Solar power kit

NOOOOOOOOO I would NOT invest that much as there are much much better solar deals out there then the one Menards is trying to sell which is like two dollars per watt when I've seen them not too much over one dollar if you're willing to do some of your own work. Also assuming you don't live where there's no power available, if the Utility allowed it I would go with a grid tie system which is much less expense and far lower maintenance then if you want to store energy (like maybe necessary where no power is available). I've seen some economic analysis done on grid tie systems where the payback, subject of course to KW hour charges and installation cost, is something like 7 years AFTER WHICH the sun provides much of your energy. yayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy gotta love that

HOWEVER as an engineer who has studied alternative energy, I would consider A WHOLE ENERGY SAVING SYSTEM consisting of things like partial earth sheltering,,,,,,,,,,,super insulated tight homes,,,,,,,,,,,,,,geothermal,,,,,,,,,,,,,,PASSIVE solar heating,,,,,,,,,,,solar electrical energy as well as solar hot water heating.

Energy independence utilizing the Sun Wind and Earth is certainly feasible and with payback of investment in not too many years, if you look at the long term and can free yourself from the gas and oil and electric rate suckers grrrrrrrrrrrrrr the future looks good.

Of course if youre too old (I'm there grrrrrrrrr) to outlive the payback years and investment cost, then you have to remain a slave to the utility and gas and oil companies grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. If that's the case, I still strongly suggest you look at less costly improvements like super insulated tight homes, supplemental solar hot water heating (not all that expensive),,,,,,,,,,,PASSIVE not too expensive solar heat (the sun simply heats up a mass inside the home which gives off heat at night),,,,,,,,,,,

Sooooooooooooo if you have the money to invest and the investment will pay back in a matter of years (say 5 to 10 max subject to whatever systems you choose) and you're not too old to reap the benefits lol alternative energy (Sun, Wind, Earth) IS THE WAVE OF THE FUTURE and if you don't have the big cash at least consider updating your insulation and solar hot water.

We may go near full time in our RV but with all my solar power and batteries and inverters we are fully energy self contained unless it rained 24/7 for days lol

FUN TOPIC George, if I were younger Id go all out for WHOLE HOUSE alternate energy (Sun, Wind, Earth) which will pay pack over time, but time has passed us by lol so insulation and common sense will have to get us by.

DISCLAIMER Alternative energy and how and where to spend and save your money is a persons free choice, REGARDLESS IF ITS A GOOD OR BAD INVESTMENT, its NOT for everybody, some may love it others not, to each their own and I respect an individuals choice even if as an engineer I may disagree with it, different strokes for different folks as they say lol

John T Too long retired engineer but still love alternative energy chat. You younger dudes just getting started and building a home YOU MIGHT CONSIDER MODERN WHOLE HOUSE ALTERNATE ENERGY (Insulation, Partial earth sheltering, Solar)
 
I agree with everything John said, except I'm onlyyyyy 56.
Another thing a person young enough to reap the rewards can do in addition to John's statement is plant the right type of trees in the right places. Conifers to the north side and leafing trees to the south.
 

The ONLY way I would even consider installing a solar or wind turbine generating set-up is IF I built a new house so far off the grid that the electric company would not provide service to it.
 
It does not look like any great bargain to me. I just installed a small 800 watt system at a remote cabin I have in the Michigan UP. 800 watts of solar panels, all wiring, and two controllers cost me $1100. That is around 1/4 the size of the system at Menards and 1/6 the price. Note - there IS no grid-power available where my cabin is so if I want power - using a portable generator, or solar, or the only two viable options. Kits I got came from Renogy. Free shipping and no tax when shipped to MI.
 
JohnT,
Back in 1991-96 I doubled the size a two bedroom ranch. Build a new house around the old one, super insulated it, new windows, doors, electrical, plumbing, kitchen, garage. Spent more on the remodel than I paid for the house.

25000 brick is far more attractive, better resale value, and just as good as building under ground. You can't imagine how the brick buffers the inside temp, summer and winter. The other day I had to move the thermostat off 74 to 72 just to make the AC come on just to lower the humidity. My basement is under ground and I have to run a dehumidifier most of the year. Humidity is issue with under ground homes in Terre Haute.


I'm glad I built this house when I was younger. No way could I do it today.

Another concern are straight line winds 90 mph and up. Takes trees down. I can't imagine what that will do to solar and wind. Not to mention hail. I've had hail damage a few times. And then snow loads. The blizzard of 78 collapsed roofs on barns and houses.

I think the old tried and proven ways of building a house gives you more bang for the buck.

Nice chat JT

geo
a230468.jpg
 
I'm too old to ever get payback. That's what I tell the solar sales people and it's the truth.
 
Except for some piddling little thing like running a solar powered fencer in a remote location,making electricity with solar power on a less that industrial scale seems kind of futile.
If I was going to build a new house,you bet I'd use solar panels to heat water and store it for domestic hot water and to heat the house,but not to make electricity.
 
IF one could reap the $.30 savings 24 7, it would pay off in 2.5 years. Given it is dark half the time, and cloudy etc, maybe the payback time is something like 6-8 years. Are there any incentives after purchase (aka tax incentives, etc)? Another factor- last I looked, I have to pay more than .10 per kw/hr here. That would reduce payback time as well.
 
Better recalculate, To get max out the solar panels follow the sun, be perpendicular to rays. The angle of the sun changes and so does the tilt of the earth.

Not to mention shorter days in winter I have more cloudy days than sunny.

My average cost is $.10-.11/kw hr. The more electricity I use duke sells it cheaper.

Lets say you have to borrow money, so add interest in your calculations. geo.
 
Not everyone here lives all the time where there is grid power available. Solar power can work great when there is no grid if done right. Our systems (we have two) rate way above your "piddling" scale. 800-1000 watts of solar lets us watch TV at night, run our refrigerator 24 hours a day, run fans, lights, and I also use my power tools during the day. That in a poor sunlight area in the deep woods of the Michigan UP. It sure beats running a gas-driven generator all the time.
 
Do you use any kind of setup like this to heat and store water using solar and a wood gasification boiler?
a230482.jpg
 
I installed a solar grid-tie system in central NY around 7 years ago. At that time, total incentive with State and Federal was around 80%. At that time, the "80 % incentive" was kind of a hoax. To get the incentive, it was required that only a NY state certified installer do the job (no self installs allowed). Those installers jacked the prices way up on the materials and had a huge fee per hour. I figure the guys who did mine priced the job at near $200 per hour per worker. To add insult to injury, the power company would take all the excess power saved up every year and take it - for free. No payment to the solar system owner. That was the National Grid power company. The reality is - I could of paid "full price" for an off-grid system and had a system just as big. But only with grid-tie can you save the excess to re-use later. Just have to do it in one calendar year or the power company takes it all. Central New York power price is around 17 cents per KWH when all costs are factored in. All that counts is the total monthly bill divided by KWHs used. Lots of fees besides the stated cost of the KWHs of power.
 

We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today.

Back
Top