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As someone with lung/respiratory issues I would suggest making a home-made Corsi-Rosenthal box. See u-tube or web-md for specifics. Merv 13 rated filters and a cheap box fan and some duct tape. I wear a mask when mowing and have tried to have SWMBO use less scented detergent and softeners on my...

And our gasoline bill is a small fraction of what it used to be.

I operate a self-installed 7.5 kilowatt array in snowy Minnesota. Static mount on garage roof. Took our electric bill off the table for the first 3 years then, with the addition of a PHEV and later a EV, we have a bill again. The system has paid the original outlay off and we get a "true-up"...

Our 7.5kw system was commissioned in Dec. 2019 and has produced 45 Mega WH, about 9000kwh per year or 750kwh per month. Our rate has gone up several times over the years, along with the list of charges added to the monthly bill. At the start we were a bit ahead on the production/use ratio and...

Might suggest this for homes with carpet and/or pets: https://www.thisoldhouse.com/green-home/22231148/diy-air-filter Built several of these. Twice with grand kids and they had a ball. regards R

Surprise: Wind and hail deductible as a percentage of home value? My son had a tree come down hitting house and deck. I went to see it and wanted to help clear it but wife and DIL said "no way is an old coot like you gonna do that". (I just cleared the patio door with a Sawzall and due to the...

My all-in cost was $14,000 in 2019 Minus 30% federal incentive was about $9,800. Purchased kit from Wholesale Solar for about 9k. All the rest of costs were rented and purchased locally.

If the utility allows you to "over-size" production it is to your advantage. (We were limited to 120% of historical use). Make hay while the sun shines is the old saying. NAZ lists a 11,200 system with Enphase inverters for $14,000. Depending on your utility rules and regulations it may prove a...

Our array is 7500 watt (375X20) via Solaredge optimizers and inverter. Production is just short of 9 mega-watt-hours per year, just under 25 kilowatt hours per day. Located near central Minnesota so it may be applicable to your location, (except for snow loads). Roof mounted, fixed south...

One of the best for decades. He will be missed.

This is the new gen 3 router Starlink is offering: I bet their website shows much more info in its specifications. I have the original starlink router with cat cables running to (Unifi) wireless access points to upstairs/ downstairs and 2 detached garages. I had this equipment on-hand...

Does anyone have experience with the new Starlink router? Good, bad or otherwise? I'm wondering if it is worth the money. regards, R

It does sound like the utility has a "dropped" (disconnected or poor connection) neutral. R

Now days, due to AFCI (arc-fault) circuit breakers required in residential circuits, a separate neutral wire is run for each.

I was used to access via desktop computer and when it didn't work I checked all network and security settings to see what had changed. Thanks ponytug for the reminder. regards, R

I just got through on the phone app. Thanks for reminding me. R

Web interface for dishy. Using desktop computer. I cannot get to the router either. (192.168...)

Has anyone else using Starlink having issues with using their link? I'm just getting their logo when I try to go to their site. Not showing status, network or speed test. Haven't changed settings or anything on my side. Regards to all, R

The current output of our 7.5 array. Produces about 9 mega-watt-hours per year. Net out-of-pocket cost was $9,400 in 2019.

My 7.5kw is going positive too. (A little harder in central Minnesota.)

Here is a Momentary snapshot of power generation and use. 7.5kh solar array that generates just short of 9 mega-watt-hours per year.

I have not seen that but starlink has updated their unit 3 times in the last 30 days. One of these increased performance to as high as 200 down/30 up. regards, R

Hope your solar array can keep the heat on... regards, R

Who you gonna believe? Says the EPA: "Nationwide, particulate matter— especially the fine particles such as those in diesel exhaust—cause 15,000 premature deaths every year." The treatments that diesel exhaust requires are not a handicap: death is. regards

Melanie Safka passed yesterday. "I've got a brand new pair of roller skates, you've got a brand new key' Us old hippies may remember.

Don't you think that perhaps the defense establishment is looking forward for better ways? Remember Patton's 3rd army, the tanks held up in battle by fuel woes? More recently, the Russian vehicles held up on the way to Kiev? Alternative energy could be made to be deployed for defense. Maybe...

I can only ask that you take a closer look at subsidies. The solar and EV and wind subsidies are minuscule when stood against existing oil, natural gas and nuclear. Take as long as you want with that. All these are out of D.C. regards, R

Please refer to post #30... R

Good for you getting your KWH usage down. We have used an average of 25KWH per day, 750 per month, 9000 KWH per year. Our 7.5KW solar array produces about 9000 KWH per year so it has been a wash, (not counting the myriad of added fees, charges and so on that make up our bill.) After doing a...

5030, A lot wrong here but you stated that the firm you worked for "paid the union's scale". Who do you think established that? The $110,000 per year you pulled down, plus benefits in todays dollars would be more than $284,250 dollars. So maybe the UAW is not asking that much. To worry about...

Hosspuller, I find errors of fact and understanding of how distributed energy resources work in your description of my array. First, ALL energy resources are to some degree subsidized, rebated or credited for investment in some manner. The gas in your car, the diesel in your tractor and most...

Mission solar panels, (made in Texas), Solaredge inverter, optimizers (Israel)and Iron Ridge mounting racks, USA. Remainder of installation materials purchased locally. It was a priority of mine to buy American. Probably more domestic content that todays tractors or Harleys. (Just so's you know...

I will challenge your statement that green energy is not real. In November this year it will be 4 years that we have had a 7.5k solar array online. At that anniversary I expect to have generated 36 mega-watt-hours of juice. About 22 kwh per day average. This has completely offset the monthly...

"Lost in the Ozone Again", "Seeds and stems" and"Hot Rod Lincoln" ...my misspent youth...

"Lost in the Ozone again"

The journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step... When automobiles first came to be, replacing horses and buggies was not envisioned. That vision would have been unimaginable at the time. So maybe you create the next wave of energy jobs. Since August of 2022, 46 new clean energy...

I second the above statement about learning on the job. The Journeyman/Master/ apprentice relationship (established largely in union training) is the most effective training in a skilled labor career that matters. As a retired electrician, I can attest to the value of hands-on learning under a...

And I am aware a diesel tractor is a large contributor. R

The American Lung Association released a new report explaining how if drivers stop using conventional air-polluting vehicles and the U.S. cleans up its power grid, 89,000 lives and nearly $1 trillion in health costs could be saved by the middle of the century, as reported by Grist.

About the old shows being in black and white, I have a confession to make. I told the kids that the entire world was in black and white until Walt Disney invented color in the 1930's. And the wonderful world of color was the first tv show in color because they couldn't make color movies or tv's...

I will use your annual market return figure: My solar array, installed by me, had out-of-pocket cost of $9,400. 9400 x 8.91% = $837.54 divided by 12 (months) = $69.80 My electric bill prior to going solar averaged double that. That bill is now gone at the end of the year. (I admit we have...

The App works. Can't defy logic or science or math. 25 KWH/day, average 25 x 30 = 750 750/month (750 x 41=30,750) (1000 KWH =1 MWH) YMMV regards, R

I have stayed out of this conversation but feel the need to post this. I have a 7.5kw solar array on a detached garage that has been producing for 41 months. To build this garage we purchased a 1 acre lot next door to our house. This lot had to be cleared of rubbish and was overgrown with...

I respect you having a viewpoint. I don't share it. Your perception is your reality and you are welcome to see things as you do. Does this mean all subsidies, tax breaks, bidding advantages and any other government advantages are to be cast aside? Farmers have millions of dollars of acreage...

The reasoning behind providing any advantages to small solar, wind and alternative energy providers or any rebates for electric vehicles is to provide a voluntary incentive to adopt these technologies. It is not a mandate. These are a carrot-on-a-stick method to make it a more livable world...

There should be other things in the equation: Does the solar or wind producer have to support the executive and shareholders (over)compensation? Does the alternative energy producer get to sell the REC's that are produced? (Renewable Energy Credits) Many car makers sell EVs at a loss to utilize...

Power availability at night goes down for other reasons: peaking plants shutdown, not importing purchased power from afar... EVs could be a resource to redistribute power during necessary times. R

Let us just say I am selling a used car and I'm buying a new car. State laws (or utility rules) will say I have to sell at wholesale and I have to buy at retail? How about a fair or negotiated price for solar or wind arrived at with a fair accounting of the costs of transmission and delivery of...

You are correct and I wasn't careful with my phrasing. More accurately, our electric is a privately held ( with shareholders) publicly regulated utility. regards, R

Cannibalistic socialism I meant. A cabal is something else.

I have no issue with profit. I have an issue with predatory capitalism the same as my issues with cabalistic socialism. Either way the individual is harmed. See "the dramatic increase in return on investment of utility shareholders" regards, R

Would the incentive to go solar only be tied to installed batteries? What would the pricing look like? As a hypothetical example: Suppose you have an electric vehicle. That vehicle has 50 or 60 or 70 or more kilo-watt-hours. This means a stand by power source, as in vehicle-to-home. Or sell...

I do not have sympathy for the power companies "having to" pay par rates for distributed energy production. Their infrastructure and sunk-cost investments exist; are the cost of doing business for a publicly held utility. These companies profit from both the wholesale power suppliers and the...

KTMrider A couple of questions about the project come to mind: What voltage do the turbines generate? what voltage do the solar panels generate? Does the inverter have to 'play nice' with both inputs? Does the voltage drop on a 360 foot run require increased wire size? Is...

Solar Array: 7.5kw, Solaredge inverter (20-375 watt panels, on a 4/12 pitch roof) Installed in 2019: average output 25kw hours per day over this time. I sometimes clear the snow, sometimes let the sun clear it. Located in central Minnesots regards, R

I am a believer in lithium battery storage but found them to be too high priced. Even with a tax credit, it was not a good fit for my grid-tied system. I bought a 5200/4000-watt inverter generator to be used in case of a power outage. We have lost power rarely here, except for intermittent...

That is a great deal of power. 3000 X 24 hours equals 72 kilowatt hours per day. Solar panels: 20 X 350 watts equals 7000 watts, about 8500 kwh a year or 23 per day. That is almost 100kwh/day. My experience: 20 375-watt solar panels=7500-watt output to a 7600-watt inverter. Output is...

My Starlink reception has improved in the last week or so. It used to show obstructions that would block every 3 minutes. After a software update and restart all obstructions disappeared and speed is up. Don't know if the "birds in the sky" have increased or just app improvements. Yah!

"The Interstates were not built for the people that live next to them." The power grid is part of the infrastructure.

I can say that my solar array was financed with a withdrawal from a balanced fund in Oct of 2019. With a roughly $2000 annual electric bill that is not here anymore; the rate of return is better than that money would have earned. The market fluctuations, kilowatt hour and other rate changes are...

About 1952 "killer smog" took the lives of 12,000 people in England, seriously injured another 20,000. It still took them until 1956 to pass the "Clean Air Act". These kind of events in China are never brought to light So we can persist in being the frog in the pan of warming water or try to...

In following with the title of this thread; (but not to do with the initial question): With the gathering momentum money and interest in electric cars, it is probable that they will be common. Much is said about the coming stress on the existing power grid and all of the problem pressure...

I have been told that I am the only thing getting cheaper nowadays. Whatever she says, I guess. Here is latest electrical bill: 7.5kw solar array (no battery) average summer with90 degree days and humid too. I realize we use less than normal kilowatt hours but I have been on a crusade to...

Regarding var on a solar install: It appears that the solaredge inverter I use is correcting the PF power factor I am seeing. Does var and related power factor specifications fall into required specs for inverters put online? regards, R

Take a look at grid tied kits on North Arizona Wind and Sun.

First off, your milage may vary from mine. Second, things are 'variable' in the solar market right now. Like with today's new cars, prices may be 'harder'. Third, it is good to do your homework, check and doublecheck: Your electrical utility requirements, the local codes and zoning...

Good for you! There are few things better than a credit on a utility bill. We are very happy that our 7.5 kw system takes our electric bill off the table. Happy trails to ya! R

You guys are very perceptive. I had the remainder of the cable in a couple of large loops. This was a case of self-induced heating and I should have thought of that. Thanks for pointing it out to me. regards, R

Maintenance run puzzle I used to load test my portable genset by plugging in a 1500w heater into each of the 120 volt outlets. No problems with this. I thought I coud make it easier. I Have a ceiling hung space heater in the garage so I connected a DPDT (doule pole double throw) switch and a...

EV or ICE- it is all about applying the right tool to the right job. Would you buy an EV? Would you buy a Lamborghini? Would you buy a quarter horse? Fit the tool to the task.

The vast majority of privately owned solar arrays are grid-tied. These use the utility grid for a "battery". Overproduction of AC electricity, the current that is not being used by the house, goes to the utility - makes the meter spin backwards so to speak. A Model 3 standard range charging at...

So again, Have someone read you my post. Veerry Slooowly.

Have someone read you my post. Costs are

The costs are variable: self-installed, contractor; local requirements, local utilities Your milage may vary from mine. The costs of solar have stayed nearly level from my install. The Outlander is a 2021. The cost of cars has gone ape****crazy. My yearly electric bill is now gone. R

I have the kind of set up you are talking about: 7.5kw solar array; Mitsubishi Outlander AWD Plug-in Electric Hybrid. It is a great combination. This array produces 9100 KWH per year and fully supplies our electrical requirements. We have no 'power wall' or battery yet but that will happen...

The inverters today are pretty efficient. Mine has a maximum inverter efficiency rating of 99.2%. A CEC weighted efficiency of 99% (The thing satisfies all grid connection standards, has anti-islanding, utility monitoring, GFDI and arc fault provisions. It appears that it also even corrects...

I am (painfully) aware of the power companies' impeding the alternate power, (solar etc.) deployment. Alas, the in place public utility monopolies cannot be fixed in a forum like this. The race would be won by putting legislation in place that would make the decentralization and interconnected...

V2G and G2V are just one part of a decentralized and interconnected grid that would make trying to "build our way out of" the possible power pinch unneeded.

The Ford 150 EV "house power" technology hints at this.

Here is a consideration for you: Suppose that the same cables that charge the average 60kwh (+/-) batteries in EVs put power into the grid as well. Rather than building power plants for highest demand, power demand is mitigated by the decentralized population of vehicles in garages across the...

The tax break on solar or battery storage is nothing to apologize for. This is a tax credit limited to 30% of total outlay. Many billionaires, oil companies and airlines evade taxes because of favorable structures of tax laws, made possible by lobbyists and sweetheart agreements with uncle...

Iman: After applicable rebates and tax credits, (these credits directly subtract income taxes owed) this system costs outlay is paid for in less than 4 years. A utility program pays 7 cents per kw production for the first 10 years, in addition to the grid-tied production offset, (the meter...

Just looked at solar production: 7.5KW Rooftop array, fixed 18 degree (4/12 pitch roof) 20-375 watt panels facing south in near central Minnesota. For May 1rst-24th avg 33.75 kwh per day, 810kwh so far For 2020 and 2021 annual total output = 9120kwh per year. 25 kwh per day average...

I tried to get a Unifi USG gateway to play nice with Starlink and it was a rabbit hole. Even had my very highly credentialed network IT pro son give it a shot. His advice was to watch if anybody has a solution on reddit else you will have to invent it yourself. So I took the gateway out of the...

Contracted for a Bryant 24000btu/h mini-split to replace a through-the-wall unit that is well past its prime. The Bryant specs say SEER:20.5, EER:13.0. Much better than the old one. Specs say it will heat down to -13 below F. (at a reduced efficiency.) Has anyone had any experience with...

Meant to say 280down/19up, 156down/7.4up

I seemed to lose Starlink for a few miutes this morning. A windows update occurred at the same time so I could not determine what caused the outage. A recap of my starlink adventure: Ordered dish: Feb 2021 Notified that I could buy dish: Feb 2022 Paid for...

So as I recall, the phone was ringing off the hook sometime before noon on a day in February, 1972. I woke. My head was pounding like the base drum in a parade. I thought, oh crap, what is going on? I was the only one home at my parents house and no one else was gonna get it. "Hello" I said. My...

Carl_NH, Besides getting a good lift when I open the electric bill I get a kick out of taking one bill off our desk every month. And the plug-in-hybrid goes for 24 miles before the engine is needed and the it is recharged by sunshine power at home. Another bit of savings. Of course, it's not...

Dishy 2 is rectangular and the router needs an adapter.

I purchased a grid-tied kit (mission solar panels, USA, solar edge inverter and optimizers) and as I hold a journeyman's license, installed it myself. (Wholesale Solar in California.) Total cost for materials was about $14,400. Tax rebate reduced the cost to about $9400. I figured the payback...

Our 7500-watt grid-tied system was connected in November of 2019. The output is about 9000 kilowatt hours per year. The performance and output in the cloud and snow-covered hinterlands of central Minnesota was a concern before this went online. It has not been a problem. The snow and ice cover...

Just got the Starlink dish 2 weeks ago. Installed on garage roof a week later because of snow issues. Initial speed tests were from 90 to 180 mbs download. Great improvement from Centurylink dsl: 6-7mbs. Waiting for the ethernet adapter for our wired network. As I am not the patient sort of...

Just want to show you a Xcel bill. less than 50 miles from Big Lake, MN.

LD1 May I submit for your consideration a summary of the solar array that I self-installed and it's expected payback. Keep in mind that the extreme variation of electrical utilties' rates, incentive programs, tax rebates and many other things mean that your milage may vary. Everyone should do...

The PVwatts site shows my array is supposed to produce 9500kwh per year. 7500 watts of panels (20x375) roof mounted 19 degree roof tilt, south facing. In the 2 years I have been producing I average 9105kwh per year. We use about 9000 per year. We have snow cover from Dec. thru Feb. or more each...

go to pvwatts.nrel/pvwatts.php for a look at solar production

Sorry I didn't see your post till now. We Got the Outlander in March before when car prices were just starting to go crazy here. We paid 32,200 for an in- stock car (2021 SEL model) It is all-wheel drive, good for 24 miles on electic power only. This covers alot of our grocery any drugstore...

Meant PHEV, All Thumbs in the way

Check out the Mitsubishi Outlander OHEV. We own a 2021 (usually for short trips, but will do long ones too) Well engineered, well-mannered partial EV. One tank was 110mpg. best to ya

Before installing a standby battery bank, I would wait a bit and see if V2G takes root here. This is Vehicle To Grid and it is being done in other countries (such as Japan). This uses the electrical vehicle battery for power to a home during outages, power use during high demand times...

And Batteries will at least double the cost. You could buy alot of generator for that kind of money.

If I can put in 2 cents here: I calculated our previous years usage when I was considering installing solar. This was $2,025 for that year. After rebate out of pocket cost was $9,800. About a 4.8 year payback. This does not count the 'rewards' check we get every year, about $650. (This is...

We got 3 or 4 estimates to install, all were over $30,000. This was just for my information, as I was an electrician before retirement. The self-install cost wereabout $11,000 for the panels, inverter and optimizers. (I bought these from wholesale solar, now unbbound solar) This was a...

We have a self-installed 7.5KW solar panel system on the roof of a detatched garage. The 20 375 watt panels face south and are only shaded by east and west horizon trees (a good site). It started producing power in November of 2019. This is a grid-tied system and relatively trouble free with...

Federal E-Bike regulations. Keep a copy with your bike. Any LEO has to abide by this. Supercedes all State law.

Gale- The title "gassing up on sunshine" compels me to add my comments: About 20 months ago we put in use a 7500 watt solar array on the rooftop of a garage at our home. The output averages about 24.6 Kilowatt hours per day. This is a "grid-tied" system. Earlier this year the boss of all things...