Re:Tesla CTO: Batteries and Solar Will Lead to Cheap Electri...
by mtrimpe on Wednesday July 15, 2015 @04:31PM
(#9893873)
I'm not that up to date on the whole solar thing but I guess he then probably recommended not exceeding 600V (not W) for private uses.
The lawsuits were over high end equipment with higher ratings (I'm guessing voltage-wise) that had a small possible weakness which, when combined with installation which was too rough, ended up causing fires in hay-barns all over France.
I don't subscribe to the idea that a rooftop system should be limited to 800W. An 800W system is not viable for grid-tied use (with modern modules you're looking at 3 modules in series which will not even give you 120V much less the required 340 or 480 to do proper grid-tied installation), and will not be cost-effective for an off-grid application unless you have a very small house, minimal power needs, and have a sunny climate year-round.
Know your needs. Know your abilities. Know your equipment. Safety first should not be in conflict with building a cost-effective system that meets your needs; if you can't figure out how to do so properly, hire someone who knows!