Down to 2 installers

[ktran1]

sungevity itself, I got refered from my friend. My friend got 18 LG300 for $18400 installed by Sungevity. At first, Sungevity quoted me for $27000, then I point him my friend solar system.

[easye]

those new panels are 72 cell and quite a bit bigger than the 60 cell LGs or SP. Efficiency is lower too. If space is an issue and you can use west then go SP. otherwise you can get LGs at 320. I still can't figure out why they quoted sun power with their own micro inverters and you mentioned about a Solar Edge inverter? I don't think you quite have a handle on how all this works.

[ktran1]

[QUOTE=huge;n321822]Based on your questions, I don't think you will be happy with enphase 280w inverter coupled with a 345w panel


Enphase S280 won't work for Sun Power nor Panasonic panel (96 cells) because it does not support > 50V

[jgd108]

ktran1 I just emailed you this morning.
easye thanks for your comment. space is a bit of an issue but was told the longer panels would fit too.

I decided to put a pause on Solar project, cancelled like 4 on-site visits since I want to understand better my use (I'm reviewing my 600kw/h monthly estimate to more like 450) and seeing if it still makes sense to go Solar for about 5,500kw/h yearly.

Also when we mention cost per watt, like any systems there must be a "flat fee" part of it, so obviously small systems (ie 3kw DC) must come out more expansive per watt correct?

After I told Sungevity I would put the project on pause they came back with additional credits etc putting the cost around 3.6 per watt versus the initial 4.2, which makes me think.

I'll be traveling quite a bit this month so will come back here if more updates. Just challenging the need to install now versus a year from now since my understanding is the Federal tax credit will be there, and SDG&E has already reached the CAP for NEM 1.0 so that incentive is gone. Or am I missing something? Also you might get a better system for same price a year from now..

[J.P.M.]

ktran1 I just emailed you this morning.
easye thanks for your comment. space is a bit of an issue but was told the longer panels would fit too.

I decided to put a pause on Solar project, cancelled like 4 on-site visits since I want to understand better my use (I'm reviewing my 600kw/h monthly estimate to more like 450) and seeing if it still makes sense to go Solar for about 5,500kw/h yearly.

Also when we mention cost per watt, like any systems there must be a "flat fee" part of it, so obviously small systems (ie 3kw DC) must come out more expansive per watt correct?

After I told Sungevity I would put the project on pause they came back with additional credits etc putting the cost around 3.6 per watt versus the initial 4.2, which makes me think.

I'll be traveling quite a bit this month so will come back here if more updates. Just challenging the need to install now versus a year from now since my understanding is the Federal tax credit will be there, and SDG&E has already reached the CAP for NEM 1.0 so that incentive is gone. Or am I missing something? Also you might get a better system for same price a year from now..

+1 on waiting and using the time for more education. @ 5,500 kWh/yr. making a properly sized system cost effective might be a tough task.

Also note how quickly prices can change when vendors are challenged. Everything is negotiable. Always.

[ktran1]

I got 3.45/w from sungevity with LG300, but I chose other company with Sunpower

[vins]

Hi
I've got it down to 2 installers for a PV system.
I'm in Orange County, California and just bought a house 3 weeks ago
I've got the on-site visits tomorrow and wanted some feedback on the quotes I got.
And what questions I should ask.
Both quotes are for purchase. 10 panels in both cases (conservative)
Thanks!

Roof Details
Roof Pitch 23° / 23°
Roof Azimuth 152° / 62°
Annual Shading 91% / 92%

Sungevity

Panels: 10 x LG LG300N1K-G4 (300W, 18% efficiency)
System Size (STC-DC) 3 kW
System Size (CEC-AC) 2.687 kW
Number of Solar Panels 10 modules
Panel Dimensions 39.4" x 65.4"
First Year Production 4,171 kWh (seems conservative)

Inverter could be SolarEdge too (not sure about the price increase if any)

Cost: $14,866 - $2k discount = $12,866
Negotiating for a free car charger (2k, promotion with PlugShare and Sungevity).

Notes: free monitoring and guaranteed production for 20 years!
Installer is not Sungevity but a local one, Pacific Sun technologies, not able to get reviews about them..


Semper Solaris (SunPower)

Panels : 10 x Sunpower X21 345 (345W, 21% efficiency)

Year 1 Estimated Production: 5,632 KWH

3.45 kW (DC), 3.00 kW (AC) SunPower System

10 x SunPower AC Module; X21-345-C-AC

InvisiMount Mounting System

10 x Factory-integrated Microinverter

SolarEdge inverter (model TBD)

Cost: $14,490 (no discount yet..)

Notes: since I have limited roof the production is much better for about the same cost (without the 2k discount sungevity offered)
25 year warranty on the panels. Installer has best yelp reviews. very responsive to emails.

Are these prices before or after the incentives..
I was quoted 14K after incentives for a similar SP system (3.8KW) - 11 X21-345-C-AC (with micro-inverters) which will produce 5666KWH 1 year. Do you think it's a fair price?

[huge]

I got about the same price, but for twice the production. I didn't go with Sunpower because I would pay more for less production. I would say look around more

[ktran1]

vins,

Take the cost divide DC watts. For examples: your sungevity quote $12,866/3000w = $4.29/w it is expensive. Sunpower $14000/3800w= $3.69/w after incentive ? What is incentive? If incentive is not tax credit, then go with SP

[vins]

SP 3.8KW system was 20200 before all incentives(14k after tax incentive). So it's almost $5.3/w. but could not find any other SP dealer cheaper at least in the bay area(Nor Cal).

[ktran1]

Here are the quotes I got before tax incentive
20 Sunpower 320, solaredge, $23000, 3.59/w
22 Solarword 285, M250, $20810 3.31/w
25 Huyndai, 260, M215, $23000 3.53/w
22 LG300, solaredge, $22800 3.45/w

[vins]

The SP system quoted here seems like has string inverter and not the microinverters which I need due to the layout needed because of roof space issues. but the 23K with string inverters still looks pretty good and I could not find any SP dealer willing to quote in that range.

[vins]

Hi
I've got it down to 2 installers for a PV system.
I'm in Orange County, California and just bought a house 3 weeks ago
I've got the on-site visits tomorrow and wanted some feedback on the quotes I got.
And what questions I should ask.
Both quotes are for purchase. 10 panels in both cases (conservative)
Thanks!

Roof Details
Roof Pitch 23° / 23°
Roof Azimuth 152° / 62°
Annual Shading 91% / 92%

Sungevity

Panels: 10 x LG LG300N1K-G4 (300W, 18% efficiency)
System Size (STC-DC) 3 kW
System Size (CEC-AC) 2.687 kW
Number of Solar Panels 10 modules
Panel Dimensions 39.4" x 65.4"
First Year Production 4,171 kWh (seems conservative)

Inverter could be SolarEdge too (not sure about the price increase if any)

Cost: $14,866 - $2k discount = $12,866
Negotiating for a free car charger (2k, promotion with PlugShare and Sungevity).

Notes: free monitoring and guaranteed production for 20 years!
Installer is not Sungevity but a local one, Pacific Sun technologies, not able to get reviews about them..


Semper Solaris (SunPower)

Panels : 10 x Sunpower X21 345 (345W, 21% efficiency)

Year 1 Estimated Production: 5,632 KWH

3.45 kW (DC), 3.00 kW (AC) SunPower System

10 x SunPower AC Module; X21-345-C-AC

InvisiMount Mounting System

10 x Factory-integrated Microinverter

SolarEdge inverter (model TBD)

Cost: $14,490 (no discount yet..)

Notes: since I have limited roof the production is much better for about the same cost (without the 2k discount sungevity offered)
25 year warranty on the panels. Installer has best yelp reviews. very responsive to emails.

Are these prices before or after the tax incentives?

[ktran1]

all of the quotes are before tax incentive, after 30% tax credit it will be much lower. I pick SP which give me 25 years inclusive warranty for monitor, production output and roof.

[ktran1]

vins, what is the lowest cost per watts for SunPower before tax incentive which they offer to you?

[vins]

so far $5/w is the lowest they ghave offered which is with X-20-250 AC panels.

[ktran1]

Sunpower panel won't work with any Enphase microinverter,

[ktran1]

Vins,

Try cleansolar, sunworks if you live in Bay Area I got 4.02/w and 3.59/w using SP327 and SP320. What panel and what price do you want?

[vins]

i will try them out..i was looking for eithet 327 or any of the x serirs panels with microinverters

[ktran1]

V20 SunPower SPR-327NE-WHT-D modules
Inverter: SolarEdge Technologies SE3000 (240V) w/ -ER-US or A-US