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Thread: Solar Power for dummies...off grid hook up.

  1. #21
    LHBA Member Timberwolf's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by loghousenut View Post

    I also admire folks who speak Canadian, even though I can't understand them.

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    Hey! I resemble that remark eh!
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  2. #22
    LHBA Member Timber's Avatar
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    My friend does solar systems...has been for several years. So i asked him about what he thought was the best panels. He said Solar World...great prices made in the US ..i think he said out of Oregon. Next panel he said was LG...the best maybe but 33% more$$$

    He told me a good tax write off would be to do a garage after build...install a solar system and you can write off 33% off the entire project. (Check with your tax man first)
    Last edited by Timber; 02-04-2016 at 12:31 PM.

  3. #23
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    I can't find prices on their site. Any idea how many dollars per watt for panels alone?

    The federal government charges an import duty to raise prices to benefit US makers, but prices are falling anyway. Current panel market ($/watt):

    $1+ is common
    $0.80 is a nice discount, not hard to get
    $0.50 can be had with a little patience
    $0.25 is what I got with plenty of patience last October.

  4. #24
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    Also, this year's federal tax credit for solar systems is 30%, and for '17, '18, and '19. After that, it reduces significantly until it is expired. (maybe 3 years with some tax credit < 30%, but don't quote me on that one).

    Labor is included in the system cost, so the tax credit covers that, too. Shipping is unstated, as far as I can find. I made an offer in one deal (4 pure sine wave inverters totaling just under $6,000), and free shipping was part of it. My offer was accepted, so that built-in shipping will definitely be applicable for the tax credit.

    Structures whose purpose is to hold solar panels (or house batteries, etc.) count, too. Structures whose primary use is something else are excluded. They thought of that garage already. :-D

    And remember, it's a tax credit, not a deduction. A deduction only reduces taxable income, and benefit trickles down to the bottom line. A tax credit is directly subtracted from your tax bill, a great thing.

  5. #25
    LHBA Member rreidnauer's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by donjuedo View Post
    And remember, it's a tax credit, not a deduction. A deduction only reduces taxable income, and benefit trickles down to the bottom line. A tax credit is directly subtracted from your tax bill, a great thing.
    I often wondered about this. I need to buy my whole-house inverters before that expires.
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  6. #26
    LHBA Member Timber's Avatar
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    My friend mostly does direct connect..not off grid...he says no maintenace. I am asking about the cost per watt-panel. Ill post it when i find out.

  7. #27
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  8. #28
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    While you're thinking about solar, it might be good to pay attention to wind (comparatively cheap). I have noticed that when it's most clear and sunny, the wind is low. But when overcast, wind generally picks up. So a wind turbine can complement solar quite well. It's not as tight a fit as jigsaw puzzle pieces, but useful anyway.

    I made a quick chart using my brother's solar power history, from the Enphase site. I wanted to see how much my planned battery bank would drain, given his real world production and my average daily consumption. I looked at last month and December before that, plus July, just for fun. In Summer, the battery would be "flat-lined" full the whole time. In Winter, the bank would drain noticeably, but never hit empty.

    That was great to see, because it told me I could cut my battery bank in half from what I had planned, and only hit empty a few days a year. That's when I'd be running a generator to avoid empty, of course, and that's assuming no wind power (so far). With my new plan, I'm going to save a huge amount on batteries, the most expensive part of an off grid solar energy system.
    Last edited by donjuedo; 02-04-2016 at 05:45 PM.

  9. #29
    LHBA Member Timber's Avatar
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    Ok solar world $4.75 per watt...installed with plans and permits on standard roof. Ground mounts slighly more. Thats in CA. so im sure its beatable

  10. #30
    LHBA Member edkemper's Avatar
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    What would he sell per watt without installation?
    edkemper

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