Zep 0 #26 August 12, 2006 As northern Spain (catalunya) continues to move into the 21st century, all houses built as from 2007 will be required by law to have solar panels, A step in the right direction, Not to mention the company I work for is a licenced installer Gone fishing Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AggieDave 6 #27 August 12, 2006 How well do you think that your panel array would stand up to a good ol' TX hail storm? Reason why I ask is I was talking to another jumper about your solar array a couple of weeks ago when he was talking about a windmill power unit lease he was looking at.--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
EDYDO 0 #28 August 12, 2006 Bill, how do you assure you have 60 cps and sync with the power company ? Ed Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ffejdraga 0 #29 August 13, 2006 Quote govt rebates in AZ????? I checked into solar when I was in arizona and found some muncipalities outlaw solar panels - Eloy being a prime example. You'd have to go guerilla if you wanted solar there. Steve, can you give me some insight on this? Do you know if it is true for Arizona City?? That is about the craziest, dumbest, assanine thing I have ever heard of, especially in the "Solar Rich" environment here... jeff D-16906 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jumper03 0 #30 August 13, 2006 QuoteQuote govt rebates in AZ????? I checked into solar when I was in arizona and found some muncipalities outlaw solar panels - Eloy being a prime example. You'd have to go guerilla if you wanted solar there. Steve, can you give me some insight on this? Do you know if it is true for Arizona City?? That is about the craziest, dumbest, assanine thing I have ever heard of, especially in the "Solar Rich" environment here... jeff D-16906 I wanted to put solar panels on my rv while I was there and someone told me I needed a permit. So like an idiot I go to the town hall in Eloy - don't do that by the way - and ask about it. I'm told by the town clerk that solar panels are not allowed in Eloy. This was in Feb of 2004 so maybe its changed by now. I agree - arizona receives the most sunlight energy of anywhere in the US and to not allow it seems crazy. but then again we are talking about eloy...Scars remind us that the past is real Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TheAnvil 0 #31 August 13, 2006 Nice, Bill! What sort of cell are you using? Vinny Vinny the Anvil Post Traumatic Didn't Make The Lakers Syndrome is REAL JACKASS POWER!!!!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freeflir29 0 #32 August 13, 2006 What's some names of equipment manufacturers? I've been getting interested in this lately but collecting information hasn't been as easy as I thought it might be. I have two applications in mind. One for my house here in GA and a small system in Montana just to charge the batteries while I am not there. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Remster 30 #33 August 13, 2006 QuoteQuoteQuote govt rebates in AZ????? I checked into solar when I was in arizona and found some muncipalities outlaw solar panels - Eloy being a prime example. You'd have to go guerilla if you wanted solar there. Steve, can you give me some insight on this? Do you know if it is true for Arizona City?? That is about the craziest, dumbest, assanine thing I have ever heard of, especially in the "Solar Rich" environment here... jeff D-16906 I wanted to put solar panels on my rv while I was there and someone told me I needed a permit. So like an idiot I go to the town hall in Eloy - don't do that by the way - and ask about it. I'm told by the town clerk that solar panels are not allowed in Eloy. This was in Feb of 2004 so maybe its changed by now. I agree - arizona receives the most sunlight energy of anywhere in the US and to not allow it seems crazy. but then again we are talking about eloy... There are actually federal laws that overrule local and HOAs to allow solar power. AZ City is un-incorporated, so really, its the wild west there! Have look at this for AZ wide programs and power companies (dont know which one delivers to AZ City) http://www.dsireusa.org/library/includes/map2.cfm?CurrentPageID=1&State=AZ&RE=1&EE=1Remster Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
craddock 0 #34 August 13, 2006 QuoteAnd it's for the same reason that a swimming pool might shy some buyers away who have never had one - "this is different/scary, and I don't want to deal with it if something goes wrong." That is just a bit naive. Drowning deaths are one of the top causes of death for children. I believe it is the second leading cause in children up to a certain age of accidental deaths(mabey 14 years?). Ever think there may be other reasons people are hesitant to own a pool? Josh BTW I have nothing against owning a pool(or guns) with children in the house. I have a one year old who is in th pool lake and river quite a bit. Enough off topic- sorry Bill That spot isn't bad at all, the winds were strong and that was the issue! It was just on the downwind side. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Clownburner 0 #35 August 14, 2006 When civilization ends, I'm going to Bill's house, as he'll be the only one to have cold beer handy. 7CP#1 | BTR#2 | Payaso en fuego Rodriguez "I want hot chicks in my boobies!"- McBeth Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flyangel2 2 #36 August 14, 2006 QuoteWhen civilization ends, I'm going to Bill's house, as he'll be the only one to have cold beer handy. You don't know how right you are!May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds. - Edward Abbey Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 3,079 #37 October 11, 2006 >Bill, how do you assure you have 60 cps and sync with the power company ? Any inverter rated for "utility intertie" will do that automatically. They're very complex little beasts but they work pretty well. They're so protective of the power company that they're kind of annoying - even a small brownout or change in frequency and they trip offline to prevent "backfeeding" the utility when they _want_ the power to go out or drop in voltage. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
squirrel 0 #38 October 12, 2006 Quote... what I'd love is to knock my gas bills down in the winter. well it might not be totally enviromentally correct, but to lower my heating bill, and live more comfortably, i installed a wood burning stove. total cost was $3600, installed. now, i am a general conctractor, so i am able to scrap all the wood from my spec homes, so wood cost is essentially zero...not counting my wood collecting labor. we have about 4 months of heating up here in desert...and my sub contractors were telling me of $250/month gas bills...so 4 X 250 = $1000 saved per year...so i am looking at about a 5 year payback. buuuuut...the overall comfort is so much better that forced air, much like a cabin in the mountains. i keep the house at about 78 in the winter....nice and toasty. you just needt to run a humidifier, or put a big pot of water on the stove itself so the air does not get to dry. ________________________________ Where is Darwin when you need him? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ExAFO 0 #39 October 12, 2006 It's Real easy to save $ and be smug* if you have the $ to begin w/and are an engineer. For the rest of us not in a position to blow thousands to brag about a lower elec bill and how one is a shining example of eco-friendly fossil fuel-free goodness, well, I guess we're just terrible people. We all do not live in the desert where it's sunny 350 days/yr. Fuckit. I know that most, if not all, of my electricity is Nuke-generated. Upside is that Illinois is a first strike ICBM target, so I won't have to worry about the aftermath of a PRC first-strike. *Reference "hybrid" episode of "South Park."Illinois needs a CCW Law. NOW. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
squirrel 0 #40 October 12, 2006 QuoteIt's RealFuckit. I know that most, if not all, of my electricity is Nuke-generated. Upside is that Illinois is a first strike ICBM target, so I won't have to worry about the aftermath of a PRC first-strike. Well...ummm....o....k..... ________________________________ Where is Darwin when you need him? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ExAFO 0 #41 October 12, 2006 QuoteQuoteIt's RealFuckit. I know that most, if not all, of my electricity is Nuke-generated. Upside is that Illinois is a first strike ICBM target, so I won't have to worry about the aftermath of a PRC first-strike. Well...ummm....o....k..... Erm, sorry. Law school has me stressed the f**k out.Illinois needs a CCW Law. NOW. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
squirrel 0 #42 October 12, 2006 QuoteQuoteQuoteIt's RealFuckit. I know that most, if not all, of my electricity is Nuke-generated. Upside is that Illinois is a first strike ICBM target, so I won't have to worry about the aftermath of a PRC first-strike. Well...ummm....o....k..... Erm, sorry. Law school has me stressed the f**k out. i hear ya...no worries. i am actually in the process of designing my own house...trying to mix in some passive and active solar systems...yet keep the cost under control. ________________________________ Where is Darwin when you need him? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
squirrel 0 #43 October 12, 2006 QuoteIt's Real *Reference "hybrid" episode of "South Park." oh...you gonna hate me...i grew up near Palo Alto...where one of the kids parents move too in that episode. it was right on though... ________________________________ Where is Darwin when you need him? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jonstark 8 #44 October 12, 2006 How much would it cost me to duplicate the setup? What kind of tax incentives are there? Do I have to donate the surplus just because I don't know exactly how much there will be rather than sell it? Is your house wired for low voltage to take advantage of storage batteries? There's a lot to the story that should be told. It costs way too much at present! It should be mandated that PV and water heat panels be installed on newly constructed houses then maybe the prices would come down. As it is now it doesn't make sense to install unless you plan on staying in the house for 20+ years. jon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 3,079 #45 October 12, 2006 > How much would it cost me to duplicate the setup? About $4/watt after incentives. >What kind of tax incentives are there? Not sure on the tax credits, but many states have a buyback incentive that pays for roughly half the system. >Do I have to donate the surplus just because I don't know exactly how >much there will be rather than sell it? Nope. But you might as well. Storage batteries just aren't cost effective; it's more efficient to use the utility to store power. >Is your house wired for low voltage to take advantage of storage batteries? Well, sort of. I use a 24 volt battery bank. The outside array is 48 volts, stepped down by a peak power tracking charge regulator. The inverter converts that all to 120VAC. Nowadays you don't need to wire for low voltage; inverters have gotten to be very, very good. >There's a lot to the story that should be told. It costs way too much at > present! True! Right now the tremendous demand from Germany and Japan is driving the costs of modules up. Once that demand is fulfilled, look for costs to drop again. > It should be mandated that PV and water heat panels be installed on > newly constructed houses then maybe the prices would come down. Greater demand + fixed supply = higher prices. In the long run, you're right - economies of scale will kick in. But for the near term, a greater demand equals higher prices. Right now people are buying every panel manufacturers can make. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jonstark 8 #46 October 13, 2006 Thanks for your insight Bill. I appreciate the data from your experience. jon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Andrewwhyte 1 #47 October 13, 2006 QuoteAnswering several questions here: >How long before you pay off the system with savings? ~12 yrs if the cost of power doesn't go up. Shorter if it does. Is that pure principle or are you applying an interest rate/rate of time preference? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
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