PSA for Solar

[eli425]

We have solar for 2 years now on our house. Worthwhile? Depends how you slice it I guess.
Its definitely predatory on the sales side. Talked to one guy from a door-to-door sale and almost bought from him but somehow came to my senses and decided to call around. Found way better prices and service from local company. Got a larger system than needed. We haven't paid for electricity since and even ended up building a sauna with electric heater. We fire that thing up daily and don't come close to going over what we produce, even in the winter. So in that regard its great, but to say I'm saying a ton of money as they would have you believe is complete non-sense. We are maybe like $10 ahead or breaking even compared to our pre-solar setup.

 

[ScreamingPotato]

We have solar for 2 years now on our house. Worthwhile? Depends how you slice it I guess.
Its definitely predatory on the sales side. Talked to one guy from a door-to-door sale and almost bought from him but somehow came to my senses and decided to call around. Found way better prices and service from local company. Got a larger system than needed. We haven't paid for electricity since and even ended up building a sauna with electric heater. We fire that thing up daily and don't come close to going over what we produce, even in the winter. So in that regard its great, but to say I'm saying a ton of money as they would have you believe is complete non-sense. We are maybe like $10 ahead or breaking even compared to our pre-solar setup.

I like that you'd have a perfectly good working sauna for the zombie apocalypse though. That's the main thing that interests me in a robust solar system isn't to save money but to be self sufficient.

 

[eli425]

I like that you'd have a perfectly good working sauna for the zombie apocalypse though. That's the main thing that interests me in a robust solar system isn't to save money but to be self sufficient.

Sauna AND icebath, all running from the sun! haha

 

[JohnDough]

My next door neighbor is head of solar sales of his company for the state we live in. He doesn't have solar on his house if that tells you anything

Not really. That's like saying the GM of a Honda dealership drives an F150.

 

[Throwin Darts]

Not really. That's like saying the GM of a Honda dealership drives an F150.

No it’s like saying the GM of the Honda dealership doesn’t own a car

So do you like your panels or no?

 

[ColPenguin]

My brother bought one of those. He told me about the financing terms. I pointed out, you're just paying into financing and interest instead of the utility company. You aren't any better of financially.

Its a bit of a ponzi scheme, because they have some referral system where he gets a kick back of he lures in the next sucker.

 

[JohnDough]

My brother bought one of those. He told me about the financing terms. I pointed out, you're just paying into financing and interest instead of the utility company. You aren't any better of financially.

Its a bit of a ponzi scheme, because they have some referral system where he gets a kick back of he lures in the next sucker.

Mine is a 20y fixed 2.99% apr, and I got $11K cash back on my taxes that year from it, which can go right into VFIAX at 10% annual return. Its not a bad deal...

 

[tony]

My parents are in their 70's, retired, live pretty well.

My dad after much "research" decided they need solar. Short of the lights, everything is natural gas powered. After his "research" the outfit he hired was a nightmare. Installed wrong, didn't work for a year. Then they went out of business. By some sheer luck they were insured and there was a lawsuit by a lot of people screwed by them. My folks were some of the first ones and got the system fixed under the insurance. It works now.
I don't believe they are making any money from the power company, and I think that's what people hear as a sales tactic. "Hey you can make money off of solar!"

My parents paid around 50k for the set up with battery back up

 

[Yoder]

Anything that doesn't stand on it's own should be allowed to fail. EV's and solar panels should not be subsidized by the taxpayers.

 

[JohnDough]

Anything that doesn't stand on it's own should be allowed to fail. EV's and solar panels should not be subsidized by the taxpayers.

Then we'd have to also pay around $17/gal for gasoline, which (big oil ) is heavily subsidized.

 

[Boarmaster]

I wouldn't touch it with a ten ft pole. I’m not an expert and there are too many scammers. I can do simple math. I sure wouldnt pay $70k for a solar system. If technology cant pay for itself in a few years whats the point. It will be obsolete in a few years. 70k over 10 years is over $580 a month. 20 years $290. Wheres the benefit ? Pretty expensive premium to pay for just being woke. I’m having trouble justifying the cost of small solar system for my hunting shack over just using my generator to charge a simple battery inverter system. I use electric heat at night so I need to run the generator on those nights away. I can say this. The whole solar and battery set up is about 1/2 the cost it was two years ago.

 

[ramsdude47]

Solar does make sense for a lot of people, not for everyone. True for just about anything in life. You very obviously have an agenda OP. Most of the detractors seem to have flawed information, or anecdotes that are either exaggerated or scams.

 

[JohnDough]

I wouldn't touch it with a ten ft pole. I’m not an expert and there are too many scammers. I can do simple math. I sure wouldnt pay $70k for a solar system. If technology cant pay for itself in a few years whats the point. It will be obsolete in a few years. 70k over 10 years is over $580 a month. 20 years $290. Wheres the benefit ? Pretty expensive premium to pay for just being woke. I’m having trouble justifying the cost of small solar system for my hunting shack over just using my generator to charge a simple battery inverter system. I use electric heat at night so I need to run the generator on those nights away. I can say this. The whole solar and battery set up is about 1/2 the cost it was two years ago.

In 2019, I paid $36K for a grid tie solar install, ground mount. 12.40kw. I chose to do other things with the $11K tax writeoff than to apply it to the loan, so financed the full amount at 2.99 for 20, fixed. I pay $203/mo. Calculating, I am paying $1300/year more, total, than prior to solar, to power my estate. Had I applied the 11k to the loan, it would have broken even. My panels are 19% efficient. Top performing panels today are 23-24% efficient. The main reason I purchased was to "fix" my costs in the future. If electeicity goes up from 12 cents to say, 22 cents, ill be saving big, even prior to loan payoff. Once the loan is paid off, Ill be saving even more. The panels are warrantied for 30 years and rated to produce 80% of what they did on the day of install, at that age.

 

[Chucklehead]

Can't help but feel like dropping 20k+ into my investment portfolio would be a better long term return than putting in panels.
But, for the off-grid aspects of the project, now maybe I'd be interested.
For me, It'd be more about hedging the risk of our fragile utility infrastructure more than the apparent cost savings.

 

[xsn10s]

Texas solar company accused of preying on elderly signs deal with federal government

Families across Texas are sharing similar stories of their experience with the solar company Sunnova.

www.cbsnews.com

 

[JohnDough]

Can't help but feel like dropping 20k+ into my investment portfolio would be a better long term return than putting in panels.
But, for the off-grid aspects of the project, now maybe I'd be interested.
For me, It'd be more about hedging the risk of our fragile utility infrastructure more than the apparent cost savings.

I think you're right, but Im skewing both ways: reduced fixed expenses and investments to pincer retirement quality if I live long enough.

 

[timberland]

I
I put a 6,500 w system as soon as I had my cabin closed in, bought it unused off FB for about $4,000 and a $1,500 battery. with a little research, did all the installation myself.

It runs everything I have so far, pellet stove, fridge, table saw, chop saw, etc. LED lights and ceiling fans.
It's nice to have ceiling fans and outside motion detector/security lights on all the time when I am away.
Walk in and flip the lights on, don't have to hook up generator in the dark or mess with gas, etc.

FYI, between FB and a discount lumber store, I have about $22,000 all in, and the sheetrock is hung. 26x32 with loft

 

[Weldor]

My parents are in their 70's, retired, live pretty well.

My dad after much "research" decided they need solar. Short of the lights, everything is natural gas powered. After his "research" the outfit he hired was a nightmare. Installed wrong, didn't work for a year. Then they went out of business. By some sheer luck they were insured and there was a lawsuit by a lot of people screwed by them. My folks were some of the first ones and got the system fixed under the insurance. It works now.
I don't believe they are making any money from the power company, and I think that's what people hear as a sales tactic. "Hey you can make money off of solar!"

My parents paid around 50k for the set up with battery back up

Wow, that's alot of electrical bills you could pay for $50,000, roughly 15 yrs worth at $280 a month. That's about my average here in AZ. Most times $100 less in the winter. I never could wrap my math around the cost. Plus trying to drive a 5 ton ac on solar doesn't seem logical. I'm glad your folks got taken care of. I know of the retired folks that live around me have tryed solar, most problems are like you said . No support or repair, always want you to upgrade or they parts are no longer available. The best solar gadet I ever owned was a coffin style parrabolic mirred hot water system, worked great for over 20 yrs. The all the plastic failed. No moving parts just plumbing. The plastic coffin is what did it in. They don't make them anymore or I would get one.

 

[Yoder]

Solar does make sense for a lot of people, not for everyone. True for just about anything in life. You very obviously have an agenda OP. Most of the detractors seem to have flawed information, or anecdotes that are either exaggerated or scams.

My 80 yr old neighbor told me she owes $70k for the solar system that was installed. It's possible that she has the number wrong, I don't know. I thought that was an obscene amount of money and that they cost half that. My agenda is that really pisses me off.

 

[Weldor]

I View attachment 729713
I put a 6,500 w system as soon as I had my cabin closed in, bought it unused off FB for about $4,000 and a $1,500 battery. with a little research, did all the installation myself.

It runs everything I have so far, pellet stove, fridge, table saw, chop saw, etc. LED lights and ceiling fans.
It's nice to have ceiling fans and outside motion detector/security lights on all the time when I am away.
Walk in and flip the lights on, don't have to hook up generator in the dark or mess with gas, etc.

FYI, between FB and a discount lumber store, I have about $22,000 all in, and the sheetrock is hung. 26x32 with loft

Nice cabin!