My wife and I live in Edmonds, WA in an all electric home (2000 sq ft) with 13.2 kWh solar PV system + 2 Powerwall-2 batteries. Installed solar in 2012 and PW2 batteries in 2018. Brought first Tesla (Model S) in 2012 and second one in 2015 (MS85D) and Model 3 in 2018. We have been net producers of energy for last 9 years, which includes charging both Tesla's. I have microinverters because we have shading issues from trees surrounding our home. Last year we generated 350% of our energy needs for home and electric vehicle charging. We have heat pump and heat pump water heater, which provides both heating and cooling and much more energy efficient than conventional air conditioner. We overbuilt our system and I have no regrets about doing that. We are operating as a microgrid for 9+ months of the year, and only use grid energy during winter when we do not get sufficient solar to power our needs. We love the ability to charge our two cars off our roof and would never go back to ICE cars. Haven't been to a gas station in 9 years.
Did a DIY install of 17 panels in S.D. about 10 yrs ago. Since then, have added two electric cars, so I expanded the system with 6 more panels. The key is use microinverters. They are relaible and allow expansion easily.
This is a good explanation of the installation process and the calculations that are needed. Like you, I find I love driving my Model Y. I've driven 7800 miles in 7 months, but electricity is much cheaper here in Missouri. I only pay 10.19 cents/KWH for electricity at any time of day. The downside is that I don't get any rebates of incentives of any kind for driving an electric vehicle. Keep making the videos, Ron. I enjoy them.
@@kinglord5429 Texas? You mean where they have more solar and wind renewable energy generation than any other state? With battery and other power storage the grid will be just fine in the future. Also Fred's drain on the grid only comes in the winter. Year round he produces triple what he uses for the whole year. The system is not going to fail.
So that is close to free energy base cost in Australia 25 cent Au South Australia went solar so about 50 cents per Kw charge a battery car at chargeing station 70 cents per Kw cheaper to drive diesel car
I have a solar and wind generator system. I believe lots of batteries are the key. So on days when there's lots of energy the batteries can store it. Yes my system is stand alone on a boat
Where I live, we have to have the size of the system approved by the electric company before you install it. This is purely based on past usage. I went to them last year and they told me they would only approve a 6 KwH system even though I had an electric car on order and a hot tub on order. They said they can't size a system any bigger based on what might happen in the future. So, I waited a year after getting my EV to actually get my solar system sized correctly. I am now approved for a 10 KwH system and am in the process of having it installed within the next month.
Love the video, Ron. Hard to find videos on the process of installing that are not trying to sell you something, so thank you for being honest. Happy New Year and Happy Motoring 😊.
Just had our MY over a year .. 26,385 miles 😳 … We’re on a Quest for Superchargers! Need to get better at posting our trips! …. Good stuff here, thanks for sharing! 👊🏼👍🏼👍🏼
A good inverter mini split will save you a lot of KWs. Also I have a "Midea U Inverter Window Air Conditioner 8,000BTU" .with a watt meter I saw a 50% savings to cool the same room as old window unit. it was easy to install and cost $360 plus tax
You need really good batteries to keep them running when sun ain't shinning well or you need some kind of grid backup. I have 3.5kw solar system but sometimes it is not enough to start an Air Con you need batteries or grid. Mixing grid with solar is perfectly ok
Nice...upgrade and install.. Im happy for you.. Wife does not care if power comes from Solar or utility as long as AC is running.. Happy wife=Good Life..
My family and i lived successfully for 10 years in the Australian outback powerd by solar. I worked what we needed and test ran it for 12 months in the city before we went bush. It worked out to double and a half of what I thought I needed..worked well. Now I'm back in the city on the grid cause it's still cheaper .
Every situation is different. For me my situation changed and i had to adjust. Since i have the grid available, it is much cheaper to use that when needed than buy an expensive battery bank. This could change in the future of course.
I really like your video. You added a whole new dimension to the concerns prospective new Tesla owners may have about how to best accomplish home charging :-)
Sounds like you miscalculated your needs. Your title made it sound like I should account for a lot more than I am planning on, but in reality, you just ended up using the car (and HVAC) more than you thought. Sounds like you learned a good lesson. For me, in California, a mistake like this would cost me several thousand dollars in permit and installation costs for the additional panels.
Good video. I can't believe how much they are charging you for electric! I live between Florida and North Carolina and the rates are about .11 and 12 cents. Thought about solar in North Carolina but the payoff was way too long. My Model Y will be here in February, looking forward to it. Also you will enjoy your Mini Split, when I lived in China that is all that was used. I never heard the term mini split there, just air conditioner. Glad to see they're starting to use them in the States, I understand they're very efficient.
After getting an EV and installing a mini-split heat pump for heating and cooling we expanded our solar array from 3.3 kw to 5.2 kw. We do take advantage of free Level 2 charging at our Community Recreation Center about five times a week. That covers all of our weekly town driving. We only charge at home about once week that’s only a partial charge. I do drive the EV more than I thought I would because it is so nice.
Ok, here is my honest appraisal: We have averaged 12,517 kW/year (solar) production over last 10 years, and our total electric use since the Powerwall-2 installation in 2018 has been 3,465 kW/year. Our average charging for two Tesla's has been ~1,800 kW/year. Our net driving was reduced during COVID. My wife and I are retired. Our average Solar/electric use has been 361% over this period.
Happy to add panels in Texas we work on existing systems. All the time Always go with more power than need. My view. You can move things off your propane and natural gas..etc plus charge EV CR solar Texas. Good 📹 video.
I find your videos both informative and entertaining. A couple extra thoughts for anyone considering installing solar panels. (1) The sooner you install the higher the tax credit. We got 30%. It is now 26%. And will continue to go down year after year. (2) Put in a sizeable buffer for future electrical use. Global warming will necessitate more air conditioning. We decided to swap our gas clothes dryer for electric. We have begun to use electric space heaters more often in lieu of the furnace in the winters. Someday we will have two electric vehicles. All of this was planned into our initial install. We are also fortunate to live in a California location where our local community energy company pays a net surplus compensation rate of 6.3 cents per kWh. (3) Added housing value. Our installation came with 25 year warranty on labor and all components. This has got to be a benefit if and when we sell our home in future. p.s. Like you I am a grandpa (11 times) and thoroughly enjoy driving my Tesla Model Y. Keep up the enriching videos...
Here in MN electric utilities are required to pay homeowners (like me) the same retail price for the electricity we produce as they charge us. There are only 3 months of the year where we do not get a check from our electrical utility. December, January and February. We will be taking delivery of our Tesla Model Y within the a month. We are so excited to be driving from solar power! Thanks for making this video. You did a nice job! Cheers!
I appreciate your honesty in this video. I prefer traditional natural gas and have a V-8 powered Otto Cycle Engine in my car. There is no way I would trade either for solar and/or an electric vehicle. I live in the northern part of the US and solar alone will not hack it - we would freeze in winter. Also, sitting around a charging station when it is -6F outside isn't feasible either. I would rather just pull up to the Mobil gas station and fill it up in under 5 minutes and go for another 450 miles.
I understand. Grew up in upstate New York and burned wood for heat. My particular energy costs in San Diego are the highest in the country so makes a lot of sense for me. Electric cars are still quite new and will keep getting better over time.
With 18 kW of panels (and 100 kWh of storage) we could just keep up with the house, the shop, and the Tesla model 3. After my wife's model Y came we had to bump the panel array to 21 kW. (56 to 64 panels). Phoenix can see 110 degrees F day after day in July and August. We rarely run all 9-tons of AC at any one time. 100 kWh of storage can handle all loads all night unless we get two rainy days in a row. (Also a retired engineer) If I could get a permit I'd need five Tesla power walls plus panels to accomplish the same result. Considering the labor, engineering, and optimization put in over the last four years, I have great respect for the best of the legit installers.
You have a really big system. Here in SD we don’t need much AC and with a small house the car is the only big user. I think the 5.4kW system should do it.
Moral of the story.... go bigger then you think by atleast double! I have 6kw inverter 9kw panels and 11kwh battery... summer will cover me easy.... thing is winter when it's about half production at most.
missed that human x factor....after watching dozens of solar install videos i see a common thread, the owner could always use more power.i am reminded of the statement. i have to many panels said no one ever..... Dont be so focused on efficiency that you lose sight of the fact that life changes and everything always wants more.
Hi Ron, I just had a solar system (5.44KW) installed which is ground mounted & single 6KW inverter. Just wondering what your system cost if you don’t mind sharing. 13NJ View/Navion member here and appreciate all your RV videos!
California : I am on the low-income 'CARE' program which lowers my rate to .22 cents per kilowatt. If not on CARE , the rate is about .31 cents per k. ! ! ( First level of 3 ) Around 1980 lived in Dunnellon , Florida & the Energy Co-op charged .04 cents per kilowatt !!! It was a Co-op = non-profit owned by those connected . 'They' don't do that here . . . . . I have several panels in my backyard as part of my 'Off-grid' system & several 'power-stations' being charged by those panels. My average Electric bill is around $30.00 since I run most high-power demands from the Off-grid system. I think 'they' are pissed with people like me since my gas usage had an added 'low-usage' compensation charge added on several bills last year. A 'fine' for being conservative ! ( I heat my 1961 vintage un-insulated home with a boxwood heater & a fan for circulation ) My natural gas consumption is less than 3 'units' sometimes resulting in the 'low-usage' charge they add . Sucks to be me . . . huh ? Ha - ha !
You should upgrade your air conditioner to a mini split system with a high seer rating. You'll get much better cooling and it will use about half that of your box unit I saw here.
I got confused at first thinking tesla solar and seeing non-tesla panels :). Curious if tesla gonna install it the same way. I don't like electric conduits going all the way through the roof from one array to another array. When it's gonna be time to replace the roof and shingles, - that electric pipe will be on the way and need to be fully removed. If it's possible I would force those guys to run conduits in the attic.
With California’s time of use charges I’d consider installing a battery backup. You can use it to store electricity from 9 AM to 4 PM and then use the power from it from 4 PM until its drained instead of paying $0.63/kWh. That will save you a huge amount of money.
Thanks for your video. I'm also retired and just wanna relax and have a good time (before life goes horribly, horribly wrong in the end... hah hah). Here in Galena Park, Texas right next to Houston, I recently got 30 Tesla solar panels and three power walls. I physically disconnected from the electric grid while waiting for permission sell back to the grid. But I don't like the agreement or contract as it seems to give too much authority over my solar power system. It won't feel like its mine anymore. I generate more power by far than I use ( that was my intention), and I'm considering getting and EV that should workout just right to use the extra solar power now going to waste. And I won't have to buy any gasoline when I eventually sell my Corvette and later on my Lincoln SUV when I feel I can trust an EV. Of course I'll have to gas up my motorcycle, hah hah. ⛽
@@BrassLock It makes it so that instead of white background and black text you get black background and white text, really helps with eye strain and I can not use my computer without it or else I get horrible headaches.
Interested in your comments on your Model Y which we have as well and use of solar throughout the day. Our situation is different because we are on an hourly rate in IL and ComEd is supposed to pay us for generation at same rate they charge us. We charge the EV in the middle of the night to take advantage of low rates. I only just installed the our roof solar system so not sure of this. My question is why you, with high power cost in afternoon and insufficient generation off the panels, did not consider battery? Is it simply because of cost or are you feeling that current batteries will not be as good as those that will be commercially available in the near future?
Here in Australia, we have a LOT of solar on homes. 6.6kw is considered a minimum nowadays. Recently got a 9.87kw system (470W Jinko N type panels with a 8.2kw Fronius inverter). We considered a battery but at the moment cost is too pricey at the moment. We have an EV commin soon as our family car and plan to switch Hot water from gas to electric maybe later down the track... though gas cooking is preferred in my household. In Australia solar makes a lot of sense. As they say no-one has complained about oversizing a system, though I guess cost will play a big part in this.
Get rid of the inefficient window rattlers and replace mini split heat pumps, a lot more efficient. Also run when you have excess PV capacity to precool the home before you run out of PV production.
If you use EV-TOU-2 or EV-TOU-5 plan and charge your EV during super off peak time, you can use more kWh than solar generated power which is usually during off peak time, which has higher rate than super off peak. So it’s not exactly 1:1 calculation if you take advantage of time of use.
Call your utility company and ask if they have a EV rate, if they do get on it right away. The way the EV rate works is generally starting at midnight the EV rate begins you program the car to begin charging at 1205 AM and the EV rate ends at 7 AM. When you fire up the heat before you leave the do so about 530 AM so you’re not using the day rate power this way you unplug and leave the house with a full battery( 80% ) to charge higher than 80 % is much slower and takes more time and uses more power. Best of luck. Food for thought
You can use the battery on the tesla to store your solar energy. I am not sure how much it cost to install the system for it but it might be worth to take a look at as the tesla battery can store a lot...
I struggle to believe anyone who lives in sunny area cannot power their EV on solar. Batteries are expensive however absolutely necessary to store energy generated and be large enough to store the energy needs of the EV, most people travel less than 30miles a day. Therefore you only need to generate 10-12kW per day (size of the Tesla Powerwall). If you have a decent size array say 5kW that’s only 2-3hrs of sunshine a day. In Scotland it averages 1100hrs a year of sunshine which dispute being v.north it can still meet this demand! Winter months in Scotland I would agree are not going to support however the other 9 months should be fine.
What about the battery bank to store that energy. If you work you can’t charge your car during the day during peak sun light hours? Are you just getting a discount through your electric provider
Battery banks are still too expensive. I rarely lose power and generate more solar than I need. Some day I will have a car that can supply power to the house when needed. That will be my bank.
@@grandparonstesla5141 interesting, is that allowed? I thought every time I change the system I am supposed to redo project, permits, SDGE application, etc.
How much are you losing from dusty panels? They advise not using any soap to clean them because soap residue blocks uv rays.. distilled or filtered water and a squeegee
For adding 3 panel's i'd just do a basic Grid-tie invert string, can prop them up against a fence even, since you already have net metering from your previous install it wouldn't matter if you pushed power back to grid. Also your kwh rates are absolutely ridiculous, I can see why people are fleeing California in droves.
SOLAR is for your house. In Europe we don't expect our solar to do 100% we are happy with 50 to 60% but then again we don't have the kind of corrupt monopoly utilities that exist in most places in the USA. If I lived there I would go full on OFF-GRID and tell the corps FU! Topping up an EV at home is fine but you may as well charge at public sites, whenever possible.
For me, it is cheaper to use solar for everything. Public charging is a lot more expensive here. About $.50/kWh for non Tesla charging and $.28 for Tesla. My solar cost is $.06/kWh.
Some installers hate micro-inverters they give the impression that they are no good. I don't believe it. I reckon the issue is as follows. For the home owner if one micro inverter out of lets say 12 panels goes bad within 5 years that does not seem a big deal for the installer to change. From the installer POV if they have to do a similar replacement at 40 houses over 5 years for them it is a pain in the ass. I reckon this is why many installers are hostile to micro-inverters.
Most of the installers I quoted used micro inverters. My system is rather small so maybe with large systems it is cheaper to use optimizers with string inverters. I any case, it is up to the homeowner.
Yes that's also a great idea to keep back-up the solar energy to a LFP battery (LifePo4 battery) storage by using some smart Solar Off Grid systems. There are some nice brands are available in market now a days like Growatt, Sofarsolar & BYD by using their LFP battery. You may consider this too in your future plan.
I used to have a push lawn mower. It didn’t have a lot of power and replaced it with a battery power mower. So much faster and less effort. $5 a gallon gas is also no fun. I think I’ll keep the Tesla. Solar is free.
Another question, roof comes with around 20 to 25 years before needs to be replaced. My sisters insurance forced her to get new roof or pay higher insurance. How does insurance company handle these? So many variables
It just amazing how the same story is told over and over again. Typically 5000 kWh a year per EV is the minimum. Add the AC competent yeah you really missed. At least you were smart and got Sunpower panels. The Hanwah Q cells were NOT a good choice! The Hanwah will degrade at twice the rate as the Sunpower. You will be adding more panels in a year or two as you watch the production drop faster on your Add On.
Wow your power company is ripping you off with those rates. Both the net metering buy back rate .13 cents on the dollar and .62 cents per kwh at night. SDGE that's San Diego i'm assuming? It's ironic how politicians are pushing for people to go green yet allowing bills like this for the power companies to pass.
This is why you need batteries (like Tesla powerwall) with solar. Solar without batteries arnt as useful. During blackouts and night time without batteries your solar is useless.
Yeah. It was pretty clear there were no permits for the addition. Hah hah. I liked, "my wife disagreed." I'm glad to see they didn't use harnesses. That adds an additional safety risk of tripping that outweighs the supposed reduction in risks especially when carrying solar panels. Additionally, harnesses pull on your back and create long term health issues and make you miserable so you want to quit your job. So, good for them. I was surprised to see no 18" walk-path at the ridge for firefighters. Oh well. Microinverters are nice since you can easily expand the system. Note, our utility can tell when you have energy production in excess of what you have permitted, but you'll probably be ok.
@@grandparonstesla5141 in san Mateo , Ca I pay about 120 a month. I run my AC about 3 months out of the year. House came with AC so I cant get my kids off the Ac. Most people do not need or have AC where I am from
Batteries are very expensive and don’t generate any energy. Nice to have when power goes out but that rarely happens here and I have a diesel genny if it does.
My wife and I live in Edmonds, WA in an all electric home (2000 sq ft) with 13.2 kWh solar PV system + 2 Powerwall-2 batteries. Installed solar in 2012 and PW2 batteries in 2018. Brought first Tesla (Model S) in 2012 and second one in 2015 (MS85D) and Model 3 in 2018. We have been net producers of energy for last 9 years, which includes charging both Tesla's. I have microinverters because we have shading issues from trees surrounding our home. Last year we generated 350% of our energy needs for home and electric vehicle charging. We have heat pump and heat pump water heater, which provides both heating and cooling and much more energy efficient than conventional air conditioner. We overbuilt our system and I have no regrets about doing that. We are operating as a microgrid for 9+ months of the year, and only use grid energy during winter when we do not get sufficient solar to power our needs. We love the ability to charge our two cars off our roof and would never go back to ICE cars. Haven't been to a gas station in 9 years.
Congrats. You are way ahead of the curve for renewables.
Live the ddream! Way to go!
Do you get paid for the extra energy that you produce?
How many panels for that size system? 13kw is huge
Great to see such successful solar experience. Does heat pump works with solar or from battery storage (powerwall)
This has to be one of the best and well film solar videos I've seen
Thank you, this is the best view of the instillation of solar panels that I have seen.
really cool to see the install process..... there are a lot of steps, looks like a quality install for sure.
Did a DIY install of 17 panels in S.D. about 10 yrs ago. Since then, have added two electric cars, so I expanded the system with 6 more panels. The key is use microinverters. They are relaible and allow expansion easily.
This is a good explanation of the installation process and the calculations that are needed. Like you, I find I love driving my Model Y. I've driven 7800 miles in 7 months, but electricity is much cheaper here in Missouri. I only pay 10.19 cents/KWH for electricity at any time of day. The downside is that I don't get any rebates of incentives of any kind for driving an electric vehicle.
Keep making the videos, Ron. I enjoy them.
Now but when everyone puts a draw on the grid what you think its going to be then, think texas
@@kinglord5429 Texas? You mean where they have more solar and wind renewable energy generation than any other state? With battery and other power storage the grid will be just fine in the future. Also Fred's drain on the grid only comes in the winter. Year round he produces triple what he uses for the whole year. The system is not going to fail.
@@cre8tvedge no think when weather conditions cause it to crash.
So that is close to free energy base cost in Australia 25 cent Au South Australia went solar so about 50 cents per Kw charge a battery car at chargeing station 70 cents per Kw cheaper to drive diesel car
62 cents a kilowatt, wow. Glad you’re getting solar electricity. Waiting for my new EV now😎
I have a solar and wind generator system. I believe lots of batteries are the key. So on days when there's lots of energy the batteries can store it. Yes my system is stand alone on a boat
that's the issue with wind and solar... the batteries are not large enough and cheap enough.....
Using battery to charge another battery wasting a lot energy in between....
Where I live, we have to have the size of the system approved by the electric company before you install it. This is purely based on past usage. I went to them last year and they told me they would only approve a 6 KwH system even though I had an electric car on order and a hot tub on order. They said they can't size a system any bigger based on what might happen in the future. So, I waited a year after getting my EV to actually get my solar system sized correctly. I am now approved for a 10 KwH system and am in the process of having it installed within the next month.
Home of the free
Where do u live?
Love the video, Ron. Hard to find videos on the process of installing that are not trying to sell you something, so thank you for being honest. Happy New Year and Happy Motoring 😊.
Just had our MY over a year .. 26,385 miles 😳 … We’re on a Quest for Superchargers! Need to get better at posting our trips! …. Good stuff here, thanks for sharing! 👊🏼👍🏼👍🏼
A good inverter mini split will save you a lot of KWs. Also I have a "Midea U Inverter Window Air Conditioner 8,000BTU" .with a watt meter I saw a 50% savings to cool the same room as old window unit. it was easy to install and cost $360 plus tax
You need really good batteries to keep them running when sun ain't shinning well or you need some kind of grid backup. I have 3.5kw solar system but sometimes it is not enough to start an Air Con you need batteries or grid. Mixing grid with solar is perfectly ok
Permits ? I had coffee coming out of my nose I laughed so hard. Oh, California bean counter. Nuff Said
thanks grandpa very informative i'll need this when i buy a house sometime in this lifetime i hope
Rediscovering the Safety Factor in providing for future generations.
Nice...upgrade and install..
Im happy for you..
Wife does not care if power comes from Solar or utility as long as AC is running.. Happy wife=Good Life..
Useful info and nice camera work and scripting. Thanks.
My family and i lived successfully for 10 years in the Australian outback powerd by solar.
I worked what we needed and test ran it for 12 months in the city before we went bush.
It worked out to double and a half of what I thought I needed..worked well.
Now I'm back in the city on the grid cause it's still cheaper .
why not use ongrid or hybrid inverter?
Every situation is different. For me my situation changed and i had to adjust. Since i have the grid available, it is much cheaper to use that when needed than buy an expensive battery bank. This could change in the future of course.
Living the dream, Tesla and home Solar! Well done you. Battery next install
I really like your video. You added a whole new dimension to the concerns prospective new Tesla owners may have about how to best accomplish home charging :-)
Sounds like you miscalculated your needs. Your title made it sound like I should account for a lot more than I am planning on, but in reality, you just ended up using the car (and HVAC) more than you thought. Sounds like you learned a good lesson. For me, in California, a mistake like this would cost me several thousand dollars in permit and installation costs for the additional panels.
Yes I under estimated how much I would drive and didn’t account for phantom drain. Next week I get mini splits so we’ll see how much they use.
Thanks for the video Ron. Really liked the installation part. I think you've done what I'm thinking of doing, and under similar situations.
Grandpa Ron. Is a Bad Ass. ✊🏽 keep up the good work.
Really good Ron! Proud of you doing the install.
Gotta Love Jevons paradox! Great video, thanks for sharing 👍
Good video.
I can't believe how much they are charging you for electric! I live between Florida and North Carolina and the rates are about .11 and 12 cents. Thought about solar in North Carolina but the payoff was way too long. My Model Y will be here in February, looking forward to it. Also you will enjoy your Mini Split, when I lived in China that is all that was used. I never heard the term mini split there, just air conditioner. Glad to see they're starting to use them in the States, I understand they're very efficient.
Yes rates are ridiculous and still going up.
Here in Australia solar is a big thing with 40% of households now gone solar most units are 8 to 12 panels here
between $3000 to $5000 installed
Good detailed example. Thanks for the fresh pointers
Thanks for the education! Great information and I enjoyed watching the install at the end.
After getting an EV and installing a mini-split heat pump for heating and cooling we expanded our solar array from 3.3 kw to 5.2 kw. We do take advantage of free Level 2 charging at our Community Recreation Center about five times a week. That covers all of our weekly town driving. We only charge at home about once week that’s only a partial charge. I do drive the EV more than I thought I would because it is so nice.
Same here.
An honest appraisal of the realities of solar use and generation in your house and car.
Ok, here is my honest appraisal: We have averaged 12,517 kW/year (solar) production over last 10 years, and our total electric use since the Powerwall-2 installation in 2018 has been 3,465 kW/year. Our average charging for two Tesla's has been ~1,800 kW/year. Our net driving was reduced during COVID. My wife and I are retired. Our average Solar/electric use has been 361% over this period.
Great filming! Really liked seeing how it was done. Thank you!
Happy to add panels in Texas we work on existing systems. All the time Always go with more power than need. My view. You can move things off your propane and natural gas..etc plus charge EV CR solar Texas. Good 📹 video.
I find your videos both informative and entertaining. A couple extra thoughts for anyone considering installing solar panels. (1) The sooner you install the higher the tax credit. We got 30%. It is now 26%. And will continue to go down year after year. (2) Put in a sizeable buffer for future electrical use. Global warming will necessitate more air conditioning. We decided to swap our gas clothes dryer for electric. We have begun to use electric space heaters more often in lieu of the furnace in the winters. Someday we will have two electric vehicles. All of this was planned into our initial install. We are also fortunate to live in a California location where our local community energy company pays a net surplus compensation rate of 6.3 cents per kWh. (3) Added housing value. Our installation came with 25 year warranty on labor and all components. This has got to be a benefit if and when we sell our home in future. p.s. Like you I am a grandpa (11 times) and thoroughly enjoy driving my Tesla Model Y. Keep up the enriching videos...
Currently the tax credit is back up to 30%. I'm not sure when it goes up again.
Here in MN electric utilities are required to pay homeowners (like me) the same retail price for the electricity we produce as they charge us. There are only 3 months of the year where we do not get a check from our electrical utility. December, January and February. We will be taking delivery of our Tesla Model Y within the a month. We are so excited to be driving from solar power! Thanks for making this video. You did a nice job! Cheers!
I appreciate your honesty in this video. I prefer traditional natural gas and have a V-8 powered Otto Cycle Engine in my car. There is no way I would trade either for solar and/or an electric vehicle. I live in the northern part of the US and solar alone will not hack it - we would freeze in winter. Also, sitting around a charging station when it is -6F outside isn't feasible either. I would rather just pull up to the Mobil gas station and fill it up in under 5 minutes and go for another 450 miles.
I understand. Grew up in upstate New York and burned wood for heat. My particular energy costs in San Diego are the highest in the country so makes a lot of sense for me. Electric cars are still quite new and will keep getting better over time.
With 18 kW of panels (and 100 kWh of storage) we could just keep up with the house, the shop, and the Tesla model 3. After my wife's model Y came we had to bump the panel array to 21 kW. (56 to 64 panels). Phoenix can see 110 degrees F day after day in July and August. We rarely run all 9-tons of AC at any one time. 100 kWh of storage can handle all loads all night unless we get two rainy days in a row. (Also a retired engineer) If I could get a permit I'd need five Tesla power walls plus panels to accomplish the same result. Considering the labor, engineering, and optimization put in over the last four years, I have great respect for the best of the legit installers.
You have a really big system. Here in SD we don’t need much AC and with a small house the car is the only big user. I think the 5.4kW system should do it.
Moral of the story.... go bigger then you think by atleast double!
I have 6kw inverter 9kw panels and 11kwh battery... summer will cover me easy.... thing is winter when it's about half production at most.
Get some backup batteries so you can get energy at night. I’d recommend Tesla PowerWalls but you can only get them if you install Tesla solar.
😅 seriously, I was think In us everything is fast 🤣 but now I realize that. Here in Pakistan I installed 5 kw solar system in 3 hours 😂
Yes we have many regulations here.
Good call on the minisplit heat pumps, that will massively reduce your air conditioning demand, if you get a good quality brand (mitsubishi, fujitsu).
missed that human x factor....after watching dozens of solar install videos i see a common thread, the owner could always use more power.i am reminded of the statement. i have to many panels said no one ever..... Dont be so focused on efficiency that you lose sight of the fact that life changes and everything always wants more.
Hi Ron, I just had a solar system (5.44KW) installed which is ground mounted & single 6KW inverter. Just wondering what your system cost if you don’t mind sharing. 13NJ View/Navion member here and appreciate all your RV videos!
Both together were $17k before tax credits
Great video and information, thanks a lot!
Great video, really insightful. How was the overall experience with Johnson Solar? I'm in San Diego also, looking to go solar AND battery storage...
Thanks mate, very interesting video. Cheers from Aus.
California : I am on the low-income 'CARE' program which lowers my rate to .22 cents per kilowatt. If not on CARE , the rate is about .31 cents per k. ! ! ( First level of 3 )
Around 1980 lived in Dunnellon , Florida & the Energy Co-op charged .04 cents per kilowatt !!! It was a Co-op = non-profit owned by those connected . 'They' don't do that here . . . . .
I have several panels in my backyard as part of my 'Off-grid' system & several 'power-stations' being charged by those panels. My average Electric bill is around $30.00 since I run most high-power demands from the Off-grid system. I think 'they' are pissed with people like me since my gas usage had an added 'low-usage' compensation charge added on several bills last year. A 'fine' for being conservative ! ( I heat my 1961 vintage un-insulated home with a boxwood heater & a fan for circulation ) My natural gas consumption is less than 3 'units' sometimes resulting in the 'low-usage' charge they add . Sucks to be me . . . huh ? Ha - ha !
You should upgrade your air conditioner to a mini split system with a high seer rating. You'll get much better cooling and it will use about half that of your box unit I saw here.
I have 2 mini splits. They work great.
I got confused at first thinking tesla solar and seeing non-tesla panels :). Curious if tesla gonna install it the same way. I don't like electric conduits going all the way through the roof from one array to another array. When it's gonna be time to replace the roof and shingles, - that electric pipe will be on the way and need to be fully removed. If it's possible I would force those guys to run conduits in the attic.
With California’s time of use charges I’d consider installing a battery backup. You can use it to store electricity from 9 AM to 4 PM and then use the power from it from 4 PM until its drained instead of paying $0.63/kWh. That will save you a huge amount of money.
I did consider batteries but could not justify cost.
Thanks for your video. I'm also retired and just wanna relax and have a good time (before life goes horribly, horribly wrong in the end... hah hah). Here in Galena Park, Texas right next to Houston, I recently got 30 Tesla solar panels and three power walls. I physically disconnected from the electric grid while waiting for permission sell back to the grid. But I don't like the agreement or contract as it seems to give too much authority over my solar power system. It won't feel like its mine anymore. I generate more power by far than I use ( that was my intention), and I'm considering getting and EV that should workout just right to use the extra solar power now going to waste. And I won't have to buy any gasoline when I eventually sell my Corvette and later on my Lincoln SUV when I feel I can trust an EV. Of course I'll have to gas up my motorcycle, hah hah. ⛽
Seems like the utilities are in business for themselves and not to serve the public.
I believe HD is working on or even now selling an electric bike. Check on Netflix.
Grandpa, you should try out the dark mode on your computer, it really helps the eyes for old people like us.
Can you explain what _"dark mode"_ is please?
I'm old too 🥸
Helps with eye strain
@@BrassLock It makes it so that instead of white background and black text you get black background and white text, really helps with eye strain and I can not use my computer without it or else I get horrible headaches.
@@a64738 Thanks!
I'll try it out on my PC and Phone.
Interested in your comments on your Model Y which we have as well and use of solar throughout the day. Our situation is different because we are on an hourly rate in IL and ComEd is supposed to pay us for generation at same rate they charge us. We charge the EV in the middle of the night to take advantage of low rates. I only just installed the our roof solar system so not sure of this. My question is why you, with high power cost in afternoon and insufficient generation off the panels, did not consider battery? Is it simply because of cost or are you feeling that current batteries will not be as good as those that will be commercially available in the near future?
Our. Grid is very reliable so cost of batteries would not be worth it. I only need a bit of afternoon power during August and September for AC.
Word of advise - do your calculations then add 20%. You can always use more
Here in Australia, we have a LOT of solar on homes. 6.6kw is considered a minimum nowadays. Recently got a 9.87kw system (470W Jinko N type panels with a 8.2kw Fronius inverter). We considered a battery but at the moment cost is too pricey at the moment. We have an EV commin soon as our family car and plan to switch Hot water from gas to electric maybe later down the track... though gas cooking is preferred in my household.
In Australia solar makes a lot of sense. As they say no-one has complained about oversizing a system, though I guess cost will play a big part in this.
I did not anticipate the price of gas going up so much. Using my mini splits for heat now as they are a lot cheaper to run.
@@grandparonstesla5141 did U eventually replace those very old AC units? Those were ancient lol
We just drove into town and ate in the car while it charges hahaha.
Get rid of the inefficient window rattlers and replace mini split heat pumps, a lot more efficient.
Also run when you have excess PV capacity to precool the home before you run out of PV production.
Mini split going in today. Video in the works.
If you use EV-TOU-2 or EV-TOU-5 plan and charge your EV during super off peak time, you can use more kWh than solar generated power which is usually during off peak time, which has higher rate than super off peak. So it’s not exactly 1:1 calculation if you take advantage of time of use.
Actually i have excess solar during the day so i charge when sun is shining.
Call your utility company and ask if they have a EV rate, if they do get on it right away. The way the EV rate works is generally starting at midnight the EV rate begins you program the car to begin charging at 1205 AM and the EV rate ends at 7 AM. When you fire up the heat before you leave the do so about 530 AM so you’re not using the day rate power this way you unplug and leave the house with a full battery( 80% ) to charge higher than 80 % is much slower and takes more time and uses more power.
Best of luck.
Food for thought
They do but it has a $16/mt flat charge and then 9cents per kWh. Solar is cheaper.
thanks for the great info
You can use the battery on the tesla to store your solar energy. I am not sure how much it cost to install the system for it but it might be worth to take a look at as the tesla battery can store a lot...
There’s no good inverter system Tot do that besides a farmer hack off of the 12 battery no?
I struggle to believe anyone who lives in sunny area cannot power their EV on solar. Batteries are expensive however absolutely necessary to store energy generated and be large enough to store the energy needs of the EV, most people travel less than 30miles a day. Therefore you only need to generate 10-12kW per day (size of the Tesla Powerwall). If you have a decent size array say 5kW that’s only 2-3hrs of sunshine a day. In Scotland it averages 1100hrs a year of sunshine which dispute being v.north it can still meet this demand! Winter months in Scotland I would agree are not going to support however the other 9 months should be fine.
Exactly. I was good until the winter. My array was only 3.3kW and was too small. Now with 5.4kW, I’m good all year.
What about the battery bank to store that energy. If you work you can’t charge your car during the day during peak sun light hours? Are you just getting a discount through your electric provider
Battery banks are still too expensive. I rarely lose power and generate more solar than I need. Some day I will have a car that can supply power to the house when needed. That will be my bank.
how many panels in your area; to drive a more traditional range of say 16,000 miles a year?
yes mini split heat pump would be a lot better than the window air
I didn't read all the comments, but .62 cents a kwh? I thought we were getting beat up in CA at .43 cents. What state are you in?
San diego.
What is the total cost of the solar installation, compared with the cost of gas
Enphase rules 👍🏻
I think I will have same problem next year. Did you need to do plan, permits with the city and get permission to operate from SDGE?
Yes for first install. No for additional ones.
@@grandparonstesla5141 interesting, is that allowed? I thought every time I change the system I am supposed to redo project, permits, SDGE application, etc.
Lol, here in Italy you pay electricity up to 1$ per kwh
Have you looked into micro-inverters per panel or checking the specs on a MPPT controller?
Yes, all my panels have Enphase micro inverters.
How much are you losing from dusty panels? They advise not using any soap to clean them because soap residue blocks uv rays.. distilled or filtered water and a squeegee
In my testing, 2 months of dust dropped the output 4-5%. Not that much. I cleaned them with water from a hose. Don’t think soap would do much.
You may want to add the battery system..it's not expensive. See my favorite video channel here: ruclips.net/user/WillProwse
For adding 3 panel's i'd just do a basic Grid-tie invert string, can prop them up against a fence even, since you already have net metering from your previous install it wouldn't matter if you pushed power back to grid. Also your kwh rates are absolutely ridiculous, I can see why people are fleeing California in droves.
I’m glad I got the 5 additional panels. Could add a few more to existing wiring if needed.
425watt Q cells !! GREAT CHOICE !!
What are the Wattage of the old and new panels? BTW, good Video. I'm surprised those guys carry those big panels up the ladder so easily.
Old one is 3.27kw and 5 new are 2.1kw. Yes. They are around 55lbs each.
@@grandparonstesla5141 55lbs! those guys make it looks so easy carrying up the ladder like that.
SOLAR is for your house. In Europe we don't expect our solar to do 100% we are happy with 50 to 60% but then again we don't have the kind of corrupt monopoly utilities that exist in most places in the USA. If I lived there I would go full on OFF-GRID and tell the corps FU! Topping up an EV at home is fine but you may as well charge at public sites, whenever possible.
For me, it is cheaper to use solar for everything. Public charging is a lot more expensive here. About $.50/kWh for non Tesla charging and $.28 for Tesla. My solar cost is $.06/kWh.
Some installers hate micro-inverters they give the impression that they are no good. I don't believe it. I reckon the issue is as follows. For the home owner if one micro inverter out of lets say 12 panels goes bad within 5 years that does not seem a big deal for the installer to change. From the installer POV if they have to do a similar replacement at 40 houses over 5 years for them it is a pain in the ass. I reckon this is why many installers are hostile to micro-inverters.
Most of the installers I quoted used micro inverters. My system is rather small so maybe with large systems it is cheaper to use optimizers with string inverters. I any case, it is up to the homeowner.
you need a minimum of 10 300W panels to charge for 30 miles range.
I was looking to do the same lol
Seems like that would get you more like 50-60 miles @250w/mile
Check out the Aptera, solar-powered car, made in California
Awesome Video!
geez they could have cleaned the old ones for a beer
Yes. they had another job after mine but who knows.
You charge it off peak. You will never fully disconnect from grid
Perhaps you need a PowerWall (or 2) to store power for night usage.
Thought about it. They don’t sell to non Tesla solar customers.
@@grandparonstesla5141 If you do not mind the wear on the battery you can install a system that use the Tesla battery for providing power at night...
this is great news
No battery storage system? So you just meter into the grid during the day and pull from it at night?
Yes. Batteries too expensive.
Yes that's also a great idea to keep back-up the solar energy to a LFP battery (LifePo4 battery) storage by using some smart Solar Off Grid systems. There are some nice brands are available in market now a days like Growatt, Sofarsolar & BYD by using their LFP battery. You may consider this too in your future plan.
Even the fooks with 2 much dollars having trouble
Very interesting Video. Ps sell the Tesla & get a push bike LOL.
I used to have a push lawn mower. It didn’t have a lot of power and replaced it with a battery power mower. So much faster and less effort. $5 a gallon gas is also no fun. I think I’ll keep the Tesla. Solar is free.
i live near the arctic circle. not much sun light and pretty cold. not very optimal for solarpanels and evs :D
Could take a while for your location.
Ron were you able to claim the 26% federal tax credit on the 2nd install, or only the first?
Haven’t filed 2021 taxes but plan on claiming it.
Solar panels aren't going to do much here in ny covered with snow or when you get about 10 hours of filter sun light
So what is $$$$
Another question, roof comes with around 20 to 25 years before needs to be replaced. My sisters insurance forced her to get new roof or pay higher insurance. How does insurance company handle these? So many variables
Solar company wil remove and replace panels for roof replacement. Cost around $100 per panel
@@grandparonstesla5141 and will add how much $$$ to already high roofing price
It just amazing how the same story is told over and over again. Typically 5000 kWh a year per EV is the minimum. Add the AC competent yeah you really missed. At least you were smart and got Sunpower panels. The Hanwah Q cells were NOT a good choice! The Hanwah will degrade at twice the rate as the Sunpower. You will be adding more panels in a year or two as you watch the production drop faster on your Add On.
I pay .08 per kWh. I’m still getting solar though
Wow your power company is ripping you off with those rates. Both the net metering buy back rate .13 cents on the dollar and .62 cents per kwh at night. SDGE that's San Diego i'm assuming? It's ironic how politicians are pushing for people to go green yet allowing bills like this for the power companies to pass.
Got even worse. This month they more than doubled the cost of natural gas from $2/therm to $5.11. I’m now using the mini splits for heat.
This is why you need batteries (like Tesla powerwall) with solar. Solar without batteries arnt as useful. During blackouts and night time without batteries your solar is useless.
do what we do in australia have a diesel gen behind the fence to run the EV chargers - green power
Funny but I have actually used the diesel gent in my RV to charge the car. It is very slow tho.
Yeah. It was pretty clear there were no permits for the addition. Hah hah. I liked, "my wife disagreed." I'm glad to see they didn't use harnesses. That adds an additional safety risk of tripping that outweighs the supposed reduction in risks especially when carrying solar panels. Additionally, harnesses pull on your back and create long term health issues and make you miserable so you want to quit your job. So, good for them. I was surprised to see no 18" walk-path at the ridge for firefighters. Oh well. Microinverters are nice since you can easily expand the system. Note, our utility can tell when you have energy production in excess of what you have permitted, but you'll probably be ok.
how much were your power bills before you had solar??
Before solar and the car, was $91/mt.
@@grandparonstesla5141 in san Mateo , Ca I pay about 120 a month. I run my AC about 3 months out of the year. House came with AC so I cant get my kids off the Ac. Most people do not need or have AC where I am from
wow you per KW is 0.26 ... ours is 0.14 in 2024.
Get a battery pack rather than more solar to even out the troughs n valleys
Batteries are very expensive and don’t generate any energy. Nice to have when power goes out but that rarely happens here and I have a diesel genny if it does.
Why didn't you go for Tesla tyles ?
Very expensive and my roof is almost new.
@@grandparonstesla5141 right, so they need to reduce costs on their tyles to beat PV panels