Hi Mike, Good luck on your venture.
A few comments about the solar kit from Home Depot: 1st, I like Home Depot for home stuff but I doubt they know much more than diddly squat about Solar. Go to the the Tech Issues Forums on this site and be prepared to be overwhelmed with information.
Most "all inclusive" Solar Systems are barely adequate at best and seriously over priced at worst.
You will need to learn at least the basics of electricity, both AC and DC, then do an energy audit; How much electric power do you really need, How much solar charging (watts will you need and how many batteries (AmpHours) will you need? How big an inverter? (Watts) It is easy spend a lot of cash then find the system doesn't meet your needs. Not enough solar panels will quickly kill your batteries because they never get fully charged. If you have installed minimum wire, controller etc only to find you need more power it can be costly.
There are a lot of knowledgeable people on these forums; Ask lots of questions and sift through the answers for the nuggets. Unfortunately there is some gravel mixed with the gold!
Keep us posted as you progress.
