Safe With Solar: Brent Cash Chooses Renewable Energy to Secure His Family

In Dyer, Indiana an average middle class man decided to incorporate renewable energy into his lifestyle. Brent Cash a 38-year-old business owner and part time police officer wanted security for his wife Peggy and their three children. “We’re an average middle class family in an average middle class neighborhood,” Cash says. He was always interested in solar but that interest grew when he went to visit family in Hawaii and learned they were using solar energy to live completely off grid. After speaking with his family and getting all of the information he could from them, he thought he would give it a try in his own home. “The cost of running utilities is more than it would cost to put your house into solar,” Cash explains.

The idea of being electrically self-sufficient was astonishing to him. “If my power goes out I want my family to be comfortable. It’s about security,” He says. When he returned home from Hawaii he found the Alternative Energy Store on the Internet and began working with James. “In the beginning it looked like I needed $58,000 to set up a system,” Cash says. “I told James what I had to spend and he told me what we could do on my budget.” Cash purchased a Kill-a-Watt Meter and measured what he would need to run one electrical circuit in his home. He did his homework, figuring out the loads. He and James put the components together. “James picked out some great Outback equipment,” Cash says. “He guided me in the right direction.” He paired up with an electrician to help with the installation of his system. Brent Cash, who has also been running his own business “Cash and Sons” for eleven years, enjoyed the installation process. “I’m almost sad to be done with the installation,” Cash replies with enthusiasm. “I had great help from James and support from the website.”

Brent Cash’s system consists of four Shell SQ 165 Photovoltaic modules, 165 Watts each, wired for 660 Watts totals at 48 Volts DC. He used a Two Seas Genesis Pro PV Mounting System to mount the Shell panels to his roof. He has an Outback PS1 3,000 Grid Tie with battery back up inverter charger system. His battery backup system includes four 12 Volt AGM batteries wired in series for 4800 Watt hours at 48 Volts.

He reaps many benefits from his system. He produces enough electricity to off set 15% of his total electrical usage. “For $10,000 I was able to get into a system that would give me money back and provide security for my family.” Cash’s system is now fully installed and being put to good use. When asked about his experience with Renewable Energy and the Alternative Energy Store as a whole he replies, “I am a satisfied customer. It was money well spent.”