Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Our last entirely off grid system paid for itself in 4.8 years but it was a small system. The current system should be paid for in 4.16 years. It's about three times the size of the first system, prices on PV panels have dropped and this system is a grid-tie so there's no battery bank. Each solar panel has it's own inverter on it, too. It makes 110v on the roof. Now with "extra" power each month, we're replacing a lot of cooking on the gas stove with nifty electrical appliances.
So now that you've been here a couple years, Dthraco, do you have any new observations of differences between Hawaii and a small town in Oregon? (Or was it Washington?) Have things changed since you've been here for awhile?
Our last entirely off grid system paid for itself in 4.8 years but it was a small system. The current system should be paid for in 4.16 years. It's about three times the size of the first system, prices on PV panels have dropped and this system is a grid-tie so there's no battery bank. Each solar panel has it's own inverter on it, too. It makes 110v on the roof. Now with "extra" power each month, we're replacing a lot of cooking on the gas stove with nifty electrical appliances.
That's great. So how long do you expect the panels/system to work till replacing? (sorry to side track...)
So now that you've been here a couple years, Dthraco, do you have any new observations of differences between Hawaii and a small town in Oregon? (Or was it Washington?) Have things changed since you've been here for awhile?
My perspective has changed. Bellingham, WA is no longer 'home'.
Differences from the 3 month post to now (2yrs, 8mo):
Apartments:
I raised my budget, found a great place and have lived there for the last couple years. No plans on moving. We looked at buying a unit in our building, but the cost of a mortgage ($300K avg per unit, 500sq ft) and the Maintenance fee ($600 /mo) is significantly more expensive than renting. The math doesn't add up. Not many bugs, when they do come, we eradicate them with baits. Life is much more settled, we have our routines, places we like to go, things to do, etc.
Getting around:
I used to get my oil changed on the mainland every two months because I was putting so much mileage on the vehicle. Now I get it changed when it expires, definitely not driven by how many miles are put on the car. I have only driven about 21K miles since the car was shipped here, ~7,600 miles per year. Traffic is slow, and some people like to drive slow...it is what it is. I don't bother getting angry about it because there's no point.
It's funny, on the Ala Wai, or going down Beretania, you can spot rental cars. I know where the tourists will want to turn to get out of waikiki or to the freeway....before they know they need to turn. So I just assume they will cut 2-3 lanes of traffic to frantically make the turn...and give them space to do so. There's also that frantic look they get when they are trying to find the freeway...I helped a couple out a while back when I recognized the 'look'.
Another funny thing about tourists...a couple Japanese Men approached me to ask how to get to their hotel...but they didn't speak english. I don't speak Japanese, so we had a barrier. I saw he had a smart phone and pointed to it. His friend smacked him on the head. Haha...that was universal for "dumba__, use your phone". We all smiled.
No complaint about living in a big city...I love that we have the big city and only a few miles away you can get away from it. I love how when you drive from Kapolei back to town that you can see the concrete jungle in the distance and Diamond Head just barely poking out.
Electric bill - Don't have one, all bills paid in the apartment (except internet).
No issue with racism...I actually just don't care anymore. And because of that I probably don't see it. Some folks look at me funny, I just wave and smile. 90% of the time they smile and wave too. I could just look funny, who knows.
Vacation - I think I have taken more vacations the past two years than ever. If I am gone more than 5-7 days though, I am ready to come home. There is a reason Vegas is the 9th island.
I don't go to to Sandy's very often...too dangerous. I only go there now for the annual bodysurfing contest or an occasional after work session. When I do go, I really try to make sure I stay away from the more dangerous spots (Pipe Littles). Makapu'u just around the corner breaks in more water and you get way less destroyed.
Still have no concern over rock fever or island fever. It doesn't even really feel like I live on an island.
It sounds like you are settling in very well, Dthraco! Good work!
There is a translation ap you can download for smart phones, I think. If you had the one that went from Japanese to English and vice versa, it could make Japanese tourists much more fun. Doko ni ikimasa ka "Doe koh nee e kee maas kah" is "where are you going?" in Japanese, I think. They should have the name of the hotel in English and with that you can wave your hand (not pointing a finger, use the whole hand) towards which direction they should go. Or draw a map on something. Although if they tell you it's the Outrigger hotel and you ask which one and they say it's the one next to the ABC store, well, the directions to that one are legion so I dunno if the ap could help.
Have the amount of perspective changes slowed down in the past year? Does it seem like the "oh wow, that's different" sort of things seem to be happening less and less often?
**************************
Kayekaye, I still have a solar panel from 1983 that is working just fine, I expect the panels on the roof to last about forty years or possibly more. There aren't any moving parts. How long does house wiring last? A good solid system is usually good until the technology changes unless some outside damage happens to it. Photovoltaic technology has been around a long time and now the changes being made seem to be mostly cosmetic so I'd say it's a good time to get a system. Even when our system is archaic and the new systems look like tin roof instead of blue panels, it should still be working. Kinda like the rotary dial telephone here, it still works great and the sound is so much better than cell phones. Since it's hardwired, there's never any concern about reception. It doesn't take pictures, it doesn't take messages, but as a pure telephone it beats cell phones hands down. Cell phones are busy doing so many other things that they aren't decent telephones anymore, which might be one reason texting is so popular. When they make enough cosmetic changes to the photovoltaic panels that the performance and durability are compromised, then our archaic system will even be better than the new stuff, IMHO, but that "product enhancement" phase of solar panel technology is still a few decades away, I think.
It sounds like you are settling in very well, Dthraco! Good work!
There is a translation ap...
Have the amount of perspective changes slowed down in the past year? Does it seem like the "oh wow, that's different" sort of things seem to be happening less and less often?
Thanks!
Good point on the translation app. I think Google has this built in as well.
I don't usually talk to tourists unless they talk to me first. There's always that awkward "where are you from" kind of dialogue that people ask. If I was ok with lying, I would just tell them I was from bellingham....because if you tell them that, they drop it and talk about themselves. When they find out you live here they usually ask one of the the same 3 questions or start complaining about this or that. If they have a legitimate question, I don't mind answering. If all they want to do is complain, I try to point out the positive things. If they want to ask me a bunch of personal information, I deflect back to them. Overall it's rare that I have a reason or desire to talk to tourists.
The amount of perspective changes definitely slowed down. Now it's more like, oh, that's how things are done at this place or that. It's no longer a comparison of Bellingham to here.
One item may help, Boric acid tablets at most retail drug stores sized like a vitamin C tablet, cheap too for a small yellow/white box. Place a couple of them crushed into a small , old plastic top from a chips or cashew can. Sprinkle a little sugar or drip of favorite bait beside them and slightly mixed to draw them IN. They eat, take back to the "nest" and essentially explode and die, after sharing with nest mates. It works well with cockroaches for sure. They seem to enjoy the "drive thru" and "take outs".
Small flying insects, and "all bugs" including transit roaches may be electrified instantly with a " Bug Zapper" available at site- budk dot, in Georgia. About 7 bucks before shipping. Sized like a small racket ball racket, uses two AA size batteries (placed into handle compartment), and has a green light on the handle to verify "active" when you depress the small button there. The " active" electrical grid in the enclosed loop above the handle, is enclosed (sandwiched) between two outer plastic grids. Openings all over, allow entry of the "target" to be "fried" instantly upon any contact, and, you hear the "SNAP". TINY " no see ems" that fly around may be zapped by sweeping the air and hear them SNAP "gone". Roaches - just lay the racket against them, spiders too, and ZAP ! Wall climbers: Lay slowly under them, they run or try to fly, and ZAP. Almost entertainment !! No monthly fee and easy. For better grip, wrap a larger rubber band onto the handle wherever you wish. Disclaimer: I have no interest other than helping my fellow " bugged out" humans! Enjoy and join Swat Team 6 on a " mission to zap"!!
PS: On electric vehicles. My main question has always been, what fuel is producing the energy to sustain the national hookup outlets and WHO builds the recharge places? On a mainland trip, if there, can a
electric car owner have confidence about finding a recharge station? How LONG does it take to do? Will apartments have them ( who pays and method of determination?) and HOW do those on a street or LOT/garage, hookup; ie will we need cables running across a LOT or garage floor? Will those be potential theft or vandalize items? just practical stuff...
Kayekaye, I still have a solar panel from 1983 that is working just fine, I expect the panels on the roof to last about forty years or possibly more.
.....
Photovoltaic technology has been around a long time and now the changes being made seem to be mostly cosmetic so I'd say it's a good time to get a system. Even when our system is archaic and the new systems look like tin roof instead of blue panels, it should still be working.
.....
When they make enough cosmetic changes to the photovoltaic panels that the performance and durability are compromised, then our archaic system will even be better than the new stuff, IMHO, but that "product enhancement" phase of solar panel technology is still a few decades away, I think.
Yes, the old systems with the solid silicon cells are likely to work for a long time, but they have a couple of obvious limitations... 1) they slowly lose capacity, about 1% a year, so that after 40 years they are projected to be producing only 68% of what they did when new. 2) unless retrofitted with the new micro-inverter technology they are subject to "weakest link" power generation patterns, in which a panel in shade, for example, degrades the performance of the entire array. Micro-inverters allow each individual panel to generate at its best. 3) they can be difficult to expand or to repair because of churn in the supply chain. 4) if not grid-tied, maintenance of the battery storage system has a time/money cost.
But those are primarily concerns if contemplating buying a home with an existing system. For new installations there's probably no better time than the present, because competition has brought the prices down, in many areas current rebates and tax credits dramatically reduce initial cost and increase ROI, and the electric companies in Hawai'i have limits on the number of grid-ties they will approve. That has to do with balancing the resulting drop in revenues with the need to maintain peak generating capacity for nighttime and cloudy hours.
Yes, there will be steady improvements over time, but the next big leap in efficiency is probably 5 years out, so there's no good reason to wait.
$300,000 for a 500sf apartment+600 per month in HOA fees? forget about it and I thought DC was bad.
I sold a condo diagonally across the street 100 yards from The Diplomat Resort ( John Gotti TV reality show location) in Hollywood Florida about 10 years ago, on Ocean Drive, on the beach. It was THEN 130 K plus, $500 maintenance (HOA) misnomer , that paid common access upkeep and security/office staff salaries (yeah right) and trash removal. A rip off. When there was a building "need" such as a new roof ac chiller, there was an " assessment " , demanded extra, nearly $ 4000.00 from each owner based upon sq footage DUE w/in 60 days ! No pay? LIEN would be placed on a property. NEVER buy a condo again. The building was built in the late 70s like many are in Oahu. Central token (coin) laundry and trash chute, parking garage etc. Buying property in Hawaii is analogous and way over priced in value. Extra taxes and limited parking are going to kill long term investment and reduce quality/condition, of location structures. Many rent/lease at exorbitant pricing on older places that are essentially hotel rooms with a sink and fridge in the living room area. Worse, are places so run down, no one stays. The few really good places are VERY expensive for value of use. Of course, land is limited, but, made much worse due to off island owners that want "return" and not interested in long term for NOW. Maybe later. Quality of life is certainly weather, but,
kwh rates, taxes, value, influx of cars w/o impact considerations, and efficient public transport to compete with car traffic on the same roads, will have issues develop more. A separate lane for sole transit use or elevated light rail has been useful in Miami and of course major cities like NYC. No excuse for delays that could not be mitigated by practical measures. Willingness? Ability? Hmmmm.
My perspective has changed. Bellingham, WA is no longer 'home'.
Differences from the 3 month post to now (2yrs, 8mo):
Apartments:
I raised my budget, found a great place and have lived there for the last couple years. No plans on moving. We looked at buying a unit in our building, but the cost of a mortgage ($300K avg per unit, 500sq ft) and the Maintenance fee ($600 /mo) is significantly more expensive than renting. The math doesn't add up. Not many bugs, when they do come, we eradicate them with baits. Life is much more settled, we have our routines, places we like to go, things to do, etc.
.....
Still have no concern over rock fever or island fever. It doesn't even really feel like I live on an island.
I also live in Bham and my hubby and I have been exploring the idea of an Oahu move for about a year and a half now. We've both been here for years, and while it has it's positives we are both more than ready to go. Especially as October really sets in, and we gear up for eight straight months of gray sideways drizzle and rain showers as penance for two glorious months of Summer. I'm sure you know just what I'm talking about.
We've been doing a lot of research and reading. We'll be heading over in November to spend some time checking it out. I was wondering if you'd mind if I PM'd you re: finding a good downtown building, budget, and process? It's just the hubs, dog and I.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Bugs that "bug" you
For better grip, wrap a larger rubber band onto the handle wherever you wish. Disclaimer: I have no interest other than helping my fellow " bugged out" humans! Enjoy and join Swat Team 6 on a " mission to zap"!!
