Residential Solar???

Snakethat

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Hey fellas,

I have received some quotes for a solar install from a few companies. I was wondering ur thoughts, experiences, price and whether or not its worth it if you did have it installed. I have a guy coming out tomorrow at 2 and then wednesday in the morning. Looking to have them installed on the ground as I see no benefit of having them installed on the roof unless u lived in a subdivision or town and don't have the space. My initial quotes as I just rounded up my bill were rather frightening but they are redoing them since i have given them usage for the last year.

Thanks for the input
 

tjm73

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I have about 1800-2700 sq-ft of roof that has 100% sun 100% of the year. No shade. I have considered solar, but do not wish to buy them. Have thought about renting the "space". So it would be interesting to see others experiences to me as well.
 

nawagner

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Review their utility cost assumptions against your actual rates. Also ask about their future rates assumptions. Some companies assume a 5-10% year over year increase to make their numbers work and utility rates increase much less than that and in fact are steady or declining in some places. Check the interconnection costs and ask your utility about what is required. Check with your insurance company for any coverage or issues that might exist. Will it impact property taxes? Lease or buy? Can you pay off early if leasing? Does the kwh rate change over time? Who gets any state and federal incentives/tax credits? If leased who pays maintenance? See if they are calculating net metering (getting paid for excess production) into the equation. I think it is phased out in Indiana.
 

tjm73

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Yeah that will hurt solar significantly.
 

Marble

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I bought mine. It cost me $34000 for a system that would be about $50000 retail. 3000sf house. I think it's a 16kw system. My true up this year was $1000 for the year. After getting rid of a few trees I should be at $0 this time next year.

The system is mounted on the roof and I have a lot of trees on my property. I recently removed four very large oak trees that were blocking a lot of my sunlight. I normally pay $700-$1100 monthly starting in June thru September. I will have it paid off in about 3 months. I paid around $8000 annually for electricity. So my break even is about 4 years.

I got a loan for my solar. I wrote a check for $25k and financed the rest.

There is no maintenance i know of, the panels last 25-30 years. I guess maybe I should clean them off after the rainy season. I'm not going anywhere until I retire in 12-13 years.

I had enough expenses related to the installation last year to write off for my taxes that I had some to roll over into this year. You basically get 30% of your overall cost back in taxes the year you do the install.

My energy company is PG and E. Very expensive. I figured it was investing in my house and eventually lowering my monthly living expenses. A lot of people here in Cali are doing it. I would never lease or rent it.
 

Marble

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From the research and info I had from several installers, the German panels made more energy, lasted longer, and had the longer warrunty.

Chinese panels were not considered.
 

Snakethat

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Snakethat

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Man you guys really take a beating on the price of electricity. We pay right around the 3000 to 3400 mark a year. Im looking at this from the standpoint of lowering my standard of living costs when i enter retirement. Im not looking to sell power back to the company I'm just looking at my out of pocket costs. Hopefully after today ill feel a bit better about it


I bought mine. It cost me $34000 for a system that would be about $50000 retail. 3000sf house. I think it's a 16kw system. My true up this year was $1000 for the year. After getting rid of a few trees I should be at $0 this time next year.

The system is mounted on the roof and I have a lot of trees on my property. I recently removed four very large oak trees that were blocking a lot of my sunlight. I normally pay $700-$1100 monthly starting in June thru September. I will have it paid off in about 3 months. I paid around $8000 annually for electricity. So my break even is about 4 years.

I got a loan for my solar. I wrote a check for $25k and financed the rest.

There is no maintenance i know of, the panels last 25-30 years. I guess maybe I should clean them off after the rainy season. I'm not going anywhere until I retire in 12-13 years.

I had enough expenses related to the installation last year to write off for my taxes that I had some to roll over into this year. You basically get 30% of your overall cost back in taxes the year you do the install.

My energy company is PG and E. Very expensive. I figured it was investing in my house and eventually lowering my monthly living expenses. A lot of people here in Cali are doing it. I would never lease or rent it.
 

Snakethat

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Yes Indiana is phasing that out and honestly I can't blame them for that. My interests are lowering my costs going into retirement which I probably have another 15 years before I get there. With that said I wasn't looking to produce more than I actually use. Thanks for all the good insight. I have armed myself with questions i already had and more from you guys when he gets here today



Review their utility cost assumptions against your actual rates. Also ask about their future rates assumptions. Some companies assume a 5-10% year over year increase to make their numbers work and utility rates increase much less than that and in fact are steady or declining in some places. Check the interconnection costs and ask your utility about what is required. Check with your insurance company for any coverage or issues that might exist. Will it impact property taxes? Lease or buy? Can you pay off early if leasing? Does the kwh rate change over time? Who gets any state and federal incentives/tax credits? If leased who pays maintenance? See if they are calculating net metering (getting paid for excess production) into the equation. I think it is phased out in Indiana.
 

tjm73

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If I were to do solar it would also not be about about making money by selling back power. I would only be interested in zeroing out my electric bill and covering my installation & operation expenses. Basically getting free power. If I could do that, I'd be very interested.
 

AndrewNagle

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I am looking at putting a cabin on our property and it is too far from the house to run electricity.Thinking ground solar to power the cabin, the cabin is in the woods with a clear southern facing field not too far away. So completely off grid
 

tjm73

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I am looking at putting a cabin on our property and it is too far from the house to run electricity.Thinking ground solar to power the cabin, the cabin is in the woods with a clear southern facing field not too far away. So completely off grid

LED lights and propane powered appliances will be your friend. A tiny generator could power the electrical needs and propane for the fridge and cooking like an RV uses.
 

tjm73

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Was thinking a little more....

3.5hp+ old lawn mower engine. Could even convert it to run off propane. Build a custom exhaust to make it quiet. Build a quiet box to further quiet it. Hook up a car alternator at about a 3:1 ratio. Install a couple deep cycle batteries if you don't want to run the improvised generator at night. Should give about 1400watts of electricity. If you buy and wire the electrical in the small cabin for 12VDC (needs bigger wires and/or shorter runs) you will have about 110A to work with. If you convert it to AC you will need a convertor and you will have about 11A to work with. If you are only running lights and nothing else 120VAC or 12VDC either way is fine. LED lights don't need much amperage either way. If you are going to run a TV, you can set up a new flat screen low power and run it either through a convertor at 120VAC or wire it to run straight at the voltage it requires. Some of the smaller TV's use low voltage DC, like laptop level voltages around 19VDC, and convert your house 120VAC to that VDC needed.

Or something like this for small loads. I have a 7000W emergency generator from this mfg that has been good so far. I've used it for camping and once when power was out for a few hours at my house.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Sportsma...=online&wl12=46542330&wl13=&veh=sem#read-more


Think about wiring as if you are wiring a boat or a camper. I think this would be cheaper than the solar option if you scrounge and be resourceful.

You just have to make sure that you wire for what ever you are hooking up AND what you hook up is for the supplied power level. You can buy 12VDC LED light bulbs that use regular light sockets. Hook any old lamp up to 12VDC and you are good to go.

Look into composting for the blackwater. I imagine the "load" would be kinda small. As in not a lot of people?
 
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Marble

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If I were to do solar it would also not be about about making money by selling back power. I would only be interested in zeroing out my electric bill and covering my installation & operation expenses. Basically getting free power. If I could do that, I'd be very interested.
That is how mine was designed, but trees have prevented full sun and last year we had a lot of rain.

When you build, build for the future...build so you can turn down the AC.
 

Marble

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I am looking at putting a cabin on our property and it is too far from the house to run electricity.Thinking ground solar to power the cabin, the cabin is in the woods with a clear southern facing field not too far away. So completely off grid
You would want a solar/battery system. Very possible and has been done many times.
 

Snakethat

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So my actual quote is as follows

2.60 per watt
102%
system size 24.1kWh
55,000.00
after tax credit 38,560

Indiana is passing the net metering law but I wasn't looking to sell it anyway.

I know my wife will think its too much and I don't want to dish out 55k right now so I'm having them send me 50% and 75% and then i can build from that in the future.

The planned tariffs sounds like it won't change the price all that much. Right around the 3% to 4% but who knows right now

The guy said 5 years ago a system like this would be north of 100k. Could u imagine

Anyway thought id post some numbers for you guys
 

nawagner

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So you are looking at around a 11-12 year simple payback which puts you right in line with your goal of reduced costs in retirement.
 
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Snakethat

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Nawagner is correct the payback would be just a hair over 11 years.

My 75% quote was for 36k but doesn't include running the trench from panels to house which i will do myself. They want entirely too much to do the trenching. 300ft for 4500.

Payback on the 75 is 11.8 years. So i can live with that. I think we are going to go ahead and do it. I have to take some more trees down which i love doing anyway with an excavator
 

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