A newbies DIY solar install

LD1 · Dec 11, 2021

buckeyefarmer said:
Interesting thread. I’ve crunched the numbers before, the only way feasible is a self install.

I keep detailed spreadsheet of my energy usage since building my house in 1997.
I keep sliding 12 month total each month, my highest is 26903 kWh / yr. lowest is 14435. These are only in last 10 yrs. before that they were lower. I would need system like JK96.
Yearly cost approximately $2400.

Not sure of net meter rules here.

Since 1997 I spent $34721 on electric, $57024 including electric, heat oil (replaced by geothermal 2012), and wood pellets.

Per month this yr, has varied from 645kwh to 2946kwh.

Get ahold of your electric company. That's the only way to get answers associated with cost and net metering

newbury · Dec 11, 2021

LD1 said:
Nope....don't envy that at all.

I have crunched all these numbers on solar about 4-5 times in the past 20 years. I cannot seem to get below a 15 yr payback.

So looks like I'm probably gonna hold off again.

So in theory if you had gotten a 15 yr payback 20 years ago you would have been paid back for 5 years.

On another slant -
Has anyone seen a good DIY solar carport implementation? If so any good links?
I've got to replace a carport that was about 20x40. Basically I need to roof over the area to keep stuff underneath protected from the Mississippi sun and rain.
The previous carport was only paneled down on one side so I'm not looking for a complete enclosure.
I could orient it in a solar friendly angle.
But I'm thinking those big panels on frames could easily be adapted to a carport roof.

jk96 · Dec 11, 2021

newbury said:
So in theory if you had gotten a 15 yr payback 20 years ago you would have been paid back for 5 years.

You would have to also factor in any maintenance or repairs over 20 years and how much system life is left at that point. Would be wiser just to invest your money for 20 years at a 15 year payback.

LD1 · Dec 11, 2021

newbury said:
So in theory if you had gotten a 15 yr payback 20 years ago you would have been paid back for 5 years.

On another slant -
Has anyone seen a good DIY solar carport implementation? If so any good links?
I've got to replace a carport that was about 20x40. Basically I need to roof over the area to keep stuff underneath protected from the Mississippi sun and rain.
The previous carport was only paneled down on one side so I'm not looking for a complete enclosure.
I could orient it in a solar friendly angle.
But I'm thinking those big panels on frames could easily be adapted to a carport roof.

I dont like pushing the ROI out near a systems life expectancy. Just not smart use of funds IMO.

The other variable I have to factor....and no idea how it will impact things....is when my kids grow up and move out.

A 15 year payback puts my kids at 23 and 26. How much less power am I gonna use? I have no idea. But at a 15 year payback my system would become largely oversized before I reach payback. Not sure if that would qualify as a good thing or a bad thing.

An ~8 year payback would be reasonable. Doubling it is doubling the chance for something to go wrong....natural (like hail damage) or otherwise. Just not a risk I want to take at this point.

At a "potential" of only saving $1000/yr or less....Id have to be all in on a 12-13kw system including all permits and the $250 application fee to the electric company (dont think I mentioned it yet) for less than $8k. And at todays prices I dont see even getting close.

Again, my electric company through their fees and actions dont seem too keen on solar. So who am I to argue.

If was fun re-evaluating again whether solar would be a fit for me. And this probably wont be the last time I re-evaluate either. Thats how we make informed decisions. But this time around, the decision is clear to me that solar is not a wise use of funds at this time

Oaktree · Dec 11, 2021

newbury said:
So in theory if you had gotten a 15 yr payback 20 years ago you would have been paid back for 5 years.

jk96 said:
You would have to also factor in any maintenance or repairs over 20 years and how much system life is left at that point. Would be wiser just to invest your money for 20 years at a 15 year payback.

You would also have to factor in the cost and efficiency of what was available 20 years ago. Both have come a long way in a customer's favor. That "15 year payback" today could very well have been double that 20 years ago.

Carl_NH · Dec 11, 2021

We installed a 24 panel 300W LG panels 7.2KW grid tie system December 2014, south facing garage roof - pitch 38*. This has generated 7200KWH per year average. As of Dec 2021 we will have generated 51MW of electricity.

I considered installing it myself, and hiring a electrician ($16K total materials) saving $10K, but in reality the $10K net cost with rebate was $5700, and got the warranty and they did all the work.

- System Cost $26,000 - 30% Federal Tax Credit ($8K) less NH State rebate ($4K) net cost $14K
- Net Metering pays us $.22 per KWH for what we don't use (net meter rate rises with prices)
- Our electric usage is 9000-9500 KWH per year (7-800KWH/month) so we generate 75% of usage
- We need to "buy" 2000KWH @ $.22 KWH so $450 per year vs cost for electricity $2050 so annual savings of $1600/year = 8.75 year ROI.
- So we have 2.75 years until the system provides "free" electricity

We heat 3800 SF with oil, and also have 3 mini splits for heat assist and summer cooling and our total outlay for heat and electricity annually is $150 per month or $1800/year with the solar array.

Bottom line, if your per KWH electric cost is less than $.15, its a push justify a solar investment.

Gale Hawkins · Dec 12, 2021

After the tornado that hit Mayfield Kentucky I wish I had a off-grid system without grid tie. This illustrates why I would not prefer a grid tie solar system. The generator gas at $3 a gallon is costing me overnight $36 to stay somewhat warm and run the well from time to time.

I really do not get the point about being concerned about payback. Like I mean how long is the payback period for a bass boat and a new pickup to pull it.

Sometime in life I just buy stuff because I want it and what it does for me from time to time.

While tornado damage in Graves county does not impact me directly somehow during all the storms TVA lost their ability to power some of our substations and once TVA gets back online many of us will have power.

jk96 · Dec 12, 2021

Gale Hawkins said:
After the tornado that hit Mayfield Kentucky I wish I had a off-grid system without grid tie. This illustrates why I would not prefer a grid tie solar system. The generator gas at $3 a gallon is costing me overnight $36 to stay somewhat warm and run the well from time to time.

I really do not get the point about being concerned about payback. Like I mean how long is the payback period for a bass boat and a new pickup to pull it.

Sometime in life I just buy stuff because I want it and what it does for me from time to time.

While tornado damage in Graves county does not impact me directly somehow during all the storms TVA lost their ability to power some of our substations and once TVA gets back online many of us will have power.

I know everyone's circumstances are different but with us we just don't have outages and going off grid to plan for a once in a lifetime event just doesn't make sense to me. I know we only get about 3.5 cents on overproduction but with our rate at 11.7 cents that's 30% of retail. Our production vs consumption is also only calculated at the end of each billing cycle and credits are good for 12 months. The way I look at it grid tied allows me to store 30% of my overproduction for up to 12 months with no batteries to purchase or maintain.

Gale Hawkins · Dec 12, 2021

jk96 said:
I know everyone's circumstances are different but with us we just don't have outages and going off grid to plan for a once in a lifetime event just doesn't make sense to me. I know we only get about 3.5 cents on overproduction but with our rate at 11.7 cents that's 30% of retail. Our production vs consumption is also only calculated at the end of each billing cycle and credits are good for 12 months. The way I look at it grid tied allows me to store 30% of my overproduction for up to 12 months with no batteries to purchase or maintain.

The last time we used our generator was in 2009 other than for testing purposes when we had ice storm. I was offline 65 hours because I'm on a three-phase line but the last one on a three phase line my brother was down about 3 weeks and he lives a mile from me so yes dependability is a concern that varies from location to location. Thankfully the generator ran and started this time and we do not know how long the tornado damage recovery is going to take. I'm off to an ajoining town to refuel. Another thing I'm just a very independent person and I hate depending on a third party for my emergency power needs. Access to water is key when you have animals and we are on a deep well.

sandman2234 · Dec 12, 2021

Gale Hawkins said:
After the tornado that hit Mayfield Kentucky I wish I had a off-grid system without grid tie. This illustrates why I would not prefer a grid tie solar system. The generator gas at $3 a gallon is costing me overnight $36 to stay somewhat warm and run the well from time to time.

I really do not get the point about being concerned about payback. Like I mean how long is the payback period for a bass boat and a new pickup to pull it.

Sometime in life I just buy stuff because I want it and what it does for me from time to time.

While tornado damage in Graves county does not impact me directly somehow during all the storms TVA lost their ability to power some of our substations and once TVA gets back online many of us will have power.

I am looking at selling my old Chevy that I don't drive anymore, to pay for a solar grid that would net me a few dollars saved. No bass boat, but pretty much the same issue!
David from jax