Tesla Solar Panels Price Cut

[qwerty]

I would never buy a house with solar. Hopefully you can opt out of that requirement when buying a new home after that law requiring new homes to have solar kicks in.

Why not? Doesn't solar help your monthly costs, esp if you are EVing it?

I just don?t like to mess with the structure. The installers can break tiles or perhaps create an opening in your roof that eventually leaks, etc. so would rather not deal with any potential issues regardless of the probability. Then there is the issue of potentially limiting the buying pool should I choose to sell (this piece is less relevant but still something to consider).

Also, it?s easier to put the initial cost of the system in a fund like SPY and use the return there as well to offset my electricity costs. If a system costs 15k, if it returns 6% in the first year that is 900 or about 500 after taxes. My average bill for 2018 was about $150 or about 1800 for the year.

Not concerned about the financial aspect of my electricity usage, it?s just any potential headaches the system may cause that I don?t want to deal with

 

[eyephone]

Also, technology gets cheaper like the flatscreen tv.

 

[irvinehomeowner]

Not concerned about the financial aspect of my electricity usage, it?s just any potential headaches the system may cause that I don?t want to deal with

I understand this.

But just like any technology, it will become standard in your life... like Internet and streaming media.

Oh... and AI.

 

[zubs]

One negative thing solar companies don't explain clearly is that most people on Edison are on  a tier 1, tier 2, tier 3 system:
Tier 1: 0.19 - up to 307 KwH/month
Tier 2: 0.24
Tier 3: 0.45

If you get solar, they will place you on the TOU (time of use) system.
8am-4pm: 0.22
4pm-9pm: 0.42
9pm-8am: 0.22

I think TOU system was calculated as $10 more per month on average.


This was started in 2017.  Before 2017, solar customers could keep the tier system.  So early adopters do get some benefit.

 

[woodburyowner]

duplicate

 

[woodburyowner]

Perhaps I'm remembering wrong, but we put our system in over eight  years ago and honestly, the pre-rebate numbers you're talking seem basically the same. We then sucked down a 80% rebate.

I would double check your numbers from 8 years ago.  From what I remember, the cost was around $4.25-$4.75 per watt back then.

 

[eyephone]

Perhaps I'm remembering wrong, but we put our system in over eight  years ago and honestly, the pre-rebate numbers you're talking seem basically the same. We then sucked down a 80% rebate.

I would double check your numbers from 8 years ago.  From what I remember, the cost was around $4.25-$4.75 per watt back then.

That means it?s getting cheaper and cheaper?

 

[woodburyowner]

Perhaps I'm remembering wrong, but we put our system in over eight  years ago and honestly, the pre-rebate numbers you're talking seem basically the same. We then sucked down a 80% rebate.

I would double check your numbers from 8 years ago.  From what I remember, the cost was around $4.25-$4.75 per watt back then.

That means it?s getting cheaper and cheaper?

Yes.. question is how much cheaper can they get.  Labor costs are going up.  Panel efficiency improvements are slowing down.  Not sure it's worthwhile to wait if you know you're going to go solar.  You'll be missing out on the guaranteed savings in hopes that the prices drop at a faster rate.

 

[eyephone]

Prices are inflated higher due to the rebate.

 

[Cares]

One negative thing solar companies don't explain clearly is that most people on Edison are on  a tier 1, tier 2, tier 3 system:
Tier 1: 0.19 - up to 307 KwH/month
Tier 2: 0.24
Tier 3: 0.45

If you get solar, they will place you on the TOU (time of use) system.
8am-4pm: 0.22
4pm-9pm: 0.42
9pm-8am: 0.22

I think TOU system was calculated as $10 more per month on average.


This was started in 2017.  Before 2017, solar customers could keep the tier system.  So early adopters do get some benefit.

SCE just eliminated TOU-D-A and TOU-D-B earlier this year. These TOU plans were very good for solar customers as your peak hours (and most $ credit generation) were during sunny hours. Now with 4-9PM and 5-8PM they shifted the highest credits away from sun hours. If you were on TOU-D-A or B before then you would be grandfathered until 2020.

 

[Irvinecommuter]

One negative thing solar companies don't explain clearly is that most people on Edison are on  a tier 1, tier 2, tier 3 system:
Tier 1: 0.19 - up to 307 KwH/month
Tier 2: 0.24
Tier 3: 0.45

If you get solar, they will place you on the TOU (time of use) system.
8am-4pm: 0.22
4pm-9pm: 0.42
9pm-8am: 0.22

I think TOU system was calculated as $10 more per month on average.


This was started in 2017.  Before 2017, solar customers could keep the tier system.  So early adopters do get some benefit.

The tier system is going to be permanent for everyone soon...so it's not really a big deal.

 

[Irvinecommuter]

I would never buy a house with solar. Hopefully you can opt out of that requirement when buying a new home after that law requiring new homes to have solar kicks in.

Why not? Doesn't solar help your monthly costs, esp if you are EVing it?

I just don?t like to mess with the structure. The installers can break tiles or perhaps create an opening in your roof that eventually leaks, etc. so would rather not deal with any potential issues regardless of the probability. Then there is the issue of potentially limiting the buying pool should I choose to sell (this piece is less relevant but still something to consider).

Also, it?s easier to put the initial cost of the system in a fund like SPY and use the return there as well to offset my electricity costs. If a system costs 15k, if it returns 6% in the first year that is 900 or about 500 after taxes. My average bill for 2018 was about $150 or about 1800 for the year.

Not concerned about the financial aspect of my electricity usage, it?s just any potential headaches the system may cause that I don?t want to deal with

Well...when the utility companies start shutting down power like 30 times in the summer, you will have to deal with that.

Most installers have a 10 year warranty and the panels/parts have 25 year warranties....which is basically what you get for your existing roof.

 

[Cares]

I found a good installer with lots of Yelp reviews currently at $2.61 per watt. This is so cheap compared to my previous install that was barely under $3.00 per watt.

 

[eyephone]

I found a good installer with lots of Yelp reviews currently at $2.61 per watt. This is so cheap compared to my previous install that was barely under $3.00 per watt.

Wait. Are you the one that rented out your place with solar and they made a Low Ball Offer?

 

[zubs]

It's been 3 days since I dove into this solar power rabbit hole.  Here are the results:


SUNRUN: $14,600/6,090 WATTS = $2.40/WATT (21 PANELS (290 WATT) SOLAREDGE STRING INVERTER W/OPTIMIZER) ~ annual output 9,986
SOLARMAX: $16,198/8,580 WATTS = $1.89/WATT (26 PANELS (330 WATT) SOLAREDGE STRING INVERTER W/OPTIMIZER)~ annual output 13,198
SOLARMAX: $17,417/8,580 WATTS = $2.03/WATT (26 PANELS (330 WATT) ENPHASE MICROINVERTER) ~ annual output 13,198
SOLAR OPTIMUM: $16,336/8,580 WATTS = $1.90/WATT (26 PANELS (330 WATT) ENPHASE MICROINVERTER) ~ annual output 13,513

So I'm probably going with the last one.  I don't really use that much electricity, but I thought I would just add more panels, because fuck it, I got the roof space.  I'll decide who to pick next week and write something on how it goes when I get more info.


Regarding inverters. 
Enphase microinveters are supposedly better because it runs cooler and each solar panel produces it's own electricity while....
Solaredge inverters uses old technology where if one panel is dirty, it affects all the panels, so if 1 panel is 50% all panels work at 50%.


When I asked sunrun to quote 26 panels, the sales guy said "You don't need that much electricity"...So don't quote me then fucker.

 

[eyephone]

It's been 3 days since I dove into this solar power rabbit hole.  Here are the results:


SUNRUN: $14,600/6,090 WATTS = $2.40/WATT (21 PANELS (290 WATT) SOLAREDGE STRING INVERTER W/OPTIMIZER) ~ annual output 9,986
SOLARMAX: $16,198/8,580 WATTS = $1.89/WATT (26 PANELS (330 WATT) SOLAREDGE STRING INVERTER W/OPTIMIZER)~ annual output 13,198
SOLARMAX: $17,417/8,580 WATTS = $2.03/WATT (26 PANELS (330 WATT) ENPHASE MICROINVERTER) ~ annual output 13,198
SOLAR OPTIMUM: $16,336/8,580 WATTS = $1.90/WATT (26 PANELS (330 WATT) ENPHASE MICROINVERTER) ~ annual output 13,513

So I'm probably going with the last one.  I don't really use that much electricity, but I thought I would just add more panels, because fuck it, I got the roof space.  I'll decide who to pick next week and write something on how it goes when I get more info.


Regarding inverters. 
Enphase microinveters are supposedly better because it runs cooler and each solar panel produces it's own electricity while....
Solaredge inverters uses old technology where if one panel is dirty, it affects all the panels, so if 1 panel is 50% all panels work at 50%.

Are you getting Battery Pack? (Around $3k or more)

 

[zubs]

I thought I would, but batteries degrade pretty fast.  I think tesla said their batteries die 3% per year.  After 10 years you need to buy a new one?  I'm not sure about that and I'm not going to research it.

 

[eyephone]

I thought I would, but batteries degrade pretty fast.  I think tesla said their batteries die 3% per year.  After 10 years you need to buy a new one?  I'm not sure about that and I'm not going to research it.

How about the other brands like LG, etc...?

 

[Irvinecommuter]

I thought I would, but batteries degrade pretty fast.  I think tesla said their batteries die 3% per year.  After 10 years you need to buy a new one?  I'm not sure about that and I'm not going to research it.

10 year warranty...battery is supposed to be 70% viable after 10 years...that's not bad.

 

[Irvinecommuter]

I thought I would, but batteries degrade pretty fast.  I think tesla said their batteries die 3% per year.  After 10 years you need to buy a new one?  I'm not sure about that and I'm not going to research it.

How about the other brands like LG, etc...?

Tesla's is best for your money...you get about 14 KwH storage for about $7K (after rebate).  LG's battery is a little less expensive but only 10 kwH for $6K