My new PV system

[asianflava]

OK so it's not trailer related, but after months of waiting, my PV system has finally come online. It's 7,500kw (30 250w modules) grid tie system with Sunnyboy string inverter. It's been running for a little over a month now we've been getting anywhere from 20kwh to 42kwh depending on the weather.

Taken with my cheapie quadcopter:

[tony.latham]

Hey, it is trailer related. Isn't that a trailer in the upper left with three PVs on it?

Tony

[asianflava]

That's the installer's trailer. They gave me a tour of their shop, and they also have an extended golf cart with panels on it. They shuttle people around at trade shows in it.

[Gunguy05]

Cool stuff. Keep us updated on how things run, issues, pro/cons etc. I am very interested in this kind of stuff.

[lrrowe]

Cool stuff. Keep us updated on how things run, issues, pro/cons etc. I am very interested in this kind of stuff.

I am attending a seminar today at out local libary on Solar. Probably more home installation related. I do not know what to expect, but should I take any bit of knowledge that could pertain to us, I will try and post it here.

[bdosborn]

Well that's pretty cool. I've been on the fence about putting panels on the house for years. Way to go.

Bruce

[MtnDon]

Is that your own cold cash on the roof or one of the many agreements where "The Plan" installs and owns the hardware and you get either a (a) flat rate guarantee for a couple decades or (b) a reduced bill that may increase over time, or (c) something else?

Just curious about how what different people perceive as the best deal. I have one friend who owns all the hardware and basically pays no monthly bill. Another who has a fixed cost per month equipment lease and another who pays a monthly fee somehow based on actual use and generation with some guarantee it will always be less than a home without panels.

[asianflava]

Well that's pretty cool. I've been on the fence about putting panels on the house for years. Way to go.

Bruce

Bruce: the incentives in CO are much better than what we have here (by better, I mean you have them). Unfortunately the federal 30% tax incentive won't be renewed next year, but who knows they might drop the prices to compensate.

I was considering it in CO but I didn't want to put the modules on a ten+ year old roof, this house was a new construction so the roof is new. The big thing that made me consider doing it is the orientation of the roof, our rear roof faces SSW which is optimal. When I contacted my solar contractor, just e-mailed him the address and our monthly usage. He was able to find the house on Google maps and get right back to me with a net zero system design. When he initially called me back called the first thing he said was, "Nice roof!" His initial design was a 6.75kw, but Mel wanted to turn the a/c colder so I told him to fill that side of the roof with as many will fit it ended up being 7.5kw.

Is that your own cold cash on the roof or one of the many agreements where "The Plan" installs and owns the hardware and you get either a (a) flat rate guarantee for a couple decades or (b) a reduced bill that may increase over time, or (c) something else?

Just curious about how what different people perceive as the best deal. I have one friend who owns all the hardware and basically pays no monthly bill. Another who has a fixed cost per month equipment lease and another who pays a monthly fee somehow based on actual use and generation with some guarantee it will always be less than a home without panels.

Don: No it technically isn't my cash on the roof, it was a solar loan offered by some credit unions, so technically it is the bank's cash on the roof. What you are talking about is a solar lease, my contractor told me about them, but wasn't a fan of them. The solar loan is pretty affordable, interest rate was pretty low and it is spread out over 20yrs with no early payment penalty plus I own the equipment. The first month we were still running a/c so we had a $20 electric bill. That combined with our monthly payment is still much lower than our lowest electric bill. I'm happy with a $20 electric bill on a 3300sq/ft house.

[MtnDon]

[lrrowe]

I attended a short presentation given by an owner of a new installation yesterday. He had a turnkey job done. $28k, about 8,000 kw system before 30% tax credit. He has had it in for about 3 months and has had three months of $0 electric bills. His power company does not buy electricity back, but rather banks it. His installation is on the ground rather then roof mounted. He calculates his payback at 10 years, but over 40 years he forecasts his savings at over $80,000 or more (I did not listen or read the chart that well).

If I were to build again, I would seriously consider this approach, but with more of my labor and purchasing in it rather then a turnkey job. I will not be in this house long enough to justify this kind of expenditure now.

Now since I do have infloor radiant heat installed now in my home, fueled by propane, I am designing a simple off grid system which will use solar electric panels (vs solar water) hooked to an electric hot water tank. Then I would circulate the "free" heated water to my main propance heater/boiler tank. In theory when the sun is out, after parts expense, I am heating my hydronic water for my floor at little to no costs. My challenge is in the thermostats and controllers for the two tanks. This all will be my winter project.

[MtnDon]

Bob, why not heat the radiant system water directly with solar water collectors? Going the PV panel route reduces the efficiency as PV panels only convert 20% of the sun to usable energy, at best. There are water heater storage tanks available that have internal heat exchanger coils so they can be used with solar water heat collectors. I have a friend with a system like that. Uses a small solar powered pump to circulate the water in the closed loop. Just curious.

[asianflava]

I attended a short presentation given by an owner of a new installation yesterday. He had a turnkey job done. $28k, about 8,000 kw system before 30% tax credit.

$3.50/watt; I think that is pretty close to what I've seen. I got a pretty good deal at $2.90/watt mainly because I dealt directly with the owner and not a salesman.

[tony.latham]

why not heat the radiant system water directly with solar water collectors?

Don: Wouldn't the issue of freezing be a problem with this or do those system use an antifreeze?

Tony

[MtnDon]

It's a closed loop system between the exterior collector and the interior heat exchange coil. When needed the propylene glycol anti freeze is used. Like the RV antifreeze.

[lrrowe]

Bob, why not heat the radiant system water directly with solar water collectors? Going the PV panel route reduces the efficiency as PV panels only convert 20% of the sun to usable energy, at best. There are water heater storage tanks available that have internal heat exchanger coils so they can be used with solar water heat collectors. I have a friend with a system like that. Uses a small solar powered pump to circulate the water in the closed loop. Just curious.

I have considered it. $14,000 for a 9 panel, 3 storage tanks. Was designed by a specialist for my system. These were the same folks that sold me the uniques parts I needed for what I have now. I am not going to be in this house long enough to get any reasonable payback which I suspect is in the 7 year range. I thought I could maybe add a lower cost, but not perfect system to assist for the short time I am in this house.

I do not yet know what I will actually do. I just came across this PV system concept several weeks ago. The other option is to just add 3 hydronic panels and one holding tank tomsupplement what I have.

I do need to be careful with whatever I do as,it must be understandable to potential buyers which I think an issue for where I live.