Residential Solar

Almost 2 dozen panels on an adjustable yard mount. (Tilts for winter months and summer months.)

Almost 10,000 watt system.

Includes delivery, install, set up, permits and related.

Does not include drywall patching. (?)

Net metering included with any overage produced being in the form of credit only. No chance of getting paid by the power company here.

There are no solar incentives in Michigan that I have found or been told of by installer and power company.

Just doesn't sound feasible at this point

 

Forgot to add that it is supposed to be sized for future EV.


Way into the future!

Probably just go with a generator system.

 

The power companies in Michigan are fighting the consumer purchased solar panels, they want there solar farms approved and built before they will work with the consumer on incentives and power credits or cash back.

 

The solar farms in Michigan are paying quite a hefty sum to lease land , $1000 acre up to $1500 per acre per year for 20 years . Probably not much left for credits for residential installs ? Idk ?

My neighbor had a company put a whole bunch on the house roof and pole barn about 2 years ago . They never completed the job , I guess the roof leaked ( shingled) so company took panels off and I noticed a new roof was installed. Panels are still piled up in side yard . Seems odd , need to ask what happened ?

 

If I were ever to go solar, free-standing would be my preference.

I'd like to not have holes in the roof.

I've not seen total $ estimates that address the roof.

Do you put a new roof on before install?
What's the $'s to remove/put back panels when the roof needs to be redone?

Not insignificant $'s.

 

MikeInMa here they suggest metal roofs and have brackets for seamless
The poles do receive 30% more sun due to rotation; BUT don’t want to raise them higher so you can mow around easier

 

I told the installer right from the start that there would be no panels on the roof.

Sounds like it was a fly by night solar contractor maybe?

 

Idk ? They had vans that looked legit but who knows . The owners aren’t ones to research stuff imo .

 

I also neglected that the panels would be installed with a 4' clearance above the ground. Nothing to do with weeds and it gonna get mown here; no sir, Only to do with the snow level.

There is one install done locally that is on a pole and the panel array actually tracks the sun throughout the day. It has been up for years and I'll bet the panels are in need of replacing if it has never been done.

I don't know the people or else I would have spoken with them about it already.

 

We have ~7.5 acres of panels mounted up off the ground like that at work...looks like a real PITA to mow around! The people that did it last used a walk behind mower...that looked to be about the best way I've seen it done yet. I suggested turning sheep loose in there in the summer, but that went over about as well as a fart in church.
And I agree, you couldn't pay me enough to mount panels on my roof.
Oh, and as far as snow on the panels, they seem to melt off pretty quickly.

 

We're talking Ohio snow here now, right?

 

'tis true...we do get drifting though ya know!

 

why is it some can mention something alluding to politics and it is okay and others are are treated like three year olds ?

 

IMO, it depends how blatant it is...and some people have more of a record of kicking the hornets nest then others...

 

Also, my thoughts on recuperating cost:
electric costs are not going down. They're downright sodomy here in CT.
Then, what are they worth given the condition of the grid in your area.
Then, your real thoughts about a grid-down... civil unrest, major storm etc.

Whats the cost of having electric then?

Weve been thinking about it here.

 

She must be desperate. I'm at least 140 miles to the OH-MI state line.

 

I did lots of research before even contacting anyone for a quote. Enphase is one of the leading inverter companies and have been around since 2006 (American company). Canadian Solar has been around since 2001 and is of German design (made in several countries). Both are guaranteed by their respective companies.

I have stated on other threads that ROI, although of some consideration, is not my main driver. The timing is right between the aborted garage build (which I cannot justify the cost that it went up to to just not scrape ice and snow off the truck) and the current fed credits.

 

I require a roof mount for a couple of reasons;

• I don't want something ugly in my yard - my house is already there and I don't look at the roof, so I might as well use it;
  
• The roof already generates heat, solar panels generate heat - I want the heat footprint to be as small as possible
  
• My town has regulations on yard mounted and my lot isn't even big enough to accommodate those regulations.

HOWEVER - I put a standing seam roof on this place in 2014. The panels clamp onto the seams so no holes are needed. Standing seam is the best roof mounting system and easier for the installer. I DO wish that the sun tracking systems were feasible for a roof install - but that is not the case.

 

That's another drawback of purchasing such a system. Besides the cost, it seems you have to be willing to make concessions.

 

And I see ads all the time.