$2000 to connect to grid again... Should I just go solar? (Hilo: sales, homes)

[hapci534]

Originally Posted by hotzcatz

We have 5.2 kW on the house

Hotzcatz, how many batteries did your solar rig take to run the house without hiccups?

[Arktikos]

Originally Posted by mikereilly

I've places where rippers stole solar systems, catchment pumps, sinks, bathtubs, toilets, appliances and more when looking at real estate in Puna subdivisions.

Monthly electric bills at my cottage are $20-50, depending on use. Mostly LED lights, propane water, dryer and stove, electric fridge.

I was quoted $8k for solar install, fully permitted back in 2012.

Solar would likely be a bit cheaper now. That's a smart way to break down the utilities, with propane for the hot water, dryer and stove. Propane fridges take way too much gas.

[whtviper1]

Originally Posted by Blind Cleric

Solar would likely be a bit cheaper now.

Why would you think that? A lot less competition nowadays with so many places going out of business or leaving the State. And the return on investment is longer for most without any net metering......

[Arktikos]

Originally Posted by whtviper1

Why would you think that? A lot less competition nowadays with so many places going out of business or leaving the State. And the return on investment is longer for most without any net metering......

Panel costs have dropped, that's all.

[hotzcatz]

Originally Posted by hapci534

Hotzcatz, how many batteries did your solar rig take to run the house without hiccups?

The 5.2 kW system we're on now is a grid tie, so no batteries. Should the grid go down, we do have one circuit which will stay live during the day to keep the refrigeration and cell phone charging alive.

The last stand alone system we had was six big 225 watt solar panels @ 24 volts. It was about a 1.3 kW system and we had twelve Costco deep cycle 12V batteries in series parallel to up the volts to 24 volts.

We weren't running much in the house. A small regular sized refrigerator, probably around 16 cu.ft or so. Lights, although most of them were curly bulbs. Intermittent washing machine & power tools, lots of electronics. No water heater, stove or A/C on electric. There was a back up Honda generator with a starter & shut off switch in the kitchen, that was handy.

[hapci534]

Woo hoo! Just got an offer for thirteen (13) 200 watt 5 amp solar panels for a grand.
I'm not sure even what to ask. Is there a bad brand?

To check if a solar panel works, do I just hook up a voltmeter ?

[Open-D]

Originally Posted by hapci534

Woo hoo! Just got an offer for thirteen (13) 200 watt 5 amp solar panels for a grand.
I'm not sure even what to ask. Is there a bad brand?

To check if a solar panel works, do I just hook up a voltmeter ?

Make sure they still have an ample supply of available electrons. Nothing worse than a depleted solar panel that starts sucking juice to replenish itself.

[whtviper1]

https://youtu.be/Hey1QZkYFSQ

Keep in mind with a single inverter - if one panel is bad, it shuts down the entire system......

[terracore]

Originally Posted by hapci534

Woo hoo! Just got an offer for thirteen (13) 200 watt 5 amp solar panels for a grand.
I'm not sure even what to ask. Is there a bad brand?

To check if a solar panel works, do I just hook up a voltmeter ?

I vaguely remember reading in a solar forum about incredible deals on used solar panels that were getting dumped because of known problems with them and they try to unload them before the problems start. I'm sorry I don't remember if it was a manufacturer or a type of manufacturing, but at the very minimum before you get your wallet out, get the manufacturer and model number etc of the panels and do your due diligence.

[hotzcatz]

There used to be big solar farms that had mirrors to concentrate the sun on panels and after they were used for awhile with the mirrors, those panels didn't provide power at their listed rate. But, that was back in the last century so I dunno if that sort of thing is still happening.