Sam Whitfield
Solar & batteries
Based in California, US
Sam spent six years installing residential solar before moving to writing full-time, and covers panels, inverters and home batteries.
5 published articles · most recent July 20, 2026
Articles by Sam Whitfield
- What the Efficiency Percentage on a Solar Panel Spec Sheet Actually Buys YouA 22% efficient panel isn't automatically better than a 20% one for your roof. It matters most when roof space is tight and barely matters at all when it isn't.
- String Inverters vs Microinverters vs Power Optimisers: What Actually ChangesThe three topologies all turn DC panel output into usable AC power. The real differences show up when one panel is shaded, when something fails, and how much per-panel data you get.
- How Shading, Even Partial, Even From a Few Trees, Wrecks Solar PaybackA shadow covering ten percent of a string inverter's panels can cut way more than ten percent of the output. Model shading properly before you sign, not after the trees are already blocking your afternoon sun.
- How to Size a Home Solar System (Without Overpaying for Panels You Won't Use)Bigger isn't automatically better. Sizing a solar system properly means matching panel capacity to your roof, your usage pattern, and your export limits — not just filling the roof.
- What a Real Solar or Battery Quote Should Itemise (and What a Bare One Is Hiding)A one-page quote listing only total system size and price is missing almost everything that determines whether the install is any good. Here's the itemised detail a real quote actually includes.
