Getting solar at the house

[Rooskibar03]

Maybe it's been covered in the 18 pages of the thread but can someone quickly explain to me how this pencils? What kind of lease costs are you shelling out each month? Unless the lease payments are silly low isn't it just a wash compared to your monthly excel bill?

[tmleadr03]

Maybe it's been covered in the 18 pages of the thread but can someone quickly explain to me how this pencils? What kind of lease costs are you shelling out each month? Unless the lease payments are silly low isn't it just a wash compared to your monthly excel bill?

It is a wash to my current bill. But rates are going to go p and the bill stays the same.

[Irving]

Why do they limit your usage?

[gnihcraes]

Why do they limit your usage?

I believe Xcel will only allow max 120% of your usage, so they can't build a system extremely larger than what you use.

[gnihcraes]

got this response back after submitting a couple xcel forms required to finish my install up. Hopefully I can be up and running soon. (we'll see) ::


Thank you for sending your reservation letter over. I am uploading it to Xcel right now.

I will be contacting you once I receive your net meter order which should occur in the next week or so. When the net meter is ordered, it should be rather quickly for a meter technician to come out and install it. From that point, you will be able to turn on your system, and will have permission to operate.
Thank you again and I will be in touch soon! Solar city

[Irving]

Xcell has control of how much solar you can pay to put on your house, or they will only pay so much? I suppose if you are leasing, and Xcell is paying, then it makes sense for the Solar companies to only install stuff that is within a certain percentage of what people would be paying, to reduce the chances of default.

I have a feeling if you offered cash to buy the whole system, they'll install as much solar as you're willing to pay for.

[T-Giv]

Even with the lease payment I'm saving $40 a month. As stated rates are going up but I'm locked in at this rate for 20 years. So financially it made sense for me and the process has been easy thus far. And yes Irving you have the option of purchasing out of pocket but as you can imagine it required some substantial liquid assets.

[tmleadr03]

So amazingly enough my meter has been installed for over two weeks now. I didn't even find out about it till a week after the installation because they tucked a note in my front door while I was at work. And I NEVER use my front door. Then, just for fun, my circuit breaker box is on the exterior of my house, behind the fence line of my neighbor. Before you ask, yes, this is normal for my neighborhood. Every house around here is literally right up to the property line of the property next to them. No easement and no access if you have your meter/fuse panel on that wall. So after a week of missing my neighbor to ask if I could get to my circuit breaker for the solar I said fuck it this morning and jumped the fence and flipped it.


So. Yay me. I have fucking solar fucking power. It has taken so damn long I am more burnt about it and over it then I could possibly imagine. Perhaps when I see some returns on it I will feel somewhat better.

Needless to say none of my wait time had a damn thing to do with the company (REC Solar) that put it in but everything to do with XCell draggin their sorry ass to put the meter in.

The plus side to this is that the system was set up to be 104% of my needs with the wife running a home office out of the house. Looks like that isn't happening any time soon at this point so I should see some VERY quick returns on it. Even though I have missed most of the summer. Did I mention fuck XCell yet? Perhaps I should just in case I forgot. Fuck XCell. With a cattle prod charged with the power from my roof.

So today my box says I made 20KWH. Not too shabby I guess.

[gnihcraes]

tmleadr03

Yeah! Glad to hear it's installed and operating. Keep us posted on the performance etc.

Mine is doing ok. I'm waiting to see the leaves fall off the ash tree and then I'll finally get some sun on the east portion of the system. West side after about noon, I crank out 1200-1400 watts. Highest yet has been 1490 watts for several hours until sunset. I'll trim up the ash some more in the summer after I see how much it blocks it again.

Talked to my contractor today, we'll meet up on monday to discuss the additional support structure I need in the attic, then get that done and approved. I'll call solar city back and say "upgrade please" and see what happens. I'd be golden then, plenty of sun on the roof not shaded by the tree.

[tmleadr03]

tmleadr03

Yeah! Glad to hear it's installed and operating. Keep us posted on the performance etc.

Mine is doing ok. I'm waiting to see the leaves fall off the ash tree and then I'll finally get some sun on the east portion of the system. West side after about noon, I crank out 1200-1400 watts. Highest yet has been 1490 watts for several hours until sunset. I'll trim up the ash some more in the summer after I see how much it blocks it again.

Talked to my contractor today, we'll meet up on monday to discuss the additional support structure I need in the attic, then get that done and approved. I'll call solar city back and say "upgrade please" and see what happens. I'd be golden then, plenty of sun on the roof not shaded by the tree.

At 80% mine is putting out just over 3 k.