought an inverted and
    battery bank was the only option. I will defiantly be looking for a grid
    time inverter.

    In the US we are not allowed to get paid for feeding back into their system
    anymore. Too many people were doing it.

    I have to stay on the grid. If I disconnect from the grid, the government
    will show up, take my house, and throw me in jail. If I resist, they will
    kill me. Land of the free, haha. Maybe before my time.

24. Hi Martin. Thank you so much for your intro to home solar system. My
    question is, how can we utilize the excess power coming from the solar
    panels once the batteries are fully charged. Can we use it directly to the
    appliances in the house, if can, how would we do it?

25. Awesome Video…
    can you help set this up in India?
    Thanks. :)