Solar Panel buying Experience

[escanlan]

Originally Posted by TeamLynn

So $67000/$1920(12*$160avg) is 35 year pay back? Did I do the math correctly?
Are you paying cash or financing?
What's the lifespan of a solar panel? of the battery wall?
Is there any value in the panels or batteries when the 35 years are up or are they used up by that date?
Once you full charge the batteries, how long does that give you without grid power? Let's say you have dark days...rain for 3-4 days and very light charging? How long can you go?
Any home insurance cost change one you install?
Is it practical or available to sell your battery power back to the grid if you don't need it?
Do the solar panels void any builder warranty since the trusses or framing was not engineered for the extra weight?
Did your property taxes increase with the value of the solar panels?

Had to go back and read all again from the beginning but there is really no indication from the OP what the final initial installation cost was and what if any additional expansion costs were. The OP only provided estimates. Maybe the OP can provide that information.



OP provided answers for a couple of your questions but the rest are good ones that also be be interesting to know.

[Wittgenstein's Ghost]

The weight of solar panels is a non-issue. Solar panels take up a lot of square footage, so they only weigh about 2-4 pounds psf. Depending on area of the country, most roofs are designed for 20-25 psf (varies based on snow load). Keep in mind that a foot of snow weighs about five pounds psf. In a place like DFW that never gets deep snow, this is all a moot discussion....a code-minimum roof can handle all the solar panels you want to throw on it.

[sirdevan]

Originally Posted by TeamLynn

So $67000/$1920(12*$160avg) is 35 year pay back? Did I do the math correctly?
Are you paying cash or financing?
What's the lifespan of a solar panel? of the battery wall?
Is there any value in the panels or batteries when the 35 years are up or are they used up by that date?
Once you full charge the batteries, how long does that give you without grid power? Let's say you have dark days...rain for 3-4 days and very light charging? How long can you go?
Any home insurance cost change one you install?
Is it practical or available to sell your battery power back to the grid if you don't need it?
Do the solar panels void any builder warranty since the trusses or framing was not engineered for the extra weight?
Did your property taxes increase with the value of the solar panels?

Great questions. Yes it was $67k. But I received $23k in tax return. Remaining $44k. I'm paying $330/mo. The Panasonic panels I bought are guaranteed to be at 85% efficiency at the 35 year mark. The batteries warranty are only 10 years, but should go 20+ years depending on # of recharges.

The 2 batteries at full charge and not using AC or Dryer can last 3 to 4 days. When we are cautious, but using all, during heat of summer, will almost make it through one night. We have a family of 6, 4ksqft, medical equipment. During winter it goes through the night.

Our electric company only buys back and half rate, so, to me, I'd rather keep what I make and use it, once batteries are full though, (usually by 1pm) we do send back to the grid.

The extra weight is nominal and does not void any warranty.

Property tax did not increase and most insurance covers panels unless specifically written otherwise, but bc we got batteries, we added the entire system and it increased our home insurance by about $30/mo.

I hope I answered all your questions.

[sirdevan]

Originally Posted by ChristieP

Just keep in mind that in order to sell your house, the solar system must be totally paid off, and the system does not add any value to the sale price of the home. A friend of mine got that very rude awakening when she attempted to sell her house while still owing about $40k on her solar system.

This is kind of true. You can take the panels with you instead. The quote I got from the solar installers was around $4k to remove the entire system and put it on another home. That was a few years ago, inflation may have it at $6k now.

The other option is to have the cost in the purchase and it pays off the panels on the sale. The seller loses out on that profit.

As to increasing home cost, 15 years ago, solar actually lowered your resale value, because of all the eco push, they are now starting to increase the value of homes, but it's still nominal. As someone else said, it's like a pool. It adds value to those that want it.

[Capitalprophets]

Originally Posted by Paoluccm

I've had my 28 panels for 3 1/2 years. Each panel has its own microinverter for most efficient output. Batteries are not cost effective at this point but we have hopes they will be in the near future. We had the money to invest and purchased out right. With Fed and St rebates total cost came to about $13K. I'm sure it would be cheaper if installed today and if you have the time I believe you can save even more by just doing everything yourself, maybe hiring installers if necessary. NYS has the highest elec. rates in the country so payback period will only be 5 years. Electric bill fluctuates between $11-$14/ month to pay for grid hook up. Usually at the end of the year our solar bank goes down to 0 and we have to pay a little more. Its our 3rd year and still going strong, this is our highest year of production yet. Don't know if summer was cooler or whole year on average was sunnier but we have nearly 1000 KW balance in our solar bank with one month to go to annual reconciliation when elec co will send a check for unused solar credits at the wholesale rate so it's not that much money. Best to size up system just for what you need so you don't make elec. for local elec. co. at a discounted rate. The solar roof will slightly increase property tax ( extra 300 out of $14K annual tax bill) but town deferrs that tax increase for 15 years. Even so I would rather pay $300 once a year instead of $300 per month in elec charges like my neighbor does for the same size house.

One of the best investments we've ever made and have peace of mind that you're reducing your energy footprint and not wasting coal or whatever type of energy they're using at local power plant. Most of your elec payment goes to pay for overinflated salaries for the elec. co. workers and executives. There are two private plants of Long Island and their residents pay significantly less. If I lived in one of those towns it may not pay to use solar.

Our biggest elec usage is for AC during the summer and that's also when solar panels produce the most so we have a nice match up of usage and generation during the year. So nice to see your meter running backwards during the summer months even though house is ice cold. If we move to another house we would install solar panels as well as long as conditions are right with south facing roof like in our current house. Best payoff is with purchase, not a lease. Leases contain many unnecessary fees, interest and price escalations and many solar companies try to steal your fed and st rebates. Maintenance is a joke because there is NO maintenance so don't let anyone charge you extra for it.

Enough justification to why you got sold on a solar panel. Honestly, you tried to fix a problem you never had and ended up with a balance instead. By the time an average person is done paying the monthly, your panel life is about done which is near 20 years. Instead you could have just simply paid the electric bill. Mine is roughly 150 a month maybe little higher in summer times.

[ChristieP]

Originally Posted by Capitalprophets

By the time an average person is done paying the monthly, your panel life is about done which is near 20 years. Instead you could have just simply paid the electric bill. Mine is roughly 150 a month maybe little higher in summer times.

Exactly. And if the panels are ruined by a hailstorm, then you just have to eat the cost!

[Wittgenstein's Ghost]

Originally Posted by Capitalprophets

Enough justification to why you got sold on a solar panel. Honestly, you tried to fix a problem you never had and ended up with a balance instead. By the time an average person is done paying the monthly, your panel life is about done which is near 20 years. Instead you could have just simply paid the electric bill. Mine is roughly 150 a month maybe little higher in summer times.

Originally Posted by ChristieP

Exactly. And if the panels are ruined by a hailstorm, then you just have to eat the cost!

It's bizarre to me that you can read a comment from someone who has just a five year payback period and think they are trying to "justify" a decision that made perfect sense. A five-year payback is an excellent investment.


A few additional points:
1. Homeowner's insurance covers solar panels just like it covers your roof. You don't need to eat the cost due to hail.
2. Most solar panels come with a 25-30 year warranty, and many will last even longer than that.
3. If someone buys correctly, they can get a payback period of ten years or so in most parts of the country. The market is flooded with so much cheap Chinese panels right now that an 8kw system with inverter and everything can be had for $20k or so, and that's assuming the homeowner isn't particularly skilled at getting a deal. Take out a 30% tax credit and you're at $14k. At $150 per month, or $1800 per year, that's a payback of less than eight years, or roughly a third or fourth the life of a system. Here's an 11kw grid-tie kit for $7450....add an electrician and you're out the door for less than all of the numbers we're discussing here: https://www.santansolar.com/product/...-tie-tigo-kit/
4. Even if it were all a wash, the environmental aspect is a win. Texas has good availability of renewable, on-grid electricity, but many states don't. Switching from fossil fuel based electricity to solar is much, much better for the environment.

[sirdevan]

I want to point out, during this argument, I do not have a lein on my property and many solar companies can offer the same option vs a lein.

Also, if you are in the general area and looking you can contact Good Faith Energy. If you use this link they will throw in a panel for free with full purchase (restrictions apply, etc).