Solar Electricity

[Aubrey J. Kahn]

Does anyone inspect solar electric systems and do you feel that they are worth the financial outlay at this time.

[Nick Gromicko]

http://www.nachi.org/advantages-solar-energy.htm

http://www.nachi.org/disadvantages-solar-energy.htm

http://www.nachi.org/solar-water-heaters.htm

http://www.nachi.org/organic-solar-concentrators.htm

http://www.nachi.org/passive-solar-building-design.htm

http://www.nachi.org/solar-gardens.htm

http://www.nachi.org/solar-panel-rentals.htm

http://www.nachi.org/solar-theft.htm

[Greg Bell]

Originally Posted by akahn

Does anyone inspect solar electric systems and do you feel that they are worth the financial outlay at this time.

Please go to the control panel and add your location. The answer to this question could be different based on the state you inspect in.

[Bruce M. Graham]

www.solarprofessional.com

http://www.homeenergy.org/

http://www.ases.org/index.php?option...d=14&Itemid=22

This is an interesting field if your in to that kind of thing. There are multiple configurations that can be put together. Same old thing on some of the defects boil down to workmanship, ie.. cables lying on the roof, the use of nonlisted componets, disconnects mounted off the vertical axis, missing labeling. If you are interested to go solarprofessional and sign up, you can download the past issuses as pdfs, tons of info

[Mark Thorman]

Originally Posted by akahn

Does anyone inspect solar electric systems and do you feel that they are worth the financial outlay at this time.

As Greg stated it depends on what part of the country you are in. Here on Maui most of our grid electricity is generated using oil which is expensive and the costs fluctuate greatly depending on the oil market.

So here with our abundant sunshine the arrays can be smaller (more affordable) and the price is offset faster with typically a less than five year payback.

With a batch of electric and plugin hybrid cars and trucks coming out soon most people here with the photovoltaics plan to switch over saving even more money.

www.MauiHomeInspections.com

[Aubrey J. Kahn]

I live in central Florida and my house faces true south. There is no obstructions to my roof and the south side is large enough to install 10Kw worth of panels plus solar hot water for a 100 gal tank. The quotes I have had for 5Kw plus hot water are in the $28 to $32 thousand. I am trying to figure out if it is worth the investment. I would be paying cash and right now am averaging about a 6.3% return on my investments. By my calculations it would take the best part of 15 years before the solar has paid for itself. Admittedly I am using a static number since I cannot predict what the future price of electricity will be although I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that the price of electricity will increase.

[Jason Kaylor]

Aubrey,

I am not sure how far out this is, but it is more efficient and cheaper.

http://blog.cleantechies.com/2010/09...likon-corning/

I saw another interesting topic somewhere else, I will try to remember where I saw it. This family bought a house on a 30 year mortgage then installed solar for about the same price you are looking at. They had a similar payback period. What they purposed to do was to continue paying their current bill after the 15 year payback to reduce the mortgage down to about 20 years. Which saved a ton. This is providing they actually live in the house that long.

JJ

[Bruce M. Graham]

Aubry,
did you factor in the FED, STATE and UTILITY rebates?

[Greg Bell]

Originally Posted by akahn

I live in central Florida and my house faces true south. There is no obstructions to my roof and the south side is large enough to install 10Kw worth of panels plus solar hot water for a 100 gal tank. The quotes I have had for 5Kw plus hot water are in the $28 to $32 thousand. I am trying to figure out if it is worth the investment. I would be paying cash and right now am averaging about a 6.3% return on my investments. By my calculations it would take the best part of 15 years before the solar has paid for itself. Admittedly I am using a static number since I cannot predict what the future price of electricity will be although I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that the price of electricity will increase.

If you are ever in my area you might want to check out the Florida Solar Energy Center. I have taken some training classes there.

http://www.fsec.ucf.edu/en/

[Aubrey J. Kahn]

the fed rebate is factored in. The utility company is KUA the most useless utility company in the state if not the entire universe (both known and unknown) has no rebates at all and if I happen to be at the end of the feed where the transformers are small I have to pay for them to upgrade the transformers so that there are no problems if I start feeding the grid. I will be upgrading the insulation in the attic to R30 or R40 and I am also looking into vinyl windows, double panes with Argon gas inbetween. The entire north side of my home is glass sliding doors and these will also be converted to low e.

[Greg Bell]

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/busin...0,222910.story

[Jason Kaylor]

Aubrey,

There is also a limited time program going on in FL for HVAC units.

www.rebates.com/floridahvac

It requires that a duct leakage test to the outdoors be done in order to receive the incentive.

JJ

[Brian A. MacNeish]

Originally Posted by akahn

I live in central Florida and my house faces true south. There is no obstructions to my roof and the south side is large enough to install 10Kw worth of panels plus solar hot water for a 100 gal tank. The quotes I have had for 5Kw plus hot water are in the $28 to $32 thousand. I am trying to figure out if it is worth the investment. I would be paying cash and right now am averaging about a 6.3% return on my investments. By my calculations it would take the best part of 15 years before the solar has paid for itself. Admittedly I am using a static number since I cannot predict what the future price of electricity will be although I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that the price of electricity will increase.

Solar definitely has a poor payback at today's costs per watt. For $$$ savings, it may be better to improve the efficiency of your use of electricity in the home by using occupancy sensors for lights, CFL's, better appliances, change of habits, etc.

I believe there are billions of barrels of oil still to be saved in our homes rather than make the switch to high cost/low payback options at this time.

[Michael Larson]

Originally Posted by Brian A. MacNeish

Solar definitely has a poor payback at today's costs per watt. For $$$ savings, it may be better to improve the efficiency of your use of electricity in the home by using occupancy sensors for lights, CFL's, better appliances, change of habits, etc.

I believe there are billions of barrels of oil still to be saved in our homes rather than make the switch to high cost/low payback options at this time.

Well said.

Maybe someday but not yet.

[Brian E. Kelly]

Here Solar turns out to be a good investment as it is in much of the Western States.

http://estimator.solar-estimate.org/...al_estimator=1