solar power

[RhodyRams]

I am really thinking about installing some solar panels on my roof this summer. Commercially installed systems cost way too much and I won't get return on my investment for 10-15 years, so don't really want to go that route.

There are some pretty decent DIY systems out there that are relatively easy to get up and running. I have plenty of friends and relatives with the electrical background,

Has anyone gone solar and have any advice or input?

 

[CodeMonkey]

I don't really know a lot about it but its obviously something that would essentially pay back over time by reducing your monthly energy cost. I have a friend who was talking about doing this also. He was saying that he did some checking around and found a supplier that had cheaper equipment because it wasnt UL listed. He said they claimed it was the same quality. So, apparently, if you are willing you can cut corners that way. If you were a licenced commercial installer you'd use the expensive UL equipment but for a do-it-yourselfer it is an option.

 

[RamFan503]

Oddly enough (or so I think it is) talk to your local power company. In a lot of areas they have pretty significant rebates and incentives that can pay for a pretty big chunk of the costs. Also, I believe the Dept of Ag has some grants available. I think we get too much cloud cover and wind here to get a decent payback on the equipment but I have thought about it and talked to our local Ag rep a couple years ago. At the time, there were quite a few gov't funding options.

 

[Ramhusker]

Long story short, no matter what quality you go with, you will not save any money with current technology. By the the time you break even in energy cost savings versus the cost of the system, the system will need to be replaced so it's a zero sum game minus the interest you could of earned on that cash you spent up front on the solar kit. Of course, it may come in handy some days if your power grid goes down but most of those outages are caused by nasty weather which usually would dampen your solar systems effectiveness as well.

 

[cracengl]

I researched it before building my house. Pretty much the only thing I'd consider it for would be heating my hot water. I think they're good for specific tasks like that. But to make a real difference you're looking at a crap ton of them. In Georgia, I didn't really get a ton of sunlight hours on average either.

I ended up doing a more collective process when building. I used t-corner studs to allow more insulation, techshield roof decking, foam insulation outside of my wall sheathing, damp sprayed cellulose in walls, R-44 in attic, foaming all penetrarions, foamed duck work, insulated basement walls, double pane low e windows with argon fill, etc. But the real gem I found was my Water Furnace geothermal heat pump. It also sends the extra hot water it makes to preheat my hot water.

Long story short, I have around 2000 sf and my highest bill has been around $180. That has happened twice, once when it was around 100 for over a week, and once last winter when it stayed exceptionally cold for 2 straight weeks.

I looked at adding solar again after the fact, but it makes even less sense for me now.

 

[Ramhusker]

I researched it before building my house. Pretty much the only thing I'd consider it for would be heating my hot water. I think they're good for specific tasks like that. But to make a real difference you're looking at a crap ton of them. In Georgia, I didn't really get a ton of sunlight hours on average either.

I ended up doing a more collective process when building. I used t-corner studs to allow more insulation, techshield roof decking, foam insulation outside of my wall sheathing, damp sprayed cellulose in walls, R-44 in attic, foaming all penetrarions, foamed duck work, insulated basement walls, double pane low e windows with argon fill, etc. But the real gem I found was my Water Furnace geothermal heat pump. It also sends the extra hot water it makes to preheat my hot water.

Long story short, I have around 2000 sf and my highest bill has been around $180. That has happened twice, once when it was around 100 for over a week, and once last winter when it stayed exceptionally cold for 2 straight weeks.

I looked at adding solar again after the fact, but it makes even less sense for me now.

How long do you think before you recoup your investment? What did the Water Furnace geothermal heat pump set you back? I've always thought those might be a good energy investment.

 

[LesBaker]

I am really thinking about installing some solar panels on my roof this summer. Commercially installed systems cost way too much and I won't get return on my investment for 10-15 years, so don't really want to go that route.

There are some pretty decent DIY systems out there that are relatively easy to get up and running. I have plenty of friends and relatives with the electrical background,

Has anyone gone solar and have any advice or input?

I looked into it several years back and it was a poor investment then, maybe now it's a different story though.

 

[Selassie I]

A good friend of mine swears by his solar powered pool heater. He replaced his regular electric pool heater with it and he saves a bunch.

He claims that he wouldn't want to use solar for anything else in the house though.

 

[bluecoconuts]

It depends on where you live. Here in LA most new houses are being built with solar panels on the roof. It doesn't cover everything of course, but it does offset. A lot of people are getting them installed, added with different discounts they get on installation, they're all quite happy. Of course we get sunlight about 360 days of the year too, so that helps.

The cost of solar is going down and the panels are getting better and better and gathering the energy. You could build them yourself pretty easy, or wait a few years for the cost to drop even further. It would depend on where you live though if its worth it or not.

 

[LesBaker]

A good friend of mine swears by his solar powered pool heater. He replaced his regular electric pool heater with it and he saves a bunch.

He claims that he wouldn't want to use solar for anything else in the house though.

Thats how many pools down here are heated, including the one in my condo complex. They are much cheaper from what I've been told. Even the hot tub is heated that way.

BTW I was back at Jack's the other night..........every time I see the fish tank I think of you LOL.

 

[Selassie I]

Thats how many pools down here are heated, including the one in my condo complex. They are much cheaper from what I've been told. Even the hot tub is heated that way.

BTW I was back at Jack's the other night..........every time I see the fish tank I think of you LOL.

Hahaha

I showed that pic of the tank to our friend Amber the other day. She was the tall blonde. She also couldn't remember seeing it when we were there. LOL. We had a great laugh with that.

I told you we were all totally shit faced that night.

 

[LesBaker]

Hahaha

I showed that pic of the tank to our friend Amber the other day. She was the tall blonde. She also couldn't remember seeing it when we were there. LOL. We had a great laugh with that.

I told you we were all totally crap faced that night.

I would like to give Amber a chance to get another look at the fishtank.

For those of you who are lost here I met Selassie and his lovely hot/crazy wife (see instructional vid posted here awhile back) and a few of their friends. Lots of booze was flowing. In the center of the bar is a HUGE fish tank. We were standing right in the spot this pic was taken from. The next time I was in the bar I snapped a pic and texted it to him since I know he is into fish tanks.

So he asked where that tank was and I told him it was the bar we were at. He had NO idea it was there. It's kinda hard to miss it when you are 20 feet away.........but booze does narrow your focus and field of vision. HAHAHAHAHA.

 

[RamFan503]

A good friend of mine swears by his solar powered pool heater. He replaced his regular electric pool heater with it and he saves a bunch.

He claims that he wouldn't want to use solar for anything else in the house though.

That must be a tall order where you are. That thing must have to heat the water from 79 all the way up to 80.

 

[RamFan503]

I would like to give Amber a chance to get another look at the fishtank.

For those of you who are lost here I met Selassie and his lovely hot/crazy wife (see instructional vid posted here awhile back) and a few of their friends. Lots of booze was flowing. In the center of the bar is a HUGE fish tank. We were standing right in the spot this pic was taken from. The next time I was in the bar I snapped a pic and texted it to him since I know he is into fish tanks.

So he asked where that tank was and I told him it was the bar we were at. He had NO idea it was there. It's kinda hard to miss it when you are 20 feet away.........but booze does narrow your focus and field of vision. HAHAHAHAHA.

What tank?

 

[Selassie I]

I would like to give Amber a chance to get another look at the fishtank.

For those of you who are lost here I met Selassie and his lovely hot/crazy wife (see instructional vid posted here awhile back) and a few of their friends. Lots of booze was flowing. In the center of the bar is a HUGE fish tank. We were standing right in the spot this pic was taken from. The next time I was in the bar I snapped a pic and texted it to him since I know he is into fish tanks.

So he asked where that tank was and I told him it was the bar we were at. He had NO idea it was there. It's kinda hard to miss it when you are 20 feet away.........but booze does narrow your focus and field of vision. HAHAHAHAHA.

Don't take this the wrong way, but her boyfriend is older than you and he isn't ever gonna marry her. She knows this and is always looking for somebody who will be interested in a serious relationship. Amber's smoking hot sister lives down there too. She's who we stayed with... and is married to that dipshit whiner fan you met. LOL

SO ... if you want me to... I could put a bug in her ear.

 

[Selassie I]

That must be a tall order where you are. That thing must have to heat the water from 79 all the way up to 80.

Believe it or not. When you have a screened in pool enclosure, the water stays a lot cooler. Like less than 75 degrees even in 100 degree weather. That shit is way too cold. LOL. He keeps that pool heated to over 80 year round... it's great.

You can't really get a tan in those screened in pools either. But no bugs or leaves.

 

[cracengl]

How long do you think before you recoup your investment? What did the Water Furnace geothermal heat pump set you back? I've always thought those might be a good energy investment.

The installer figured up 5 years ROI. I figured up more like 7,'but whatever. My house is around 2000 sf, so it's a 3 ton unit. I also bought the dual stage version that makes it capable of conditioning my basement, plus the basement return, ducts, and thermostat. Total, with the system, labor, ducts, lines in the ground, etc. it was about 22k. But the 30% tax credit gives covers the complete install and nets me about 6800 back. I just haven't been able to take it all at once because it only gives you the credit based on what you've paid in for the year. But it rolls over for up to 5'years, so I'm happy.

 

[Dagonet]

Panels are only like 1/3 of the cost. The convertors make up a lot of the cost. You have to change that DC into AC. Then wire that into your house system. Do you want a battery backup, or are you going to use the grid as your backup? I researched solar last winter, then put it on the back burner as we have to get our crawl space encapsulated. That's going to run us at least 13K.

Cracengl was correct on tax credits. They're great for right now. I believe the 30% (?) runs out at the end of 2015 or 2016. Been awhile since I researched it.

PS.. I was looking at solar and wind as a combo. Many are doing this around here now. I don't trust govt or corporations is why. Save your nickels also.

 

[RhodyRams]

Looked into a few different solar "leasing" companies that will come out, design a system yo fit your home, pull all permits, deal with local providers and do the install at no cost to the home owner.

Basically you buy the energy produced from them, and the local power company also buys whatever you don't use from the leasing agent.

2 I looked at will lock you in at a kW/hr rate higher than the current local rate, but as local rates increase, yours stays the same for the full term of contract, which for one company was 20 years, and the other was 10 years, at which time you have the option of either re-upping for another 10 years, or buying the equipment from them.

One thing @Dagonet touched on is the federal tax credits, which as he stated is 30%. If you lease the equipment, from these companies, you don't get the tax credit, they do.

Basically after a week of research, I am right back to square one again

 

[RhodyRams]

As for wind power, we have a height restriction here on the coast of 35' and one resident had to dismantle his because of the height needed to capture the wind

A friend of mine is a patent engineer and has been working on a more streamlined wind turbine that looks more like a jet engine than a typical wind mill, which is also environmentally friendlier to the local aviary wildlife than current designs.