New 4.8KW installation in San Diego just finished

[thejq]

If you would PM your install info it would be much appreciated.

Done. FYI, from talking to a couple of friends who just signed with the same installer, looks like the price/W hasn't changed much. So $3.5/W is still a good starting point for negotiation in the 4-6KW system range. If you're really charming, you might do even better. One got a free extended SolarEdge warranty. When I asked my installer (in dismay), I was told that she was better looking than me . The trick is to know what you want in terms of usage, system size and equipment, so they know you're serious and have the research.

[thejq]

LG for us. And it was done primarily because I believe they will be in business in 10-20 years. I went with a normal inverter, not micros as I didn't trust them as a tech yet.

We're about 6 months in with our system. We've generated almost exactly 4 GW at this point on our 4.76 KW system. Sadly, our lack of rain probably is why we're making so much power. Somehow our usage of electricity has dropped too so we're over producing by a good 14-15 kw a day. My wife kids that come the summer we'll be producing so much extra we'll have to keep the AC running at 70 just to burn through our SDGE credits.

LG is definitely a brand you can trust and bank on. Personally I think it deserves the premium of $0.2-0.3/W. Plus I think LG is the only solar manufacture in the world that can claim "carbon free", whatever it implies, it must be good for the environment. I'm with you on not trusting micros, but I'm a geek and I like to see per-panel performance, so I picked SolarEdge which is probably the lesser of the two evil. I'm not sure if running AC 24/7 is a efficient way to "burn" through the SDGE credits. Maybe EV is better a way?

BTW, I think you meant 4MWh (not 4GW).

[thethingx]

If you would PM your install info it would be much appreciated.

[karlf]

I'm in Rancho Bernardo (San Diego county) so OC is a little far. What equipment did you install to get $3.5/W? I'm pretty sold on LG panels with either SolarEdge or micro-inverters, even though it's a little more expensive. If I can save a lot of money, I could go with Canadian Solar. I'm not confident SolarWorld can survive after 2016.

LG for us. And it was done primarily because I believe they will be in business in 10-20 years. I went with a normal inverter, not micros as I didn't trust them as a tech yet.

We're about 6 months in with our system. We've generated almost exactly 4 GW at this point on our 4.76 KW system. Sadly, our lack of rain probably is why we're making so much power. Somehow our usage of electricity has dropped too so we're over producing by a good 14-15 kw a day. My wife kids that come the summer we'll be producing so much extra we'll have to keep the AC running at 70 just to burn through our SDGE credits.

[SolarRB]

Thanks everyone who PM'd me. Really appreciate all the tips and information.

[thejq]

I read both yours and subdriver97's thread (http://www.solarpaneltalk.com/showth...n-to-San-Diego) Sounds like you guys use the the same installer. I've been having difficulty getting below $4/W quotes from reputable sources. Could one of you PM me your installer's name? BR

You guessed right. Subdriver97, myself and a few others from this forum used the same installer (based locally in San Diego). Not sure what system size you're looking for, but $3.5/W is a good starting point for negotiation in the 4-6KW range. If larger, you might get it even cheaper.

LG is a good brand, but so is Canadian Solar and Solar World. But I agree with you that Solar World is probably the least financially stable of the 3. Still I would not count them out as early as after 2016 (after the Fed 30% tax credit is done).

Good luck and check your PM.

[MikeInRialto]

I'm in Rancho Bernardo (San Diego county) so OC is a little far. What equipment did you install to get $3.5/W? I'm pretty sold on LG panels with either SolarEdge or micro-inverters, even though it's a little more expensive. If I can save a lot of money, I could go with Canadian Solar. I'm not confident SolarWorld can survive after 2016.

I was able to choose the equipment i wanted - i was debating between Solarworld and LG... I went with 275w Solarworld Black Mono and enphase but i could have gone with optimizers if i wanted to. I went with Solarworld because they are made in the US and Aesthetics - I doubt solarworld will be in business 25 years, but it's a quality panel so i'm not worried about one going bad. It's unlikely but sure, anything is possible. I'm sure LG is not going anywhere anytime soon and that is why i was considering LG as well.

[SolarRB]

I signed for less than $3.5/watt for a 4.1 system in the Inland Empire/SanBernardino area - contractor is in OC

I'm in Rancho Bernardo (San Diego county) so OC is a little far. What equipment did you install to get $3.5/W? I'm pretty sold on LG panels with either SolarEdge or micro-inverters, even though it's a little more expensive. If I can save a lot of money, I could go with Canadian Solar. I'm not confident SolarWorld can survive after 2016.

[MikeInRialto]

I signed for less than $3.5/watt for a 4.1 system in the Inland Empire/SanBernardino area - contractor is in OC

[SolarRB]

I read both yours and subdriver97's thread (http://www.solarpaneltalk.com/showth...n-to-San-Diego) Sounds like you guys use the the same installer. I've been having difficulty getting below $4/W quotes from reputable sources. Could one of you PM me your installer's name? BR

[russ]

PM sent.

Perhaps you can tell us what you're looking for. Most installers will treat you more seriously if you already know some basics and ask specific questions.

thejq is 100% correct - do your homework before talking to vendors, for the most part anyway.

[thejq]

Would you mind sending me a PM with your company, I have been looking for $3.5 in corona.

Thanks.

PM sent.

Perhaps you can tell us what you're looking for. Most installers will treat you more seriously if you already know some basics and ask specific questions.

[solarjmp]

Thanks for the tip. I will keep a tap on it. I just got the net metering application processed, and the city inspection also passed yesterday. So it's at least going. I paid just south of $3.5/W (before incentive) for the whole thing including Solaredge Zigbee communication gateway and client. The installer (a general electrical contractor) is quite reputable in SD, and has been in business for 25 yrs. So I'm quite happy with how things worked out.

Would you mind sending me a PM with your company, I have been looking for $3.5 in corona.

Thanks.

[russ]

RFP? Are you the vendor or the client? Don't you mean RFQ? Your contract?? Maybe I didn't read all of this thread but selecting the proper vendor in the first place eliminates all this work you end-users are doing. Great entertainment though, keep it coming.

With that attitude it seems you would not be a choice of a vendor for many members.

[sensij]

RFP? Are you the vendor or the client? Don't you mean RFQ? Your contract?? Maybe I didn't read all of this thread but selecting the proper vendor in the first place eliminates all this work you end-users are doing. Great entertainment though, keep it coming.

If you would care to enlighten the forum on how to "select the proper vendor in the first place", that would be helpful. The technique J.P.M. described is doing exactly that. In my experience, it is better to be armed with knowledge about the work to be done, and to make sure the vendor/installer knows you will be paying attention to what they are doing. Whether that's done up front in the quote or proposal stage or later while the work is being done is a matter of personal taste and situational appropriateness. Without knowledge, it is sometimes easy to slip into paranoia, where a whole contract could be blown up mid-project because of an overreaction to something minor.

Maybe you are comfortable spending tens of thousands on a system based on the "reputation" of an installer and checking a couple references, or because yelp and angie's list agree they are good. Maybe you've got other ideas related to vendor selection that are more reliable. I've made it clear with the installers I've been talking to that I intend to document the installation in a thread on this forum. More experienced eyes than mine may be able to identify if something is being done wrong, and if it is done well, it could be helpful marketing for them. Win-win for the installers who know they do good work, and hopefully it would scare off the ones who know they cut corners.