With our residential solar system ratings, you can compare residential solar power kits side by side using our Head To Head tool.
You can compare 15 kits from 12 brands in twelve categories such as cost, power output, & warranty.
You can also read the individual reviews of each brand below.
Our simple rating system gives each brand a color code and a star rating. If the card is green, then, that is one of the top picks from HvacRepairGuy. If the card is yellow, then, that would be a budget pick from HvacRepairGuy. If the card is red, then, the brand is not recommended by HvacRepairGuy. It truly is like you were taking a repairman shopping with you!
This brand features smaller kits for off-grid applications and they can be purchased on Amazon but their warranty is not very good and they are too small for most homes although they could be adequate for a small cabin. Their 200W MPPT off-grid kit uses a MPPT charge controller which is more efficient and allows for smaller wire sizes as well as supporting over-sized PV arrays. The kit includes their LiFePO4 Lithium Iron Phosphate batteries which are safer, non-toxic, and have a longer cycle life. The system is Wi-Fi enabled so that the battery level can be checked from your smartphone.
This brand offers three sizes of kits that can be used for both off grid and grid-tie applications. They feature micro-inverter technology for easily adding to your system as well as lithium iron phosphate batteries which are lower cost, high safety, low toxicity batteries with a long cycle life. They use MPPT charge controllers which are more efficient and allow for smaller wire sizes as well as supporting over-sized PV arrays. They have Wi-Fi monitoring and control through their app and they are shipped worldwide but the guarantee is not as good as other brands. The kits can be purchased directly through their website or Amazon store.
This brand features smaller kits for off-grid applications and they can be purchased on Amazon but their warranty is not very good and they are too small for most homes although they could be adequate for a small cabin. Their 1.3 KWH off-grid kit uses a MPPT charge controller which is more efficient and allows for smaller wire sizes as well as supporting over-sized PV arrays. The kit includes their LiFePO4 Lithium Iron Phosphate batteries which are safer, non-toxic, and have a longer cycle life. The system can have up to 4 batteries connected in series or parallel and the system is Wi-Fi enabled so that the battery level can be checked from your smartphone.
This brand offers both grid tied and off grid solutions in sizes for virtually any home. They offer roof or ground mount systems as well as kits with microinverters or with a string inverter. They include wireless real time system monitoring for free and the kits are specifically made for the DIY market. The kits also include a complimentary roof layout, installation support and permit approval guarantees so that, if your permit is not approved after following their instructions, you get a full refund. They can be purchased directly through their website at GoGreenSolar.com and they are backed by a very good warranty.
This brand features smaller kits for off-grid applications and they can be purchased at The Home Depot but their warranty is not very good and they are too small for most homes although they could be adequate for a small cabin. Their 600 watt off-grid kit uses a MPPT charge controller which is more efficient and allow for smaller wire sizes as well as supporting over-sized PV arrays. The kit is inexpensive but does not include batteries which are required for the system to work.
This brand is made in China by Seasun Clean energy Inc and the kits can be purchased directly through their website but their guarantee is not as good as some of the other brands. The SPS6K kit provides both 120 and 240 volt power to the home and uses a MPPT charge controller which is more efficient and allows for smaller wire sizes as well as supporting over-sized PV arrays. The kits require eight lead acid batteries which are not included and is not as good as systems that use lithium iron phosphate batteries.
The 800 Watt Premium Kit can provide up to 4 kilowatt hours of power and features a MPPT charge controller which is more efficient and allows for smaller wire sizes as well as supporting over-sized PV arrays. The kits are Wi-Fi enabled and can be controlled through their app. They can be purchased directly through their website or Amazon store but they only have an average warranty. The kit is reasonably priced but it does not include the batteries or the two cables that connect the batteries to the inverter.
This brand is made in Vietnam and can be purchased directly through their website or Amazon store but they only have an average warranty. They offer kits in sizes from 200 to 1,600 watts and feature a MPPT charge controller which is more efficient and allows for smaller wire sizes as well as supporting over-sized PV arrays. They are designed for Recreational Vehicles but are suitable for small off grid cabins. The 1200 Watt complete solar kit includes lithium iron phosphate batteries which are lower cost, high safety, low toxicity batteries with a long cycle life. The kits are reasonably priced and an easy DIY installation project.
This brand offers both grid tied and off grid solutions with systems designed for cloudy, moderate, or sunny locations. The TruPower grid tie kits are available in sizes from 1.2 KW to 5.4 KW and they feature microinverters which are more efficient and reliable than a single system inverter. The kits can be purchased directly through their website and they are backed by a very good warranty.
This brand offers inexpensive kits for off grid applications but they have a very limited capacity and the kits do not include the batteries which are necessary for operation. They use pulse width modulation charge controllers which are less expensive that MPPT controllers but they are less efficient and only for smaller scale systems. They offer four sizes of kits from 100 to 340 watts but the 340 watt systems would be the best option but the guarantee on the kits is not very good when compared to other brands.
This brand is made in China and can be purchased directly through their Amazon store but their warranty is not very good when compared to other brands. The KSSK-02 kit features a MPPT charge controller which is more efficient and allows for smaller wire sizes as well as supporting over-sized PV arrays. They include lithium iron phosphate batteries which are lower cost, high safety, low toxicity batteries with a long cycle life. The kits are reasonably priced and an easy DIY installation project. The systems are Wi-Fi enabled for monitoring through your smartphone.
The 12V 200W Solar Panel Kit is for off-grid but it has a very limited output with a rating of only 0.6 KWH per day. The kit uses a basic PWM charge controller and lead acid storage battery which is provided as well as basic monocrystalline panels. It is not easy to increase the capacity of the kit so it has limited residential use as mostly an emergency system but it is inexpensive.
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