My install was completed little over a week ago.  Now just waiting on Township inspection and PECO net meter install, then my approval to operate.  20KW system.  No more electric bills from approval to operate onward.  Ahhhh

When I did it, PECO told me it would be 4-6 weeks for a meter due to shortages.  Two of my brothers in law are line workers for them and we had a truck out the next day  

We have PP&L and I didn’t ask what the lead time was on their meters, but if I finance the panels through the company payments don’t start until the panels are connected and they start generating. So at least there wouldn’t be a period of overlap where I’d be paying the company for the panels while also still paying an electric bill. 
 

what are some of the key questions that either you asked or wish you would’ve asked having gone through the entire process?

we met with some company but they determined that we don't get enough hours of sunlight due to all the trees surrounding our house.

2 hours ago, paco said:

When I did it, PECO told me it would be 4-6 weeks for a meter due to shortages.  Two of my brothers in law are line workers for them and we had a truck out the next day  

Its okay, I actually had PECO try and reduce my 20KW system to 8KW stating something to the effect the line couldn't handle it.  I paid a refundable engineering review fee of $400 to prove it was fine....it was.

2 hours ago, Imp81318 said:

We have PP&L and I didn’t ask what the lead time was on their meters, but if I finance the panels through the company payments don’t start until the panels are connected and they start generating. So at least there wouldn’t be a period of overlap where I’d be paying the company for the panels while also still paying an electric bill. 
 

what are some of the key questions that either you asked or wish you would’ve asked having gone through the entire process?

Just make sure they have a good guarantee on production and a good warranty on the system itself including workmanship (damage to your roof/general install,etc.  size up if you have the room for it, but don't go crazy on the north facing roof (I kept everything on my SW facing side only.

10 minutes ago, barho said:

Just make sure they have a good guarantee on production and a good warranty on the system itself including workmanship (damage to your roof/general install,etc.  size up if you have the room for it, but don't go crazy on the north facing roof (I kept everything on my SW facing side only.

They guarantee the roof/install against leaks for I think 5 years and panels have a 20 or 25 year guarantee. I can get 105% of my usage over the last year on my back roof which is the better exposure side. Debating whether I want to throw a couple of panels on the front roof to bump it up to 110% or go with the 105% and keep everything hidden from the road. 

My 20kw system is now up and running!

On 8/30/2023 at 1:27 PM, barho said:

My 20kw system is now up and running!

 

 

On 8/8/2023 at 12:26 PM, Imp81318 said:

Met with a guy last night night to talk about going solar. He was a middle school science teacher that took early retirement and now sells solar systems. His was the best sounding deal that I’ve seen yet… with the over-design of the panels we’d be looking at cost savings starting at year 1. Financing rate through his company was 3.99% but they have an additional "dealer fee” that gets added to the price of the panels if you finance through the company. Price would be cut considerably if we went with our own financing (thinking possibly a home equity loan) but I’d have to look into how the rates would compare and how it would work out financially. 
 

We are also 5-10 years from needing a new roof so we’d also need to look at rolling that cost into this project as well which would increase the total investment. 
 

salesman showed me the power output history of his panels that he’s had on his house for 10 years and I was surprised that the loss of efficiency was actually less than claimed when he got the panels and that was with 10-year-old technology. 

Since we met with that guy back in the summer the wife and I are less certain that we’ll be staying in our house after the kids go off to college. Thinking we’d rather have a smaller house on some land instead of being in a big house on 1/2 acre in a development where we haven’t really made many close friends in the last 13 years…

 

so we met with Trinity Solar today. They have the same number of panels and output as the last company we met with but a different contract structure. They own the panels and essentially rent our roof space. We pay them a flat monthly rate with built in escalations for the next 25 years and only have to pay the hookup/service fees to PP&L but we don’t own the panels. At the end of the 25 years we take ownership of the panels and get all the power they generate for free. 
 

Not sure if it would be more attractive to potential buyers when we sell in 10-15 years for them to have to finish paying off the panels or to be locked into the use agreement but not to front any cost for them.  The idea of cost certainty is nice. 

2 minutes ago, Imp81318 said:

Since we met with that guy back in the summer the wife and I are less certain that we’ll be staying in our house after the kids go off to college. Thinking we’d rather have a smaller house on some land instead of being in a big house on 1/2 acre in a development where we haven’t really made many close friends in the last 13 years…

 

so we met with Trinity Solar today. They have the same number of panels and output as the last company we met with but a different contract structure. They own the panels and essentially rent our roof space. We pay them a flat monthly rate with built in escalations for the next 25 years and only have to pay the hookup/service fees to PP&L but we don’t own the panels. At the end of the 25 years we take ownership of the panels and get all the power they generate for free. 
 

Not sure if it would be more attractive to potential buyers when we sell in 10-15 years for them to have to finish paying off the panels or to be locked into the use agreement but not to front any cost for them.  The idea of cost certainty is nice. 

I personally wouldn’t do that. Could make it harder to sell your house IMO. 

19 minutes ago, paco said:

I personally wouldn’t do that. Could make it harder to sell your house IMO. 

My house had this when we bought it, the remaining lease transfered to us when we bought it. We had the option to have them removed and then the previous owner would have had to take care of whatever contingencies there may have been, if any. 

I guess there are people who hate solar enough to maybe make them not a buy a home over it, but I'd say it's less of an issue than an in ground swimming pool would be 

 

16 hours ago, paco said:

I personally wouldn’t do that. Could make it harder to sell your house IMO. 

You wouldn’t do the option with the power agreement or you wouldn’t buy the panels?

20 hours ago, Imp81318 said:

You wouldn’t do the option with the power agreement or you wouldn’t buy the panels?

Do NOT do a roof lease.  If you can’t purchase system do. bother.

3 hours ago, barho said:

Do NOT do a roof lease.  If you can’t purchase system do. bother.

Why?  This type of advice/opinion may be valid but it isn’t helpful without reasons behind it. 

1 minute ago, Imp81318 said:

Why?  This type of advice/opinion may be valid but it isn’t helpful without reasons behind it. 

My lease I inherited is like 105 bucks a month, I save thousands on electric a year. I would have purchased a system though, if the house didnt already have them.

1 hour ago, Imp81318 said:

Why?  This type of advice/opinion may be valid but it isn’t helpful without reasons behind it. 

Because you are then tied to a 20 year electric rate.  What happens if prices drastically are reduced?  You wind up paying more.  Also, the benefits of owning yourself nowadays, especially in states like PA and NJ where you have net metering and SREC sales means effectively your system will pay for its self in 6-8 years.  After that, the next 15 years or more is free energy.

Over the 25 years of my system being warrantied, I will make a $75K ROI.  About 14% per year ROI.

 

 

1 hour ago, Boogyman said:

My lease I inherited is like 105 bucks a month, I save thousands on electric a year. I would have purchased a system though, if the house didnt already have them.

You save until you don't anymore.  Electric rates fluctuate.  I guarantee you, if you use electric choice, you can get a better rate than the one you inherited.  What year was the system installed?

11 minutes ago, barho said:

You save until you don't anymore.  Electric rates fluctuate.  I guarantee you, if you use electric choice, you can get a better rate than the one you inherited.  What year was the system installed?

And, as an edit, can't say I guarantee you can get a better rate, but I know rate for PA choice now are like $0.075 currently.  That is pretty low.  What is your current rate for your PPA?

47 minutes ago, barho said:

You save until you don't anymore.  Electric rates fluctuate.  I guarantee you, if you use electric choice, you can get a better rate than the one you inherited.  What year was the system installed?

Off the top of my head...I forget lol. I'll check later. It fine now and in a decade I'll probably be leaving the state so I didnt feel like dealing with the removal and installation of a new system. Had I intended on making this my final home I probably would have done it differently.

 

 

18 minutes ago, Boogyman said:

Off the top of my head...I forget lol. I'll check later. It fine now and in a decade I'll probably be leaving the state so I didnt feel like dealing with the removal and installation of a new system. Had I intended on making this my final home I probably would have done it differently.

 

 

Yeah, absolutely.  This is our forever home (well at least until I retire somewhere warm and sunny but that isnt for at least 15-20 years) so owning the panels makes the most sense.

Just now, barho said:

Yeah, absolutely.  This is our forever home (well at least until I retire somewhere warm and sunny but that isnt for at least 15-20 years) so owning the panels makes the most sense.

When my kids are both done with college I'll be moving somewhere quieter and into a much smaller house. I imagine by then a home in NJ will cost a billion dollars so I should make out pretty good lol.

2 hours ago, barho said:

Because you are then tied to a 20 year electric rate.  What happens if prices drastically are reduced?  You wind up paying more.  Also, the benefits of owning yourself nowadays, especially in states like PA and NJ where you have net metering and SREC sales means effectively your system will pay for its self in 6-8 years.  After that, the next 15 years or more is free energy.

Over the 25 years of my system being warrantied, I will make a $75K ROI.  About 14% per year ROI.

 

 

That’s kind of my point though… if we’re in this house another 10 years and I buy the panels, we’ll be moving out and selling right about the time the major cost savings start. With the lease/payment plan option I realize that it won’t be as much savings long-term, but it also doesn’t require the significant outlay of money upfront. 

21 hours ago, Imp81318 said:

That’s kind of my point though… if we’re in this house another 10 years and I buy the panels, we’ll be moving out and selling right about the time the major cost savings start. With the lease/payment plan option I realize that it won’t be as much savings long-term, but it also doesn’t require the significant outlay of money upfront. 

True, but what if rates are lower at that point?  Your new homebuyer will not be happy being stuck with another 10 years at an awful rate.  Leases are dumb.  I work in the industry.

also, my system fully pays for itself in 5-6 years