My solar set a new record yesterday
- Thread starter orezok
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oosik
Epic Contributor
orezok - good news regarding your solar array. I have one question. How often do you have to brush/hose/remove the dust off the array. Around here I could clean the windows on my pickup every day if I chose to keep them spotless. Wash/wax the Taco Wagon today - thin layer of dust completly covers the pickup tomorrow. The gentle breezes are always carrying dust and volcanic ash. Just a fact of life around here.
ultrarunner
Epic Contributor
- Joined
- Apr 6, 2004
- Messages
- 28,910
- Tractor
- Cat D3, Deere 110 TLB, Kubota BX23 and L3800 and RTV900 with restored 1948 Deere M, 1949 Farmall Cub, 1953 Ford Jubliee and 1957 Ford 740 Row Crop, Craftsman Mower, Deere 350C Dozer 50 assorted vehicles from 1905 to 2006
Yep… can’t let a good thing be too much of a good thing.
PGE has shifted its peak charge time and now ends at 9 pm which helps the bottom line as much of the year no solar at 9 pm
PGE has shifted its peak charge time and now ends at 9 pm which helps the bottom line as much of the year no solar at 9 pm
OP
orezok
Super Member
I hose off the panels about once a month. I have an existing hose Bibb right at the panels. It takes only a minute or 2 and costs a couple of cents in water.
More typical are our mud storms. A light drizzle during a dust storm.
. Because of 11,000’ mountains to the west of me, we can have a cloudless day but the wind blows rain from miles away from the mountain while kicking up the dust.
OP
orezok
Super Member
I’m in SCE and we have a choice of 2 TOU plans. I’m in the 5-8 plan.
View attachment 747557View attachment 747558
OP
orezok
Super Member
I’m in SCE and we have 2 choices for TOU. I’m on the 5-8 plan.
hube2
Veteran Member
I have a 9.8KW system that produces about 90% of my needs. It was supposed to be bigger by the zoning at the time was 10KW max. I could have fought it but if I did it would have cost me more. It went live in Dec 2017. If I had fought it that would have meant not going live until 2018 and the tax incentive would have been 1/2 what it was. it cost me nearly $40K (installed by a solar company) and I got almost $20K of that back on state and federal my taxes over the next 3 years. Putting it in before the tax law change saved me almost $10K, much more than I would have saved in 20 years if I had fought the town over 1KW. 1 year later the town changed the zoning to 15KW max (buttholes).
And yes, the money I got back was paid by the taxes of others, so I thank you all, but you do what you gotta do. My system is part of my retirement plan
And yes, the money I got back was paid by the taxes of others, so I thank you all, but you do what you gotta do. My system is part of my retirement plan
Roric
Silver Member
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 sam.
Even a former billionaire president is said to have had a $750 annual tax bill.
(But we won't know unless certain documents are released someday)
Here is the difference between these deductions: the motivation behind them.
The strength of lobbyists and their special interests tilt the pinball machine
in favor of corporations and monopolies.
The energy tax advantages, slim as they are, exist at the root to make the
earth greener and a little better place for the guys behind us: our kids
grandkids and our children's children's children.
Not for the oligarchs, I mean billionaires, not the boards of directors
and not for the wall street shareholders.
Which of the above burdens their fellow taxpaying citizens more?
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 sam.
Even a former billionaire president is said to have had a $750 annual tax bill.
(But we won't know unless certain documents are released someday)
Here is the difference between these deductions: the motivation behind them.
The strength of lobbyists and their special interests tilt the pinball machine
in favor of corporations and monopolies.
The energy tax advantages, slim as they are, exist at the root to make the
earth greener and a little better place for the guys behind us: our kids
grandkids and our children's children's children.
Not for the oligarchs, I mean billionaires, not the boards of directors
and not for the wall street shareholders.
Which of the above burdens their fellow taxpaying citizens more?
cqaigy2
Super Member
Funny, when i post about what i've done with my tractor, i don't get people commenting on the tax break i got or how that tractor wouldn't work in x situation or how many birds died.
NorTracNY
Platinum Member
Please stop killing birds with your tractor!
cqaigy2
Super Member
TheMan419
Veteran Member
Yep. Given the small business we run we wrote the tractor off on our taxes. Saved us like 25% or so of the purchase price. Plus we write off all the fuel, maintenance etc at about the same rate.
I'd like to see how you kill birds with it. Smash them with the bucket? Run them over with the bush hog?
Also your tractor won't work on my property so you were silly to buy it for your application for which it works very well.
NoTrespassing
Elite Member
Does anybody know a ballpark figure on how much $1 million liability insurance policy costs for a net metering setup when selling electricity back from a solar array?
ponytug
Super Member
From acquaintances who have had to go down that path; it varies widely, as in $40/yr to several thousand to "we don't do 3rd party insurance". If you need it, call around, broadly.
All the best,
Peter
OP
orezok
Super Member
I just finished month 11 of my annual electric usage and I went negative this month by 10 bucks. I added 6 additional panels in the last year because i got rid of my propane water heater and changed my HVAC propane/electric system to mini splits.
Now the only propane I use is for my standby generator. In addition to the electrical savings my propane bill for last year was $1300 and now it will be virtually $0. WOOHOO!
Now the only propane I use is for my standby generator. In addition to the electrical savings my propane bill for last year was $1300 and now it will be virtually $0. WOOHOO!
Roric
Silver Member
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
We are very happy that our 7.5 kw system takes our electric bill off the table.
Happy trails to ya!
R
ultrarunner
Epic Contributor
- Joined
- Apr 6, 2004
- Messages
- 28,910
- Tractor
- Cat D3, Deere 110 TLB, Kubota BX23 and L3800 and RTV900 with restored 1948 Deere M, 1949 Farmall Cub, 1953 Ford Jubliee and 1957 Ford 740 Row Crop, Craftsman Mower, Deere 350C Dozer 50 assorted vehicles from 1905 to 2006
Many plans in the works in California to charge an additional $50-$60 a month infrastructure fee on grid tied solar…
Also reducing or eliminating purchase of excess power from solar producers.
It was not that long ago Solar was seen as a win/win because on hot sunny days solar can make the difference in keeping the grid up…
Time will tell.
Also reducing or eliminating purchase of excess power from solar producers.
It was not that long ago Solar was seen as a win/win because on hot sunny days solar can make the difference in keeping the grid up…
Time will tell.
