Solar Power

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

I'm looking to go solar here at the house. Consultant is coming next week. I was wondering if any of you run a good size solar operation, curious about your stats. Any feedback?

[slonezp]

All I have ever heard is unless you are able to sell power back to the grid you will never make back your investment in savings.

[tomustang]

Perhaps your great grandchild will reap the benefits. We're talking about energy here, the oil companies won't allow alternative "efficient" energy.

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

Well from what they are saying without even coming yet is that I should be able to fully run the house which is very heavily loaded and still have enough to sell back to the grid. The set up costs are between $8-15k but you are then eligible for up to $7k n rebate $. My bill is upwards of $800/mo

Redlinerobert has a friend in Cali who has a 6 car garage and the panels on it power this guys entire estate which is the whole side of a mountain (literally) and there's extra getting sold back and the only panels he has are the ones on top of the garage.

I was just wondering if there were any other people actually using it and their results

[shootermcbob]

I do not have any experience with solar power, but would be VERY interested to hear your results. Please keep up posted.

[.ghoti.]

You might live long enough to break even. If you're lucky.

[deaknh03]

So if you spend 12k in panels, and they power your whole house, and your bill is $800 month, my math says 15 months and you break even. I know a lot of people with panels, they are not only worth it, but enables you to be self reliant. When everyone else is in the dark because if a storm, your living your normal life.

[I.rar]

So if you spend 12k in panels, and they power your whole house, and your bill is $800 month, my math says 15 months and you break even. I know a lot of people with panels, they are not only worth it, but enables you to be self reliant. When everyone else is in the dark because if a storm, your living your normal life.

IF thee panels dont get blown away, lol.

ive seen a few people with panels on their house down here, not too many. im also curious.

one of my buddies parents have their pipes from their pool ran on top of their house. solar heated pool?

[slonezp]

So if you spend 12k in panels, and they power your whole house, and your bill is $800 month, my math says 15 months and you break even. I know a lot of people with panels, they are not only worth it, but enables you to be self reliant. When everyone else is in the dark because if a storm, your living your normal life.

Can you say G-E-N-E-R-A-T-O-R?

[deaknh03]

Generator is in a different league, good for short term emergencies, but panels are an every day thing. And they have them hurricane rated as well.

[Bassn Blvd]

DON'T do anything until after the beginning of the year. The world is supposed to end in December.

[Glenn]

one of my buddies parents have their pipes from their pool ran on top of their house. solar heated pool?

Yes. A friend of mine (years ago) had solar panels that heated their pool AND hot tub, no problemo...in rainy, cloudy Washington state, mind you.

[NoBassPro]

Yes. A friend of mine (years ago) had solar panels that heated their pool AND hot tub, no problemo...in rainy, cloudy Washington state, mind you.

We had solar hot water for our entire house in Michigan as a kid. We did supplement in the winter with heating coils that ran thru a woodstove, it worked well enough. The solar panels themselves were just used as a roof for a greenhouse type area we added on to our house to start a few plants.

I've also used solar powered hot wire fencing. It never had the kick convential did, but they keep improving the technology.

[Long Mike]

Perhaps your great grandchild will reap the benefits. We're talking about energy here, the oil companies won't allow alternative "efficient" energy.

With all due respect, the oil companies are actively involved in the search for alternative energy. They know that the oil supply is not infinite. To preserve the longevity of their companies, they have no alternative but to do so. Please do your homework before making such a statement.

[tomustang]

With all due respect, the oil companies are actively involved in the search for alternative energy. They know that the oil supply is not infinite. To preserve the longevity of their companies, they have no alternative but to do so. Please do your homework before making such a statement.

Yes, oil execs are slick as their product. It's not a secret that they want to be on top.

Don't be so naive mike. Do you really think they are willing to give the world efficient fuel.

[Raider Nation Fisher]

Yes, oil execs are slick as their product. It's not a secret that they want to be on top.

Don't be so naive mike. Do you really think they are willing to give the world efficient fuel.

I'm gonna have to agree with Mike. If the oil companies do not diversify then they will go belly up when the oil goes dry. So it is in their best interest to find alternative sources of energy. Why would a mega corporation be so naive as to not be actively searching for something that can make them even more money. If they could make more money off of an alternative more efficient form of energy, especially by discovering and applying it. Then it is udder nonsense to believe they would not be actively researching them. You don't just become an executive of a billion dollar corporation by being narrow minded and or ignorant.

In no way am I calling your post nonsense or calling you ignorant or anything else. I just want to clarify that, cause sometimes things can be misconstrued when they are read and not spoken in conversation.

[Sam]

Low, I have been a fan of the voltaic system since it came out for home and business use in the 80s in Virginia.

Dominion Virginia Power (the old VEPCO) had a lot of information on the system and its merits. I still have the folder in the attic with the phamphlets and reports.

One of my previoius clients in Martinsville, Virginia, had a voltaic system panel farm and the owner believed the electric panels were the future of energy in the USA. Sad to say he passed away and his sucessors scuttled the idea and closed down the operation.

You will sell the additional electrical power on a wholesale basis to the power company. Many think you sell the power back at the retail level.

You will also reduce your electric power bill.

Putting in the system to make money is not the goal. The goal is to use the sun to power your home with the power company's electrical grid as a backup.

Hope you go forward with the installation and please let us know the details and how much your monthly electric power bill is reduced.

Post pics, too!

[tomustang]

I'm gonna have to agree with Mike.

That's fine on mike's account but that's not what I'm talking about. Solar energy still isn't affordable for the average Americans.

[Glenn]

What Raider Nation said.

Now...back on topic please....

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

Thanks for the input everyone I'll let you know how we make out

[.ghoti.]

Last year I had a small group of my students design a solar system for a new building to built on campus. The building is completed and the solar system is up and running. I will have data to report, but not for a while. To have meaning, I need more than a few weeks. I'm capturing entire building usage and utility usage. The difference will be the solar contribution to the building.

Be aware that your utility will pay a lot less for power than they charge. Basing any part of your decision on the idea that you will make money is a serious mistake. As Sam stated the goal is to reduce your usage of utility generated power. You are not going to eliminate your dependence on the utility and you are not going to make a profit off them.

Russ, you stated in another thread that you didn't want to service your own reels. Well if you're afraid to service a reel, you going to have pay somebody to service your solar system. It will need a regular check-up, and will also likely need repairs and/or replacements parts. DONT FORGET TO FACTOR THIS INTO YOUR CALCULATIONS.

And last but not least, do not let them talk you into a battery backup system. You have boats and know all you need to know about batteries. Ill pass on preaching to the choir, but will simply say that you can buy a new backup generator every year for what a battery backup system will cost. Not to mention maintenance and replacement costs for the batteries.

Unlike wind energy, solar is going to be a part of our future. The progress this industry has shown in the last few years is impressive. Photo-voltaic panels are a magnitude better than they were ten years ago. Grid synchronization, something which previously required costly and maintenance intensive equipment, is now just a small piece of the package price. True sine-wave inverters have gotten so much better and cheaper that putting in a PWM type is just plain silly. Solar power is starting to make a lot of sense for many small applications.