Can Solar Panels Replace Knob and Tube? (house, cost)

[TinyMusic]

Hello,

Friend of mine just bought an old house with probably 80% knob and tube wiring in it, and the rest is BX from several years ago when the old owners must have done a renovation somewhere. My friend has been in talks with these solar panel companies and a salesman told him that he can install solar panels on his roof to power up his house and then turn his circuit breaker (that obviously contains a ton of K&T) off so there would be no threat of fire and he won't have to worry about replacing the knob and tube throughout his entire house at a high cost (I am assuming).

What do you think? Sounds ridiculous to me, but I didn't know enough about the subject

Thank you

[Kiru]

Originally Posted by TinyMusic

Hello,

Friend of mine just bought an old house with probably 80% knob and tube wiring in it, and the rest is BX from several years ago when the old owners must have done a renovation somewhere. My friend has been in talks with these solar panel companies and a salesman told him that he can install solar panels on his roof to power up his house and then turn his circuit breaker (that obviously contains a ton of K&T) off so there would be no threat of fire and he won't have to worry about replacing the knob and tube throughout his entire house at a high cost (I am assuming).

What do you think? Sounds ridiculous to me, but I didn't know enough about the subject

Thank you

Yeah sounds ridiculous. The power from the solar panels has to get to outlets somehow, ie using the existing house wiring. It’s not wireless, obviously. Sounds to me like they’ll just put a new box in and replace the visible knob and tube. I just did solar myself (no knob and tube, just wired into existing panel) and in case your friend wants a free second opinion, Venture Solar was nice to work with for my house. But yeah, it is ridiculous how some of these solar companies operate. Everyone says something different. Very hard to trust so they should definitely get a second and third company to look at it.

[midnight_thunder]

Originally Posted by Kiru

Yeah sounds ridiculous. The power from the solar panels has to get to outlets somehow, ie using the existing house wiring. It’s not wireless, obviously. Sounds to me like they’ll just put a new box in and replace the visible knob and tube. I just did solar myself (no knob and tube, just wired into existing panel) and in case your friend wants a free second opinion, Venture Solar was nice to work with for my house. But yeah, it is ridiculous how some of these solar companies operate. Everyone says something different. Very hard to trust so they should definitely get a second and third company to look at it.

The power from your solar panels does not go to your own home, unless you have a backup battery or something like that. The electricity from your solar panels goes immediately back to the electrical pole on the road, as energy that perhaps your neighbor might use. Your meter goes up for the electricity you use from PSEG, and your meter goes down as you give the energy you produce to PSEG.

[Kiru]

Originally Posted by midnight_thunder

The power from your solar panels does not go to your own home, unless you have a backup battery or something like that. The electricity from your solar panels goes immediately back to the electrical pole on the road, as energy that perhaps your neighbor might use. Your meter goes up for the electricity you use from PSEG, and your meter goes down as you give the energy you produce to PSEG.

Gotcha. I got a battery so I guess I was confused on the non-battery approach. But nevertheless, OP, the company is still being dishonest to your friend - the house will still be serviced by knob and tube.