|
|
Post by Vinster on Jun 22, 2022 20:12:49 GMT -5
whoa.. ppl in the US are getting screwed...
Vin
|
|
|
|
Post by zila1 on Jun 22, 2022 20:49:38 GMT -5
Yes that is very true. I have solar panels on my home. I didn't pay for them thank goodness. The previous owner got ripped off on them and I inherited them. She was in her eighties and got roped into a 20 year lease on these things. She had to pay them $15,000 out of the sale of the house to get out of the contract. The solar company wasn't going for it at first.............until my lawyer jumped in. He threatened them with a massive law suit for what they had done. Now I have the house with a solar system that is under powered for the home. They promised her that she would not have anymore electric bills and yet the bills kept coming. And the lease on the solar panels was going to increase the bills every year. They basically owned the roof of the house for the twenty year lease. They also roped her into putting in a whole new roof. I figure all told they got her for a good $50,000. The panels don't produce anywhere near what was promised. They barely put out during the winter when they are covered in snow and ice. It's mostly cloudy during the winter too.
She tried to pass off her problem onto me when selling the house. There was no mention of the 20 year solar panel lease until we went to closing. It was understood until that time that the panels came free and clear with the house. That's when my lawyer exploded. And hers did too as she didn't know until closing as to what was transpiring. Then they both went up against the solar panel company. Don't let them fool you. They don't make the money on the solar panels. It's the lengthy leases that they kill you on. If you really want them..........make sure you measure out your household energy usage and get the right sized system AND PAY CASH FOR IT UP FRONT. Own them right from the start. Don't fall for the bull shit.
Edit: and here's another little tidbit. Most folks that see a home with solar panels on the roof are turned off by them and don't want anything to do with them. They raise home owners insurance for one and when they go bad you have to have them repaired or replaced which costs an arm and a leg if you don't have some sort of warranty. They suck, at least here where I live.............they just suck. Just like electric cars. That's another freaking scam. They all suck.
|
|
|
|
Post by ShrimpBrime on Jun 23, 2022 19:03:32 GMT -5
I would contemplate a small solar farm on the roof of my shed for back up or garage use.... Self built of course.
|
|
|
|
Post by zila1 on Jun 23, 2022 19:12:08 GMT -5
That's not a bad idea Jon. Building it yourself you will see a fast return on your investment, and you could expand it as needed. I would always recommend that one be built with much more capacity than current needs show.
Edit: If I was putting up a solar panel system on top of my roof myself I would opt for 15,000 watts.
|
|
|
|
Post by ShrimpBrime on Jun 23, 2022 20:09:43 GMT -5
That's not a bad idea Jon. Building it yourself you will see a fast return on your investment, and you could expand it as needed. I would always recommend that one be built with much more capacity than current needs show. Edit: If I was putting up a solar panel system on top of my roof myself I would opt for 15,000 watts. Group 27 at autozone deep cycle is under 150 bucks. That's 85 amp hour. 4 of those would be a decent power bank. Probably run power tools all weekend building a new shed without charge. A couple of solar panels when not in use, power the fridges during the rare 2 day power outages. But what would be a good cheap priced solar panel? This thread has me considering with experimenting...... |
|
|
|
Post by Vinster on Jun 23, 2022 20:11:27 GMT -5
Also would be good for outdoor lighting accents and such. could also use 12v bulbs to not lose efficiency on an inverter.
also, in Canada the cost of a solar system on a roof (like the above video) averages 20-35K CAD... 15yr lease is typical, with a 10yr warranty, but there haven't been any rebates for about 5 years, so all incentives are out the window. Systems are also typically to back-feed the grid.
Vin |
|
|
|
Post by Macsbeach98 on Jun 23, 2022 21:37:00 GMT -5
I really feel bad for you Guys with the cost and everything. Below is a snip of the bill for mine it cost me $4391 the rest was payed by the Government. I couldnt be happier with the 2 Quarters that it has been on the electricity bills have been $150 and $122 in credit and I was using a 5KW air cond through summer it will actually pay for the GAS heater in winter. It was supposed to be 9.9KW but they couldnt fit the 27th panel on the roof so its 9.6KW you can just make out the three panels that are on top of the Garage. The Inverter is a 8KW unit so that is all it can output but so far its been plenty. Yes Vin it feeds back into the grid. I am over the moon with it in 2yrs it will have payed for itself then its free power good that I now have a cascade that draws 1140 watts from the wall.     |
|
|
|
Post by zila1 on Jun 23, 2022 22:36:52 GMT -5
That's really awesome Pete. Nice setup. Here that is about $28,000-$30,000. Where I live though that setup wouldn't be efficient enough to justify it's cost. We don't get the strong power of the sun here long enough during the daylight hours. Only our short summers are when these things really spring to life.
edit: here we really would need a battery backup system to store what we do generate from the panels............but then again that just isn't affordable. Again they hit us with the permits, contractors, electrical. Another $15,000 for a battery wall.
edit2: I really can't complain though, I got my setup as part of the purchase of the home. So for me the system came out free. Underpowered as it may be. It does produce some juice and that's cool. I have the house tuned in now so my bills are much lower now. I'm still working on getting even better effiency to get the most out of the panels I have. So far I have managed to really reduce that bill.
|
|
|
|
Post by Macsbeach98 on Jun 23, 2022 23:20:45 GMT -5
Here is a video walkthrough of the house.
I have a lot of work to do in the backyard.
|
|
|
|
Post by Vinster on Jun 24, 2022 11:54:10 GMT -5
^That's a slick setup Pete.
Vin
|
|
|
|
Post by Mr.Scott on Jun 24, 2022 12:36:41 GMT -5
Nice fuzzy pink slippers. lol |
|
|
|
Post by Bones on Jun 24, 2022 13:36:50 GMT -5
Nice fuzzy pink slippers. lol  Those are his "Good luck benching slippers", great for those late night benching sessions when you really need a good score.  |
|
|
|
Post by zila1 on Jun 24, 2022 16:04:15 GMT -5
That really is a nice setup there Pete. I have 12x360Watt panels.
|
|
|
|
Post by ShrimpBrime on Jun 24, 2022 17:32:21 GMT -5
I am Pete's first subscriber!!!!  |
|
|
|
Post by Macsbeach98 on Jun 24, 2022 18:20:12 GMT -5
Thanks Guys I am happy with it.
|
|
|
|
Post by ShrimpBrime on Jun 24, 2022 21:07:00 GMT -5
Thanks Guys I am happy with it. You should be, that's a really nice place there Pete. I loved the sounds your local birds make. The ones around here sound annoying in comparison. And the Hot tub time machine! Hell yeah! |
|
|
|
Post by Vinster on Jun 25, 2022 19:47:46 GMT -5
ya, really sweet spot.
Vin
|
|
|
|
Post by zila1 on Feb 6, 2023 22:16:20 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by george on Mar 22, 2023 14:38:19 GMT -5
some good points there in between. Here at 60th north, still not convinced ROI will never balance. A few houses here in the neighborhood have installed solar panels(the snow, storms, cleaning maintenance, phew. Not to mention one has to bolt them securely on the roof.).
|
|
|
|
Post by zila1 on May 20, 2023 19:56:20 GMT -5
Boy oh boy. Will they just not stop trying to find ways to screw people over. This is just terrible. I do have mine insured. You just can't not insure them.
|
|
|
|
Post by ShrimpBrime on May 20, 2023 20:17:16 GMT -5
Boy oh boy. Will they just not stop trying to find ways to screw people over. This is just terrible. I do have mine insured. You just can't not insure them. I bet it's harder to get flood insurance coverage down there. It's cheap where you don't need it. I don't need flood insurance. But it's "included" in our "package" deal, sounds no different than talking to a Comcast representative 😆 |
|
|
|
Post by eidairman1 on May 22, 2023 23:19:19 GMT -5
Boy oh boy. Will they just not stop trying to find ways to screw people over. This is just terrible. I do have mine insured. You just can't not insure them. I bet it's harder to get flood insurance coverage down there. It's cheap where you don't need it. I don't need flood insurance. But it's "included" in our "package" deal, sounds no different than talking to a Comcast representative 😆 Issue with solar, is batteries have a tendency to thermal runaway... |
|
|
|
Post by ShrimpBrime on May 23, 2023 1:24:21 GMT -5
I bet it's harder to get flood insurance coverage down there. It's cheap where you don't need it. I don't need flood insurance. But it's "included" in our "package" deal, sounds no different than talking to a Comcast representative 😆 Issue with solar, is batteries have a tendency to thermal runaway... Just need better panels. Most at best are 30% efficient. So like 300 watts is having 6 50 watt 4 foot panels. It's just not reliable at such low numbers. The scientists need to work harder at making energy from the sun. I have ideas though. Some day try and make something cool happens. LIke make water boil with a few large magnifying glasses, the sun, and some mirrors for light redirection.... which could turn a turbine, or simpler home made alternator back yard piece together contraption. Obviously small just to get something going. See if it would actually produce energy. |
|
|
|
Post by austin86 on May 23, 2023 9:09:16 GMT -5
LIke make water boil with a few large magnifying glasses, the sun, and some mirrors for light redirection.... which could turn a turbine, or simpler home made alternator back yard piece together contraption. Obviously small just to get something going. See if it would actually produce energy. That's straight up HELIOS one tech right there. |
|
|
|
Post by Bones on May 23, 2023 9:38:06 GMT -5
Issue with solar, is batteries have a tendency to thermal runaway... Just need better panels. Most at best are 30% efficient. So like 300 watts is having 6 50 watt 4 foot panels. It's just not reliable at such low numbers. The scientists need to work harder at making energy from the sun. I have ideas though. Some day try and make something cool happens.
LIke make water boil with a few large magnifying glasses, the sun, and some mirrors for light redirection.... which could turn a turbine, or simpler home made alternator back yard piece together contraption. Obviously small just to get something going. See if it would actually produce energy. Waterheater power source.... Steam turbine generator.... Lots you can do there but only when the sun is out or it's Summertime in general. We've got plenty of sun to work with but it's those times when storms come through - Those panels woudn't make it for very long due to hail damage. They'd get beat like a red-headed step mule. |
|
|
|
Post by zila1 on May 23, 2023 10:02:21 GMT -5
Here in the Midwest where I live solar panels do not make any practical sense. We just don't have the sunlight hours to make them practical. Only during the summer do my panels really come to life. Like right now they are kicking some ass. June, July and August are super good months for them.
Edit: also price to performance sucks big time. I got mine as part of the sale of the home so I didn't pay the price for mine. But the previous owner got screwed on them. $15,000 on a 20 year lease. She was getting F'd. I think that was a huge incentive for her to sell the home. She took the proceeds from the sale to buy herself out of that lease. The solar companies here are just thieves and crooks. She was a retired senior on a fixed income and they talked her into that.
|
|
|
|
Post by ShrimpBrime on May 23, 2023 12:41:26 GMT -5
Yep, they've come to my door with solar sales bull shit.
If you can't offer off grid, I'm not interested. And if you can offer to put the battery away from my house instead of attached to it, I'm not interested.
Interested slightly yes. But that's because I understand the efficiency and have a family of 5. Solar is not enough, even off grid power capabilities to support my family.
Pay the electric company is where I'm at for the foreseeable future.
|
|
|
|
Post by eidairman1 on May 24, 2023 23:44:21 GMT -5
They all are crooks, Here in the Midwest where I live solar panels do not make any practical sense. We just don't have the sunlight hours to make them practical. Only during the summer do my panels really come to life. Like right now they are kicking some ass. June, July and August are super good months for them. Edit: also price to performance sucks big time. I got mine as part of the sale of the home so I didn't pay the price for mine. But the previous owner got screwed on them. $15,000 on a 20 year lease. She was getting F'd. I think that was a huge incentive for her to sell the home. She took the proceeds from the sale to buy herself out of that lease. The solar companies here are just thieves and crooks. She was a retired senior on a fixed income and they talked her into that. |
|
|
|
Post by zila1 on Oct 28, 2024 23:50:21 GMT -5
|
|
Nov 1, 2024 23:38:27 GMT -5
Nov 1, 2024 23:38:27 GMT -5
Oct 15, 2024 21:50:06 GMT -5
*
Oct 15, 2024 21:50:06 GMT -5
*