In-depth guides, comparisons and how-tos for power stations, solar and backup power.
Solar panel specs printed on the back of every module tell you how much voltage and current it makes and how those numbers shift with heat and cold, and NEC sections 690.7 and 690.8 use them to set safe string voltage and wire sizes. Read them correctly and your charge controller or inverter stays within […]
Solar incentives by state and locality, plus utility programs, are what’s left for 2026 buyers, and they vary a lot from place to place. The federal Residential Clean Energy Credit (25D) ended for expenditures after December 31, 2025, under the July 2025 tax law, so homeowners who buy and own a new system in 2026 […]
Solar panel degradation per year is smaller than most people expect. NREL research on fielded systems has found a median loss of roughly 0.5% per year for crystalline silicon panels, and many newer panels are warranted to lose less. A panel that makes 400W today will still make most of that in 25 years. The […]
LiFePO4 vs lithium ion is a slightly misleading match-up, because LiFePO4 (lithium iron phosphate, or LFP) is itself a lithium-ion chemistry, and manufacturer datasheets show it trading some energy density for higher thermal stability and longer cycle ratings than the NMC and NCA cells used in phones, laptops and many EVs. For solar, RV and […]
How many solar panels do I need to power my house? You can answer that yourself in about 15 minutes with three inputs: your yearly kWh use, how much a kilowatt of panels produces at your address, and the wattage of the panels you’re quoted. Installers use the same math, plus a shade report. Step […]
The Lynx Class-T Power In is Victron’s answer to a long-running request from LiFePO4 users, especially in North America: a Lynx module that takes Class-T fuses. Class-T fuses are a common choice right at a lithium battery. Now you can fuse your battery strings inside the Lynx system instead of mounting separate fuse blocks. What […]
A solar lease buyout is one of three ways to deal with leased panels when you sell your home. The others are transferring the lease to the buyer, or (rarely) having the panels removed. Owned systems are simpler, but financed ones come with their own paperwork. Planning early avoids last-minute closing problems. Solar Lease Buyout: […]
This home solar FAQ gives short, sourced answers to the 40 questions we see most, each linking to a deeper guide in our Home Solar series. Are solar panels worth it? That’s the question behind most solar threads on Reddit and homeowner forums. The honest answer depends on your electric rates, sun, roof and how […]
Is a solar panels on roof fire hazard worth worrying about? Rooftop PV fires are uncommon, and most trace back to installation faults rather than the panels themselves. Modern codes add protections for both homeowners and firefighters. Knowing what causes problems, and what good installs do differently, puts the risk in perspective. Electrical work can […]
The Tesla Powerwall 3 warranty is a good starting point for comparing home batteries, because every major brand words its warranty a little differently. Most cover around 10 years, but the details that matter are capacity retention (how much storage is guaranteed at the end) and any energy throughput cap that can end coverage early. […]
