[MAGNUM8R]

Studied several local comapnies and also the output/quality and warrantees of each.

Got 30 of these being installed in couple of weeks, can't wait to see my electric meter running BACKWARDS!!
http://sunpowercorp.com/Products-an...ducts_services/spwr_225bk_res_en_lt_w_ra.ashx

Means only one So CA Edison bill per year, probably nada, zilch, zero, as I will put more back in the grid than we used!

Our carbon footprint is reduced and the earth will be happier.

Anyone else taken this leap yet???

 

[Redfox0099]

When I was a kid in the Early 80's my parents had these, it kept our hot water heater warm and some other things..... but is their start up cost for the panels/install worth the savings????

 

[obiwan]

We looked at it but, even with the tax breaks and refunds we were still looking at a $25K install price, our electrical is around $200. Take many months to recoup the install price.

 

[da BoMM]

Questions:
1) what is your payback period?
2) will you have any storage devices for nighttime electrical demands?
(or are you creating so much excess during "sunny" hours to breakeven on nightime grid usage


Solar is definitely on the horizon ... (no pun intended)

 

[Super T]

18.1% is still too inefficient to be commercially viable, at least that's what we tell most of our clients that don't have lots of scratch. But good for you!!!!!

 

[duce]

only thing green for me is the money in my wallet!!!

 

[slvr bullet]

Gone Green

We haven't gone the solar route yet but we went green in another way. We have built a new lake house and used Geo-Thermal heating for the heat and hot water supply. They sunk 160' of pipe in the lake and circulate environmentally friendly antifreeze through the pipes. The lake supplies all the heat and air conditioning for the house. No more oil or gas bills YAHOO!!

 

[Super T]

We haven't gone the solar route yet but we went green in another way. We have built a new lake house and used Geo-Thermal heating for the heat and hot water supply. They sunk 160' of pipe in the lake and circulate environmentally friendly antifreeze through the pipes. The lake supplies all the heat and air conditioning for the house. No more oil or gas bills YAHOO!!

After you get a full year on the books, you'll have to let me know how that does for you. Do you have an electric booster coil just in case, or did you oversize the heat pump for heating? Or did you not care?

 

[slvr bullet]

Go green

After you get a full year on the books, you'll have to let me know how that does for you. Do you have an electric booster coil just in case, or did you oversize the heat pump for heating? Or did you not care?

This is our second year and I love it. We have an electric booster coil in the duct system but it seldom comes on. The thermostat registers stage 1 or stage 2. Stage 2 is the electric coil but we have learned to vary the thermostat only one degree at a time and coil never comes on. My daughter just had it installed as well only she used a ground loop. (They drilled four holes 150' deep and a trench to burry the pipe) She has only had her system about three weeks so I can't compare the two. The Canadian government gives a $8000.00 rebate if the installation is a retro-fit.

 

[Cam]

Hey Mark, we need to talk buddy. The payback period averages 7 years and that's without a inverter failure. Also you must be getting a very small unit, you don't have the space for anything more then 2.5KW. And a house your size really needs something along the lines of 4kW. I'll call ya later.

 

[Super T]

This is our second year and I love it. We have an electric booster coil in the duct system but it seldom comes on. The thermostat registers stage 1 or stage 2. Stage 2 is the electric coil but we have learned to vary the thermostat only one degree at a time and coil never comes on. My daughter just had it installed as well only she used a ground loop. (They drilled four holes 150' deep and a trench to burry the pipe) She has only had her system about three weeks so I can't compare the two. The Canadian government gives a $8000.00 rebate if the installation is a retro-fit.

Only 150'? We typically design to 450 feet.... Do you hit bedrock shortly after 150? Sounds pretty promising. I have a friend in Iowa w/ it in his home, he's going on year 4 and his energy bills are absolutely peanuts. Cam - if the unit is sized properly and maintained, it will last as long as a typical furnace. We've calc'd anywhere from 4-10 yrs. for commercial applications. Problem is, for all of them we've designed, we can't get an owner to follow through, they all bail and go boiler/chiller at the last minute.

 

[ekaz]

I was considering both solar and geo-thermal. I was going to look into in next year. I'd love to get rid of or seriously decrease, my utility bills.

 

[liltrk]

Anybody figured out how to turn snow into electricity? I would be set!

 

[Phil Hunter]

I have a 12 Kw solar electric system on my house. It was cost viable because six years ago Calif was paying a $4.50 per watt rebate and a 15% tax credit. I calculated a 7 year payback at that time. Today the Calif rebates are much less, and it is very difficult to cost justify a solar electric system. I have had several friends look into it, but they cannot make the economics work, even though California has the highest electricity rates in the country.


Phil

 

[Arch Stanton]

I haven't, but as a shareholder of Sunpower, TYVM. :beerchug:

 

[Cam]

I have a 12 Kw solar electric system on my house. It was cost viable because six years ago Calif was paying a $4.50 per watt rebate and a 15% tax credit. I calculated a 7 year payback at that time. Today the Calif rebates are much less, and it is very difficult to cost justify a solar electric system. I have had several friends look into it, but they cannot make the economics work, even though California has the highest electricity rates in the country.

Phil

12Kw, holy crap that's a system. How large of an array do you have??. I've installed a few up to a couple meg. But we make covered parking structures out of the large systems .

 

[DarthCharger]

More power to you. it is a start in the correct direction. I am thinking of installing solar panels on the roof of my garage but need clearance from the planning committee where I live. Also considering solar powered roof vents but a good system will run about $4-500.
Later

 

[da BoMM]

More power to you. it is a start in the correct direction. I am thinking of installing solar panels on the roof of my garage but need clearance from the planning committee where I live. Also considering solar powered roof vents but a good system will run about $4-500.
Later

I had a solar powered roof vent installed this year ($500) , along with radiant barrier --
not sure either one of them is helping, to be honest.:roll:

Set me back $2300 (which includes the $500 solar roof vent).
(someone told me I can get a rebate -- I'm gonna check into it)