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Solar panels
- Thread starter 999
- Start date
Greg T
WDX-945 (Jazz Singer) Upper Peninsula of Michigan
Yeah, it all good until the cells get weak, the batteries need replacing and the thing isn't even paid for yet.
My neighbor's has have had them for a while. I do get some interference when they fire up in the morning. He has had to replace the controllers a few times, I think he's gotten to the point of having them rebuilt now to save a little. He is cleaning the panels quite often. I don't think he has had to replace any panels, but has also had to change out the batteries. The other neighbor had them installed with no batteries, had a shady kinda install that didn't set it up with the power company and disappeared.
The guys that came out and gave me an estimate priced them with no batteries as well. I don't see the point of not having no batteries, I kinda think they would be important during blackout and at night. With a 60K price tag without batteries is just a little too much, however, the sales people were a little shady as every time I asked about warranty or cleaning etc. it was all covered in the cost, for life.
I don't know if they ever pay for themselves, and constant maintenance to go along with them. They do lower the power bill though, but new regulations also don't allow the full potential for savings as I think you only get like 80% of credit, at least in my area. I don't really understand how the whole thing wotks with the power companies, but they made changes to allow the implementation to make sure they get there fair share.
I talked to a guy several years ago that was off the grid with solar and wind, all the backup etc. He told me they would never pay for themselves, and they weren't really worth all the hassle and money. When he was diagnosed with a terminal cancer he put his house back on the grid so his wife didn't have to worry about all the upkeep.
It's a personal choice I guess. Too rich for my blood.
Greg T
WDX-945 (Jazz Singer) Upper Peninsula of Michigan
Of course they lower the power bill, but $60k worth? How long would it take to save $60k from your power bill. Better yet, how long does it take before you've paid $60k for power? I used to sell batteries from the golf car shop to these people who put solar power at their camps, or decided they want to live off the grid. It was hilarious and I would shake my head every time one came in. I tried my best to explain that everything would need to be serviced regularly, and would need replacing before the system was paid for. None of them believed me until they began coming back in for more batteries. Some of them admitted that they were wrong, but were much too deep to give up. The others were telling me they were saving 50% of their power bill. I asked them how much their power bill was without solar and they gave me average costs of around $100 to $150. So, in other words, the system was paying them back at a rate of, lets say, $60.00/month. Not bad. In 1000 months you've recouped your install cost. The problem is that over the years, you've also spent another 20K to 60k for maintenance, and/or replacement. It's a vicious circle that people get caught up in.
I don't think the technology is quite up to snuff yet, and factor in the calculated obsolescence and life expectancy, it could become quite the money pit. Plus your still on the hook for whatever the basic fees are if you're tied into the grid. And if you have to pay someone to do the work in a world where the minimum wage is almost $20 an hour it can get pricey.
How much you can save depends on where you live and what is available to you.
My brother on the big island runs his whole place 100% off grid.
He uses Lithium Ion batteries and installed the whole system himself for less than HEI wanted just to run power to his property.
Yes he has to clean and maintain the system, but it's paid for its self.
In another case, I have a friend that has a small vacation home near Yosemite, again 10's of thousands of dollars just to get poles installed and for the utility company to pull over head wire.
He got in very early on solar power and got a sweet deal.
At the time he installed, the company offered a lifetime maintenance package. It was expensive but over the years it has paid for itself many times over because when stuff fails they fix it, period.
They no longer offer that deal
73
Jeff
My brother on the big island runs his whole place 100% off grid.
He uses Lithium Ion batteries and installed the whole system himself for less than HEI wanted just to run power to his property.
Yes he has to clean and maintain the system, but it's paid for its self.
In another case, I have a friend that has a small vacation home near Yosemite, again 10's of thousands of dollars just to get poles installed and for the utility company to pull over head wire.
He got in very early on solar power and got a sweet deal.
At the time he installed, the company offered a lifetime maintenance package. It was expensive but over the years it has paid for itself many times over because when stuff fails they fix it, period.
They no longer offer that deal
73
Jeff