Even if one does research and selects a company in business for 15+ years with a large customer base (both commercial and residential), the company can go out of business despite the best research and lengthy history. Example is Sullivan Solar in Southern California. They installed megawatt systems on Petco Ball park, UCSD campus, company executives who live in Rancho Santa Fe, and myself included. Now businesses and thousands of residential customers are without solar system service support. Dozen's more paid money and never got their systems installed (now lawsuits are pending). Just be careful who installs your system and perhaps consider backup support choices if they go belly-up.
Exactly. Any reputable company can go under for a number of behind the scenes reasons, regardless how good the company brand or item was at the time of purchase. That's the risk you have to take as a consumer.
well spoken - personally i tend to use stuff that is produced by not only one company, but which is available from multiple sources, then the chances of going under water are much lower.
I can agree with your statements, I've had Solar on my home since 2014. I went with a local company (who is still around) and I'm glad I did. My customer service has been great, a relative who went with a big company hasn't had a good experience. They connected the inverter to report online, and monitored for 2yrs. When we noticed a drop in production last year, they hopped on and checked. Came over the next day and replaced a fuse on the roof. As far as expanding your system, if your string inverter isn't maxed out just add to it until it is.
Nils, LOVE not only your channel and your videos… But your transparency, and detailed explanations. Thank you for existing. Keep up the grind!✊🏾 You are much appreciated.
I designed and built my own system. I purchased and installed all the individual components. I have zero desire to “sell” any unused power, thus it is a simple transfer switch going from one system to the other. I installed a 4KW UPS for critical needs like computers and such. I have solar panels, a wind generator all backed up with the proper batteries and finally a Tri-fuel generator. Finally, I have a power company 200 amp service just in case. I am my own customer service engineer!
@@adm5113 he mainly used his brain :) - joke aside, it's not really that hard to go thru all this. You need to plan the foundation for the panels, you need to plan the panels themselves and you must match them to the capabilities of the inverters that you intend to use. And all needs to fit into your existing electrical system. Everything on the roof needs to be mounted sturdy, and you need to look out for anything that goes thru any parts of the roof, as it can lead to water leaking thru. But also that is no rocket science - just add some sealing agent that stays elastic over a long time and extremely adhesive (silicone is no option here, it decays and lasts only a few years). Start with measuring the areas you can spare for PV and check where you can mount the inverters. Then plan the substructure for the panels. After you know, how many panels you can mount (careful, they have slightly different sizes), you check, which inverter can fit into the system - if you have an engineer at hand, ask them to support you. Consider also a backup battery system, it helps getting rid of most of the nightly grid power usage. There's plenty of material available on the web nowadays, many people have already gone thru this task and maybe you find friendly people on PV forums, which can help you with the planning. If unsure, you might also want to check with a local electrician, if they can support at least on the grid-facing side of the system.
I “over engineered” my system. It doesn’t need to be as complex as what I did. My system works perfectly, but again, I put too much thought into it all. But then again, I used wire I already had. I used a UPS that I’ve had for years, but I’m also using a large inverter with my solar system
We chose a local solar company in New Jersey, which is 10 miles away and has been in business for 15 years. The local solar consultant was awesome he explained everything in detail. The sales rep; like those big national chains he could answer all my questions, and I felt very confident.
I’ve had solar and solar hot water in my home since 2007. The company that put it in back then actually is still in business. I guess I’d be one of the lucky ones I have not had any problems with the system since the turning the switch in 2007. When I initially put in the system I left room for growth later down the road so I could add more panels. A few years later like eight years later I added more panels and maxed out my inverter. Back then they did not have micro inverters and yes it was probably first generation. In 15 years my system has lost 2 V on three of the four strings the fourth string is still the same voltage as the day we turn the switch on. I have been very pleased with the performance of the system and the performance of the solar hot water.
Hi, very concerned about healt issues. I have a 9 solar panels house and I'm reading it causes dirty electricity which causes bad health, inflammation, cancer etc. So do you know anything about it? I'm very interested and scared. Thanks.
7 years later I really don’t think you have to worry about. The electricity in your home is and has always been producing what you call dirty electricity. I don’t think there is enough there to hurt you. I have been around for many years and it has not affected me yet. What you read on the internet take it with a grain of salt
@J San Diego just got the most rain it’s had in a while, zero issues. We actually just went into the attic because I’m building another unit in that property and looked good. Installing a 2kwh system for the ADU.
You make some great points. I've had solar for nine years and since there are no moving parts folks tend to think it just keeps working with no "check ups". The company I purchased from is still around but they don't do anything after the sale nor do the electricians that performed the install (install was contracted out). Luckily I had a monitoring system installed and could see my generation drop over the years though I didn't know who to call. I have learned the following: Find reputable, bonafide installers for tear down and reinstall (I had to get my shingles replaced after hail damage) and keep tree branches trimmed back so squirrels cannot find a way up to chew the cabling. I had chewed cables, blown fuses and untrained electricians that didn't crimp the cables correctly on reinstall. I'm finally back to production like I had on install but it has taken awhile. I think having a monitoring system is very important.
My problem is birdshit from the birds I feed daily. They sit on the top of the panels. Re. the 'monitoring system': only adding to things that can go wrong. I do a walk-around every day and check the solar output being fed through the regulators which will give you a good idea about what's going in AND coming out on it's way to the battery-bank. A couple of times a week I also check the capacity held in the batteries. (Takes 10 minutes.) New panels these days should come with a 25-year warranty, and if they drop off too quickly get back to the manufacturer/vendor. (I tend to buy used panels for 10cents or less per rated Watt (new panels should cost no more than about 30 centpW.) and find that properly treated they more or less live up to their 25-year-design warranty. The first panels I installed in 1980 are still functioning at 80/85% of rating at a friend's place up in the mountains.: Google up: vimeo.com/109995031 vimeo.com/109995031
@@aidesahagun3895 My 9.3kw system uses Enphase components and comes with a free monitoring app I have on my phone and tablet. It is also available via a website, so I pull it up on my laptop. The app tells you all you need to know: how much each panel is producing, by the day, the month, the year and lifetime. It also alerts of any errors in the system.
I had a 4KW solar system installed by Solar City, now Tesla. Now I would like to expand the system but Tesla no longer installs solar systems in our area (Flagstaff, AZ) so they will not expand the system. So going with a large reputable company is no guarantee that they will be around for you later. I am probably going to install the new system myself.
This panel can put out close to 100 watts ruclips.net/user/postUgkxOqI2yqX0XVrhR2BMJciTWrHJpG8FhJyg when positioned in the appropriate southernly direction, tilted to the optimal angle for your latitude/date, and connected to a higher capacity device than a 500. The built in kickstand angle is a fixed at 50 degrees. Up to 20% more power can be output by selecting the actual date and latitude optimal angle.The 500 will only input 3.5A maximum at 18 volts for 63 watts. Some of the excess power from the panel can be fed into a USB battery bank, charged directly from the panel while also charging a 500. This will allow you to harvest as much as 63 + 15 = 78 watts.If this panel is used to charge a larger device, such as the power station, then its full output potential can be realized.
Wow. What great tips based on your experience, Nils. Exactly what one needs to hear before embarking on such a project. This is why I love RUclips. There are people like you who take the time to help others by making videos with wisdom and instruction that only come from experience. Thanks. BTW, no, not in the market for solar right now. Too many trees (which do help keep the house cooler in the summer by blocking extended sun on the roof).
@@dabbbles I don't get your point. I did not mention anything about the roof being the only way to install solar panels. I've seen the solar panel farms with them on the ground. I would think most people in homes would prefer a roof to having a yard full of panels. BTW, on the ground is a second way; I'd be interested in hearing about a few of the other upteen alternatives you mentioned.
@@psa110 No you didn't say the roof wasn't the ONLY PLACE to site panels. BUT you DID say you weren't in the market (for solar, due to ) "Too many trees .....blocking extended sun on the roof).
I had a warning from enphase saying my production was low. Went outside and saw several panels had a brown sheen from a dirt rain we had the night before. Hosed them off pretty well and that day I had peak production.
Tesla solar installations have caught fire in the past, there continues to be a real threat of fires due to serial defects in the Tesla installations. The consumers have not been adequately informed of the risks.
Don't go with the cheapest installer. If you do they will cut corners that will come back to bite you in a few years. Installers need to make a living. One thing I always do with any tradespeople is look at the work van. If it looks like it's never been washed the tyres look almost bald this is a good indication of the type of person you are dealing with. Make sure the person giving the quote is the INSTALLER, not some management company that is going to take all the profits leaving the tradesperson who is doing the job with no profit to cover problems after the installation.
Sometimes that can be a good indicator, but not always. I'm in a different service field, and my van is a mess. In summer I work 5-7 days a week, 10-12hrs/day. I live down a dirt road, so daily dust or mud gets applied. I put, on average, about 200 miles a day on it. No time to change tires until winter (every winter it's time for new tires and battery). If I wash my van today, by end of day tomorrow it will look like I haven't touched it in months. My customers don't really care what my van looks like, as long as their AC works when I leave.
Thanks man, this is really helpful. Once sales person came round and did an excellent sales pitch, slatting a few other brands in his pitch i.e. Tesla. I will certainly be doing my home-work with other brands! Love the t-shirt, my mrs keeps telling me "measure twice - cut once"
I know I'm 10 months late but this is an excellent video. Telsa is good. And like you said, check everyone out as so many major manufacturers have discontinued their business or gone belly up. LG got out of the solar panels just as the did on cellphones. Are super strong yet in appliances and televisions. The technology is rapidly changing so be aware of that. Thank you for your comments.
tesla sucks they sell crappy string inverters and do ugly conduit work lmao literally all the big companies he mentioned are terrible momentum, sunrun etc. Dude is on here just giving bad advice to people 😂
This is interesting... Because the capacity warning is usually about not getting a system that's too large! That always struck me as odd, but what you said made more sense. There's always going to be an increase of usage as technology progresses.
Any electrical company should be able to do an upgrade on the current system. No problems. I installed all my system myself and then had an electrician verify the install. Just as you recommend. Super cheap and i know how it was installed. S9lar PV is like Lego, really.
It's like plumbers or electricians who act like your house is about too fall down and look at you like your insane when the issiue is 8/10 no big issiue they just see dollar signs n scare people too squeeze money out off them.
To expand your system you might look at ripping out that old Sunnyboy and installing a Tesla PW3. Get battery storage, a new, much more powerful inverter with smart communication and the ability to add a lot more solar in one easy hit. I would steer clear of microinverters unless you have a significant shading issue. The Sunnyboy's were notorius for that LCD panel being sun damaged (the only way to avoid it was to shade them), however hooking them up to a network monitor is pretty simple and the actual power electronics are rock solid. Unfortunately buying a new LCD touchscreen is not really economical.
I started with a self installed island system based on Victron components, later let an electrician connect it to the grid (mandatory in Germany do be done by a certified electrician). Than a couple of months ago let a company install a separate system on the house roof. So I knew what to look for when selecting a company. Even a microinverter based DIY system as starting point makes sense to understand what the solar companies are talking about.
When you said "reputable," what you really meant was "big." Big companies have their own risks, and other videos on RUclips cover the corners that Tesla cuts in order to keep their prices down.
Remember Tesla outsources installation to sub-contractors what I heard from people who went with Tesla bunch of issues, delays, some permitting issues, etc. The other reason you want to make sure how good and how well they respond to a request to service your system after it was installed months ago. For most companies, even ones been in service for a long time their priority is sales first and service is last on their priorities. This could be a problem when your solar system is having issues or not working in the middle of a heat wave in the summertime.
One thing you should look into if you want a solar company that you can be reasonably sure will still be around in 10-15 years is look for a company whose business is more diversified than just solar installs. I went with a local company that also does general contracting who has been doing work in my area for 60+ years. Their quote wasn't the cheapest, but it wasn't the most expensive, either. And I have about as much peace of mind as you can possibly have that they'll be around if I ever need anything down the road.
Sadly this crash very much with my support for small local companies. I do not want to live in a world where only gigantic multi-national companies can survive. And we all know how difficult it actually is to be able to talk with a person within this companies once you have bought their product, in case you dont know, try to talk with a actual person at Microsoft custom service. As a Norwegian it was more easy for me to talk with our prime minister then to get in contact with a person from Microsoft custom service. And yes, i know because i have tried both, and i have talked with our prime minister because of that, i have never been able to talk with a real person from Microsoft custom "service". I love small local companies for so many reasons, but if people think like the person in this video advice us to do, we will all end up with Microsoft companies that have absolutely no interest what so ever in their customers.
It's also worth mentioning about how !!! hard and costly it is to get them down and back up again if you need a new roof! I'm looking at that after 17 years of solar and now there is the dilemma of remove and reinstall vs buy newer, with a good portion of the life (maybe 8-13 years left on them?) remaining on the original system. not to mention the cost of replacing an invertor every 9 to 15 years, who knew that back when I began this in 2006. Nevertheless I love having the solar even though there have been those 2 worries. my new invertor sends reports not to me, but to the company, and the company is still in business hallelujah! I would have liked having the reports come to me but it wasn't available for this retrofit.
Afterafterthought. If you lift your panels and SLIDE them to another section of the roof, repair the section of roof they WERE on, and then SLIDE them back, and fix them in place before you fix that 'other' section of roof, it'd save you a lot of heavy/difficult lifting.
Probably an even better time to STOP WASTING ELECTRICITY!!! I do live by myself (in a smallish 1-bedroom unit) and have for years been aware of non-wastage (everything: not only electricity.) My nominal 2.4kW solar system (NOT ideally positioned due to other rooflines and trees, etc.) produces 8/9 kWh per day summer and winter. My life-time of frugality runs the whole house (without microwave) for about HALF that input. It's true that I have a few other beneficial things on the go that mitigate those ratings somewhat; but still. It's possible. And given the possibility of SHTF and other fun things happening make re-appraisal of useage (as HABIT) well worthwhile. Fortunately my early life was the post-war period of 'normal' frulaity and non-wasteage. I've see the best of human life came AND go.
After seeing the issues others have had getting solar installed and me being a very handy person, I've long drawn the conclusion that when I do solar, I'm going to do it myself. I want to understand how the system works inside and out so when something breaks, I can fix it myself. I've seen way too many horror stories of people not getting the full power from their panels because they were sold an inverter that was too small and not told until they asked, hey, why am I not getting the full power that my panels generate?
I'll ignore your misapproach, and simply point out that the 'full-power' that's available does NOT come from the panels. It comes from the BATTERIES. And what you can/can't get out of the batteries depends on half-a-dozen considerations that have not so much to do with 'horror-stories' as it does with human stupidity. ONCE AGAIN: all you need is about five minutes of 'instruction'. And half a brain. I can't think of ANY modern-tech applications that are simpler than a solar-system. As the olde saying goes: If all else fails, READ THE INSTRUCTIONS!
@@dabbbles its insane the left has forced us to use such backwards toxic technology as lithium batteries in 2023 smh. clean coal power would cost 2c a kwh at most without the left. there is no need for any of this utter unbelievably inefficient and FUGGGGLYYY nonsense. but the law says you must, now.
I've had 40 years of experience, and it REALLY is foolproof. But I've discoveredit's simpler, les-complicated and MUCH cheaper to run several SEPARATE systems doing different jobs and sticking to the simplest and by far the cheapest components.. The same sort of reasong that applies to having separate electrical circuits operating your house.
Your 7.65kw system can definitely be expanded on your existing inverter. You can probably put 2-3 more kw of solar panels on the roof without having too much clipping. Make sure you balance out the power and dont overload any of your DC inputs (those inverters want < 600v per MPPT). There's some good 3rd party monitoring systems egauge is one of them, takes some setting up tho. Sorry about your screen, I would've recommended building a cover for it to keep it out of the sunlight
??????????????????? MORE expertless 'experts'. The size of your solar system (number of panels) has NOTHING to do with inverter output. Where these nitwits are spruiking about 'inverters' they more often than not mean 'Regulators'. Regulators are related to how much power the panels can produce (ie goes into your system); ALL that 'inverters' do is work with how much power you can draw OUT of your system as a different voltage. ie. Regulators determine how much power your solar-panels (the number of panels is irrelevant!) is allowed to produce and push into your storage (usually battery) setup without destroying it. The panels and regulator controls the 'power-in' side of your system and operate ONLY on DC power, and usually 12 or 24 volts though other voltages are can be employed. The 'Inverter' is connected to the 'power out' side of your storage system and its ONLY task is to convert DCV into ACV, and the 'size' of your inverter determines how much AC power you can DRAW OUT of your storage (batteries), and hence how much power you can use in your household AC equipment. An inverter has NOTHING to do with your panels, number of /panel-output. And in fact there are plenty of people who operate their equipment (and whole house) on DC who never use an inverter at all. BUT every system (except very small ones) needs a REGULATOR to protect their battery-bank from overcharging and collapsing. MY house runs mainly on DC so NO inverter is required. The few small things I run on AC circuits are easily provided for with a 300W inverter.
Thanks for the heads up. After watching your video and others with the horrors of trying to get homeowners insurance, low home resale values, and the obvious forced child labor for panel creation and battery construction, we will not be installing these. We had three homes in our neighborhood take them down, and re-roof their homes because it just wasn't worth the hassle. Once again, thanks for the additional info we didn't even think about.
Hey, have you ever heard of the Shoals Plug and Play cables/system? Can anyone judge whether it makes sense to use it? Although they seem to be a bit more expensive, they are extremely easy to use and no professional installer is required. Installation is also said to be very quick and more energy efficient than conventional cables. What do you think about that???
just a small comment if you moved your array in the background to the left (as i see it) maybe 2 feet you would be able to get 2 more panels on,avoiding your 2 roof vents, providing of course that you have room on the far left that is (out of camera shot), as for the inverter on the wall contact SMA direct and quote the serial number of the unit you might be pleasantly surprised in there response after all it is just a phone call or email, what do you have to lose versus what you can gain ??
In the country where you don't have space restrictions, I think it's better to make the solar array separate from the house to avoid leaks and electrical fires, improve thermal performance and make it easy to clean off snow.
People are looking at this incorrectly. Going Solar is just one piece of the energy gambit. I question how serious our country is about Climate change when they recommend superfluous stuff like Smart Thermostats. The first thing that people should do is capture ALL home electrical consumption through a meter like a Sense, Power-X, Emporia et al. You need to understand the seasonality of your energy use. They sizing a system becomes balancing act. Your two largest energy consumers are typically HVAC and Water Heaters. If your HVAC or Water Heater might be replaced within the next 5 years a person would be wise to calculate what a high efficiency HVAC or Hybrid Heat Pump water heater would save in electricity and factor that future potential in their solar sizing. Insulate your attic if you can, replace inefficient windows. Today in solar, string inverters are passe. New systems should go with Micro Inverters. Bringing AC down from the roof or through a trench is easy with 12 AWG wire is simple. Drop it into a combiner then to a Hybrid Inverter and possibly storage closed loop with the BMS and Bobs your Uncle. If your roof is not crazy in pitch it's DIY'able.
The amount of solar you put on your home is not necessarily unlimited, irrespective of space. For instance, the New York State Energy Research & Development Authority (NYSERDA) offers incentives to solar customers through the NY-Sun Incentive Program. The program does not allow a system to be sized more than 110% of your previous 12 months usage history (per electric meter) to qualify… And more generally, in many districts 5kW is the upper limit unless special permission is attained. And 25 kW is usually the hard upper limit per net-metering meter.
I did my system last year with Momentum Solar. They did a solid job, used state of the art panels and microinverters. Their sales rep did a solid job in calculating how many we'd need and never tried to upsell me more. After a year, the system has performed well and when the sun is out (most of the time here in central TX), the system is able to provide all of the home's power needs even when using AC and other devices. When the weather is cooler, I'm selling back a lot of my electricity to our provider and keeping those bills low.
@@johnfitbyfaithnet 2300 sq ft single story home. 18 - Hanwha 430w Q cell panels each with its own microinverter. I have a perfect southern roof for all of them which makes a huge difference. Roof location, real estate and pitch are a big factor. The whole system installed was just under $23,000. I sell back my excess to MP2 Energy which is now Shell Energy. There's just a handful of Texas electric providers who offer solar panel owners credit for their surplus energy. I signed a 5 year contract with them.
I would recommend a system with some panel level insight. I have SolarEdge and I like that you can see each panels output in the app so you would have an idea if one panel had an issue. A smaller system isn't always a bad thing as I would rather have that and be able to afford it vs no solar at all.
Not discussed is that the capacity is not equal to what would be generated. Given sun position, roof angle, seasons, weather, etc, you may find that you average about 70% of extended period of time.
If are getting solar offgrid and paying cash..no problem..if you are getting a lease and on grid..your local AHJ/Utility will have a say so of who can install your solar. Also, leasing company will manage/maintenance your system for your 20-25 lease.
Unless you keeep your mouth shut and DON'T TELL THEM!! aND IF PUSH COMES TO SHOVE YOU CAN ALWAYS INSIST THAT YOU WERE NEVER TOLD SUCH INSTALLATION WAS NOT PERMITTED.
I’ve worked for a ton of large companies doing solar installs and they can be just a crappy. Maintenance can be done by any company, these systems like solar edge and enphase all have apps that we can get into and see everything going on from amounts being produced to individual panel efficiency, and then we just backtrack the previous work for our own knowledge or we do it over again with the same panels and microinverters just new material and possibly new roof if needed.
If it were my house, I would have had the roof penetrations for vents routed to another roof surface so your solar panel bank can not be shadowed by a vent stack. That meets code and does require a new roof, usually. I would always put on a new roof first, since it costs LOTS to have them removing the panels and mounts before they rip off the old roof, then replace the panels and mounts. Micro Inverters are good if you're going to consume the power as it is being generated. If you expect to put any power from the panels into batteries, you have a lot of loss. Micro Inverters save a lot in line costs, since AC power is at a higher voltage than DC coming off the panel directly. DC needs large gauge wires for longer runs than AC power, so that can cost lots. Another drawback of a Micro Inverter system is that most of your system will be AC and either need a AC qualified person doing the work / repairs on the system. They have an advantage though, that a single failure will only lower your output until the Micro Inverter is replaced. So, instead of losing the system like a string inverter, a micro inverter simply has reduced capacity. Move your roof vents to the shaded side before you do anything, so you can have more solar on the roof and fewer shadows.
Solar panel failures are 5 in 10,000. ie ,05%, making the sales gimmick to monitor each panel silly. micro inverters require more wiring than string inverters. Micro inverters are limited on panel size int terms of watts limiting panel choices and requiring more smaller panels increasing costs for panels, racking, wire, labor... and requiring more micro inverters. And not all jurisdictions require an electrician to install solar. I just finished my own permitted solar install and this is in communist California.
I would install it myself all the information is online on how to do that even permitting process. Why pay a contractor 3 times what the equipment cost when you can do it yourself. Then you don't have to rely on a contractor to support you the manufactures will support you.
#3 is an edge case most people dont have 1 3d printer, hardly any have many power tools and very few mine crypto in the past and going forward almost none, nor are they RUclipsrs.If at all possible dont mount panels on your roof.....great alternatives are solar carports, gazebos, sheds. That said great video!
I see noproblem with roof-mounts; but you DID forget to mention 'ground-installed. Also garage/gazeba/fences/etc. -mounted panels after you've leaned a slanting collection of supports on such spots.
@@dabbbles Yeah I have ground mount. If you have the space it is the best option for access, maintenance and cleaning. This video is a few years old so his setup is technologically dated as this space moves fast. The all in one inverters like the 18k or the 15k are probably the easiest for DIYers now. Great time to be alive.
I bought eight solar panels for $50 each of marketplace and a Tesla powerwall for $400 so 4:50 for my entire unit wasn't so bad. Inverter has a maximum 7000 Watts
Kids are using ao much electricity.next sentence 'i have 20 3d printers" ahahaha i love it. 😂😂😂 It's insane how quick small appliances add up at the end of the month. 😢
Having no communication is rough. Fortunately those old sunny boy TLs run like tanks, if you want communications you will need to buy a comms card that is not made anymore, you maybe able to find one online
Do you care also about for RF noise from those inverters? HAM radio hobby is dying rapidly as more and more RF noisy solar power inverters come up around ...
Good for you. I started doing that years ago. If components cost you 80% LESS than flash new ones and last (my experience) virtually as long WHY TF would you want new stuff. Same thing across the board. (Battery-banks can be put together at the motor-wreckers for a couple of dollars...or even just a slab of beer. I've never had such a system die on my: even over 12 years. (Probably due to the very light-weight use they have in comparison to runninga car. But if it DID only last a year or two you're STILL in front!
@@theraVen27 Absolutely! I am completely solar during daylight hours and I generate more power daily than I use each day. FPL charges a minimum service fee to be connected to the grid, so my electrical bill is $31/month. For this current year, I have earned about $500 in credits from FPL. In a few short months, I will stop the "budget billing" that I have had for the last several years. FYI...my budget bill for each month was $247. My monthly bill for the entire system is $202 (+$31), so I am in the black. I am very very happy with my system.
@@dabbbles CORRECT. My Power bill is now only "administration fee" charged by the utility (approved by the Government) to maintain billing services and connection to the grid. Not happy about it, but it beats having a $400+ utility bill during the summer.
I have not done it yet, but I am of the same mind. Do it myself and hire a professional to review my work and deal with the permits. I found I could do almost everything up until it comes time to tie it in to the grid before dealing with permits/inspections.
ER-R-R-R-R WHY TF would you want to 'tie it in to the grid'?? I almost fell into the trap when they started doing that here in Oz, but then realised the GREATEST part of my grid-bill was NOT in power-useage (I'm naturally frugal) but in the EVER-increasing 'Service to Property Charge'. Decided that (if I needed more) I'd install a few extra panels instead. About 90% of elecetricity-users in modern houses are NOT NECESSARY, and are only used because they're available. MY ancestors (up until a few years ago) got by perfectly well for And the Blackfellas up the road STILL do.
In terms of sizing I went straight for the maximum number of panels my house was allowed. UK Power Networks said that was 9KWp so we got 23 panels totalling 8.9KWp. I estimate we could have had another 11 panels on the roof (it's a big roof although we're still only talking about the side that faces east) but there you go. That might not have been efficient anyway as the inverter is 6KWh so with more panels the clipping would have been increased. Hopefully in future we'll be able to add more.
If you're bothering to climb the roof to install an array, you might as well fill the entire available space with panels. It's not that expensive to go from 1/3 of the sunny part of the roof being covered to the entire thing being covered. There are some things it's not worth saving money on and I would argue it's the size of the array.
I had most of these issues where the company that installed the system went BK, no support and the company that did the inverter went from 2G to 5G so I lost connection on my phone which I just got my roof done and they are going to upgrade it for me. Also I think we have way to many panels but the past owners where going to put a pool in so they got 30 installed at least up to code with permit. We took over the financing for the system when we bought the house. I wish I could have started fresh on my own.
I has tesla installed and customer services horrible and im stuck with them for 10 years. Yea reputable in the vehicle market but solar . Its horrible , and it took almost a year to finally get installed .
If I'm in that situation after 6 years, I would have ripped out the system and installed a new one. That's just me. Me figuring out all that electronic system. I am not taking that on.
There is no way to assure the continued existence of any company. The panels and microinverters have warranties from the manufacturers. IQ8+ has the monitoring function built-in. Microinverters are the way to go now.
Finding an electrician is nearly impossible for residential jobs. It took us 2 years to find someone to upgrade our electric. So make sure you have someone you KNOW will be available for you id you choose DIY
If I'm doing a new build 2700 square foot house, I'm going with a 8000 kW. Solar System and backup power would be solarX1. I would install 3 solarX1. And yes, this would be an Overkill system to install, but like he said, future growth is better to have it than do it later on.
I don’t trust in this economy that’s melting down, that most of these companies will even be in business in the next five years! I learned to do it myself, but I was retired at the time. I didn’t have a grid tied system, it’s totally off grid. I did have a electrician come in to hook it up to my main panel, but everything else I did myself. It’s a good thing I did get an electrician, he had to rebuild the whole thing because it was a fire hazard. I wouldn’t have known that if I hadn’t contacted one. Apparently my system was so old and had too many wires going all over with no connections. Looks like some amateur did it.
Maybe I missed it, you showed the evacuation process for non-pre-charged lines, but you didn't show how you charged the system with refrigerant and used your gauges to see if you added enough refrigerant. I live in NY, and you must be certified to buy R410 or any refrigerant. So did you get a certified HVAC tech to fill your system, or did you do it but not show it on the video? And what did that cost? I want to put a unit in my attic office, and I'd need at least 40' of line to reach both units.
thanks brother - I learn more from people who admit mistakes, rather than from people who are always the hero of their own conversations. People who never admit mistakes or errors, or problems, live in a "facebook" fantasy land. Greg (garden grove, CA usa)
Tesla solar, even if available in your state, may not do the work themselves. The subcontractor they use here in northern New Mexico has very poor online ratings and reviews. So really check ot who will do the work and what chances you have of getting any help after the installation.
I've had solar for almost a year now and definitely seeing the benefits but never thought about discussing with the company about the options of upgrading the panels with newer technology (such as the panels that, while still in testing and development, can generate at night as well). Will need to call my company that is, thankfully, still in business.
@@diavalus Actually there is research being done to use radiant infrared to generate some electrical power. Not as powerful as standard daytime solar, but interesting results. Australian researchers have already published a paper on it.
I would love to learn about adding panels, and what that might include. How does that impact your net-metering agreement with RMP? Do you need another permit? What else is there to consider? Like you, we have since added some power-hogs to our home, and are paying a higher power bill. If it makes sense, in would love to add more to my system too.
First consideration, obviously, is DIY. Extremely simple and pretty-much foolproof once you learn about three basics. My FIRST consideration would ALWAYS be 'Stand-Alone'. Build and run your own system(s) without others' involvement. . There is NOTHING about installation that's more complicated than joining wires/cables together and incorporating a couple of other components which are available very cheaply and come with (wire-connecting) installation-instructions.
I would also do it myself to make sure it's properly done. My boss made me order a solar panel system for his cinema. I did all of the calculations like uplift forces to be 100% sure there's no chance in hell the coastal winds mess it up. Then I went to the roof after installers left: nail gun cartridges left behind, trash left in a corner, a pieces of tarp left behind - all these things are asking to be picked up by wind and fall of the building onto people's heads. Solar has a bad reputation because of the installers.
The US seems to appreciate people installing solar as they pay a good feed in tariff. In the UK we get about 4 pence to 15 pence per kW and our average cost to buy from the suppliers per kW is 40 pence (1 pence is about 1.22 cents US). Tesla use contractors but at least you can complain to Tesla if you have problems. Doing solar yourself can be dangerous due to large amounts of power from solar array, battery storage and the supply from your grid system. There is also the danger of falling or slipping off a roof (single storey UK houses are 3.3 metres floor to the guttering, 7 metres for a 2 storey and 10 for a town house / 3 storey). The roof ridge is a lot higher with UK roofs pitched at about 40 degrees. Weight consideration of the solar array for loading on the roof needs a structural engineer and you have to add the weight of the batteries if you put them in the attic. Sixteen panels will add 350 kilograms (772 lbs) to your roof so with rails etc it could be adding half a metric tonne. Fire and smoke sensors also need to be put in the attic.
Not an issue about insisting on a reputable company, all of which started out also as a small business. We hired a 'small' company who already has tens of installations, and who knows if they will be around in a few years, who knows if the large companies will also be around.
I am an Electrician. I install my own system at 6kw at 1.10$ per watt. I am currently installing at 255 million dollar electrical install non-solar, I am 65 and know two or three things. I have produced 19 megawatt = about 2000$ in 1.9 years. This ia about 3 year payoff. I use about 700$ a month in Texas, about 12kw per hour. I would need about 48kw to either bank to the grid or batteries. This would be a large area of panels. At 6kw I am only getting about 20-27KW on average at 5 hours per day. The panels used to cost 7.5$ per watt, when I bought them they were 1$ per watt and now they are .50Cents a watt. Your costs are 40% for panels and equipment, 20% for mounting hardware and 40% for labor and profit by installer. If you do it yourself you can really get it done cheaper. Most of the installation groups set you up for 20 year contract. I am set for 3-5 year payoff. With a 20 year contract it really makes you think hard WHY? The cost of power is set to have a crisis in the USA in 2 years. If you consume 100 to 300$ a month then it would be time to get it installed at the 3-5 year price point. If you want to get there real answer I will give it to you. linkedin.com/in/david-barnaby-56a4648, linkedin.com/in/oak-service-group-8883b627b
better check with your insurance company before you install. some insurance companies, especially in flordia and caluifornia, are dropping coverage for solar panels. a few will drop your entire policy, especially if you opt for lithium batteries.
I remember back in the ‘80s that home satellite dishes were HUGE. And now they are so much smaller. So I imagine not too many years from now, they will have solar panel set ups that will not have to take up your entire roof. Perhaps they will be no larger than a window to power an average size house.
Problem in California is the power bill is, and will continue, to rise far faster than inflation. It does not take many years to pay back capital costs, especially if you are DIY.
Save your money, do it yourself and get a Off Grid setup with Batteries! Never have your inverters/batteries/screens etc outside! Lithium needs to stay cool and electronics last longer when cool etc.
I am driving Uber and time to time talking to people about solar. They have no clue what it is and whenever I'm saying them that the Tesla is only the option cause of warranty and that they can match price, people are still installing solar with some sketchy companies.
I recently had solar system installed by a reputable company, the project was started on March of this year (2024) and completed in June/2024. I did go with a PPA which includes 24 solar panels and a backup battery, but as of today's date, my solar system has not been activated. I was notified by the company who was suppose to finance and collect on the PPA just filed for BK and as a result they have abandoned my project, leaving me in limbo. I called my Utility company and they said i have the PTO but i dont know how commission the panels. Is there a company or a person who can help me. with this problem.....on how commission the panels........I just dont want any solar companies calling or wanting to sell me their solar system.
Even if one does research and selects a company in business for 15+ years with a large customer base (both commercial and residential), the company can go out of business despite the best research and lengthy history. Example is Sullivan Solar in Southern California. They installed megawatt systems on Petco Ball park, UCSD campus, company executives who live in Rancho Santa Fe, and myself included. Now businesses and thousands of residential customers are without solar system service support. Dozen's more paid money and never got their systems installed (now lawsuits are pending). Just be careful who installs your system and perhaps consider backup support choices if they go belly-up.
There are high chances Tesla going bankrupt looking at what musk is doing…
Exactly. Any reputable company can go under for a number of behind the scenes reasons, regardless how good the company brand or item was at the time of purchase. That's the risk you have to take as a consumer.
Many companies in UK deliberately go under and re-emerge under a new name to forego thier responsibilities and liabilities from unhappy customers.
Enron. Huge company. Collapsed. What’s to say Tesla will be around in 6 years?
well spoken - personally i tend to use stuff that is produced by not only one company, but which is available from multiple sources, then the chances of going under water are much lower.
The irony of the shirt is gold
I came here to say this! 😂😂😂
Lmao, true
Lol, YES!!!
Realy?
I can agree with your statements, I've had Solar on my home since 2014. I went with a local company (who is still around) and I'm glad I did. My customer service has been great, a relative who went with a big company hasn't had a good experience. They connected the inverter to report online, and monitored for 2yrs. When we noticed a drop in production last year, they hopped on and checked. Came over the next day and replaced a fuse on the roof. As far as expanding your system, if your string inverter isn't maxed out just add to it until it is.
was this with Freedom Forever?
Who do you have and are they still around? And around how much did you pay for yours?
Nils, LOVE not only your channel and your videos… But your transparency, and detailed explanations. Thank you for existing. Keep up the grind!✊🏾 You are much appreciated.
I designed and built my own system. I purchased and installed all the individual components. I have zero desire to “sell” any unused power, thus it is a simple transfer switch going from one system to the other. I installed a 4KW UPS for critical needs like computers and such. I have solar panels, a wind generator all backed up with the proper batteries and finally a Tri-fuel generator. Finally, I have a power company 200 amp service just in case. I am my own customer service engineer!
We need a video with what you used and did !!
thats want i need to do...how do I do this?
@@adm5113 he mainly used his brain :) - joke aside, it's not really that hard to go thru all this. You need to plan the foundation for the panels, you need to plan the panels themselves and you must match them to the capabilities of the inverters that you intend to use. And all needs to fit into your existing electrical system. Everything on the roof needs to be mounted sturdy, and you need to look out for anything that goes thru any parts of the roof, as it can lead to water leaking thru. But also that is no rocket science - just add some sealing agent that stays elastic over a long time and extremely adhesive (silicone is no option here, it decays and lasts only a few years).
Start with measuring the areas you can spare for PV and check where you can mount the inverters. Then plan the substructure for the panels. After you know, how many panels you can mount (careful, they have slightly different sizes), you check, which inverter can fit into the system - if you have an engineer at hand, ask them to support you. Consider also a backup battery system, it helps getting rid of most of the nightly grid power usage.
There's plenty of material available on the web nowadays, many people have already gone thru this task and maybe you find friendly people on PV forums, which can help you with the planning. If unsure, you might also want to check with a local electrician, if they can support at least on the grid-facing side of the system.
That's so nice for YOU.
I “over engineered” my system. It doesn’t need to be as complex as what I did. My system works perfectly, but again, I put too much thought into it all. But then again, I used wire I already had. I used a UPS that I’ve had for years, but I’m also using a large inverter with my solar system
We chose a local solar company in New Jersey, which is 10 miles away and has been in business for 15 years. The local solar consultant was awesome he explained everything in detail. The sales rep; like those big national chains he could answer all my questions, and I felt very confident.
I’ve had solar and solar hot water in my home since 2007. The company that put it in back then actually is still in business. I guess I’d be one of the lucky ones I have not had any problems with the system since the turning the switch in 2007. When I initially put in the system I left room for growth later down the road so I could add more panels. A few years later like eight years later I added more panels and maxed out my inverter. Back then they did not have micro inverters and yes it was probably first generation. In 15 years my system has lost 2 V on three of the four strings the fourth string is still the same voltage as the day we turn the switch on. I have been very pleased with the performance of the system and the performance of the solar hot water.
Hi, very concerned about healt issues. I have a 9 solar panels house and I'm reading it causes dirty electricity which causes bad health, inflammation, cancer etc. So do you know anything about it? I'm very interested and scared. Thanks.
7 years later I really don’t think you have to worry about. The electricity in your home is and has always been producing what you call dirty electricity. I don’t think there is enough there to hurt you. I have been around for many years and it has not affected me yet. What you read on the internet take it with a grain of salt
@@meghanmontecristi141 please avoid reading "alternative medicine" crap.
I just finished doing a Self Install for a 6k system for $11k. It was 16 panels and 16 enphase micros. Definitely a great way to save $6k to $9k
@J San Diego just got the most rain it’s had in a while, zero issues. We actually just went into the attic because I’m building another unit in that property and looked good. Installing a 2kwh system for the ADU.
What product did you select for DIY installation
@@jeffjames1869 Hyundai panels and IronRidge mounts
did you finance or pay out of pocket?
@@77jesseday paid cash
You make some great points. I've had solar for nine years and since there are no moving parts folks tend to think it just keeps working with no "check ups". The company I purchased from is still around but they don't do anything after the sale nor do the electricians that performed the install (install was contracted out). Luckily I had a monitoring system installed and could see my generation drop over the years though I didn't know who to call. I have learned the following: Find reputable, bonafide installers for tear down and reinstall (I had to get my shingles replaced after hail damage) and keep tree branches trimmed back so squirrels cannot find a way up to chew the cabling. I had chewed cables, blown fuses and untrained electricians that didn't crimp the cables correctly on reinstall. I'm finally back to production like I had on install but it has taken awhile. I think having a monitoring system is very important.
My company installed the Sense device so I can get a relative idea of what is generating and what is using power.
Hi, I'm new to solar. Where does one purchase a monitoring system? Do you suggest through the same installer?
My problem is birdshit from the birds I feed daily. They sit on the top of the panels. Re. the 'monitoring system': only adding to things that can go wrong. I do a walk-around every day and check the solar output being fed through the regulators which will give you a good idea about what's going in AND coming out on it's way to the battery-bank. A couple of times a week I also check the capacity held in the batteries. (Takes 10 minutes.) New panels these days should come with a 25-year warranty, and if they drop off too quickly get back to the manufacturer/vendor. (I tend to buy used panels for 10cents or less per rated Watt (new panels should cost no more than about 30 centpW.) and find that properly treated they more or less live up to their 25-year-design warranty. The first panels I installed in 1980 are still functioning at 80/85% of rating at a friend's place up in the mountains.: Google up: vimeo.com/109995031 vimeo.com/109995031
@@aidesahagun3895 My 9.3kw system uses Enphase components and comes with a free monitoring app I have on my phone and tablet. It is also available via a website, so I pull it up on my laptop. The app tells you all you need to know: how much each panel is producing, by the day, the month, the year and lifetime. It also alerts of any errors in the system.
@@NavyCopMA1 A $5 multimeter does the same thing.😃
I had a 4KW solar system installed by Solar City, now Tesla. Now I would like to expand the system but Tesla no longer installs solar systems in our area (Flagstaff, AZ) so they will not expand the system. So going with a large reputable company is no guarantee that they will be around for you later. I am probably going to install the new system myself.
Did you end up installing the system yourself?
I hope it went well.
This panel can put out close to 100 watts ruclips.net/user/postUgkxOqI2yqX0XVrhR2BMJciTWrHJpG8FhJyg when positioned in the appropriate southernly direction, tilted to the optimal angle for your latitude/date, and connected to a higher capacity device than a 500. The built in kickstand angle is a fixed at 50 degrees. Up to 20% more power can be output by selecting the actual date and latitude optimal angle.The 500 will only input 3.5A maximum at 18 volts for 63 watts. Some of the excess power from the panel can be fed into a USB battery bank, charged directly from the panel while also charging a 500. This will allow you to harvest as much as 63 + 15 = 78 watts.If this panel is used to charge a larger device, such as the power station, then its full output potential can be realized.
Wow. What great tips based on your experience, Nils. Exactly what one needs to hear before embarking on such a project. This is why I love RUclips. There are people like you who take the time to help others by making videos with wisdom and instruction that only come from experience. Thanks. BTW, no, not in the market for solar right now. Too many trees (which do help keep the house cooler in the summer by blocking extended sun on the roof).
er-r-r-r.. You DO realise that solar-panels do NOT need to be mounted on a roof? There are umpteen alternatives.
@@dabbbles I don't get your point. I did not mention anything about the roof being the only way to install solar panels. I've seen the solar panel farms with them on the ground. I would think most people in homes would prefer a roof to having a yard full of panels. BTW, on the ground is a second way; I'd be interested in hearing about a few of the other upteen alternatives you mentioned.
@@psa110 No you didn't say the roof wasn't the ONLY PLACE to site panels. BUT you DID say you weren't in the market (for solar, due to ) "Too many trees .....blocking extended sun on the roof).
er.r.r.r.r..... Solar panels ALSO block the sun from heating your roof. Perhaps even better than trees in some circumstances.
I had a warning from enphase saying my production was low. Went outside and saw several panels had a brown sheen from a dirt rain we had the night before. Hosed them off pretty well and that day I had peak production.
Tesla solar installations have caught fire in the past, there continues to be a real threat of fires due to serial defects in the Tesla installations. The consumers have not been adequately informed of the risks.
Don't go with the cheapest installer. If you do they will cut corners that will come back to bite you in a few years. Installers need to make a living. One thing I always do with any tradespeople is look at the work van. If it looks like it's never been washed the tyres look almost bald this is a good indication of the type of person you are dealing with. Make sure the person giving the quote is the INSTALLER, not some management company that is going to take all the profits leaving the tradesperson who is doing the job with no profit to cover problems after the installation.
Sometimes that can be a good indicator, but not always. I'm in a different service field, and my van is a mess. In summer I work 5-7 days a week, 10-12hrs/day. I live down a dirt road, so daily dust or mud gets applied. I put, on average, about 200 miles a day on it. No time to change tires until winter (every winter it's time for new tires and battery). If I wash my van today, by end of day tomorrow it will look like I haven't touched it in months. My customers don't really care what my van looks like, as long as their AC works when I leave.
Thanks man, this is really helpful. Once sales person came round and did an excellent sales pitch, slatting a few other brands in his pitch i.e. Tesla. I will certainly be doing my home-work with other brands! Love the t-shirt, my mrs keeps telling me "measure twice - cut once"
Thanks! For your honest review.
I know I'm 10 months late but this is an excellent video. Telsa is good. And like you said, check everyone out as so many major manufacturers have discontinued their business or gone belly up. LG got out of the solar panels just as the did on cellphones. Are super strong yet in appliances and televisions. The technology is rapidly changing so be aware of that. Thank you for your comments.
tesla sucks they sell crappy string inverters and do ugly conduit work lmao literally all the big companies he mentioned are terrible momentum, sunrun etc. Dude is on here just giving bad advice to people 😂
Stopped listening at Tesla...Your advice is to dramatically overpay for a product that will never pay itself off. Wonderful.
This is interesting... Because the capacity warning is usually about not getting a system that's too large! That always struck me as odd, but what you said made more sense. There's always going to be an increase of usage as technology progresses.
Think getting an EV...
Typically usage goes down. Most systems are powered by low volt cat6A for instance.
Any electrical company should be able to do an upgrade on the current system. No problems.
I installed all my system myself and then had an electrician verify the install. Just as you recommend. Super cheap and i know how it was installed. S9lar PV is like Lego, really.
That sounds super scary?
Exactly
It's like plumbers or electricians who act like your house is about too fall down and look at you like your insane when the issiue is 8/10 no big issiue they just see dollar signs n scare people too squeeze money out off them.
@@toby9999BOO !!....
To expand your system you might look at ripping out that old Sunnyboy and installing a Tesla PW3. Get battery storage, a new, much more powerful inverter with smart communication and the ability to add a lot more solar in one easy hit. I would steer clear of microinverters unless you have a significant shading issue. The Sunnyboy's were notorius for that LCD panel being sun damaged (the only way to avoid it was to shade them), however hooking them up to a network monitor is pretty simple and the actual power electronics are rock solid. Unfortunately buying a new LCD touchscreen is not really economical.
I started with a self installed island system based on Victron components, later let an electrician connect it to the grid (mandatory in Germany do be done by a certified electrician). Than a couple of months ago let a company install a separate system on the house roof. So I knew what to look for when selecting a company. Even a microinverter based DIY system as starting point makes sense to understand what the solar companies are talking about.
When you said "reputable," what you really meant was "big." Big companies have their own risks, and other videos on RUclips cover the corners that Tesla cuts in order to keep their prices down.
Remember Tesla outsources installation to sub-contractors what I heard from people who went with Tesla bunch of issues, delays, some permitting issues, etc. The other reason you want to make sure how good and how well they respond to a request to service your system after it was installed months ago. For most companies, even ones been in service for a long time their priority is sales first and service is last on their priorities. This could be a problem when your solar system is having issues or not working in the middle of a heat wave in the summertime.
One thing you should look into if you want a solar company that you can be reasonably sure will still be around in 10-15 years is look for a company whose business is more diversified than just solar installs. I went with a local company that also does general contracting who has been doing work in my area for 60+ years. Their quote wasn't the cheapest, but it wasn't the most expensive, either. And I have about as much peace of mind as you can possibly have that they'll be around if I ever need anything down the road.
Sadly this crash very much with my support for small local companies.
I do not want to live in a world where only gigantic multi-national companies can survive.
And we all know how difficult it actually is to be able to talk with a person within this companies once you have bought their product,
in case you dont know, try to talk with a actual person at Microsoft custom service.
As a Norwegian it was more easy for me to talk with our prime minister then to get in contact with a person from Microsoft custom service.
And yes, i know because i have tried both, and i have talked with our prime minister because of that, i have never been able to talk with a real person from Microsoft custom "service".
I love small local companies for so many reasons, but if people think like the person in this video advice us to do, we will all end up with Microsoft companies that have absolutely no interest what so ever in their customers.
It's also worth mentioning about how !!! hard and costly it is to get them down and back up again if you need a new roof! I'm looking at that after 17 years of solar and now there is the dilemma of remove and reinstall vs buy newer, with a good portion of the life (maybe 8-13 years left on them?) remaining on the original system. not to mention the cost of replacing an invertor every 9 to 15 years, who knew that back when I began this in 2006. Nevertheless I love having the solar even though there have been those 2 worries. my new invertor sends reports not to me, but to the company, and the company is still in business hallelujah! I would have liked having the reports come to me but it wasn't available for this retrofit.
Afterafterthought. If you lift your panels and SLIDE them to another section of the roof, repair the section of roof they WERE on, and then SLIDE them back, and fix them in place before you fix that 'other' section of roof, it'd save you a lot of heavy/difficult lifting.
Just got my bill in Arizona for June 10-July 10 statement. $470.00 on a 1865 sq ft home. I think its time to get solar.
Probably an even better time to STOP WASTING ELECTRICITY!!! I do live by myself (in a smallish 1-bedroom unit) and have for years been aware of non-wastage (everything: not only electricity.) My nominal 2.4kW solar system (NOT ideally positioned due to other rooflines and trees, etc.) produces 8/9 kWh per day summer and winter. My life-time of frugality runs the whole house (without microwave) for about HALF that input. It's true that I have a few other beneficial things on the go that mitigate those ratings somewhat; but still. It's possible. And given the possibility of SHTF and other fun things happening make re-appraisal of useage (as HABIT) well worthwhile.
Fortunately my early life was the post-war period of 'normal' frulaity and non-wasteage. I've see the best of human life came AND go.
My man said he learned his lesson and still recommended sunrun and blue raven and Tesla lol
Agreed 🤣🤣
I know someone that installed Tesla and it’s been a nightmare with service!!!
Enphase systems will allow you to monitor the daily output. If you spot something anomalous in the data you can use this as a trigger to inspect.
Thank you for making this video...had about 7 reps trying so hard to sell me solar panels...I'm a DIY and very savvy or I like to learn to others👍
DIY might be cheaper, but there are some pitfalls to be aware of. This video highlights some of them. ruclips.net/video/xYBIfmxDgDY/видео.html
@@thesolarenergychannelof course, if you ask a solar panel installer about DIY the answer is obvious 😁.
After seeing the issues others have had getting solar installed and me being a very handy person, I've long drawn the conclusion that when I do solar, I'm going to do it myself. I want to understand how the system works inside and out so when something breaks, I can fix it myself. I've seen way too many horror stories of people not getting the full power from their panels because they were sold an inverter that was too small and not told until they asked, hey, why am I not getting the full power that my panels generate?
I'll ignore your misapproach, and simply point out that the 'full-power' that's available does NOT come from the panels. It comes from the BATTERIES. And what you can/can't get out of the batteries depends on half-a-dozen considerations that have not so much to do with 'horror-stories' as it does with human stupidity. ONCE AGAIN: all you need is about five minutes of 'instruction'. And half a brain. I can't think of ANY modern-tech applications that are simpler than a solar-system. As the olde saying goes: If all else fails, READ THE INSTRUCTIONS!
@@dabbbles its insane the left has forced us to use such backwards toxic technology as lithium batteries in 2023 smh. clean coal power would cost 2c a kwh at most without the left. there is no need for any of this utter unbelievably inefficient and FUGGGGLYYY nonsense. but the law says you must, now.
I've had 40 years of experience, and it REALLY is foolproof. But I've discoveredit's simpler, les-complicated and MUCH cheaper to run several SEPARATE systems doing different jobs and sticking to the simplest and by far the cheapest components.. The same sort of reasong that applies to having separate electrical circuits operating your house.
Your 7.65kw system can definitely be expanded on your existing inverter. You can probably put 2-3 more kw of solar panels on the roof without having too much clipping. Make sure you balance out the power and dont overload any of your DC inputs (those inverters want < 600v per MPPT). There's some good 3rd party monitoring systems egauge is one of them, takes some setting up tho. Sorry about your screen, I would've recommended building a cover for it to keep it out of the sunlight
??????????????????? MORE expertless 'experts'. The size of your solar system (number of panels) has NOTHING to do with inverter output. Where these nitwits are spruiking about 'inverters' they more often than not mean 'Regulators'. Regulators are related to how much power the panels can produce (ie goes into your system); ALL that 'inverters' do is work with how much power you can draw OUT of your system as a different voltage. ie. Regulators determine how much power your solar-panels (the number of panels is irrelevant!) is allowed to produce and push into your storage (usually battery) setup without destroying it. The panels and regulator controls the 'power-in' side of your system and operate ONLY on DC power, and usually 12 or 24 volts though other voltages are can be employed. The 'Inverter' is connected to the 'power out' side of your storage system and its ONLY task is to convert DCV into ACV, and the 'size' of your inverter determines how much AC power you can DRAW OUT of your storage (batteries), and hence how much power you can use in your household AC equipment. An inverter has NOTHING to do with your panels, number of /panel-output. And in fact there are plenty of people who operate their equipment (and whole house) on DC who never use an inverter at all. BUT every system (except very small ones) needs a REGULATOR to protect their battery-bank from overcharging and collapsing. MY house runs mainly on DC so NO inverter is required. The few small things I run on AC circuits are easily provided for with a 300W inverter.
Thanks for the heads up. After watching your video and others with the horrors of trying to get homeowners insurance, low home resale values, and the obvious forced child labor for panel creation and battery construction, we will not be installing these. We had three homes in our neighborhood take them down, and re-roof their homes because it just wasn't worth the hassle. Once again, thanks for the additional info we didn't even think about.
Hey, have you ever heard of the Shoals Plug and Play cables/system? Can anyone judge whether it makes sense to use it? Although they seem to be a bit more expensive, they are extremely easy to use and no professional installer is required. Installation is also said to be very quick and more energy efficient than conventional cables. What do you think about that???
Always install the maximum area on the roof. You will thank your forethought later, always.
just a small comment if you moved your array in the background to the left (as i see it) maybe 2 feet you would be able to get 2 more panels on,avoiding your 2 roof vents, providing of course that you have room on the far left that is (out of camera shot), as for the inverter on the wall contact SMA direct and quote the serial number of the unit you might be pleasantly surprised in there response after all it is just a phone call or email, what do you have to lose versus what you can gain ??
In the country where you don't have space restrictions, I think it's better to make the solar array separate from the house to avoid leaks and electrical fires, improve thermal performance and make it easy to clean off snow.
People are looking at this incorrectly. Going Solar is just one piece of the energy gambit. I question how serious our country is about Climate change when they recommend superfluous stuff like Smart Thermostats. The first thing that people should do is capture ALL home electrical consumption through a meter like a Sense, Power-X, Emporia et al. You need to understand the seasonality of your energy use. They sizing a system becomes balancing act. Your two largest energy consumers are typically HVAC and Water Heaters. If your HVAC or Water Heater might be replaced within the next 5 years a person would be wise to calculate what a high efficiency HVAC or Hybrid Heat Pump water heater would save in electricity and factor that future potential in their solar sizing. Insulate your attic if you can, replace inefficient windows.
Today in solar, string inverters are passe. New systems should go with Micro Inverters. Bringing AC down from the roof or through a trench is easy with 12 AWG wire is simple. Drop it into a combiner then to a Hybrid Inverter and possibly storage closed loop with the BMS and Bobs your Uncle. If your roof is not crazy in pitch it's DIY'able.
The amount of solar you put on your home is not necessarily unlimited, irrespective of space. For instance, the New York State Energy Research & Development Authority (NYSERDA) offers incentives to solar customers through the NY-Sun Incentive Program. The program does not allow a system to be sized more than 110% of your previous 12 months usage history (per electric meter) to qualify…
And more generally, in many districts 5kW is the upper limit unless special permission is attained. And 25 kW is usually the hard upper limit per net-metering meter.
Simple solution: DON'TTELL ANYONE WHAT YOU'RE DOING! i NEVER HAVE (40+YEARS) AND NEVER WILL.
I did my system last year with Momentum Solar. They did a solid job, used state of the art panels and microinverters. Their sales rep did a solid job in calculating how many we'd need and never tried to upsell me more. After a year, the system has performed well and when the sun is out (most of the time here in central TX), the system is able to provide all of the home's power needs even when using AC and other devices. When the weather is cooler, I'm selling back a lot of my electricity to our provider and keeping those bills low.
Central Texas? Lord I had over 7 reps knock on my door trying to sell me solar panels...25K to 29K installed...thinking of doing this myself.
Do you mind sharing the details of your system? I'm also in Central Texas
@@johnfitbyfaithnet 2300 sq ft single story home. 18 - Hanwha 430w Q cell panels each with its own microinverter. I have a perfect southern roof for all of them which makes a huge difference. Roof location, real estate and pitch are a big factor. The whole system installed was just under $23,000. I sell back my excess to MP2 Energy which is now Shell Energy. There's just a handful of Texas electric providers who offer solar panel owners credit for their surplus energy. I signed a 5 year contract with them.
@@reydelsanchez I used to be in solar and am considering going back into it, how big is your house bro? 25k-29k seems off
Did it come with a phone app so you can check it's efficiency?
I would recommend a system with some panel level insight. I have SolarEdge and I like that you can see each panels output in the app so you would have an idea if one panel had an issue. A smaller system isn't always a bad thing as I would rather have that and be able to afford it vs no solar at all.
Good to know the Companys that's been around for a long time and are respectable. see video at 3:00 minutes
Not discussed is that the capacity is not equal to what would be generated. Given sun position, roof angle, seasons, weather, etc, you may find that you average about 70% of extended period of time.
I can't imagine being grid-tied. The whole point of solar for me would be the availability of power, anytime, *not* just only when the grid is up.
That’s what we just talked to the reps about. That just seems so wrong.
If are getting solar offgrid and paying cash..no problem..if you are getting a lease and on grid..your local AHJ/Utility will have a say so of who can install your solar. Also, leasing company will manage/maintenance your system for your 20-25 lease.
Unless you keeep your mouth shut and DON'T TELL THEM!! aND IF PUSH COMES TO SHOVE YOU CAN ALWAYS INSIST THAT YOU WERE NEVER TOLD SUCH INSTALLATION WAS NOT PERMITTED.
I would install it myself too. You will learn a lot more and it is fun to do it.
I’ve worked for a ton of large companies doing solar installs and they can be just a crappy. Maintenance can be done by any company, these systems like solar edge and enphase all have apps that we can get into and see everything going on from amounts being produced to individual panel efficiency, and then we just backtrack the previous work for our own knowledge or we do it over again with the same panels and microinverters just new material and possibly new roof if needed.
If it were my house, I would have had the roof penetrations for vents routed to another roof surface so your solar panel bank can not be shadowed by a vent stack. That meets code and does require a new roof, usually. I would always put on a new roof first, since it costs LOTS to have them removing the panels and mounts before they rip off the old roof, then replace the panels and mounts. Micro Inverters are good if you're going to consume the power as it is being generated. If you expect to put any power from the panels into batteries, you have a lot of loss. Micro Inverters save a lot in line costs, since AC power is at a higher voltage than DC coming off the panel directly. DC needs large gauge wires for longer runs than AC power, so that can cost lots. Another drawback of a Micro Inverter system is that most of your system will be AC and either need a AC qualified person doing the work / repairs on the system. They have an advantage though, that a single failure will only lower your output until the Micro Inverter is replaced. So, instead of losing the system like a string inverter, a micro inverter simply has reduced capacity.
Move your roof vents to the shaded side before you do anything, so you can have more solar on the roof and fewer shadows.
Solar panel failures are 5 in 10,000. ie ,05%, making the sales gimmick to monitor each panel silly. micro inverters require more wiring than string inverters. Micro inverters are limited on panel size int terms of watts limiting panel choices and requiring more smaller panels increasing costs for panels, racking, wire, labor... and requiring more micro inverters. And not all jurisdictions require an electrician to install solar. I just finished my own permitted solar install and this is in communist California.
All fine IF you're only needing electicity during sunny daylight hours.
I would install it myself all the information is online on how to do that even permitting process. Why pay a contractor 3 times what the equipment cost when you can do it yourself. Then you don't have to rely on a contractor to support you the manufactures will support you.
Good to know. Never thought about the customer service years later
@UC-CIVjzMVmASGz0m6VUDYgA I have no idea what you mean by telegram . So this is where I can reply
#3 is an edge case most people dont have 1 3d printer, hardly any have many power tools and very few mine crypto in the past and going forward almost none, nor are they RUclipsrs.If at all possible dont mount panels on your roof.....great alternatives are solar carports, gazebos, sheds. That said great video!
I see noproblem with roof-mounts; but you DID forget to mention 'ground-installed. Also garage/gazeba/fences/etc. -mounted panels after you've leaned a slanting collection of supports on such spots.
@@dabbbles Yeah I have ground mount. If you have the space it is the best option for access, maintenance and cleaning. This video is a few years old so his setup is technologically dated as this space moves fast. The all in one inverters like the 18k or the 15k are probably the easiest for DIYers now. Great time to be alive.
5:40 I believe SMA is still a company in business; you should be able to source parts easily enough.
I bought eight solar panels for $50 each of marketplace and a Tesla powerwall for $400 so 4:50 for my entire unit wasn't so bad. Inverter has a maximum 7000 Watts
So while i understand the thoughts i do not view tesla as a reputable company after the tank they released that cant drive on dirt and breaks down.
Thanks for sharing your wisdom, Nils!
Kids are using ao much electricity.next sentence 'i have 20 3d printers" ahahaha i love it. 😂😂😂
It's insane how quick small appliances add up at the end of the month. 😢
Having no communication is rough. Fortunately those old sunny boy TLs run like tanks, if you want communications you will need to buy a comms card that is not made anymore, you maybe able to find one online
All true. I did my installs myself and saved a lot of money. My ROI is typically less than two years.
Do you care also about for RF noise from those inverters? HAM radio hobby is dying rapidly as more and more RF noisy solar power inverters come up around ...
No lol nobody cares about RF noise. Get better filters for your radios. I ran HAM with a moonraker on a 50 foot tower so I understand your pain.
I would have done it myself also and used USED panels. $80 vs $800 for new and the panels are always in amazing condition.
Good for you. I started doing that years ago. If components cost you 80% LESS than flash new ones and last (my experience) virtually as long WHY TF would you want new stuff. Same thing across the board. (Battery-banks can be put together at the motor-wreckers for a couple of dollars...or even just a slab of beer. I've never had such a system die on my: even over 12 years. (Probably due to the very light-weight use they have in comparison to runninga car. But if it DID only last a year or two you're STILL in front!
I went big with my system...13.2kW...so far, so good.
Nice! Glad to hear it's going well!
Still good for you?
@@theraVen27 Absolutely! I am completely solar during daylight hours and I generate more power daily than I use each day. FPL charges a minimum service fee to be connected to the grid, so my electrical bill is $31/month. For this current year, I have earned about $500 in credits from FPL. In a few short months, I will stop the "budget billing" that I have had for the last several years. FYI...my budget bill for each month was $247. My monthly bill for the entire system is $202 (+$31), so I am in the black. I am very very happy with my system.
@@brianperry4754 You have a massive solar-system but you still pay a power-bill.
Presumably you're an american?
@@dabbbles CORRECT. My Power bill is now only "administration fee" charged by the utility (approved by the Government) to maintain billing services and connection to the grid. Not happy about it, but it beats having a $400+ utility bill during the summer.
I have not done it yet, but I am of the same mind. Do it myself and hire a professional to review my work and deal with the permits. I found I could do almost everything up until it comes time to tie it in to the grid before dealing with permits/inspections.
ER-R-R-R-R WHY TF would you want to 'tie it in to the grid'?? I almost fell into the trap when they started doing that here in Oz, but then realised the GREATEST part of my grid-bill was NOT in power-useage (I'm naturally frugal) but in the EVER-increasing 'Service to Property Charge'. Decided that (if I needed more) I'd install a few extra panels instead. About 90% of elecetricity-users in modern houses are NOT NECESSARY, and are only used because they're available. MY ancestors (up until a few years ago) got by perfectly well for And the Blackfellas up the road STILL do.
In terms of sizing I went straight for the maximum number of panels my house was allowed. UK Power Networks said that was 9KWp so we got 23 panels totalling 8.9KWp. I estimate we could have had another 11 panels on the roof (it's a big roof although we're still only talking about the side that faces east) but there you go. That might not have been efficient anyway as the inverter is 6KWh so with more panels the clipping would have been increased. Hopefully in future we'll be able to add more.
If you're bothering to climb the roof to install an array, you might as well fill the entire available space with panels. It's not that expensive to go from 1/3 of the sunny part of the roof being covered to the entire thing being covered. There are some things it's not worth saving money on and I would argue it's the size of the array.
I had most of these issues where the company that installed the system went BK, no support and the company that did the inverter went from 2G to 5G so I lost connection on my phone which I just got my roof done and they are going to upgrade it for me. Also I think we have way to many panels but the past owners where going to put a pool in so they got 30 installed at least up to code with permit. We took over the financing for the system when we bought the house. I wish I could have started fresh on my own.
Even if the company is still in business, they may not offer upgrade options. I’m dealing with this issue with SunPower.
I has tesla installed and customer services horrible and im stuck with them for 10 years. Yea reputable in the vehicle market but solar . Its horrible , and it took almost a year to finally get installed .
If I'm in that situation after 6 years, I would have ripped out the system and installed a new one. That's just me. Me figuring out all that electronic system. I am not taking that on.
That Grizzl-e car charger is Canadian ❤️❤️❤️. I’ve installed them for customers. Best configuration for multiple vehicles I could find.
There is no way to assure the continued existence of any company. The panels and microinverters have warranties from the manufacturers. IQ8+ has the monitoring function built-in. Microinverters are the way to go now.
Finding an electrician is nearly impossible for residential jobs. It took us 2 years to find someone to upgrade our electric. So make sure you have someone you KNOW will be available for you id you choose DIY
Thanks for a great walkthrough. These are excellent comments.
If I'm doing a new build 2700 square foot house, I'm going with a 8000 kW. Solar System and backup power would be solarX1. I would install 3 solarX1. And yes, this would be an Overkill system to install, but like he said, future growth is better to have it than do it later on.
I don’t trust in this economy that’s melting down, that most of these companies will even be in business in the next five years!
I learned to do it myself, but I was retired at the time. I didn’t have a grid tied system, it’s totally off grid.
I did have a electrician come in to hook it up to my main panel, but everything else I did myself.
It’s a good thing I did get an electrician, he had to rebuild the whole thing because it was a fire hazard. I wouldn’t have known that if I hadn’t contacted one. Apparently my system was so old and had too many wires going all over with no connections. Looks like some amateur did it.
Maybe I missed it, you showed the evacuation process for non-pre-charged lines, but you didn't show how you charged the system with refrigerant and used your gauges to see if you added enough refrigerant. I live in NY, and you must be certified to buy R410 or any refrigerant. So did you get a certified HVAC tech to fill your system, or did you do it but not show it on the video? And what did that cost? I want to put a unit in my attic office, and I'd need at least 40' of line to reach both units.
thanks brother - I learn more from people who admit mistakes, rather than from people who are always the hero of their own conversations. People who never admit mistakes or errors, or problems, live in a "facebook" fantasy land. Greg (garden grove, CA usa)
Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience.
Re the sizing, I feel like panels are getting more efficient quickly. Makes some sense to expand down the line.
Tesla solar, even if available in your state, may not do the work themselves. The subcontractor they use here in northern New Mexico has very poor online ratings and reviews. So really check ot who will do the work and what chances you have of getting any help after the installation.
I've had solar for almost a year now and definitely seeing the benefits but never thought about discussing with the company about the options of upgrading the panels with newer technology (such as the panels that, while still in testing and development, can generate at night as well). Will need to call my company that is, thankfully, still in business.
Solar at night? Stop being a painful customer. Its not happening
@@REALBanannaman Hey, it's something Stanford scientists are looking into... You never know...
@@NavyCopMA1 that was a clickbait, there are no solar panels producing real power at night
@@diavalus Actually there is research being done to use radiant infrared to generate some electrical power. Not as powerful as standard daytime solar, but interesting results. Australian researchers have already published a paper on it.
@@NavyCopMA1 I read the paper, and as I said, they do no produce any useful power at night.
Subscribed! Thank dude. Great help.
I would love to learn about adding panels, and what that might include. How does that impact your net-metering agreement with RMP? Do you need another permit? What else is there to consider?
Like you, we have since added some power-hogs to our home, and are paying a higher power bill. If it makes sense, in would love to add more to my system too.
Check out this video for some info on adding panels to an existing system - ruclips.net/video/ZPhuNQCsr8s/видео.html
First consideration, obviously, is DIY. Extremely simple and pretty-much foolproof once you learn about three basics. My FIRST consideration would ALWAYS be 'Stand-Alone'. Build and run your own system(s) without others' involvement. . There is NOTHING about installation that's more complicated than joining wires/cables together and incorporating a couple of other components which are available very cheaply and come with (wire-connecting) installation-instructions.
I would also do it myself to make sure it's properly done. My boss made me order a solar panel system for his cinema. I did all of the calculations like uplift forces to be 100% sure there's no chance in hell the coastal winds mess it up. Then I went to the roof after installers left: nail gun cartridges left behind, trash left in a corner, a pieces of tarp left behind - all these things are asking to be picked up by wind and fall of the building onto people's heads. Solar has a bad reputation because of the installers.
The US seems to appreciate people installing solar as they pay a good feed in tariff. In the UK we get about 4 pence to 15 pence per kW and our average cost to buy from the suppliers per kW is 40 pence (1 pence is about 1.22 cents US). Tesla use contractors but at least you can complain to Tesla if you have problems. Doing solar yourself can be dangerous due to large amounts of power from solar array, battery storage and the supply from your grid system. There is also the danger of falling or slipping off a roof (single storey UK houses are 3.3 metres floor to the guttering, 7 metres for a 2 storey and 10 for a town house / 3 storey). The roof ridge is a lot higher with UK roofs pitched at about 40 degrees. Weight consideration of the solar array for loading on the roof needs a structural engineer and you have to add the weight of the batteries if you put them in the attic. Sixteen panels will add 350 kilograms (772 lbs) to your roof so with rails etc it could be adding half a metric tonne. Fire and smoke sensors also need to be put in the attic.
Not an issue about insisting on a reputable company, all of which started out also as a small business. We hired a 'small' company who already has tens of installations, and who knows if they will be around in a few years, who knows if the large companies will also be around.
I am an Electrician. I install my own system at 6kw at 1.10$ per watt. I am currently installing at 255 million dollar electrical install non-solar, I am 65 and know two or three things. I have produced 19 megawatt = about 2000$ in 1.9 years. This ia about 3 year payoff. I use about 700$ a month in Texas, about 12kw per hour. I would need about 48kw to either bank to the grid or batteries. This would be a large area of panels. At 6kw I am only getting about 20-27KW on average at 5 hours per day. The panels used to cost 7.5$ per watt, when I bought them they were 1$ per watt and now they are .50Cents a watt. Your costs are 40% for panels and equipment, 20% for mounting hardware and 40% for labor and profit by installer. If you do it yourself you can really get it done cheaper. Most of the installation groups set you up for 20 year contract. I am set for 3-5 year payoff. With a 20 year contract it really makes you think hard WHY? The cost of power is set to have a crisis in the USA in 2 years. If you consume 100 to 300$ a month then it would be time to get it installed at the 3-5 year price point. If you want to get there real answer I will give it to you. linkedin.com/in/david-barnaby-56a4648, linkedin.com/in/oak-service-group-8883b627b
thanks for the honesty and the information, I'm looking into getting solar installed.
How is that going for you psbucs2318?
better check with your insurance company before you install. some insurance companies, especially in flordia and caluifornia, are dropping coverage for solar panels. a few will drop your entire policy, especially if you opt for lithium batteries.
I remember back in the ‘80s that home satellite dishes were HUGE. And now they are so much smaller. So I imagine not too many years from now, they will have solar panel set ups that will not have to take up your entire roof. Perhaps they will be no larger than a window to power an average size house.
Problem in California is the power bill is, and will continue, to rise far faster than inflation. It does not take many years to pay back capital costs, especially if you are DIY.
you'd probably need a magnifying glass from space to beam a laser at your house to supply enough energy for that.
Save your money, do it yourself and get a Off Grid setup with Batteries! Never have your inverters/batteries/screens etc outside! Lithium needs to stay cool and electronics last longer when cool etc.
Thank you very much for this info. 👍👍👍
I am driving Uber and time to time talking to people about solar. They have no clue what it is and whenever I'm saying them that the Tesla is only the option cause of warranty and that they can match price, people are still installing solar with some sketchy companies.
Great vid!!!
Nice, this is the advise we need, thank you bro, im from indonesia😃😀👍👍👍
0:55 It sucks, but you couldn't know that. Even reputable companies can lead to such issues. Best is rental solar panels.
I recently had solar system installed by a reputable company, the project was started on March of this year (2024) and completed in June/2024. I did go with a PPA which includes 24 solar panels and a backup battery, but as of today's date, my solar system has not been activated. I was notified by the company who was suppose to finance and collect on the PPA just filed for BK and as a result they have abandoned my project, leaving me in limbo. I called my Utility company and they said i have the PTO but i dont know how commission the panels. Is there a company or a person who can help me. with this problem.....on how commission the panels........I just dont want any solar companies calling or wanting to sell me their solar system.
Victron smart shunt will give you the monitoring capabilities you want.