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Solar power?

2,219 Views | 20 Replies | Last: 2 yr ago by big ben
nortex97
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AG
So, some neighbors have been doing this lately. Any recommendations/thoughts north of town? I'm not a real big fan of spending money on a 20 year repayment, but curious if others experiences have been positive/quickly repaid via credits/savings. Our average bill is only around $200-250 a month.

Also, what happens if you have to replace your roof?
rme
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AG
Curious to see feedback from actual homeowners with solar. In Texas, I think people doing this either have plenty of money and just want it or are bad at math.
Bob Loblaws Law Blog
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AG
Your money is better used in almost any other investment. It would take approximately 30 years to recoup the cost of installing solar panels.

And roofing companies won't touch the solar panels - you'll need the solar panel company to come back out and take them off / put them back on, at least from what I've seen.
Absolute
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AG
Curious as well as to real world experiences.

Running into panels more often on Inspections, but most homeowners I have talked with about it seem to fall into the previously mentioned category of "just wanting to" and having the disposable income to cover the expense regardless of break even time.

Feel like my house would be a good candidate, but the numbers I've seen so far just don't work out.
nortex97
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AG
I'm very skeptical. I will ask some neighbors when I see them next, as these are pretty smart/good folks, but I don't get the math. I've played along with the calculators on some of the vendor's sites but it seems highly implausible.

But if I'm wrong, happy to learn so. The biggest issue per above to me would be that a hail storm wouldbecome much more expensive/difficult to replace the roof. I trust people who have done this though, more than a sales rep/my speculation.
Absolute
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AG
Even worse numbers.....there is a Tesla roof down the street on a new construction home. Noticed when it changed (we had actually looked at the house when it was available) from the comp roof which seemed weird. Roofer friend pointed it out as a Tesla roof. Curious, I looked up the estimated cast. Apparently it requires using the tesla power wall batteries be installed with the roof. Total estimate for my house (which is smaller) was close to 100k. How on earth does that ever make sense?
riverrataggie
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AG
We looked at it. Wife sent an email, cc'd me. Their reply was, looked at your house and you would need to cut down that large tree in the front yard before we came out for a quote.

I replied, 'I thought y'all wanted to save the environment'.

No reply from them
nortex97
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AG
Yeah the Tesla roof stuff is apparently about twice as expensive as the panel stuff bolted to the roof. That basically fits with how they price their cars (at a premium).
Red Pear Luke (BCS)
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Sponsor
AG
Bob Loblaws Law Blog said:

Your money is better used in almost any other investment. It would take approximately 30 years to recoup the cost of installing solar panels.

And roofing companies won't touch the solar panels - you'll need the solar panel company to come back out and take them off / put them back on, at least from what I've seen.
This is true. My in-laws just replaced their roof and literally had to have the solar company come out to remove them and then coming tomorrow to reinstall them back on the roof after the roofers finished last week. Cost about $3K or so to do it but thankfully insurance helped cover it.
double aught
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Seems like waiting on the tech to improve would be the move here.
txag2008
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The crazy low energy rates in TX are the bigger reason of why it's not feasible here.
YouBet
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AG
We had a thread not too long ago on this and folks in the know weighed in and said it's not worth it.

People doing this are simply doing it for feels at this point because the math doesn't work. Or, they don't understand how to calculate ROI.
EastSideAg2002
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where are you getting your energy? its a simple question. where are you getting your energy in this world? energy is becoming more and more and more of a factor in in everybody's world. everybody's world. id like to direct you to a new client we have on this station named choose energy. choose energy is an absolutely fantastic way of getting your energy in this world. choose energy allows you to choose the company you want. choose the company you want to deliver your energy. choose energy gives you fantastic choices in the energy area and its up to you to simply look at the choices and determine which one is best for you. choose energy will hear a lot more about in the coming days on our station. choose energy is a way to save you money. choose energy is the way of the future enabling you to choose the energy source you want. the one that works best for you. the one that saves the most energy money. choose energy
txag2008
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End. Of. Thread.
TriAg2010
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AG
Texas Radio Hall of Fame.
DonaldFDraper
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Any one know of a scaled down option of solar that can be used for limited power in lieu of a generator?

Thinking of a backup for a once in a lifetime winter storm type situation. Keep a few lights and appliances on, charge phones, and run the pool equipment.
DannyDuberstein
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AG
My FIL has had them for 5-6 years. The only reason he has them is because he's a gadget guy with money to burn and can't stand it when someone else has a toy that he doesn't. The economics don't make sense. It doesn't get you "off the grid" because you can't actually store it without an additional massive investment. Selling excess back is a scam because for plans that allow you to sell excess, the rate you pay when you do buy from the grid is so high that it more than offsets the gains from selling. He learned this the hard way and switched to a regular plan, so now he just gives any excess back.

If you do it, do it because you like gadgets or you think you are saving the environment. Otherwise, if you just want to cut your energy bill, beef up your insulation snd make sure your windows are efficient
DannyDuberstein
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DonaldFDraper said:

Any one know of a scaled down option of solar that can be used for limited power in lieu of a generator?

Thinking of a backup for a once in a lifetime winter storm type situation. Keep a few lights and appliances on, charge phones, and run the pool equipment.


The catch with any solar is that (1) the sun has to be out (tell me something I don't know, Danny) and (2) you need batteries to store energy when it isn't. That really complicates things as a backup source. You're likely better off just getting a gas or propane generator.
tk for tu juan
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Regarding solar backup, once your lights blink three times, you know it is kicking in
gvine07
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AG
You don't need a battery to store it - in Texas the power companies have to pay you for power you send to the grid.

I think now the allure is that if you get a battery, you won't be as affected by rolling blackouts.


I had SunRun come out to my previous house 5 or 6 years ago, and the payback was less than 20-years. One red flag was that they told me they only put the panels on south-facing roofs, but then had a diagram with a couple of panels on surfaces that faced north. I wanted to want it, but it wasn't worth it for me. My new house has so many trees I don't think it will ever be...
DannyDuberstein
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AG
They don't have to pay you for what you send back to the grid. Only if you select a plan that requires them, and with that plan, expect inflated rates on what you have to pay when you do use from the grid. And yeah, without battery to store, solar is useless in a blackout. You are as dead as anyone else. It's partly a safety issue; they can't have you sending power back up the line and possibly killing one of their utility workers. You've got to have a battery system which is mucho dinero even for a fairly weak/scaled down one. Could easily get to $15k for something reasonably decent.
big ben
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As a commercial electrical contractor….don't waste your time.
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