Anyone here have solar panels?

[Rockhead261]

I've perused a few websites and come to the conclusion that most of the companies in my area are simply benefiting from federal credits and screwing unwitting homeowners. The marketing around here has been ridiculous. I get flyers in the mail every other day and phone calls every week. I even had my shepherd greet a solar solicitor at the top of my driveway last month. But I'm curious if it's worth the time/money/trouble. My questions are:

1. What kind of system do you have? (I don't think I'd want a battery bank...)
2. What did it cost you?
3. What was/is the break-even point?
4. Would you do it again?

My raised ranch has a massive southern exposure and would be a great candidate, but I may only have ~5 years left here before I look to move south. Then again, a quality system might be a good selling point.

What sayeth the GJ?

 

[kd3pc]

My system is self installed and fills my needs.

The "systems" being marketed to you are indeed the result of healthy offsets by the state/local/feds

2. Cost is unique to the system you desire...grid tie, off grid, etc, etc Not enough info to provide anything meaningful

3. For many there will not be a break even point, as more and more utilities are applying fees and such for you to have the option of selling back power to them, for you NOT using their infrastructure, and fees supporting the taxes and maintenance that you are no longer paying, since you are no longer a customer.

4. In the right situation PV panel systems are fantastic, but that is not what we are talking about here.

Southern exposure is only one part of the equation, you need to do power budgets and installation plans as well.

A quality system is seldom a selling point outside Hawaii and parts of CA/NV.

 

[Ipassgas]

I have a 4kw system, grid tied.

I don't remember the exact cost, but after all rebates, was about $8k IIRC.

The break even point WAS 7-8 years in a perfect world, but kd3pc point #3 above is accurate. They are totally rejigging the billing/fee structure next month. I have no idea what the net change to me is, but I do know it is very bad. Very. Very. Bad. I may never break even bad.

The power companies/govt are going to protect their interests, and my interests and their interests don't quite align.

I don't know if I'd do it again, because the new fee structure is a black box to me. If they can change it unilaterally at will for me, they can do it for you too.

 

[K-Dog]

*subscribing*

 

[jives]

There are a number of threads on this topic; I urge the poster to check them out. In general, our 8.1 kW system was about $36K. $12K NYSERDA rebate paid directly to solar installer, $12K in tax credits, $12K out of pocket. Payback time in a total of 11 years. I'll know then if it was worth it.

 

[JCQuick]

I don't have one now But had one on my last home. I paid like 8-10 grand for it back then I think I got like 4k back on my taxes (80's ) but it really worked well and I did save a boat load of money. So when building this house(2004) I looked into it and found some thing like what I had for $2500.00.

Heres what I really liked about mine it was only on the water heater It came with a 80gal hot water heater, and like a 4'x8' solar panel on top of that was a photo cell that powered a 24vdc pump mounted to the pipes above the water heater. This water heater had 1 element in it and I keep the breaker turned off 9-10 months out of the year. I had that system for a good 12 years and only had to replace a valve on the panel that would vent water when it would get to freezing temps I'm in Florida so that's rare

I really wish I had done it when building this place but we have so dam many trees I didn't think it would work

 

[hh76]

What are your electric rates?

Doubtful it would pay back within 5yrs, not unless you pay a lot for electricity, and get it installed for cheap.

Should help with resale, but I don't think I'd be doing it if I knew I were moving soon.

 

[bgarrett]

You could take it with you when you move

 

[92GreenYJ]

We bought our house with a system already installed. I know it's tied to the grid and we sell back to the power company. Don't recall offhand the specs of the array. All I know for sure is that in the almost three years we have owned the house I have never once paid an electric bill. My monthly statement from the power company this month shows I owe -$256. Yeah. I like our system.

 

[walrus]

There are a number of threads on this topic; I urge the poster to check them out. In general, our 8.1 kW system was about $36K. $12K NYSERDA rebate paid directly to solar installer, $12K in tax credits, $12K out of pocket. Payback time in a total of 11 years. I'll know then if it was worth it.

Not sure when that system was done but seems high. Is it grid tied?

 

[Rockhead261]

Hmm, mixed reviews...

I have no idea what my utility would credit me for surplus juice, so that and installation cost are the big factors. I'd also like to know if there's some sort of limit to how low credits would go; I'd hate to be promised $X per kwh only to have them drop it to .25X in 4 or 5 years.

<sigh>

I really don't want to invite some jackass salesman to my house. Might look at some DIY systems. Still learning.

 

[ludakris04]

My neighbors seem to be going with the SolarCity type route.. Seems scammy to me, but that could just be my opinion.

I would like to do a small array, but my current bills are in the $80 range.. it would take a long time to break even....

My cousin did a massive tower mounted array that tracks the sun.. he doesnt think it will ever break even, but it was what he wanted to do...

 

[brianh]

I have a 10k system on its second year now, grid tied, last year we only paid an electric bill in dec-jan and that was about less than half of what we used to have. cost was around 13k. I did it for more than just economic reasons.

I also put a 160 sq ft hot water solar panel on my shops south facing wall the hot water pumps into the slab in the winter, I am going to make another it works so well.

 

[refried]

I installed about 20 panels on a friends shop, It worked out so well he put another 20 on his HI house. No batteries, no maintenance. the credit price from the power company have gone down since more and more people have solar but He's still happy.

 

[jives]

Not sure when that system was done but seems high. Is it grid tied?

Yes, it is grid tied. Two years ago by Astrum Solar. High efficiency panels, 20 year warranty, roof installed, micro inverters. It was part of a county-wide solar initiative here in central NY. I did round up.

 

[kwschumm]

One thing about solar is that the panels need to be kept CLEAN to achieve the rated power generation. Since they are typically wired in series, shading and dirt on a single panel will reduce the power of the entire array. I worked at a company that built solar optimizers (basically they are DC-DC converters on each panel to raise voltage on low performing panels) and was astounded at the power drop by something as simple as bird **** on one panel or the corner of a panel shaded by a chimney. Some of the installations mount the panels at unreachable locations where they are NEVER cleaned except by occasional rain and you know they are performing at well less than optimum. Commercial solar generation facilities typically have built in cleaning systems to clean panels regularly, residential panels usually are just bare panels that will always underperform due to dust/dirt/**** or shading due to growing trees or rooflines.

Sometimes people think that their solar service company is ripping them off because a system used to generate more than it is currently, and then blame the company for jiggering the billing. My bet is that much of this underperformance is due to simple shading or dirt.

 

[Diesel Dan]

I know of a couple people that went with off grid whole house systems that ran ~$36K.

Main reason was it would cost $17,000 just to run power to the build site.

 

[nadogail]

We have panels at my house, my outlay was $2500 or maybe $3000.

Our electric bill was about $275 per month, it is now $133.26 per month.

PM me and I will put you in touch with my Solar Power connection.

 

[kd3pc]

We have panels at my house, my outlay was $2500 or maybe $3000.

Our electric bill was about $275 per month, it is now $133.26 per month.

PM me and I will put you in touch with my Solar Power connection.

skeptic in me, says these numbers just don't add up. been doing this for quite a while and have never seen this return on investment.

Please provide details. That price would not even buy the panels on today's market???

 

[nadogail]

skeptic in me, says these numbers just don't add up. been doing this for quite a while and have never seen this return on investment.

Please provide details. That price would not even buy the panels on today's market???

We don't own or lease the solar system, we just committed to buy our power at a fixed price from the solar company that owns and maintains the system for the next 20 years. It is called a Power Purchase Agreement, PM me and I will put you in touch with my supplier.

 

[rsanter]

Where are you?
What are your electric rates?
What are your electric bills

Solar PV is great if done right. You need to get the right price per watt installed. Typically you can get systems installed for under $5 per watt.
You need to have a bill over about $150 a month to even think about it
You need to call your ROI so you kmow the payback on the system.
Do not rent or lease a system, you get screwed
Do not try to zero your bill, just get it lower or much lower than it currently is.

You need to look at energy efficient measures first, lighting upgrades and other things pay themselves back faster than solar

Bob

 

[Syberia]

Previous summer electric bills were in the $300-$400 range. This month it's going to be around $80. That's with the hot tub running that we had to turn off last year because it was jacking up the bills too much.

We're paying for it monthly with no down payment and the electric bill + solar payment is lower than just the electric bill by itself would have been without solar, so it's already saving us money.