Anyone got Solar Panels?

[FozzyBear]

Thinking about get solar installed on my house. Had been taking quotes on 9-11 kw systems. No battery atm. Ill get a battery one day... when the returns are better.

Ive been quoted from various mobs. I can save some money going with some higher rated solar peeps, but do worry about their longevity in the market and if theyll be around in a decade to still service the system and warranties and the such. Leaning towards paying a few grand more for a similar system from an energy company. They will definitely be around here in 10-25 years, thus the premium. Break even will just be another 2-3 years, but there will be piece of mind.

If you do have solar, what are some things you wish you had known before getting solar? What would you have done differently?

 

[Warrior Spirit]

No. I love the earth but I don't really want to save it.

 

[HeHateMe]

No. I love the earth but I don't really want to save it.

You can't afford solar.

Thank idiot

 

[Hawkeye OG]

I’m looking at a house rn that has solar, I don’t know shit about it so would be interested in pros/cons if anyone has experience

 

[FozzyBear]

I’m looking at a house rn that has solar, I don’t know shit about it so would be interested in pros/cons if anyone has experience

Someones gotz to have the panels @Crystallas ??

Given the rebates/credits and buyback where i live in the hongakonga congo, it makes sense for me as this is a long term investment. depending on which mob I go with, me break even is 4-7 years on a 9-11 kw system, given inconsistent weather patterns the last few years in the conga, adding another year to me estimates would prob be a fairer estimate.. thinking about replacing da water heater with one of those lower wattage heat pump models too. trying to minimize da reoccurring costs as i want to retire in the coming years.. its not an environmental move.

Ive been researching hardware brands, types of systems, software, etc, and companies in the conga but that dont mean jack.. hearing from someone with first hand experience with inside daily pros/cons would be a plus. I couldnt tell you what to look for with an already established system. Perhaps, previous owners have DA bills and system logs to show performance.. datas always good. how old is the system? who installed it? are they still around? warranties etc..

 

[BBBF]

When I casually looked into it, it seemed like I was taking all the risk that the company wouldn't go out of business, the panels would keep working at a reasonable level, I wasn't going to move and that the electric company would keep buying extra electricity from me at the current rate... Just so I could maybe break even in 8 years.

Maybe if I was a higher electricity user (electric cars, air-conditioning, hot tub, large family, etc.), the return might be better.

 

[AuCN]

I have 1.28kW of panels. Right now I have 2x 150ah 12v lead acid batteries. But I just bought 2x 200ah lithium batteries.

 

[FozzyBear]

I have 1.28kW of panels. Right now I have 2x 150ah 12v lead acid batteries. But I just bought 2x 200ah lithium batteries.

Peeps putting up 10.357kw worth of panels rightz now. I didnt get a battery cause they dont make sense financially atm. Panels/inverter will pay for itself in a few years. Batteries will take wayz longer. Will get batteries once that pay off is under 5 years. Which may be another 10 years.

Will see how this workz out.

 

[FozzyBear]

When I casually looked into it, it seemed like I was taking all the risk that the company wouldn't go out of business, the panels would keep working at a reasonable level, I wasn't going to move and that the electric company would keep buying extra electricity from me at the current rate... Just so I could maybe break even in 8 years.

Maybe if I was a higher electricity user (electric cars, air-conditioning, hot tub, large family, etc.), the return might be better.

My house is 100% electric.

 

[Xuder O'Clam]

Heat pumps are now all the rage here.

 

[FozzyBear]

Heat pumps are now all the rage here.

Been looking at heat pump water heaters. may do that next. would suck cause i just replaced our electric water heater 1-2 years ago. will wait til i get all the numbers and see how fast thatll pay fer itself.. wanna go through a few seasons first and adjust appliances as needed

 

[Xuder O'Clam]

Been looking at heat pump water heaters. may do that next. would suck cause i just replaced our electric water heater 1-2 years ago. will wait til i get all the numbers and see how fast thatll pay fer itself.. wanna go through a few seasons first and adjust appliances as needed

It seems a smart choice for heating and cooling here, because our power is pretty well 90-95% hydro, so solar is not going to change the carbon footprint all that much, if at all.

 

[FozzyBear]

It seems a smart choice for heating and cooling here, because our power is pretty well 90-95% hydro, so solar is not going to change the carbon footprint all that much, if at all.

i have a ducted system for heating/cooling and the solar will cover that.. but if i can lessen the load with the water heater that'll be great.. where i live i dont really use the ducted system a lot. peak summer for a few days. peak winter more but not tons. but fucks be taking 30 minute showers....

i dont care about the carbonz.. just me wallet..

 

[Xuder O'Clam]

i have a ducted system for heating/cooling and the solar will cover that.. but if i can lessen the load with the water heater that'll be great.. where i live i dont really use the ducted system a lot. peak summer for a few days. peak winter more but not tons. but fucks be taking 30 minute showers....

i dont care about the carbonz.. just me wallet..

Of course. Then get an oil tank in the back yard.

 

[FozzyBear]

Of course. Then get an oil tank in the back yard.

nah.. fuels are a repeating costs.. suns is free.. panels will last decades.. may need to replace inverter at some point, but this shit is paying for iutself.. .im trying to retire sooner, rather than later m8... may hybrid my system one day with wind.. we get plenty here.. just need to look into that.. want minimal units with no noise..

 

[AuCN]

Peeps putting up 10.357kw worth of panels rightz now. I didnt get a battery cause they dont make sense financially atm. Panels/inverter will pay for itself in a few years. Batteries will take wayz longer. Will get batteries once that pay off is under 5 years. Which may be another 10 years.

Will see how this workz out.

Yeah, this is a for an off grid cabin I got two years ago. Literally a skeleton of a house. No water, no power, no anything (but the frame/foundation was surprisingly perfect). So I put in solar, interior lighting, a well. Actually I lied. It had propane fridge, stove, and oven. I put in a propane space heater and a propane water heater for showers. I've got an inverter for starlink, tv, and a cell booster (and random appliances at times). It's interesting trying to live on rationed power. Granted I am not doing it full time.

 

[FozzyBear]

didnt take them that long and im now producing power.... sweet.... they finished as it went dark n cloudy as the rain started pouring - its still getting some energyz..

i think my initial regret.. not getting more solar.. even just 5kw more.. maybe 20kw should have been the go.. i still have roof space... either way.. ill see whats up..

things are different in honga kongo.. solar is cheaper... export limits and feed in tariffs differ and the process is different too... everything is already approved and signed off etc but i wont be getting credits for a few more weeks.. energy company has ta come out to modify me electric box etc but they only do that after shit is installed.. given it was just installed 2day and their red tape, it could be 2-6 weeks til im in the money.

 

[FozzyBear]

yeah, 15-20kw would make more sense when looking long term at battery storage/ev charging. even though i have no plans of going ev for the next 20 years, but the old lady talks about it.

i checked me shit this morning after a few hours and have produced 25.5kwh of duh power. on a sunny/partly cloudy day. Def have the capacity to be charging a battery array as is.

too bad batteries are op atm. will def look into them within 5 years. will probably expand to 15kw then too. cause i know all our shit was being powered directly off duh solar this morning with room to spare.. maybe i could look into LiFePO4 cells and build me own, just dunno how that'll effect me feed in monies..

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[Burque]

My only thought, based on people I know that have gotten solar panels, is to get more rather than less but only if the laws in place make spinning the meter backwards favorable in your area.

Some friends that have gotten setups based on their current needs are paying electric bills down the road because of increased need. Granted they are still paying off their panels and generating near what was initially projected, but they aren't spinning the meter backwards.

I would look at what the "net metering" rules/laws are in your area. Some localities pay you for putting energy back into the grid and some just reap the rewards of your solar panels whilst giving you nothing in return.

 

[FozzyBear]

My only thought, based on people I know that have gotten solar panels, is to get more rather than less but only if the laws in place make spinning the meter backwards favorable in your area.

Some friends that have gotten setups based on their current needs are paying electric bills down the road because of increased need. Granted they are still paying off their panels and generating near what was initially projected, but they aren't spinning the meter backwards.

I would look at what the "net metering" rules/laws are in your area. Some localities pay you for putting energy back into the grid and some just reap the rewards of your solar panels whilst giving you nothing in return.

yeah our area has limits... 2 hours away and their feed in limit is 2x. there are powerplants in our area though.. well one now, the other has been decommissioned. the surviving one will be shut down within 10 years iirc. we get paid.. well credits.. hoping to draw enough to offset night and higher winter bills. the in laws went from 350 a month down to about 30 with a smaller system. that 30 was the remainder of daily service/connect/admin fees.. their power was covered.