$5,000 for a 3kW home grid tied solar voltaic for Mom's home

[Tollster]

Well done ultrarunner!

 

[troutsqueezer]

Sounds like a good deal.
I just had a quote on a 3.6kW system that came in at $28k in the CA foothills.
Do you think I went with it?
Ha.
And that only covered 25% of the monthly bill.
Every time I think green, things look red.
I'm done with green.

 

[ultrarunner]

I'm thinking we will probably go with it.

About the only wiggle room I see for extras is for things the City might require.

Home built in 1960 so who knows what the city might require...

Did ask for references for installs in the area and have not heard back...

I was thinking of up sizing and the sales person discouraged it because of the 3 cents per kW payback unless she would be using more power in the future.

 

[ultrarunner]

Well... it's been almost 10 days and I'm becoming reluctant.

Still no one has come out to the house and Peterson Dean needs a credit-card to provide the written quote... we would be paying cash.

They say they run everyone's credit score too???

The people I have been dealing with are 100 to 150 miles away, yet company headquarters is 20 miles away.

I may just go with the local guy that is 20% more or might just wait until I have the time?

A big unknown is a question I raised... can her existing breaker panel be used or will this require additional money for a new service which would be a deal breaker.

Also, Mom is very frugal and this turns out to work against her..

She uses about half the typical home in her area and this means she can only put in a small system period... since it is based on historic use...

Guess I should not have bought her all those LED bulbs!

 

[ultrarunner]

Project stalled for two reasons...

Looks like a service panel upgrade to the tune of 2k is required to move forward... home is all original Federal Pacific Panel and Breakers circa 1960 and zero issues...

I know I could do the panel swap myself... just other things I would rather be doing.

Also have second thoughts about the number of roof penetrations to hold the panels...

Solar City showed up at the door tonight... ran the numbers and said they could do a no cost install and cut $5 a month from electric bill... mentioned Federal Pacific panel and Solar City said 2k to replace... so it would NEVER pay using their numbers.

 

[IXLR8]

Project stalled for two reasons...

Looks like a service panel upgrade to the tune of 2k is required to move forward... home is all original Federal Pacific Panel and Breakers circa 1960 and zero issues...

I know I could do the panel swap myself... just other things I would rather be doing.

Also have second thoughts about the number of roof penetrations to hold the panels...

Solar City showed up at the door tonight... ran the numbers and said they could do a no cost install and cut $5 a month from electric bill... mentioned Federal Pacific panel and Solar City said 2k to replace... so it would NEVER pay using their numbers.

Is there no room in the panel for a 20 amp breaker? Or are there no 20 amp FP breakers available? I haven't been able to upgrade my shop power to 240 as I have a FP panel and I can't find any 60 amp FP breakers. Electrician is coming next week to give an estimate, he is guessing about $1K for SqD residential panel, breakers and installation.

 

[ultrarunner]

Box is full...

Federal Pacific panels are being called by home inspectors when a house goes up for sale around here...

If I understand correctly, the solar install would require the addition of 2 breakers.

 

[Country Geek]

There's another catch Dan. The amount that your state tax credit reduces your state taxes, it also reduces your federal deduction for state income taxes. The bottom line after all the math is worked is that you will be paying federal income taxes on your state tax credit, that reduces the value of the credits somewhat.