Solar is a scam

[capnkirk462]

My summer cooling bill was under $100 each month. Last months bill was $68, I expect this months bill to be even less.

No solar. I just control usage, do not leave lights on if not in the room, turn fans off if not in the room, tv stays off unless watching a movie, never just runs all day.

My winter bill is anywhere from $28-$32 a month LOL.

I do not need solar.

That is more or less my electricity bill. I also bought a kill-a-watt to measure my appliance usage https://www.harborfreight.com/kill-a-watt-electric-monitor-93519.html the less I spend the less I got to be at work.

 

[TANSTAAFL]

I think solar farms and wind farms are a joke designed to make our lives miserable. Go west on I 40, miles of beautiful plains and desert destroyed by wind turbines. Very sad. Environmentally friendly my a$$. 1 nuclear power plant on 1/10 the real estate could provide far more electricity than the wind turbines. Solar and wind do have their place, just nor at the scale the "green new deal" wants.

 

[BobbyV]

I could see where solar might be an option if you were building in the boonies and it was very expensive to get connected to the local grid.

It could also make sense to have a small setup as a power backup for some folks.

 

[O4L]

Here is the discussion we had on this subject last year...

Solar Panels for the home - school me - why isn't everyone doing it?

So far I have been approached weekly to install solar panels on my home. My next door neighbors have them. They say it is an investment to pay the solar company loan at a fixed rate of 4.99% for 25 years instead of the power company more money for power every year. The solar loan is...

www.okshooters.com

 

[geezer77]

How about a free, cheap to build and fix, non-electric solar preheater for your hot water supply? Ever nearly burn your hand with water from a hose lying in the sun on a summer day? Hot water heater inlets are usually directly fed from the house cold water supply. Route that cold feed to the roof, and loop it through a small heat exchanger network of 1" plastic pipe painted flat black lying up there, and then back to the water heater inlet. Rig a drain valve setup for winter to empty and bypass the "preheater" loop, and Bob's your uncle. Surely a lot of people have done this?

 

[TerryMiller]

How about a free, cheap to build and fix, non-electric solar preheater for your hot water supply? Ever nearly burn your hand with water from a hose lying in the sun on a summer day? Hot water heater inlets are usually directly fed from the house cold water supply. Route that cold feed to the roof, and loop it through a small heat exchanger network of 1" plastic pipe painted flat black lying up there, and then back to the water heater inlet. Rig a drain valve setup for winter to empty and bypass the "preheater" loop, and Bob's your uncle. Surely a lot of people have done this?

What would one have to do to remove that roof mounted part when one needed new shingles?

 

[tynyphil]

I could see where solar might be an option if you were building in the boonies and it was very expensive to get connected to the local grid.

It could also make sense to have a small setup as a power backup for some folks.

Yup. That’s the main reason I have solar at my cabin. It’s more than 1/4 mile from the nearest utility pole. Small fortune to t try in that far. The solar works great for everything except the air conditioner. If that’s needed (rarely ) I fire up the gas generator.

 

[geezer77]

What would one have to do to remove that roof mounted part when one needed new shingles?

Well, I was just brainstorming, but 1" ID plastic pipe will hold a little more than a gallon per 10 feet. So a 50' loop should provide at least 5 gallons of preheated water heater input during most daylight hours in warm months. You'd still have to power the WH coils, but at least you won't be flooding the tank with cold water on the feed side every time some hot is drawn. Could shirt tail engineer a lightweight black plastic pipe loop mounted on a single 4x8 sheet of exterior plywood lag-screwed through the shingles into the roof decking. Weather/hail proof, no maintenance involved, no moving parts, no electricity, no valves except for a bypass. I'll admit it wouldn't be pretty, though.

 

[tynyphil]

Well, I was just brainstorming, but 1" ID plastic pipe will hold a little more than a gallon per 10 feet. So a 50' loop should provide at least 5 gallons of preheated water heater input during most daylight hours in warm months. You'd still have to power the WH coils, but at least you won't be flooding the tank with cold water on the feed side every time some hot is drawn. Could shirt tail engineer a lightweight black plastic pipe loop mounted on a single 4x8 sheet of exterior plywood lag-screwed through the shingles into the roof decking. Weather/hail proof, no maintenance involved, no moving parts, no electricity, no valves except for a bypass. I'll admit it wouldn't be pretty, though.

I have a 100' coil of 1" black PVC pipe on the roof of my cabin. This is the "free" hot water without firing up the propane on demand water heater. However, have to drain it for the winter.

 

[Okvet03]

The solar company we used guarantees a certain amount of solar production from the system. If the panels become damaged, they replace them. The warranty is only as good as the company. So far so good, but it is a calculated risk. Most home owners would be better off insulating and conserving than going solar.