Solar Power

[TambaBerry]

Do you or anyone you know have solar? What do you think about it?

[Mr. Laz]

Don't have it but it's getting cheaper and more efficient.

Also tax breaks

Tesla is also make a home battery which should help it be more consistent.

Does your utility company give credits for excess electricity going back to the grid?

[Lonewolf Ed]

A good friend of mine had solar panels installed on his roof recently. In the long run, it will pay for itself and save him money. I've always been fascinated by it and when I was a kid, my dad bought me a solar powered wind mill about a foot tall. It had one octagon shaped panel on it, and when I would set in direct sunlight, the thing would spin so fast, the whole thing would fall over.

Over in Denmark, I have seen rows of panels on farm house roofs, and also banks of them on the ground in an A-frame shape to get maximum exposure to sunlight. They also produce a surprising amount of electricity from wind turbines and have sold the excess to other countries. In July, they exceeded their national electrical needs from wind energy by a significant margin. Cool stuff to me!

[eDave]

I've got a friend who is a general laborer. He is booked solid installing solar panels in Bakersfield, SLC, and now N. Carolina. Commercial stuff. Tax breaks are fueling it.

[TambaBerry]

I just got a quote from a local company, my payment for the zero interest loan would be cheaper then I currently pay for electricity per month. It would take 7 years to pay off completely.

[lewdog]

If you own it, you save more money and get the tax breaks.

If you lease it, you'll still save money in the long run but don't get the tax breaks. It's also maintenance free when you lease.

Ours covers about 75% of our total electricity use for the year.

[TambaBerry]

If you own it, you save more money and get the tax breaks.

If you lease it, you'll still save money in the long run but don't get the tax breaks. It's also maintenance free when you lease.

Ours covers about 75% of our total electricity use for the year.

When I move to Phoenix I will definitely have it. Kansas city gets a surprising amount of sunlight.

[lewdog]

I just got a quote from a local company, my payment for the zero interest loan would be cheaper then I currently pay for electricity per month. It would take 7 years to pay off completely.

Only way you know if the math works is by the size of the solar you will be getting and how much of your electricity it covers.

[lewdog]

When I move to Phoenix I will definitely have it. Kansas city gets a surprising amount of sunlight.

I'd love to own it but I'm not paying $20-30k for technology that might be outdated in the next decade. It still saves us quite a bit in AC costs and running the pool. It was on the house when we bought it so we had to take over the lease or we couldn't buy the house.

[TambaBerry]

Only way you know if the math works is by the size of the solar you will be getting and how much of your electricity it covers.

Yeah they showed me the calculations

[lewdog]

Yeah they showed me the calculations

Our house is an electricity hog so I could see a house in a different part of the country being much more reasonable for the amount of energy you'd need to cover your use. So you'd be buying it and owning it after 7 years?

[TambaBerry]

Our house is an electricity hog so I could see a house in a different part of the country being much more reasonable for the amount of energy you'd need to cover your use. So you'd be buying it and owning it after 7 years?

For my roof and energy usage I would need a 6500 watt array, they put in a bi directional meter so during the day when I don't use as much the electric company pays me back. My bills would only be the fees to be hooked into the power grid.

[lewdog]

For my roof and energy usage I would need a 6500 watt array, they put in a bi directional meter so during the day when I don't use as much the electric company pays me back. My bills would only be the fees to be hooked into the power grid.

Pays your back or you accumulate watts all year and they roll over from month to month until end of the year when they pay you back your un-used portion?

Your fees would only be that if you solar actually covers your entire energy usage, though. If not, you'll be charged whatever electricity you use from your electric company.

Why are you buying this if you plan on moving though?

[TambaBerry]

Pays your back or you accumulate watts all year and they roll over from month to month until end of the year when they pay you back your un-used portion?

Your fees would only be that if you solar actually covers your entire energy usage, though. If not, you'll be charged whatever electricity you use from your electric company.

Why are you buying this if you plan on moving though?

I won't move for a while

[lewdog]

I won't move for a while

At least 7 years then! LOL

[TambaBerry]

At least 7 years then! LOL

Haha probably something like that, I apply for the occasional job down there if I think it's a good fit, no luck so far.

[lewdog]

Haha probably something like that, I apply for the occasional job down there if I think it's a good fit, no luck so far.

It's not a great job market unless you're specialized in something.

[JohnnyHammersticks]

I'd love to own it but I'm not paying $20-30k for technology that might be outdated in the next decade. It still saves us quite a bit in AC costs and running the pool. It was on the house when we bought it so we had to take over the lease or we couldn't buy the house.

How much time is left in your lease? The company I might use only does 20 yr leases that I'm aware of, and I doubt that they'd upgrade my technology during that 20 years since they'd already have me locked in. So I'd be in the same boat leasing or owning in terms of being locked in to that specific technology, right?

[lewdog]

How much time is left in your lease? The company I might use only does 20 yr leases that I'm aware of, and I doubt that they'd upgrade my technology during that 20 years since they'd already have me locked in. So I'd be in the same boat leasing or owning in terms of being locked in to that specific technology, right?

Yea that's the way I understand but they guarantee 80% productivity out of your original unit for those 20 years and if it falls below that they'll have to upgrade you.

17 years left here but with one of the big guys, Solar City. They are very helpful and large and I don't think they'll be going under anytime soon. I see people signing up for solar with shit companies all the time. You'd be fucked if that company went bankrupt during your lease.

[notorious]

How do they stand up to hail?

[HonestChieffan]

We will have it when we build. Going with a "super insulated" approach incorporating solar as well as passive solar gains. Seperate backup full home generator as well, LP powered, two buried LP tanks dedicated to gen.

[Rain Man]

I'm likely going to install it in about six months. I'm waiting on a roofer to replace my roof, and starting to wonder if I made a bad contractor decision since he's two weeks late starting and won't return my e-mails.

But back to the solar. If I can believe the estimates, it appears that it'll cover my summer bill completely and maybe about 1/4th of my biggest winter bills. My roof area is small relative to the size of my house, though, so I have a capacity constraint.

I asked a friend of mine about it since he installed solar a couple of years ago. He said that the performance is lower than he was promised, but it's still a winner.

[Buehler445]

Can you insure for hail?

http://cd8ba0b44a15c10065fd-24461f391e20b7336331d5789078af53.r23.cf1.rackcdn.com/northernarizona-windandsun.vanillacommunity.com/attachments/5897/3285.jpg

[NewChief]

One of my friends owns a solar install company. Business is very good for him.

[NewChief]

Here's his site.
http://richtersolarenergy.com

He's been in it for a while. Chances are he can point you to a good resource in your area.

[Anyong Bluth]

I've got friends down in Austin that installed it. They're quite happy when the electric company sends them a check instead of a bill some months.

Of course, we're not talking about about large sums- maybe a $28-$35 check.

Of course, energy lobbyists are now actually trying to push through legislation in red states where you would be charged some type of administrative fee or incremental tax on solar systems that are capable of sending excess energy back up the grid for the power companies to use.

Any way to nickel and dime you and protect corporate interest.

[The Franchise]

Our house is an electricity hog so I could see a house in a different part of the country being much more reasonable for the amount of energy you'd need to cover your use. So you'd be buying it and owning it after 7 years?

Our houses are basically the same. How much are your electric bills while using solar?

[DaneMcCloud]

I had Solar City out for a bid back in August. Due to various rebates, the installation, equipment and 20 year maintenance would be free. I would lease, as opposed to purchasing, which would cost $50 dollars a month for 20 years. They'd also cover any roof damage caused by the panels.

Initially, I was told that I would save 50% off my power bill, so I was very interested. They'd take the house "off the grid" and any leftover power that my home would generate would be sold back to the city. It sounded great.

Unfortunately, I have a "flat roof", so they could only put up 8 panels. After their estimates, which are guaranteed or they pay the difference, I'd only save $300 dollars per year AND I was told that due to Los Angeles laws, I wouldn't be "off the grid" entirely.

So at that point, I declined, as it sounded like a gigantic hassle for $300 dollars. I'll just wait for a Tesla battery.

[notorious]

Can you insure for hail?


We are being ignored LMAO

[ChiefGator]

Of course, energy lobbyists are now actually trying to push through legislation in red states where you would be charged some type of administrative fee or incremental tax on solar systems that are capable of sending excess energy back up the grid for the power companies to use.

Yeah, I think parts of Colorado have a fee for NOT being connected to the grid now.

There were some folks gathering signatures outside my Jacksonville FL public library for some bill called 'Solar Power Residential Freedom' or some such crap. The first 80% of the bill ensures we all have rights to install solar power and use it. The last 20% says that the cost to run electricity companies and maintain the grid should be shared by all.

Nice.. I love bills securing rights for you that you already have, just so they can add on a bit about charging you new taxes and such.

[lewdog]

Our houses are basically the same. How much are your electric bills while using solar?

Do you have a pool and two AC units? I can't remember? Those two items are what uses most of our energy.

If not, it's probably very pointless to compare your house to our house even though they are the same size. The pool pump is 13 years old and a one speed pump. It's an energy sucker but works great. Once that bombs and I can put in a variable speed pump. The energy savings from that alone would pay for that new pump within 3 years. That will help a ton.

[Anyong Bluth]

Yeah, I think parts of Colorado have a fee for NOT being connected to the grid now.

There were some folks gathering signatures outside my Jacksonville FL public library for some bill called 'Solar Power Residential Freedom' or some such crap. The first 80% of the bill ensures we all have rights to install solar power and use it. The last 20% says that the cost to run electricity companies and maintain the grid should be shared by all.

Nice.. I love bills securing rights for you that you already have, just so they can add on a bit about charging you new taxes and such.

If they want to open the books and show me a dedicated fund set aside for infastructure, I would be amenable to chipping in. If you want to enforce a mandatory fee or tax then it's only fair to expect transparency of the operating budget and structure.

Forgive me for being suspicious that their lobbying efforts don't quite fall within the ascribed situation I laid out above.

[lewdog]

How do they stand up to hail?

Can you insure for hail?

http://cd8ba0b44a15c10065fd-24461f391e20b7336331d5789078af53.r23.cf1.rackcdn.com/northernarizona-windandsun.vanillacommunity.com/attachments/5897/3285.jpg

No hail here bitches!

nlm

[Anyong Bluth]

No hail here bitches!

nlm
I was under the impression that the newer panels could stand up to hail the size of a golfball?

The one in the picture doesn't look like it can withstand a nerf ball.

[notorious]

I was under the impression that the newer panels could stand up to hail the size of a golfball?

The one in the picture doesn't look like it can withstand a nerf ball.

Damn.

We get baseball sized hail every 5-10 years. Golf ball every 2-5 years.

[Anyong Bluth]

Damn.

We get baseball sized hail every 5-10 years. Golf ball every 2-5 years.
If it's closer to 10 years then who cares. The advancement in the technology over the duration makes replacing them economically justifiable.

Push comes to shove, a little chicken wire strategically placed would shore you up - but I don't know your layout and the aesthetic setup. And, trust me, I would never advocate slapping on some white trash setup that's an eyesore.

Either way, if you are interested, there's always a way. Sometimes it just means getting more creative in the solution to implementation.

[notorious]

If it's closer to 10 years then who cares. The advancement in the technology over the duration makes replacing them economically justifiable.

Push comes to shove, a little chicken wire strategically placed would shore you up - but I don't know your layout and the aesthetic setup. And, trust me, I would never advocate slapping on some white trash setup that's an eyesore.

Either way, if you are interested, there's always a way. Sometimes it just means getting more creative in the solution to implementation.

We are going to move to the country in the next year, and I plan on putting up a ton of solar or a windmill.

The windmill is sounding like a better idea out here in weather hell.

[Anyong Bluth]

We are going to move to the country in the next year, and I plan on putting up a ton of solar or a windmill.

The windmill is sounding like a better idea out here in weather hell.
A turbine, you mean? Or, are you Dutch? [emoji100]

[Frosty]

I have toyed with the idea of solar but I live in a valley and I'm not sure we get enough sun year 'round to make it worth it. This time of year, we get sun (if the sun is out at all) from maybe 10 am to 2:30 pm. A lot of our winter is grey and foggy (basically from November to March). Not to mention that I have no desire to climb onto my roof and brush snow off of the panels.

[JohnnyHammersticks]

In don't know the specifics in terms of hail coverage, but I'm pretty sure that they've got that figured out because we get a ridiculous amount of hail (6 days in a row the summer before last) in the Denver metro and I never hear of anyone having to replace their panels because of it. The dumbass who lives next door to me has Solar City, we got a lot of hail again this year, and I never saw anyone repairing any damage on his.

[lewdog]

Our houses are basically the same. How much are your electric bills while using solar?

Still not sure if our houses are the same but I did get around to calculating our electric bill because I needed to know anyway.

Our solar lease is $131 every month.

We averaged over 12 months, $59/month on our electric bill. So total with lease about $190 a month for our energy use.

[The Franchise]

Still not sure if our houses are the same but I did get around to calculating our electric bill because I needed to know anyway.

Our solar lease is $131 every month.

We averaged over 12 months, $59/month on our electric bill. So total with lease about $190 a month for our energy use.

We don't have a pool...but currently right now....I average over the year.....around $250-$300 a month for our electric bill. In the summer months....it's in the low $400s.

[SAUTO]

I'm likely going to install it in about six months. I'm waiting on a roofer to replace my roof, and starting to wonder if I made a bad contractor decision since he's two weeks late starting and won't return my e-mails.

But back to the solar. If I can believe the estimates, it appears that it'll cover my summer bill completely and maybe about 1/4th of my biggest winter bills. My roof area is small relative to the size of my house, though, so I have a capacity constraint.

I asked a friend of mine about it since he installed solar a couple of years ago. He said that the performance is lower than he was promised, but it's still a winner.

You haven't paid yet have you?

If not I would cut ties and find someone else. It will most likely go bad.


Talking from experience

[lewdog]

We don't have a pool...but currently right now....I average over the year.....around $250-$300 a month for our electric bill. In the summer months....it's in the low $400s.

Our total in August, hottest month, was $280 total for lease and electricity. Baller.

[Rain Man]

You haven't paid yet have you?

If not I would cut ties and find someone else. It will most likely go bad.


Talking from experience

I haven't. They got in touch with me today and I told them that I was going to need better communication. But I have a bad feeling, and am wondering if I should cut ties. They blamed the weather, but that's no excuse for not communicating and there was also good weather the week they were supposed to start.

[Buehler445]

I haven't. They got in touch with me today and I told them that I was going to need better communication. But I have a bad feeling, and am wondering if I should cut ties. They blamed the weather, but that's no excuse for not communicating and there was also good weather the week they were supposed to start.

Cut ties. With this.

http://vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net/elderscrolls/images/9/95/BM_Nord_Battleaxe_weapon.png/revision/latest?cb=20130825003605

[SAUTO]

Cut ties. With this.

http://vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net/elderscrolls/images/9/95/BM_Nord_Battleaxe_weapon.png/revision/latest?cb=20130825003605

For fucking sure

[Anyong Bluth]

Our total in August, hottest month, was $280 total for lease and electricity. Baller.

Man, I know we're dealing with different square footage and climates, but what are your electric rates?

My condo in Chicago is a bit over 2k Sq ft, and ever since I tried to stick with green certified, swapped out all lighting for LEDs, and threw in a nest I've shaved off a ton from my bill.
I've done a few other home projects like swapping out all the electric outlets that cut down on idle current use, and rewiring my lighting switches to be a mix of completely remote controlled, motion & heat sensor, or time and illumination sensitive. Also a bit of insulation around potential leakage spots.

My Xbox-One probably chews through the most power other than my HVAC. Spring & Fall my bill is $18-$28, Winter / Summer $53 - $68.

Plus, I'm signed up for Nest Rush hour rewards with my electric company, ComEd, so I get a $150 rebate check each year in December / January.

After I upgraded everything, the electric company actually came out 2 or 3 times because they suspected I was tampering with the meter or doing something shady, but nope!

[lewdog]

Man, I know we're dealing with different square footage and climates, but what are your electric rates?

My condo in Chicago is a bit over 2k Sq ft, and ever since I tried to stick with green certified, swapped out all lighting for LEDs, and threw in a nest I've shaved off a ton from my bill.
I've done a few other home projects like swapping out all the electric outlets that cut down on idle current use, and rewiring my lighting switches to be a mix of completely remote controlled, motion & heat sensor, or time and illumination sensitive. Also a bit of insulation around potential leakage spots.

My Xbox-One probably chews through the most power other than my HVAC. Spring & Fall my bill is $18-$28, Winter / Summer $53 - $68.

Plus, I'm signed up for Nest Rush hour rewards with my electric company, ComEd, so I get a $150 rebate check each year in December / January.

After I upgraded everything, the electric company actually came out 2 or 3 times because they suspected I was tampering with the meter or doing something shady, but nope!

Condos hold temps better with shared walls then a stand alone house does, by quite a lot. 2300 sq/ft, two AC units that run from March-October and a pool pump running 8-12 hours a day. We are very energy conscious and our bills our lower than most of our neighbors. $.05-.07 kW off peak, .12-17 kW on peak rates depending on time of year. On peak is noon-7 pm.

[aturnis]

I'm likely going to install it in about six months. I'm waiting on a roofer to replace my roof, and starting to wonder if I made a bad contractor decision since he's two weeks late starting and won't return my e-mails.

But back to the solar. If I can believe the estimates, it appears that it'll cover my summer bill completely and maybe about 1/4th of my biggest winter bills. My roof area is small relative to the size of my house, though, so I have a capacity constraint.

I asked a friend of mine about it since he installed solar a couple of years ago. He said that the performance is lower than he was promised, but it's still a winner.
Best way for you to get the bang for your buck would probably be with Solar City once their gigafactory is online. Their panels will be 22% efficient.

[lewdog]

Thanks to this thread, we are getting more solar!

I finally got someone to do some figuring for me and our current solar is only meeting 50% of our electricity needs. The Solar City rep and I did some figuring and we can pay $27 more per month if we pre-pay the lease for a new section of panels to get our system into the 75-80% coverage for our home. The figure to go 100-110% solar was $150 more per month! The math didn't add up there and the pre-paid lease was over $22k (not in the budget).

It's a good deal to pre-pay the lease (averages to $27/month) as it will save us half the cost of the new section as opposed to going with just a regular monthly lease with no up front cost which would have been $49/month. With the cost of the new panels we will be paying $.07 per kW hour generated. Which is half the cost of power on a standard plan.

[DaneMcCloud]

Thanks to this thread, we are getting more solar!


You're welcome

:D

[aturnis]

I had Solar City out for a bid back in August. Due to various rebates, the installation, equipment and 20 year maintenance would be free. I would lease, as opposed to purchasing, which would cost $50 dollars a month for 20 years. They'd also cover any roof damage caused by the panels.

Initially, I was told that I would save 50% off my power bill, so I was very interested. They'd take the house "off the grid" and any leftover power that my home would generate would be sold back to the city. It sounded great.

Unfortunately, I have a "flat roof", so they could only put up 8 panels. After their estimates, which are guaranteed or they pay the difference, I'd only save $300 dollars per year AND I was told that due to Los Angeles laws, I wouldn't be "off the grid" entirely.

So at that point, I declined, as it sounded like a gigantic hassle for $300 dollars. I'll just wait for a Tesla battery.
Must be a big discrepancy between peak and off-peak?

[DaneMcCloud]

Must be a big discrepancy between peak and off-peak?

Our issue is due to the limited number of panels we can put on the roof.

If they could have put 16 or more, the savings would have been substantial.

But we have a flat roof with all of our ductwork exposed up there, along with the huge A/C unit. Apparently, they can't place a panel within three foot of another structure, hence only eight panels on roof.

It's a bummer. I was all in.

[lewdog]

Our roof is ideal. It's slightly pitched and faces exactly south. The vents are all on the far left side so the panels can be lined up all the way across. He said the quote of estimated energy produced is probably low because it's for the average roof and ours is as good as it gets! :D

We will have about 40 panels on our roof after this.

[Rain Man]

Best way for you to get the bang for your buck would probably be with Solar City once their gigafactory use online. Their panels will be 22% efficient.

What's that? I want to get the most efficient unit I can get.

[Rain Man]

Our roof is ideal. It's slightly pitched and faces exactly south. The vents are all on the far left side so the panels can be lined up all the way across. He said the quote of estimated energy produced is probably low because it's for the average roof and ours is as good as it gets! :D

We will have about 40 panels on our roof after this.

It sounds like you're happy with solar? I'm wanting input from people who have used it. I really want it, but I'm kind of scared about the payback. Our utility is fighting to add a fee for solar, and I don't know if it'll be big enough to screw up the ROI calculations.

[lewdog]

It sounds like you're happy with solar? I'm wanting input from people who have used it. I really want it, but I'm kind of scared about the payback. Our utility is fighting to add a fee for solar, and I don't know if it'll be big enough to screw up the ROI calculations.

I have been really happy with Solar City. They are a bit pricier than some companies but are the biggest provider, best technology and a CEO who backs his company.

We signed the contract for our new panels tonight because we know that no fees have been added as of now but there are plans for solar fees to get added in 2016 if the electric company has their way. Solar City is currently suing the electric company here about them creating too many taxes on solar customers and limiting their growth. Either way by signing now, we will have no excess solar fees for the life of our 20 year lease and we our guaranteed by solar city to receive the same power output for the entire duration of the lease, meaning you are less subjected to the rising cost of electricity rates. You can't predict your ROI but I can guarantee you that electricity rates will only go up. With solar you are guaranteeing the electricity you can use, not securing a price for that electricity.

[Anyong Bluth]

I have been really happy with Solar City. They are a bit pricier than some companies but are the biggest provider, best technology and a CEO who backs his company.

We signed the contract for our new panels tonight because we know that no fees have been added as of now but there are plans for solar fees to get added in 2016 if the electric company has their way. Solar City is currently suing the electric company here about them creating too many taxes on solar customers and limiting their growth. Either way by signing now, we will have no excess solar fees for the life of our 20 year lease and we our guaranteed by solar city to receive the same power output for the entire duration of the lease, meaning you are less subjected to the rising cost of electricity rates. You can't predict your ROI but I can guarantee you that electricity rates will only go up. With solar you are guaranteeing the electricity you can use, not securing a price for that electricity.
Good decision. You get what you pay for.

[aturnis]

Our issue is due to the limited number of panels we can put on the roof.

If they could have put 16 or more, the savings would have been substantial.

But we have a flat roof with all of our ductwork exposed up there, along with the huge A/C unit. Apparently, they can't place a panel within three foot of another structure, hence only eight panels on roof.

It's a bummer. I was all in.
Do you have any lawn or unusable hillside? You could always pole mount an array or two. It could increase the cost of install, but as I understand it, that's also the portion of the bill that's subsidized.

[Anyong Bluth]

Do you have any lawn or unusable hillside? You could always pole mount an array or two. It could increase the cost of install, but as I understand it, that's also the portion of the bill that's subsidized.

I'd bet he'd run into HMA issues - the pricier the area the bigger a pain in the ass they lord over property use and regulation conformity.

Being in CA, green solutions might be one area where you have more wiggle room than typical.

5 years ago, friends of mine in Bel Air were met with a lot of resistance to any leniency of use and configuration of panels. It may be different now?

[DaneMcCloud]

Do you have any lawn or unusable hillside? You could always pole mount an array or two. It could increase the cost of install, but as I understand it, that's also the portion of the bill that's subsidized.

Unfortunately, no. We have a 30 foot retaining wall in the back of our home, along with a graded 30 to 12 foot walls on the side.

It's a really a bummer but thanks for the thought! :thumb:

[DaneMcCloud]

I'd bet he'd run into HMA issues - the pricier the area the bigger a pain in the ass they lord over property use and regulation conformity.

Fortunately, we don't have an HMA in our neighborhood, although there's a neighborhood association, which is a voluntary $50 dollars a year.

The leaders essentially show up for city council meetings that affect our area and stay in touch with the local Hollywood Police force and fire department but they don't have any "power" over the residents.

It's almost more akin to a lobby group for the 'hood.

[Anyong Bluth]

Fortunately, we don't have an HMA in our neighborhood, although there's a neighborhood association, which is a voluntary $50 dollars a year.

The leaders essentially show up for city council meetings that affect our area and stay in touch with the local Hollywood Police force and fire department but they don't have any "power" over the residents.

It's almost more akin to a lobby group for the 'hood.

I was reading a feature investigation story on some of the mega mansions being built in the hills where they're using shell companies to hide the ownership and just blatantly disobeying state and city code or if they have permits.

One of the homes is already 70 feet taller than the maximum height allowed. Another inspection of a property found that they had burrowed extremely deep into the hills and secretly built tens of thousands of square feet of rooms and suites they never even showed on any blueprints.

The undisclosed person having it built just doesn't give a shit and will pay whatever fines they keep racking up while construction continues.

One of the direct neighbors affected is part of the Laurie family - as in Waltons - America's wealthiest family by a large margin, and they've been unsuccessful at stopping a thing.

It's a pretty crazy situation!

[lewdog]

Tried to take some pictures of our panels but can't get up very high to give you exact view. It's a total of 28 panels facing directly south. We will be adding about 12 more panels with the upgrade. And it's December and the skies are usually that clear most days of the year. Well worth it here.

Need to do something about that eye sore white pool fence. Yuck!

http://i.imgur.com/zS1DkaH.jpg?1

[Valiant]

Tried to take some pictures of our panels but can't get up very high to give you exact view. It's a total of 28 panels facing directly south. We will be adding about 12 more panels with the upgrade. And it's December and the skies are usually that clear most days of the year. Well worth it here.

Need to do something about that eye sore white pool fence. Yuck!

http://i.imgur.com/zS1DkaH.jpg?1

So what is the process of getting new shingles with these installed?

[lewdog]

So what is the process of getting new shingles with these installed?

What would you need new ones for?

Those are concrete tiles as well. Our house is fairly new so that won't happen for a long time.

[Valiant]

What would you need new ones for?

Those are concrete tiles as well. Our house is fairly new so that won't happen for a long time.

An in general question, most around here have asphalt shingles.. If you have lease for 20 years and half way through a 20 year roof or need a replacement was wondering the steps and costs.

[lewdog]

An in general question, most around here have asphalt shingles.. If you have lease for 20 years and half way through a 20 year roof or need a replacement was wondering the steps and costs.

Oh that makes sense. Yes, it varies by company and some won't tell you but list it in the fine print that they will simply determine the cost when that time comes and charge you whatever they want or man hours that it takes! Most solar customers don't know that.

With Solar City it is a flat $499 to take off roof and put back on if you need a new roof.

[lewdog]

So after agreeing to pre-pay the lease last week, we already have the site inspector coming tomorrow! Impressed with how fast this is moving considering we are adding a very small amount of panels onto our existing panels. It's a very small job compared to most of the jobs they complete, figured ours might get put on the back burner.

The inspector assess where the panels will go and submits the proposal which has to get approved by the state. Once approved, we will have our panels up within a month's time frame. After that it's the electric companies job to "turn them on" which can take 1-2 months because they are a bunch of jerkoffs.

[Just Passin' By]

I had it in a previous house. It was fine there, but I didn't have to pay for it. I'd never pay for it myself. The ROI is just not there.

[lewdog]

I had it in a previous house. It was fine there, but I didn't have to pay for it. I'd never pay for it myself. The ROI is just not there.

Well that simply isn't true. It's there if you stay in your house long enough. Electricity rates will always rise. With solar you're gauranteeing how much energy you generate and you are not subjected to the always rising rates of power. In Phoenix we use lots of electricity, plus the sun I always out. It makes tons of sense here. You do come out ahead but it takes some years.

[lewdog]

Our additional solar panels are going up right now. Solar City has been very quick on this for such a small project!

[jspchief]

Nevada Energy just changed their pricing structure in response to the proliferation of solar in the state.

They went from a kwh rate to a minimum infrastructure charge along with the kwh rate. This ensures that solar users are still paying their share of infrastructure costs. I believe they also reduced the buyback rate of surplus from solar by 75%. There's some outcry that it's anti-solar, but the reality is the previous rate model was antiquated with the rise in solar.

These changes will likely be happening in a lot of solar heavy states, so keep in mind the ROI on solar may not happen as quickly as it currently does.

[lewdog]

Nevada Energy just changed their pricing structure in response to the proliferation of solar in the state.

They went from a kwh rate to a minimum infrastructure charge along with the kwh rate. This ensures that solar users are still paying their share of infrastructure costs. I believe they also reduced the buyback rate of surplus from solar by 75%. There's some outcry that it's anti-solar, but the reality is the previous rate model was antiquated with the rise in solar.

These changes will likely be happening in a lot of solar heavy states, so keep in mind the ROI on solar may not happen as quickly as it currently does.

It's true and a big reason we signed these new panels in 2015. Lots of new laws trying to be passed to tax and add fees for solar. If you aren't going to do it soon, your ROI is going to be much less in the future.