Home solar system/install

[j.mo]

Anyone diy'd solar on their home or have a system installed in general? I've been contemplating it as I have quite a bit of money in the slush fund laying dormant providing me no return, or not doing anything.
So I might as well throw it to solar. What kind of return can I realistically expect from solar on my home when factoring in opportunity cost of the money tied up and not present elsewhere, wear and tear prorated towards maintenance and repair over the life of panels and inverters etc. 5, 8, 10%? If so, I'll happily do it and live in an icebox with a smile . If not I think I'll just save the hassle.

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[Andad]

Are you guys using battery storage systems or back to the grid?

[j.mo]

Originally Posted by directioneng

Are you guys using battery storage systems or back to the grid?

I'm thinking grid tie will be the most cost effective. But i am unsure. I have not ventured much into the solar world. I've always believed the "savings" and "investment" to be a bit of hocus pocus pushed by sleazy sales companies

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[Abdullah71601]

I live is southern Arkansas and we have favorable cloud cover for solar. But when I looked into it, the ROI didn't happen within the life span of the system (I would be replacing expensive components long before they paid off).

If you don't have high electric bills, it's hard to make the math work for solar.

[singe89]

Did solar 3 years ago now and was one of the best purchases ever!

I was an electrical Nazi chasing my wife and 3 kids around turning off lights and never running the air conditioners (really don't NEED them other than a week or two in summer anyway). Average bill was still around $400 per month and could easily be double that if I ran the AC units. Neighbor with a pool and 4 kids breaks $1k a month in summer.

After the tax credit I think it was a little less than $20k and my bill has been negative ever since. Went a little larger on the system knowing I probably have an electric car or two in the future as well as a pool and kids growing up.

Not having an electric bill is great but the real value is the peace of mind not having to chase the wife and kids down from leaving lights on or even running all 3 central AC units at 68* even if its just slightly too warm like the last few days. In those hot weeks of summer when the Santa Ana winds blow my friends without AC miserable and I'm wearing sweats and turning the fireplace on.

[Blansky]

Originally Posted by singe89

Did solar 3 years ago now and was one of the best purchases ever!

I was an electrical Nazi chasing my wife and 3 kids around turning off lights and never running the air conditioners (really don't NEED them other than a week or two in summer anyway). Average bill was still around $400 per month and could easily be double that if I ran the AC units. Neighbor with a pool and 4 kids breaks $1k a month in summer.

After the tax credit I think it was a little less than $20k and my bill has been negative ever since. Went a little larger on the system knowing I probably have an electric car or two in the future as well as a pool and kids growing up.

Not having an electric bill is great but the real value is the peace of mind not having to chase the wife and kids down from leaving lights on or even running all 3 central AC units at 68* even if its just slightly too warm like the last few days. In those hot weeks of summer when the Santa Ana winds blow my friends without AC miserable and I'm wearing sweats and turning the fireplace on.

I've looked at it and it's a tough call. I pay around $4500-5000 a year for PGE and I have a koi pond and a Jacuzzi, and air conditioning (which I don't often use).

Just not sure investment wise it adds up. I wish in all new housing in California though it was mandatory. Would add very little to the added cost of the home.

[Baco Noir]

Part of the ROI equation is does it increase house value? Unfortunately in Denver, the answer I got from 5 realtors is no - the caveat is that it does increase the desirability to potential buyers if owned, not leased, but the sale price is not affected.

We have a south facing roof and the break even point for my calcs was 7-8 years, and we plan to retire around that time and will move into a smaller place then too, so we'd basically be prepaying our electric bill with no other financial benefit, so we opted to spend the money on improving the landscaping and replacing a 25+ year old fence.

[filsgreen]

Seriously, $400 per month? I pay for a year, what you pay in a month. My gas and electricity costs an average of £1000 per year. Mind you I haven't got a pool, Jacuzzi or A/C.

[singe89]

Originally Posted by Baco Noir

Part of the ROI equation is does it increase house value? Unfortunately in Denver, the answer I got from 5 realtors is no - the caveat is that it does increase the desirability to potential buyers if owned, not leased, but the sale price is not affected.

That is a great point. We plan on staying in this house until the kids are out of college and they are only 5, 4 and 6 months right now so the long time horizon really made sense. Our neighbor just sold their house with solar and while I cant say there was a direct increase in sale price in talking to the new owners they really liked that the house had solar and was one of their buying points since they have 5 kids with a 6th on the way. They also said that they really liked that they couldn't see the panels from the street/front of the house or that would have detracted from them wanting to buy the house.

[j.mo]

In all honesty If I cant get a system that breaks me even within 5 years or so, it is not worth it to me. There is really no upside benefit at that point. To have a 15-20 year roi just to turn around and make repairs and replacements, and have the maintencine and cleaning of the system along the way is just added headache I dont have now.

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[function12]

Originally Posted by j.mo

In all honesty If I cant get a system that breaks me even within 5 years or so, it is not worth it to me. There is really no upside benefit at that point. To have a 15-20 year roi just to turn around and make repairs and replacements, and have the maintencine and cleaning of the system along the way is just added headache I dont have now.

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Agreed. Plus we get huricanes here. Can't imagine solar panel flying through the air.

[Tmac478]

Just got a quote that we'll probably pull the trigger on.
About $35k with a 30% tax credit (credit is being phased out so try to do it this year if possible). System will pay for itself in 6 years and over the next 19 years I'll save $199,000 according to calculations. Also lowering our carbon foot print, which is important to us. Win-win.

[derekhayden]

Originally Posted by filsgreen

Seriously, $400 per month? I pay for a year, what you pay in a month. My gas and electricity costs an average of £1000 per year. Mind you I haven't got a pool, Jacuzzi or A/C.

It's the no A/C that's saving you. About 85% of my electric bill is for A/C. My pool cost the same as running my refrigerator.

[Abdullah71601]

It’s been in the 90’s for weeks now and we have the a/c set at 72 in the day spaces and 70 in the bedrooms. Electric water heater set at 125. Dehumidifier always running. I leave all the lights on. Plus, my glass kilns run at 1300-1500 degrees all weekend long when I’m making marbles.

Electric bill is typically about $130 per month. Solar will never pay off for me.

As for carbon footprint. Energy costs are directly proportional to footprint. My footprint increases installing hardware that is less efficient (cost defines efficiency) than existing hardware. Not to mention the environmental impact extracting the raw materials for batteries and such.

[Fencer]

Insist on break even time calculation - and a REAL one. If it is 15 years or more - walk.

[Blansky]

Personally I like the off the grid mentality although technically you still are but it would be nice to not pay a terrible company like PG&E anymore. Now they're allowed to pass on the costs of their greed and lack of maintenance that caused the fires in California to the taxpayers.

[LandWatch]

Payback will depend where you live and the sun. Absolutely no point for me, living in the uk. I can’t even remember what the sun looks like! But, I’d dearly love to have some sort of self sufficient renewable energy source. I might then have fewer arguments with my wife about the central heating!

[Abdullah71601]

Originally Posted by HighlandWatch

Payback will depend where you live and the sun. Absolutely no point for me, living in the uk. I can’t even remember what the sun looks like! But, I’d dearly love to have some sort of self sufficient renewable energy source. I might then have fewer arguments with my wife about the central heating!

When you figure out how to harness the gloom you will be a billionaire.

[Runnin' Rebel]

6 panel Solar on my roof. Pools at 93 degrees. Forgot to dial down thermostat while gone. I just ordered frozen water to drop in. Just took a part Air conditioner for yearly maintenance, ordered new capacitors and fan motor just Incase. runs like a champ. Next up new seals in pool pump. Now I have to find some R22. Phased out and price is sky high 75.00 per pound. A/C is at 70 at night but runs 12-14 total daily

[TheVTCGuy]

I wish my condo complex would install it, living in SOCAL we sure have the sunshine. It would make me feel a little better using a renewable energy source. Even though my electric bill is a only around $45 a month. I rarely use AC (cooling ocean breeze most of the time). One thing I just bought to help me sleep is the chilipad, basically an AC for your bed. I have trouble sleeping as it is, if it’s a hot night forget it. I tried zoning my AC just to cool my bedroom, which worked OK, but the bill went up. I tried a portable AC but venting was a problem. I figure just using AC to cool my bed was the most efficient solution, kind of like using a heating blanket as opposed to heating up the whole room. I can’t wait to get it and try it out!


https://www.chilitechnology.com/prod...YaAm0VEALw_wcB

[Runnin' Rebel]

Double post

[function12]

Most of the systems I see them pushing are just panels and you are selling excess back to the power company. So, you are on the grid. The grid goes down and I believe you go down too because you have no place to store it (batteries). What happens when they stop letting you sell back the excess? I bet the won't guarantee you can sell it back for the 15,20, 30 years.

[Hanze]

I’ve been using solar panels for about 4 years now, my father installed a pretty good system shaved off a few hundred dollars we also use infrared heating during the winter which seriously cut that expense close to half.

[Blansky]

Originally Posted by function12

Most of the systems I see them pushing are just panels and you are selling excess back to the power company. So, you are on the grid. The grid goes down and I believe you go down too because you have no place to store it (batteries). What happens when they stop letting you sell back the excess? I bet the won't guarantee you can sell it back for the 15,20, 30 years.

Yeah. you're right.

You are essentially just on the grid buying and selling unless you have the very expensive battery system to store excess. And when the power goes off, you have no power. So you are always at the mercy of the power companies.

And that's the problem because the power companies can lobby the govt to get whatever deals they want with the sell back system in the future much like PG&E was able to overturn the law that when they caused the fires in California they were able to raise the rates to cover the law suits.

[LandWatch]

Originally Posted by Abdullah71601

When you figure out how to harness the gloom you will be a billionaire.

Indeed. And not just the weather!

[JasoninDenver]

It doesn’t make sense for me as tying into the grid while generating 120% of my household consumption would show a 9-11 year payoff and my main goal is to generate my own power for my own use. The amount of battery storage at current prices would jack that payoff to 25 years, not accounting for replacement costs.

The one credible salesperson said the price of storage should be falling dramatically over the next five years so we will wait until then. We have wired our house with an essentials panel so the transition to accomodate batteries will be easier later.

[chris242]

Originally Posted by filsgreen

Seriously, $400 per month? I pay for a year, what you pay in a month. My gas and electricity costs an average of £1000 per year. Mind you I haven't got a pool, Jacuzzi or A/C.

How’s that even possible!?


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[Johny]

Originally Posted by chris242

How’s that even possible!?


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My gas and electric is £770.00 a year paid by direct debit and I usually end up in credit. lol.

[Malak]

Balcony power station

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-pDmgEdE-s


Connection with the plug.

http://www.ecubesystems.de/

[Duey]

I helped a friend install one and it was pretty easy. No reason to pay triple the price for a big name installer if you're a handy person.

Here's a good place to start and get some good comps too.

https://www.wholesalesolar.com/solar...tion/diy-solar