About us.
Why we started Solar Devices LLC.
While building our home in the hills of Vermont, we were faced with a decision. The utility company wanted an surprisingly large sum of money to connect the house to the grid, which was 750ft away. For the same amount of money we could invest in a complete 3kW off-grid solar system with a large battery bank! With a background in electrical engineering and a DIY attitude I thought it made sense. From extensive research, I also thought I had a clear understanding of what was involved in living off-grid. I was wrong.
The confusion wasn’t because the online information was wrong, it was more about the information being incomplete. After a few years it became obvious what the real issues with living off-grid were. Following this was an even longer period discovering how to find an economical solution to these issues. The only proven solutions involved a larger investment. For us spending more to live off-grid wasn’t an option, it seemed to defeat the purpose of going off-grid.
How we operate
As a small business competing in a competitive marketplace it was obvious we had to leverage the technology that is already available to us. We couldn’t afford to reinvent the wheel or rely on a large price markup on our product to cover development costs.
As tempting as it is to add additional features such as; wireless, touchscreens and data logging, we chose to remain focused on a quality product that is affordable. Simple to build and to operate while keeping the total cost down.
Everyone has their own reasons for investing in renewable energy. We wanted to make sure an investment with our product always make financial sense to our customers. How do we know we have a successful product? Because we are using it everyday and we know it works.
Where we operate
Designed and manufactured in Vermont. A proud little state that only ranks 46th out of 50 for the amount of sunlight per year in the United States. Only New York and the northwest receive less annual sunlight than Vermont. If our product work for a family of five living off-grid in Vermont, there is a good chance it will work for you.