jerryc41 wrote:
A local woman got solar collectors installed on her roof a few months ago. Every month she posts that her electric bill is zero. She never post how much she pays every month for that installation, though. Substituting one bill for another is not my goal in life. How much will repairs cost when something goes wrong with her system?
I moved in 2017 from near you, (Andes) to Naples, FL, because of Reynaud’s syndrome. A year later we put in a 10kw solar system, which will pay for itself in 10-12 years. The smaller system we had in Andes reduced our electric costs by about 23% or $400/year. It would never pay for itself up there.
As far as repairs go, the one in Andes needed no repairs over the 10 years we lived there, and snow fell off it faster than it did over the roof itself.
In 4 years here, they had to replace the inverter, at no cost after a year, and no other problems since.
There is no electric cost to run the house, but charging my Tesla adds about $5 or so a month, as does heating my pool.
Otherwise my bill would be well north of $200/month.
It doesn’t pay in the Catskills-you’re right. I’m not sorry I did it though. I was an environmental teacher, and an anti-fracker who always touted going green.
My house was built to energy star efficiency and I put the solar in because I felt it was appropriate for someone with a big mouth to put my money where my mouth went.
You should not put in solar. A hybrid car though would be good.
If you buy a Prius, get a second set of Nokian Hakkapellitta rims and snow tires, or the damn car will stop dead when the tires spin in snow.
I really miss living in Andes.