Jump to content
  • Member Statistics

    17,502
    Total Members
    7,904
    Most Online
    Weathernoob335
    Newest Member
    Weathernoob335
    Joined

Summer Banter, Observation and General Discussion 2018


CapturedNature
 Share

Recommended Posts

16 minutes ago, Damage In Tolland said:

Not to mention having those eyesores on your roof 

I have (own, don't rent) 18 panels on the back roof of my house...can't see them from the street.    

 

2500 sq feet, 2 zones of central AC, in ground pool with electric heat pump.  Bill for July was $140.   That's the highest it's been since I installed them.   I have about 4-5 months a year when my bill is zero, usually April, May, September, October.   

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have 27 panels on the back roof of my house.  From the street, you can't tell they are there.  Installed May 2015.   My last electric bill was ...... May 2015. Currently have a $550 credit with the electric company, and run my two window AC units as much as I want, keeps house in the low 70s for the most part.

Before the panels, I was paying on average $100/month for electricity.  Now, in addition to no electric bill, I get paid $2,000 per year for generating renewable energy. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

21 minutes ago, dendrite said:

Seems to be some kind of correlation between loving HHH and heavy AC usage...

President Nixon used to blast his A.C. in the Oval Office while the fire place was stoked and raging ...  

I wonder if it's a GOP thing - hahaha

Link to comment
Share on other sites

21 minutes ago, BrianW said:

Nobody else on here has solar panels? Especially with all the generous state incentives in New England. My Eversource bill is $9.21 every month. My central air has been set to 68 nonstop all summer. 

Screenshot_20180807-095628_Drive.jpg

I could get them but I prefer to do it on my own dime, not someone else's.  I also wouldn't want them on my roof and I'd want a battery system so I could use them during a power outage.  So it's a project that's on my bucket list but just not at the top.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 minutes ago, MetHerb said:

I could get them but I prefer to do it on my own dime, not someone else's.  I also wouldn't want them on my roof and I'd want a battery system so I could use them during a power outage.  So it's a project that's on my bucket list but just not at the top.

I looked at this option when I bought my system.  Unless you have VERY VERY VERY frequent outages, the cost of the battery system will never pay back.  It would be less expensive to purchase a good quality generator that can be run off propane. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, BrianW said:

Nobody else on here has solar panels? Especially with all the generous state incentives in New England. My Eversource bill is $9.21 every month. My central air has been set to 68 nonstop all summer. 

Screenshot_20180807-095628_Drive.jpg

House amid tall trees, crummy orientation, 90"/yr avg snowfall with good retention even on the roof, modest electric bills - incentives here are rather small.
 

President Nixon used to blast his A.C. in the Oval Office while the fire place was stoked and raging ...  

I wonder if it's a GOP thing - hahaha

PR forum? 
Anyway, my 2 first-ever votes for POTUS went to that crumb-bum.  And though I'm still registered in the GOP, we don't have a fireplace, nor have we put current thru our AC since 2013.   ;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Brewbeer said:

I have 27 panels on the back roof of my house.  From the street, you can't tell they are there.  Installed May 2015.   My last electric bill was ...... May 2015. Currently have a $550 credit with the electric company, and run my two window AC units as much as I want, keeps house in the low 70s for the most part.

Before the panels, I was paying on average $100/month for electricity.  Now, in addition to no electric bill, I get paid $2,000 per year for generating renewable energy. 

How much was installation, pay back years?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Brewbeer said:

I don't understand why a few people think solar panels are "ugly".  They certainly aren't any more or less ugly than asphalt shingles.  

I don't think they are ugly but I wouldn't put them on my roof.  I don't like the idea of adding risk to any one needing to access my roof for service.  They add risks to firefighters and thus impact firefighting capabilities and would need to removed and replaced when my shingles need replacement.

1 hour ago, Brewbeer said:

I looked at this option when I bought my system.  Unless you have VERY VERY VERY frequent outages, the cost of the battery system will never pay back.  It would be less expensive to purchase a good quality generator that can be run off propane. 

Yeah, that's one of the reasons why it's not high on my priority list.  I do see outages a few times a year and it would be nice to have but the generator does the trick for me now.

1 hour ago, tamarack said:

House amid tall trees, crummy orientation, 90"/yr avg snowfall with good retention even on the roof, modest electric bills - incentives here are rather small.

My roof does have good exposure but late in the afternoon I get some shading the trees on a hill to my west and I'd have to cut those down for maximum exposure.  That would increase the amount of light and heat hitting my house in the summer and actually increase my electric needs for AC.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've looked into these for my system. It's a great product with a couple problems. VERY expensive. About $6000 each and most residential systems need more than 1. Also, there aren't many available and the lead time to get them is very long. Lastly, there are only a couple contractors in MA that can even buy/install them. Like, as a homeowner (and someone with the knowledge to install it on to my system), I couldn't just call Tesla and order one....they'll only sell them to trained contractors.

Great product, but......not ready yet
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Ginx snewx said:

How much was installation, pay back years?

System was 35K.  I also spent 15K on roof work, which included stripping the three layers there were on there, replacement of 35 sheets of rotted plywood, upgrading the attic venting, and new shingles.  I knew the roof was a problem when I bought the house 10 years before.  Pay back/break even was estimated to be 7 years by the installer.  So far, 3 years 3 months later, this estimate appears to be mostly accurate:

$11,500 tax credits

$14,000 renewable energy credits (2K/yr x 7 years)

$  8,400 in avoided electric bills (1,200/yr x 7 years)

I agree with a comment above, that it is much better to own the system, than it is to lease the system.  Yes, it is costly up-front, but if you are planning to stay for the entire pay-back period and then some, it will be worth it.  I've also heard horror stories that people with leased systems can have a hard time selling their houses, because the deed is encumbered by the solar lease, and some people don't want the lease, which is a better deal for the leasing company than it is for the home owner. 

1 hour ago, MetHerb said:

I don't think they are ugly but I wouldn't put them on my roof.  I don't like the idea of adding risk to any one needing to access my roof for service.  They add risks to firefighters and thus impact firefighting capabilities and would need to removed and replaced when my shingles need replacement.

 

I'm the one accessing my roof, but it is only to clean the gutters.  Hasn't been an issue for me yet.  The system includes an external shut-off switch (required by code I believe) so the system can be rendered inactive from the outside of the house in case the FD needs to get on the roof to destroy it.  I'm not worrying about shingle replacement, as the roof was re-constructed and re-roofed at the same time the panels went up.  I'll be 80 when the shingles need to be replaced, if I'm still around.  

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

20 minutes ago, Brewbeer said:

System was 35K.  I also spent 15K on roof work, which included stripping the three layers there were on there, replacement of 35 sheets of rotted plywood, upgrading the attic venting, and new shingles.  I knew the roof was a problem when I bought the house 10 years before.  Pay back/break even was estimated to be 7 years by the installer.  So far, 3 years 3 months later, this estimate appears to be mostly accurate:

$11,500 tax credits

$14,000 renewable energy credits (2K/yr x 7 years)

$  8,400 in avoided electric bills (1,200/yr x 7 years)

I agree with a comment above, that it is much better to own the system, than it is to lease the system.  Yes, it is costly up-front, but if you are planning to stay for the entire pay-back period and then some, it will be worth it.  I've also heard horror stories that people with leased systems can have a hard time selling their houses, because the deed is encumbered by the solar lease, and some people don't want the lease, which is a better deal for the leasing company than it is for the home owner. 

I'm the one accessing my roof, but it is only to clean the gutters.  Hasn't been an issue for me yet.  The system includes an external shut-off switch (required by code I believe) so the system can be rendered inactive from the outside of the house in case the FD needs to get on the roof to destroy it.  I'm not worrying about shingle replacement, as the roof was re-constructed and re-roofed at the same time the panels went up.  I'll be 80 when the shingles need to be replaced, if I'm still around.  

Thanks good for you, you did it right

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...