Going Solar in Inland San Diego County: Escondido, San Marcos, Vista, Ramona and El Cajon
A few miles from the beach, the weather changes, and so does the solar math. Inland homes get more sun, run more air conditioning and face more fire weather, and a system designed for the coast won’t fit them.
Still on NEM 2.0? What Adding a Battery or More Panels Does to Your SDG&E Plan
If your solar went in before April 2023, you’re probably on SDG&E’s legacy NEM 2.0 plan, and it’s worth protecting. Here’s what you can add, what could cost you the plan, and what happens when the home sells or the 20 years run out.
Does Solar Work When the Power Goes Out? Why Panels Shut Off and What a Battery Changes
It’s the most common surprise for new solar owners in San Diego: the grid goes down on a sunny afternoon, and the house goes dark anyway. Here is why that happens, and what has to be added for solar to keep your home running.
Keeping a CPAP and Other Medical Devices Running When SDG&E Shuts Off Power
If someone in your home depends on a CPAP, an oxygen concentrator or another powered device, a Public Safety Power Shutoff is more than an inconvenience. Here is how SDG&E’s notifications work, how much power common devices actually use, and how to keep them running for a night or for days.
Do You Live in an SDG&E High Fire Threat District? Backup Power for Poway, Rancho Bernardo, Scripps Ranch and Rancho Santa Fe
Some San Diego neighborhoods see power shutoffs that coastal homes never do. Here is how to find out whether your address is in the High Fire Threat District, what that means for outages, and how to size backup power for a larger inland home.
Solar Plus Battery vs. a Generator: The Better Backup Plan for SDG&E Power Shutoffs
A generator and a home battery both keep the lights on when SDG&E cuts power for fire weather. They do it in very different ways, and only one of them does anything for you the rest of the year.
Santa Ana Winds and Power Shutoffs: How Solar Plus a Battery Keeps a San Diego Home Running During a PSPS
When SDG&E shuts off lines during fire weather, the outage is planned, announced ahead of time, and can last for days. That makes it the kind of outage a home battery handles best, as long as the system is ready before the wind arrives.
What the Rules Actually Require: Permits, Setbacks and Inspection for San Diego Rooftop Solar
Most of what decides your system’s size and shape happens before a single panel is ordered — in the fire code, the electrical code, and SDG&E’s interconnection queue. Here is what each one requires, and why the meter does not spin backwards the day the panels go up. If you have started collecting quotes, you […]
How to Choose a Powerwall Installer in San Diego (and What Certification Actually Buys You)
The hardware is identical whoever installs it. What differs is whether the system is sized to your rate plan, commissioned correctly, and enrolled in the rebate programs before the money runs out — and those are the parts that decide what you actually get back. A Tesla Powerwall 3 is the same battery no matter […]
How High Can Solar Panel Wattage Actually Go — and Does It Matter for Your Roof?
Panel wattage has climbed steadily and homeowners now ask for the biggest number on the page. The honest answer is that most of that gain is physical size, not better technology — and what actually matters is watts per square foot of your roof. Somewhere in the quoting process nearly every homeowner asks the same […]