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Thread: Solar Panels

  1. #1
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    Solar Panels

    My neighbor is getting solar panels installed by a company out of Houston. Apparently the company here is pretty rigid in there practice. He wanted a couple extra panels on a different side to charge the batter back up generator. A couple things are interesting, once the panels are installed you no longer pay the eclectic company you pay the solar panel place for 20 years at a locked in rate. The amount of panels depends on your average electricity use over a year. The last thing is that the back up generator/battery storage will is to run the a/c/heat in the event of a total power outage. the panels run everything else for a defined period, which i don't know what that is. I guess if you are going to live there for 20 years, then what happens to your insurance, then consider hail....i don't know what do you all think of the Solar installation?
    "The difference between golf and government is that in golf you cant improve your lie"
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    When I was in Killeen, one of my co-workers was tinkering with some solar stuff. He started with a solar powered fan in one of his roof vents. He said that it reduced the temperature in the attic by over 40 degrees, which I can believe, and he said his electric bill dropped quite a bit.
    He did a few other things with solar panels and batteries, but I'm not sure what. I don't think he ever did a whole house bit.
    {off topic}I did get a fan for one of my roof vents after talking with him about his solar one, but I opted for a thermostatically controlled hard wired fan. I added a switch to the circuit so I could turn if off if I wanted to. I put a battery operated thermostat that had indoor/outdoor readings, and put the outdoor wire up in the attic. When the fan came on, you could watch the temperature in the attic drop. It was amazing how well that worked. And, there was a savings realized on the electric bill.

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    Since you mentioned attic fan.....our A/C unit is in the attic. It is a Trane and there is a safety switch on the door that when it opens the unit shuts down. We learned this while I was deployed in 14/15. i did some research on my end and she call the AC company to come fix it. Trane had a maint recall for door warp age and it was soon fixed. We decided to put up an attic vent much like yours sans the thermometer. The wife found a great electrician in the Home Depot parking lot, i kid you not. He doesn't speak English and does great work, cash only. The unit is set at 104. I also put a tennis ball between the attic drop door and frame so when the garage door is opened cool air is vented up as well. Has helped out a ton and no more a/c issues.

    We do a lot to keep our electric bill low. The air is set at 70 and unless you want your fingers broke by the wife you wont touch it. Our mid summer bill was 154.00. That is one of the reasons we are wrestling with solar panels as it might not be the answer for us.
    "The difference between golf and government is that in golf you cant improve your lie"
    John Daly

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    Doesn't speak English; cash only. LOL - stop employing illegals.
    From what I've read those solar panels where you pay the solar panel company instead of your electric provider are a big $cam.
    Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.

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    From everything I have read the ROI on solar panels is negative, meaning you lose money. The reason is the panel cost, maintenance and installation cost exceeds what you will save over the 20 year period. I have read that panels have a life of 15-20 years. Good luck.




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    Back in the day when I was REAL cheap (and single) I put the hot water heater on a timer. I figured I knew when I was gonna take a shower and it was generally at the same time every day so ... Thanks for the tennis ball idea - and the solar powered attic fan. My current one is hard wired with a thermostat. I know what you mean about the wife and the thermostat. Gone are the days of hot water heater timers. At least the wife likes to keep some of the rolling shutters closed thus reducing energy loss through the windows and a white roof is an inexpensive help as well.

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  9. #7
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    When I pulled down the steps to the attic, the temperature would fall very rapidly - I wish I would have thought of the tennis ball trick. I guess it shows that the soffit vents weren’t enough.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Night Owl View Post
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    From everything I have read the ROI on solar panels is negative, meaning you lose money. The reason is the panel cost, maintenance and installation cost exceeds what you will save over the 20 year period. I have read that panels have a life of 15-20 years. Good luck.
    The lady that lived next to my mom in Brick, NJ. put solar panels on her house. Had them for 5 years and her husband died. She paid them off and showed me her electric bill in Jun of 16 when I was doing end of life stuff. Her bill was a 7 dollar credit. I know you get an instant tax write off, how much IDK, also NJ had some other incentives for solar stuff. I too am leery but also understand the big savings comes after they are paid off. The guy next door's will be finished today. I will watch and see. I don't think they are the way to go for me though.
    "The difference between golf and government is that in golf you cant improve your lie"
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    Quote Originally Posted by CenTexDave View Post
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    Doesn't speak English; cash only. LOL - stop employing illegals.
    From what I've read those solar panels where you pay the solar panel company instead of your electric provider are a big $cam.
    Funny thing is she called three electrician's, my guidance was do it. All three were too busy, sooo when she met El Sparky, not only did he do the attic fan he also did our back porch ceiling fans and lights. He then refereed her to an irrigation guy that tied our A/C drain into the French drain, thus removing the swamp outside the A/C unit. And Americans wonder why......
    "The difference between golf and government is that in golf you cant improve your lie"
    John Daly

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  14. #10
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    Nothing against solar panels - I just find this "solar panel company" is the one who collects your electric bill. IMO, that is where the $cam is.
    Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.

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