[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":105},["ShallowReactive",2],{"page-\u002Ftools":3,"author-mike":48,"linklist-\u002Fwizard,\u002Ftools\u002Fis-it-worth-it,\u002Ftools\u002Forientation,\u002Ftools\u002Futility-finder":90,"linklist-\u002Ftools\u002Fcompliance-checker,\u002Ftools\u002Foutlet-check,\u002Ftools\u002Fbuyers-checklist":99,"linklist-\u002Ftools\u002Fletter":104},{"id":4,"title":5,"author":6,"bare":7,"body":8,"dateModified":36,"datePublished":36,"description":37,"extension":38,"howToSteps":39,"kits":39,"layout":40,"meta":41,"navigation":7,"path":42,"schemaType":43,"seo":44,"sources":39,"stem":45,"targetKeywords":39,"titleTag":46,"translationOf":39,"__hash__":47},"content\u002Ftools\u002Findex.md","Tools","mike",true,{"type":9,"value":10},"minimark",[11,16,24,30],[12,13],"hero",{":actions":14,"lede":15},"[{\"label\":\"Start with the calculator\",\"href\":\"\u002Fwizard\",\"primary\":true}]","Eight things that do the work for you. None of them need an email address, and none of them pass your details to anyone.",[17,18,20],"page-section",{"title":19},"Before you decide",[21,22],"link-list",{":paths":23},"[\"\u002Fwizard\",\"\u002Ftools\u002Fis-it-worth-it\",\"\u002Ftools\u002Forientation\",\"\u002Ftools\u002Futility-finder\"]",[17,25,27],{"title":26},"Before you buy",[21,28],{":paths":29},"[\"\u002Ftools\u002Fcompliance-checker\",\"\u002Ftools\u002Foutlet-check\",\"\u002Ftools\u002Fbuyers-checklist\"]",[17,31,33],{"title":32},"To get permission",[21,34],{":paths":35},"[\"\u002Ftools\u002Fletter\"]","2026-09-01","Free tools for California plug-in solar: a savings calculator, a compliance checker, an outlet check, a landlord letter generator, and more.","md",null,"index",{},"\u002Ftools","WebPage",{"title":5,"description":37},"tools\u002Findex","Balcony Solar Tools | Calculators and Checkers","IYf9Ilgkv6S4FdvJ7uNMQ2TMLE-kEHpB3z8sDkYOSk0",{"id":49,"title":50,"body":51,"description":81,"email":79,"extension":38,"location":82,"meta":83,"name":59,"navigation":7,"path":84,"photo":85,"role":86,"sameAs":39,"seo":87,"stem":88,"__hash__":89},"authors\u002Fauthors\u002Fmike.md","Mike",{"type":9,"value":52},[53,61,64,69,72],[54,55,56,60],"p",{},[57,58,59],"strong",{},"Mike Yu"," started SmallSolarCo after working out that a plug-in panel was the only kind of solar available to him — he rents in Irvine with a west-facing balcony and no roof of his own. He is not an electrician, a solar installer, or a lawyer, and the site says so wherever it matters. He has a background building web products, and built the savings model here himself, using NREL irradiance data and Southern California Edison's published rates.",[54,62,63],{},"Since September 2026 he has been running a plug-in kit on that balcony and logging what it actually produces. Every measured figure on this site comes from that kit. Everything else is labelled as an estimate.",[65,66,68],"h2",{"id":67},"editorial-independence","Editorial independence",[54,70,71],{},"We don't accept review units on terms that involve anyone approving the review first. If a manufacturer sends us a kit, we say so on the review, and we keep the right to publish a bad one.",[54,73,74,75,80],{},"Reach him at ",[76,77,79],"a",{"href":78},"mailto:hello@smallsolarco.com","hello@smallsolarco.com",".","Mike Yu started SmallSolarCo after working out that a plug-in panel was the only kind of solar available to him — he rents in Irvine with a west-facing balcony and no roof of his own. He is not an electrician, a solar installer, or a lawyer, and the site says so wherever it matters. He has a background building web products, and built the savings model here himself, using NREL irradiance data and Southern California Edison's published rates.","Irvine, California",{},"\u002Fauthors\u002Fmike","\u002Fimages\u002Fauthors\u002Fmike.jpg","Founder",{"description":81},"authors\u002Fmike","kb0uodhMlGk_YV3nMOIXdr6bpZgtB5zNoRxdGxsXMQ8",[91,95],{"path":92,"title":93,"description":94},"\u002Ftools\u002Fis-it-worth-it","Is it worth it for someone like me?","Fourteen common situations and a straight verdict for each — north-facing renters, home workers, café owners, people who already have rooftop solar.",{"path":96,"title":97,"description":98},"\u002Ftools\u002Forientation","Which way does your balcony face?","Thirty seconds with your phone compass, and what each direction is worth. South is best, west is close, north usually isn't worth buying.",[100],{"path":101,"title":102,"description":103},"\u002Ftools\u002Fbuyers-checklist","The buyer's checklist","What to check about your place, about the kit, and what to do the day it arrives. Printable, one page.",[],1788387857699]