Featured Lucid Gravity - wow!

I'm getting the feeling that you can't have solar panels with out batteries or grid tie. I was thinking you could feed the system during the day, and shut them off, but I suppose it would be a problem when they produce more than you use.

 

I have to redo my trailer roof, but I'm just unsure if there's any use in attempting solar in any way shape or form. It seems like it would be way more expensive than any help I'd get from it, especially without an EV.

At less than $50/mo I'd need to pay less than $6,000 for the whole thing and I wouldn't break even for potentially 10 years. And I highly doubt my mobile home roof would support that. And there's a big pine tree south of the house that is part of the lot I rent, and it shades my roof most of the winter.

 

The sad thing about solar in SoCal (for us) was how the utility continually moved the goal posts. Decades ago our 8 KW system was a profit center for both us & SCE (SoCal Edison). Thank goodness our system was grandfathered under the 90s & early 2000s rules. For example, If rates went up 5x during peak use, we'd get credit at that higher cost.
Eventually, they took benefits away from newer PV installs - so severely that they would charge you just for the privilege of you feeding power back onto the utility. And then those ("monthly you're hooked up") fees continually went up. Or - if the utility was charging 50¢/kWh during peak times/seasons, the PV surplus you GENERATE - THEY'd pay you only 3¢ - the wholesale price.
It's bad enough SoCal has to buy out of state power, but then shutting down multiple refineries? Talk about shooting yourselves in the foot.

 

Yeah, they took away all profits here. Basically I'd be saving on the amount I use, that's it. So if I produce the same or more than what I use then basically I won't get charged for any KWh. But I won't get paid for anything I put back in. I might need a battery bank so that I don't use anything off the grid to truly have zero on the KWh portion of my electric bill.

 

Yes, I don't think it pays on a roof that won't be there at least 20 years.

 

You'll still have your monthly hook-up/service charge.

What really "chaps my hide" is the water bill. My monthly water usage is way less than my service charge; so logic would dictate that I should be using much MORE water?????? Conservation doesn't seem to be benefiting me and it's not like they're rewarding me with a discount...... They've actually changed my water meter 3 times in the last 5 years; probably because they think it must be broken. The only reason I know; is because I check the meter whenever the bill spikes. The readings was lower than the bill. I'd send them a picture of the current reading. I notice a new meter every time and challenge them on it. I grab last month's reading and ask them if it's a new or recycled meter. You should be able to tell, just by looking at it. Ask them what the install reading was - if it's not in the computer; they're charging me for water I didn't use. That's happened twice. The second time that happened; I threatened them that I'd call the PUC. Pattern of abuse...... I don't think they've changed my meter since - but I haven't had a need to look at it again.

 

I get charged a flat rate that doesn't change regardless of whether I use 0 water or leave all the faucets running 24/7.

 

When I moved in; that's how it used to be. The meter was installed about 5 years in and my bill actually went down. Used to be managed by the county; now under Ca American water.....
I grew up in the city; not used to unlimited water for a flat rate. So I make sure my plumbing is tight and my toilets don't leak.

 

No sympathy. My water bill was over $200 for a month where we didn't live there. Private system for a 3500 lot community and they are trying to raise the rates again. I have seen no proactive replacement of a 50 year old system that weren't justified by failures. No proactive sewer clean out either so had 2 sewage spills in the last 10 years.

 

I make sure to save water, like leaking toilet flaps, just because it's the right thing to do. I'm especially afraid of this year, the worst winter for water storage on record. We'll see if we even have any water left by mid August.

 

That's at least $8.4 million annual budget. Don't know if that includes sewerage, storm drains, and garbage; that's a separate bill for us.