Getting solar at the house

[gnihcraes]

Did they account for the old growth lumber which should support more than new construction? I know my structural engineer said there was equations for taking that into account on my 1909 building.

It's unknown, they won't give me much for details, just that the span is too long for the support provided. There are only like 4 boards holding up everything. I need to add more structure anyway. Just a pain I didn't really want to fiddle with yet.

I'll get a photo of it and post it up tomorrow maybe. It's held some pretty large snowfall for what little is up there.

[gnihcraes]

Tree in way of Solar: Looks like 245 to trim the tree back and 145 for a treatment to keep the tree from growing too much. This needs done anyway, so I won't necessarily figure this into the solar costs.

+ 535 to trim another tree not related to the solar.

Probably bite the bullet and get all this done.

Ouch.

[Brian]

We looked at solar a year ago but put off doing anything because of some other commitments. I'm thinking about jumping back in now. Is there a referral bonus for Solar City out there? If so, someone shoot me a PM.

I'm also very interested in the possibility of using the panels when the power is out. I know this doesn't work by default - but if I put in a transfer switch, is there anything preventing it? I was looking to put in a transfer switch anyway at some point, so I'd have a place to safely hook up a generator.

[gnihcraes]

We looked at solar a year ago but put off doing anything because of some other commitments. I'm thinking about jumping back in now. Is there a referral bonus for Solar City out there? If so, someone shoot me a PM.

I'm also very interested in the possibility of using the panels when the power is out. I know this doesn't work by default - but if I put in a transfer switch, is there anything preventing it? I was looking to put in a transfer switch anyway at some point, so I'd have a place to safely hook up a generator.

Yes, I can refer and get a discount/kickback.

Power failure, the invertor monitors the Xcel side of the power, and will shutdown the output from the solar panels. You can still use the transfer switch. I'll know more information once I get back on the install of my system. Hopefully in a week or two.

[tmleadr03]

We looked at solar a year ago but put off doing anything because of some other commitments. I'm thinking about jumping back in now. Is there a referral bonus for Solar City out there? If so, someone shoot me a PM.

I'm also very interested in the possibility of using the panels when the power is out. I know this doesn't work by default - but if I put in a transfer switch, is there anything preventing it? I was looking to put in a transfer switch anyway at some point, so I'd have a place to safely hook up a generator.

There is one with REC as well. Let me know too.


When I signed up for REC I also got an iPad mini. I am meh over that so far since I haven't really found a use for it at the shop. I got the iPad after they installed the system. And I still haven't gotten the meter from Xcell. So still no solar.

[def90]

Ah yes.. the solar haters..

Solar can go either way.. If you put solar on a regular house it will be a wash at best. If you put solar on a house that is built for it it will pay for itself in a matter of a few years.

I wish I had solar at my place. I rent a townhouse/condo. Everything in my place is electric, the baseboard heat, oven, refridgerator, dish washer, washer/dryer and so on.. My electric bills can reach up to $300 a month in the winter and hover around $60-70 in the summer. If I had solar I'd be saving a ton of money.

[Brian]

Yes, I can refer and get a discount/kickback.

Power failure, the invertor monitors the Xcel side of the power, and will shutdown the output from the solar panels. You can still use the transfer switch. I'll know more information once I get back on the install of my system. Hopefully in a week or two.

Definitely interested in this. Read a few sites that indicate that the grid-tied solar panels are wired in such a way that even a installing a manual transfer switch will not allow you to get power when the grid is down. Apparently the elec. code prevents this due to the risk to the techs and there's no way to get it set up in a way that makes it useful when the grid is down. Wish I had more first-hand answers.

[spyder]

Are any of you going to add mirrors to your set up for extra power? Also, my wife purchased a bunch of stock in a company that made some kind of amplifier for panels that supposedly tripled the output of them...

Along with solar, are any of you doing wind? It's super easy to make a turbine, well, if you have an old treadmill......

[gnihcraes]

Just waiting on the tree company to come trim things up and then I'll pull the trigger on the smaller system for my house.

I'll get the rest of the roof trusted up and should be able to go for the full system before the end of the year. (i hope) Might be that long before the 3.4kw system is up and running on my site.

[tmleadr03]

Just waiting on the tree company to come trim things up and then I'll pull the trigger on the smaller system for my house.

I'll get the rest of the roof trusted up and should be able to go for the full system before the end of the year. (i hope) Might be that long before the 3.4kw system is up and running on my site.

At this rate it will be next year before I can turn mine on. Still no Xcel meter.