Need more solar advice

thrasherfox

BUSA
Donating Member
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Ok, I "THINK" I had started a thread a month ago or so about solar.


My big question at this point. Does anyone know a comparitive differance between BPSolar panels and Solarwind Panels?




Quick refresher.

My electric bills average between 500 to 800 per month. I have done just about everything I can to conserve energy with the exception of purchasing a new gas dryer (I currently have a 15 year old gas dryer, but even though it is gas I was told newer gas dryers are still more energy effcient) and new refrigerator.

My electric company keeps raising their rates. a few years ago there was like a 45% increase. in the last few months they have increaed another 26%

At this point I dont see much of an option other than to go solar.


With that said, and after getting quotes and working with 5 differant solar installed (3 are strictly 100% solar, one is an electrician who started installing solar systems 3 years ago and the other is a general contractor who installed the first sollar system in my town over 20 years ago).

I am now down to two of them, one solar company and the electricain.

Break down:

The solar company uses SolarWorld panels. they would install 43 220watt Solar panels and two invertors. The panels will be on differant roof sections and each array (section) requires its own invertor.


The electrician who is a local guy, and who was recomended to me is using 43 BPSolar panels and using Enphase invertors. with this system each panel has its own invertors.


Between the two I prefer the electricians system because with the enphase invertors (which is new technology) each panel has its own invertor, if one panel stops producing (gets shade, gets damaged etc) it only effects that one panel. with the other system, because they are in arrays if one panel stops producing it affects the entire system.

And since with the enphase system each panel has its own invertor it is easy to upgrade and add panels as neeed or wanted. the other system is not as easy to upgrade.

And here is the final kicker, between these two systems the elctricians quote came in $3000.00 cheaper. When I asked the other compay if they could do enphase invertors they said they were in talks with the company and could do it but it would add $4000.00 to their price.

So apples to apples, for the system I like using Enphase invertors the electricians system is $7000.00 cheaper.


My only concern is going with someone who has been doing it 3 years vice a company who has been doing it 26 years.


However I guess my biggest question is the original question I posted at the very begginig.


Any input? advice?
 
Well I don't know anything about the two manufacturers but I'm with you and would go with the individual inverters for the reasons you stated. I also don't see a problem with going with the electrician either. It's not like the electrician is making the equipment he's just installing it. He's probably been trained by the manufacture and can do just as good a job as the other company.

Good job on going green and getting away from the power companies either way. :thumbsup::cheerleader:
 
Good job on going green and getting away from the power companies either way. :thumbsup::cheerleader:


Easy there... I gotta keep my job :laugh:

Thrasher, where do you live to have a bill so high? That's like 6 times our power bill.
 
just curious how much is this setup gonna cost?

have you replaced the windows in your house? to double payne

also a tech shield in our roof i think is the reason our house is so effiicient......
 
Easy there... I gotta keep my job :laugh:

Thrasher, where do you live to have a bill so high? That's like 6 times our power bill.

I live in the central valley in California.

today the temp is supposed to be 102

they say the everage number of days in the summer for us over 100 are 32. right now we are sitting at 46 days this summer that has ben higher than 100.

We just put new windows throughout the entire house (dual Payne) I just replaced both my pool pumps with energey efficient pumps. And our last month bill was only 71 KW lower than last year.

I honestly think there is something wrong with my meter. We have been thinking this for a long time but the electric company kept telling us that no, the meters very seldom go bad and when they do they completet fail.

Well I had a contractor tell me that if I could get the glass off, there is a screw you can turn down that will slow the meter down. well apparently this screw and increase or decrease the speed of the meter.

This contractor also told me meters do go bad and it is not uncommon.

So when I called the electric company back last week with this new found information, they admitted that yes meters go bad and they would send a tech out to test my meter.

This is the first time I have recieve a confirmation that the meters do go bad. and I just received an official letter in the mail two days ago saying my case had been opened, within 5 days my meter would be tested and the results would be handed over to an independant auditor.

They have NEVER in the last 2 years EVER admitted their meters could be bad nor have I have had the repsonse I am having now until I shared with them what I had learned.

So I am still going to go solar, but with any luck my meter has been wrong and I will sue their butts for the last two years of over charges.

ehhhh, sorrry rambling now, just pisses me off. I hate throwing away $500.00 every month and that is with having the A/C off and sitting in a warm to hot house. Just something doesnt seem right.
 
You still havent told the cell type. If your going with old tech then it'll do you no good to burn that amount of cash.
 
As far as having a bad meter, have you compared bills with the neighbors?
 
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There's got to be a reason your bill is so much higher than everybody elses. You may have looked into it already, but I'd work on tracking that down before spending all the cash to go off the grid. What about power theft? Is it possible that a neighbor is tapping into your power? To check this you should be able to turn off everything (EVERYTHING) and see if your meter is still running. Leave the breakers closed, just turn off all power consuming items at your house.
 
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There's got to be a reason your bill is so much higher than everybody elses. You may have looked into it already, but I'd work on tracking that down before spending all the cash to go off the grid. What about power theft? Is it possible that a neighbor is tapping into your power? To check this you should be able to turn off everything (EVERYTHING) and see if your meter is still running. Leave the breakers closed, just turn off all power consuming items at your house.

You know, funny thing you should mention that. someone else mentioned that the other day, said someone could have ran an underground line to another house next door and I would never know it.

But I doubt it, the guy I bought the house from was a well respected pastor of a local church and him and his wife had lived there and raised kids there for a long time.
 
This is my Buddies web site info BRIANSCHULMAN.COM shoot him a Email about your solar question. Im very sure he can answer it. He has his house setup full Solar, and a 40ft Boat running solar. Check out the website.

Loomis.
 
sounds to me like you have a bad meter, or possible theft going on, you could run your air @ 65 degrees and i wouldnt think you could get a bill like that....
 
try turning all your breakers OFF and see if your meter runs...........it's a start.

and i've heard of those kinda bills. alot has to do w/ how big yur house is, how efficient it is, and how old.

our house is 3500sq ft, but built in '07, and our bills are $200-250. and it''s that low cuz it was built well and built "efficently"........
 
I agree about checking the meter out...I had to have one replaced a few years ago and they went ahead and put in the newer digital meter. Took a bit of conversation with them, but they got it in gear when the glass broke on the old meter~!~

Honestly have no idea how that happened...think a limb fell on it~!~
 
My house is about 40 years old.

It is about 2300 square feet

and when we do run the air we keep it between 80 and 82
 
I agree about checking the meter out...I had to have one replaced a few years ago and they went ahead and put in the newer digital meter. Took a bit of conversation with them, but they got it in gear when the glass broke on the old meter~!~

Honestly have no idea how that happened...think a limb fell on it~!~

The guy who I think I am going to have do my solar says he has some contacts with the elctric company, he said he might be able to get a new meter for me.

I also want to wait until I get a report back from their independant auditor.

If all that falls through then yeah, I can only hope for a miricale that the glass gets broke. And maybe thay little screw will get turned a little to the S side.

I see the screw and one direction is "S" and the other direction is "F" I can only assume they stand for slow and fast. And anything with a dial like that probably can go bad after time
 
You know, funny thing you should mention that. someone else mentioned that the other day, said someone could have ran an underground line to another house next door and I would never know it.

But I doubt it, the guy I bought the house from was a well respected pastor of a local church and him and his wife had lived there and raised kids there for a long time.

It doesn't matter who lived in the house before YOU...if someone tapped into the house at anytime...before or after you owned it, I would power down the computers and then turn off the MAIN breaker. Your meter should not move after the shutdown. You may just have a faulty meter...
 
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