Curious about what's actually happening once your crew gets to work? Here's a look at the equipment that goes into your system and what to expect during the installation itself.
What to expect during the installation
Once the work begins, there's nothing you need to do. Your crew handles everything. That said, it is a construction site — stay clear of the work areas, including spaces directly beneath where they're working on the roof.
While noise and disruptions should be fairly minimal, you may hear some noise: footsteps, drill sounds, that kind of thing.
Depending on your project and location, you may also experience:
Your crew needing attic access at various points during the day
A brief power interruption — if needed, this is typically very short
An on-site inspection as part of the installation process
Solar panels
Solar panels, also called photovoltaics or PV modules, are attached to your roof where they capture energy from the sun and convert it into direct current (DC) electricity.
Each panel is made with layers of silicon, a semiconductive material that generates electricity when exposed to light. When sunlight strikes the panels, electrons in the silicon become energized, creating a negative charge. Those electrons connect with positively charged protons, producing an electric current.
Palmetto installations use premium solar panels in solid black with an efficiency rating greater than 19.8%. Efficiency measures how much sunlight a panel converts into usable electricity — most residential panels on the market fall between 15% and 20%, so our minimum threshold puts every Palmetto system at the top of the standard range. The all-black design means no visible frames or grid lines, just clean coverage across your roof.
In most U.S. markets, our panel power rating is 395 to 405 watts. Every panel manufacturer we work with meets a minimum 25-year product warranty and 25-year linear performance guarantee.
Inverter
Your inverter converts the DC electricity your panels produce into AC electricity your home can use. It's typically installed near your electrical panel, meter, or AC disconnect.
Palmetto works with two inverter types depending on your system design:
SolarEdge: A single central inverter. DC electricity from all your panels travels to one location where it's converted to AC.
Enphase microinverters: Each panel has its own inverter. Conversion happens at the panel level, and AC electricity travels to a central combiner.
AC disconnect
The AC disconnect is a small box with an on/off lever that controls the flow of AC electricity between your inverter and the grid. It's typically installed near your electricity meter.
Mounting, wiring, and conduit
Your Build Partner will use mounting hardware to attach panels to your roof and connect all system components with wiring routed through electrical conduit — a protective sleeve that runs through your attic when accessible and along the exterior of your home where needed.
After the installation
Once the work is complete, your Build Partner will walk through the site with you, answer any questions, and confirm the area is clear before they leave. They'll also connect with you to schedule your inspection.
You may get a short survey on your phone in the days that follow. We'd love to hear how it went.