Use the Power of the Sun

Offering Solar Power Equipment for Renewable Energy

Generate Your Own Electricity Through Solar Energy Solution

Call us today for ALL your solar needs. We sell all solar products, so if you are the do-it-yourself type. Or if you need help, we have partnered with certified installers for your residential and motorhome installations. Not ready to go completely solar? A small backup might be the answer for power outages to keep your essential items like your refrigerator.

About Us

Peter J. Balzli moved to Clarksville TN from Key West FL with his wife Lynda, to be by his daughters and grandchildren. He has always loved everything about solar when he lived in Key West his house was completely solar.

When he moved to Clarkesville he wanted to start a solar business, he likes teaching people about solar. As well as running his own house on solar. Pete and his daughters Bridjette and Melissa started Middle Tennessee Solar LLC; to bring quality solar at affordable prices.

We offer full solar for your house or just backup power for important things like refrigerators or freezers.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between modified and pure sine?

How long will my inverter last with "X" number of batteries?

When choosing batteries for your battery bank, you should consider two things; what you are running and how long you want to run your system?

Now you can take the output AC amps to multiply them by the volts output (vac) to figure watts. Then, watts divided by input volts (VDC) give the DC amps consumed per hour. Once you have your DC amps per hour, you need to include the power loss through the inversion, which is about 10%. Generally, you should just multiply your DC amps per hour by 1.1 and this will give you the right amount in your final DC amps required total.

Amps ac (your load) x Volts ac = Watts
Watts/Voltage dc = Amps dc per hour required
Amps dc per hour x 1.1 = actual Amps dc

What size inverter do I need?

Do you carry an inverter designed for emergency backup power? Sump pump, furnace blower, refrigerator, computer, etc.

What type of batteries should I use?

How much power can I get from my cigarette lighter?

How do I wire batteries together? What is series vs. parallel?

Correct wiring of your battery bank is important. When your batteries are not wired correctly, your system may not work, and/or permanent damage could occur. So, always remember that series increases the voltage, and parallel increases the amps. Series is achieved by connecting positive of battery one to negative of battery two. Parallel is achieved by connecting batteries positive to positive and negative to negative.

What size cables should I use?

Cable sizing is determined by the size of your inverter. National Electric Code standards are strongly suggested when wiring a system. Recommended sizing is as follows; #4 gauge is not to exceed 157 amps DC (approximately 1500 watts), 1/0 is not to exceed 291 amps (approximately 3,500 watts), and 4/0 is not to exceed 454 amps (approximately 5,000 watts). These ratings are based on a 12-volt system.

How far should the inverter be from my batteries?

Will my car/truck electrical system handle an inverter? If so, what size?

Do your inverters have a high and low-voltage shutdown?

Can I use my power inverter in a marine environment?

How does a transfer switch work?

What is the advantage/ disadvantage of 12, 24, 48 volts?

The advantages of different voltages are as follows. The higher voltage battery bank can be more efficient, due to smaller cable sizes which can lead to less current, less voltage drop, and less heat. Also, higher voltage battery banks typically have multiple batteries in series to increase the voltage; this increases the amount of charge and discharge cycles your batteries are capable of handling. Disadvantages for different voltages are as follows, lower voltage battery banks are typically used for smaller systems and these battery banks may be less efficient and may consume more DC power than higher voltage systems.

Can an AIMS Power inverter be wired directly to an electrical panel?

Service panels are compatible with AIMS inverters; however, if you are looking to produce 120/240 Vac you will need to use an AIMS Power split phase inverter. Please feel free to call us if you need more detail about split-phase power inverters.

Grounding the neutral Vac is a feature of our single-phase units, with the exception of the “no-frills models” (pwrb1000, pwrb1250, pwrb2500, and the bct010009d).

If you are planning to connect a power inverter to a service panel where AC is present. Please call us or consult a qualified electrician. You can destroy your power inverter if this is not done properly, by back-feeding AC into the inverter.

A Few Helpful Inverter Tips:

Never leave an inverter connected to a line where other power (Vac) may feed into the inverter. It doesn’t matter if the inverter is on or off. Unless your inverter is a grid-tie inverter.
Using inverters in moist areas is a common cause for their drivers to burn out. Even an outdoor extension cord that was lying in a puddle a day previously may have enough moisture to burn out the drivers of the inverter. Tip: if using an inverter in rain one day, allow cords that may have gotten wet to dry a few days before using in inverter again.
Always prevent foreign objects from entering the inverter through the vent or fan openings.
Keep cables between inverter and batteries as short as possible. This will help your batteries perform their best.
Always use sealed batteries if you want to keep the inverter close to the battery bank.
Don’t overtighten nuts to battery or inverter, but do check them occasionally to ensure they are snug.
If the cables between your battery and inverter get hot while under heavy load, then you should consider using heavier cables.
Both “hot” and “neutral” lines are hot on many inverters. Do not ground the neutral line. Do not connect neutral to panels that may have neutral grounded unless you are sure that the input and outputs of the inverter are isolated. Call the inverter manufacturer to verify.
Using a 12Vdc inverter, your input Voltage should never exceed 15Vdc (17Vdc for some models) or the inverter may shut down with Over-Temp and you should hear an audible beep. This may cause permanent damage to an inverter.
When selecting an inverter, try to buy one that will stay in the continuous operating range and do not rely on advertised surges. This will help your inverter last longer and operate more efficiently.

Standard 110Vac outlets are typically rated at 1500W or 15Amps. This is for heat dissipation through the outlet and is typically not a limitation of the inverter.
If cables need to be run, it is best to keep the inverter as close as possible to your sealed deep cycle batteries. Use extension cords on the output side (AC output) rather than extending the DC cables. Tip: Contractors often need to mount the inverter in the back of their trucks. In a case like this, it would be best to mount a secondary battery near the inverter and wire it to the primary truck battery.
An inline fuse is recommended in any inverter system, to protect your batteries from a ground fault fire.
Ac plug testers do not work with most inverters. You will see an open ground.
Be aware of lightning storms. If struck, the inverter could go to a permanent over-load state and may even smoke.
AC extension cords should not exceed 100 feet or you will have a voltage drop and not push enough power down the line.
Inverters emit RF and may cause interference. This is noticeable in AM radio and often monitors and computer mice.
Never parallel multiple inverter outputs. This will generally burn the ac drivers out.
If the inverter does not turn on or has a constant beeping sound, verify you have the proper input voltage supplied to it. Also, ensure the battery connections are clean and secure.
Never start a vehicle with an inverter turned on, this will cause eventual and permanent damage to inverters.
If you do run cables from battery to inverter that have any chance of shorting to a chassis or ground, it is best to fuse the + battery cable nearest to the battery as possible.