Decided to get solar finally...Great folks

[John Rogers]

We finally decided to have solar installed and went with the company that is contracted through our local Costco here in the Chula Vista CA area. I was really pleased with how great and professional the electrical people were. We had to get a new power panel due to the old one was installed in 1960 when the house was built and there was no way to hook the inverter to the existing system. The new panel, conduit, ETC was really installed well and the senior man even matched the breakers with the hand written labels on the old panel and installed several extra breakers just in case I would need them he said!

The panel guys did a great job, sealed everything very well up top and finished everything in about 7 hours, in 95 degree heat! All messes were cleaned very well, actually cleaner than before they started. Now just a city and power company blessing and we'll be good to go.

[JavaBrewer]

Curious, did you buy the panels, or sign a lease, and why that decision? Home size and if you don't mind rough cost? I'm in Escondido and solar panels are something I've been considering for various reasons.

[Evans, Marv]

JavaBrewer & John. I went the same route by Milholland Electric, and the system was activated June 15th. I haven't gotten a final/full month worth of statement as of yet. The system is 7.5 KW w/ 25 panels on a 3K+ s.f. house & has been producing around 55 KWH/day which will vary over the year with the length of day/clouds, etc. Warrantee was 10 yr. bumper to bumper w/ 20 year limited. Total cost was $27K paid out as the system was permitted, approved, designed, installed, & activated. It took them 3 days to actually install it. I wanted to get in on the net metering program & was lucky enough to have made it, but who knows how the big money & the politicians will change that in the future. I'll be getting a 30% tax credit. I never intended to go the loan or lease way because of the added cost and/or possibility of loosing my tax credit with a lease program. Lots of companies and competition around here, since the solar market is hot so shop around & good luck. Hope this helps a bit.

[sammyg2]

if you had you pay for it all by yourself there's no way you would ever do it.

Getting taxpayers to pay for 30% of it is the only way it ALMOST makes sense.

You're welcome, sort of.

[John Rogers]

I bought the system, paid in full once it goes live. It was around $27,500 total with 28 panels and an extra $300 charge (my portion) that was from the electrical panel replacement. I figured that was coming as the old panel is only legal because it was grandfathered since the house was built in 1960. The breakers in the new panel actually have a small computer in each one and talk to the main circuit. I am not sure why but they do look a lot better!

I looked at solar a few years ago and the same size system was about $44,000 so cost has gone down, way down. These panels are made in Canada and not China and have a 20 year guarantee if I remember right? I figured that since SunRun had been a Costco contractor for quite a while and no negative feed back except for a few minor issues that were corrected they would be okay to deal with. I was very impressed with the young lady who came and did the presentation and she could answer EVERY question I had, even the real technical ones! And yes I am very happy for Sammy paying for part of mine and also the 20% rate reduction we gat due to CPAP!!!!!

[Red88Carrera]

What is the payback on your investment? Will you see it in your lifetime? I think not.

[HardDrive]

Originally Posted by Red88Carrera

What is the payback on your investment? Will you see it in your lifetime? I think not.

Not everything in life is about money.

[mattdavis11]

Solar City. I know my folks have seen their return on investment. 26 panels, inverter, etc... five years later, it's paid for, and they feed the grid most months.

My brother has a newer system, I don't think he pays for electricity at all.

[John Rogers]

Since the cost of electricity continues to rise in CA, even with the mandate of going "green" which is fought by a few nut jobs as soon as a wind farm or solar center is designed and proposed. It also allows me to run my A/C units without them costing me about an extra $150 a month!

[Evans, Marv]

Speaking of rate increases, that is one main reason I decided to get solar while I could still get onto the net metering program too. My house is all electric, and I always planned on getting a solar installation. I was on the side lines until now because I was waiting for prices to go down & systems to continue to improve. Seven years ago, the same system was priced at $50K, so it's true they have dropped in cost. My monthly electric costs ranged from a low of $115 to a high of $425. This last winter my highest bill was $525, indicating to me how much they had managed to raise rates. So I don't expect the system to necessarily pay itself off in the period (5 yrs.) the company claimed, but the raise in rates will surely make it pay off sooner than otherwise.

[jorian]

Originally Posted by HardDrive

Not everything in life is about money.

Perfect post.