Your Experience with Solar

[mongozx]

I too am interested in solar. I'm setting up a 350 gallon reef aquarium in my living room and all the pumps and LED lighting would totally fry my electricity bill. I'm in my house for the long run and this is a no-brainer investment. Still doing some initial research.

I see someone mentioned "sullivan" (never heard of them) anyone have experience with SunRun or SolarCity? Anyone else care to share their total solar panel costs (monthly payments etc.) and how it is being paid for? Thanks.

[Modification Specialist]

Originally Posted by mongozx

I too am interested in solar. I'm setting up a 350 gallon reef aquarium in my living room and all the pumps and LED lighting would totally fry my electricity bill. I'm in my house for the long run and this is a no-brainer investment. Still doing some initial research.

I see someone mentioned "sullivan" (never heard of them) anyone have experience with SunRun or SolarCity? Anyone else care to share their total solar panel costs (monthly payments etc.) and how it is being paid for? Thanks.

I have a bad taste with both SunRun or SolarCity.

I am not against a business being successful, my point is I do not like when a company misleads people into the most profitable option for the business not the home owner.

Leasing may be cheapest way for a homeowner to get Solar to reduce their electric costs. Sunrun and Solar City well as many others try to sell Leasing (most profitable option for them) as the best way to get Solar Energy.

They should offer a third option - providing financing information, so the homeowner (not the solar company) gets the federal and state incentives for switching to solar.




.

[ShelbyGirl1]

Originally Posted by mongozx

I too am interested in solar. I'm setting up a 350 gallon reef aquarium in my living room and all the pumps and LED lighting would totally fry my electricity bill. I'm in my house for the long run and this is a no-brainer investment. Still doing some initial research.

I see someone mentioned "sullivan" (never heard of them) anyone have experience with SunRun or SolarCity? Anyone else care to share their total solar panel costs (monthly payments etc.) and how it is being paid for? Thanks.

Solar City came out to give us an estimate. The person was completely unprepared and couldn't answer some pretty basic questions. It appeared they just wanted to make the sale, without any of the work. Then they bugged us for months afterwards, even after they were told no way. They are among " the blocked" now.

[photogirlla]

I think we are going to go with New Day solar, Scott Carlson, super nice guy and my husband took classes from him back at UCLA landscape architecture on solar. I was going to ground mount but we inspected the roof and the concrete tiles have no impediments, so we are going rooftop. We would to have had to dig trenches and run wires uphill around the pool and cut trees and level and punch through the other side of the garage, expensive and difficult. Cheaper and easier to roof mount. Not sure what HOA will say, the president said they can't really say anything but just please try to respect your neighbors. Except for people walking along the road and looking down at our roof, the neighbors will see it less than they would on our downhill acreage . At least that is my argument.
Financing is not as good as they would have you believe, so we are paying cash. It will end up about 28K for 37 roof panels. I can use the credit, and I want to get in before the net metering goes away. Imagine if I could turn on my air conditioning and up light my trees my life would be totally different
I would stay away from Solar City and all those other pushy people. Sullivan via Shelbygirl is good, they were higher priced than Scott because of course Peter know Scott so we are getting a deal. My friend Tim is going with Baker, cuz he can get a deal. Talk to Scott o hara at Baker 7608032086( Tim rosa sent you), Sullivan ( Shelbygirl can hook you up). My guy is Scott Carlson New Day Solar 909-633-0782. Peter robbins sent you.

We are extremely lucky to know some of these people, they give us a good cost on the panels. I've just given a deposit, they won't be back here until August probably. It takes a long time to get the permits and everything straightened out. Shelby girl how long did it take you from start to finish?

It's an eye-crossing outlay, but as long as we sit our butts here will have it back after five years! I never have to give another cent to horrible SDG&E

[ShelbyGirl1]

Originally Posted by photogirlla

I think we are going to go with New Day solar, Scott Carlson, super nice guy and my husband took classes from him back at UCLA landscape architecture on solar. I was going to ground mount but we inspected the roof and the concrete tiles have no impediments, so we are going rooftop. We would to have had to dig trenches and run wires uphill around the pool and cut trees and level and punch through the other side of the garage, expensive and difficult. Cheaper and easier to roof mount. Not sure what HOA will say, the president said they can't really say anything but just please try to respect your neighbors. Except for people walking along the road and looking down at our roof, the neighbors will see it less than they would on our downhill acreage . At least that is my argument.
Financing is not as good as they would have you believe, so we are paying cash. It will end up about 28K for 37 roof panels. I can use the credit, and I want to get in before the net metering goes away. Imagine if I could turn on my air conditioning and up light my trees my life would be totally different
I would stay away from Solar City and all those other pushy people. Sullivan via Shelbygirl is good, they were higher priced than Scott because of course Peter know Scott so we are getting a deal. My friend Tim is going with Baker, cuz he can get a deal. Talk to Scott o hara at Baker 7608032086( Tim rosa sent you), Sullivan ( Shelbygirl can hook you up). My guy is Scott Carlson New Day Solar 909-633-0782. Peter robbins sent you.

We are extremely lucky to know some of these people, they give us a good cost on the panels. I've just given a deposit, they won't be back here until August probably. It takes a long time to get the permits and everything straightened out. Shelby girl how long did it take you from start to finish?

It's an eye-crossing outlay, but as long as we sit our butts here will have it back after five years! I never have to give another cent to horrible SDG&E

The permit process was the longest. At least 8 weeks. Once the guys got here, it was done in mere 2-3 days. But then, we could not turn on the system for another 2 weeks or so, because SDG&E had to come out and approve it all and then another few days for them to complete the paperwork. They don't make it painless! Congrats on the decision! By our gonna love it!

[moved]

Maybe we should have a "Solar sticky."

[ShelbyGirl1]

Originally Posted by moved

Maybe we should have a "Solar sticky."

LOL...we would actually need a Mod. for that!

[iwaboy]

We got our solar installed in january of 2015, but Solar City. I personally had no problem with them. We ended up paying about $5/watt. Our system is 4.7kW, which comes to just over $23K. But we will get back about $7K of that in rebates.

We bought our system, I heard way too many stories of people selling their homes and the solar-lease getting in the way. Those may be true or false, I don't know. I also just liked the idea of owning my system.

Our electric bill before the panels ranged from $125-$175. Now they are $0, we have a credit with SDG&E, albeit a small credit, $45 or so.

I liked Solar City because they are big and have done many homes in the SD area. They have a nice app where you can see how much E you are producing and using. Frankly, someone should build an app so that people can see how much E they are using. Once we saw how much E we were using, I'm running around the house switching lights off, watching the app E usage fall. It's a really cool app.

Since we live so close to the coast (3 mi) May and June have been rough for producing E. But then again, the highs rarely get much above 70, so no need for the air conditioner.

[1AngryTaxPayer]

We have a solar heater for our pool and it's already at 88!