Anyone done solar - feedback?

Just as with most "sales" people, they will probably make "payback" estimates that are a little more optimistic than reality.

 

Did you end up getting solar?

We ended up going with SolarCity for ours after getting quotes from them and 2 other companies. They installed it in December, and we got our Permission To Operate from the utility about a week ago. It's a pretty small system (the photo is with 7/8 panels installed), but should be enough to cover 100% of our usage - both according to their salesman, and the PVWatts calculator from the NREL. We don't use much electricity - basically any appliance that can be gas is gas in our house (clothes dryer, oven/range, water heater, furnace). We also mostly use LED lighting, and keep our computers asleep when they're not being used.

We bought our system, rather than do one of the lease, loan, or power purchase agreement-type deals. If you have the cash, that's almost certainly the cheapest way to do it. If you don't have the cash (and you do have a large power bill), it can save you a fair amount of money to go with one of the other options, though. Because we already use so little, we probably won't break even for about 16 years, by which time we'll probably have moved. But if we start using more power (like if we get an EV, or use A/C more often), then it'll pay back faster, as our utility rates go up the more power we use.

One of the things I liked about our system is that SolarCity guarantees a minimum amount of production, and also both warrants and insures the system for 30 years. They also will remove and replace it if I need to re-roof for a flat $500. It's easier to buy when you know you won't have to worry about any of those things.

 

Missed this the first time around --

I'd like to encourage serious do-it-yourselfers that this sort of project can be done on your own, if an adequate skill set is already present. Though it does help greatly to be a retired electrical engineer, with enough additional electrician ability to satisfy the local electric code inspectors.

I installed a 1.6 kW starter system in the spring 2013, then expanded it to 4.3 kW that fall. Combined with some serious conservation efforts over the past decade, this is now providing nearly 70% of the my all-electric home's annual energy needs, even in the cloudy Seattle metro area with quite noticeable tree interference.

But folks not already comfortable with electricity will be better off hiring out this project. Anyone not knowing the difference between electricians and electrical engineers shouldn't even consider DIY.

 

About 10 years ago, I lived partially off the grid for 2 years in a RV with two 110W solar panels when I was working away from home. When I say "partially," I was experimenting to see how long I could go without hooking up to the mains. I made it to late October before the reduced amount of sunlight made it necessary to connect to the grid.

In addition to the panels, I have a 2400W GoPower sine-wave inverter, fed by 4 Trojan T-105 deep-cycle batteries rated at 1.5 kWh each. With a little discipline, I was able to use my computer and watch TV every day without much trouble. I could run my air conditioner as needed for a few minutes on batteries, or for longer periods with my generator, but in general, I was able to keep cool enough with the vents and fans.

I made my own transfer switch from a 30A 115V relay, and wired it onto the RV electrical panel. Whenever grid power is connected or disconnected, the relay selects between either power source automatically. The inverter has an automatic standby mode which powers it down when there's no load demand, and it powers-up whenever power is needed.

If I were to decide to do it again, I'd probably add another panel or two. I could also double the batteries. That way, I could use it with less power-management anxiety. It was a good experience with few hardships. I may just try it again for fun some day.

 

I have to believe that the worst of the job is dragging up, mounting, and connecting the panels onto your roof. Any skills most associated with this portion of the job probably account for a large part of the cost.

I would most likely tackle this with just some guidance from the electrician, then let them step in to do the final wiring according to local codes.

 

I do know the difference between an electrician and an electrical engineer, being one of the latter. Which is exactly why I hired an electrician to do it instead of me.

To be fair, I'm the sort of electrical engineer that doesn't really deal with electricity - I work in the computer side of things. In any case, I'm sure I could hook up a bunch of panels in a string and connect it to the inverter - but the pros do a better job than I would of making it look nice, and I have no skills in mounting things on a roof or running conduit from the panels to the inverter to the circuit breaker.