Building second home in Asheville, NC; is solar for me?

[Stephen850]

Russ,

Thanks!! I appreciate you doing that analysis. My wife was very happy to hear your conclusion. The homefront is peaceful once agin.

Steve

Russ,

My builder said he wasn't planning to use a drainback system but if I want it he get it for me. Here is his description. What do you think about this system for less than $6k?

"The solar hot water consists of three panels about 3'x5' a storage tank and a mixing valve.* It is a closed loop system and the storage tank looks like a regular hot water heater.* On the inside of the tank there is a heating coil with a solution that cycles from the panels to the heating coil.* The water in the tank usually stays around 180 degree's!*There*is a mixing valve outside of the tank that cools the water down to around 110 to 120*degree's as it heads off to the*your faucet.* The brand I'm familiar with is "velux" and is*sold and installed by "First Light Solar" here in Asheville.*All the equipment and installation is included in the price."

[russ]

Hi Stephen - The details sound like a typical solar hot water heating system - except that I maintain my tank temperature at 120

[Naptown]

Russ,

My builder said he wasn't planning to use a drainback system but if I want it he get it for me. Here is his description. What do you think about this system for less than $6k?

"The solar hot water consists of three panels about 3'x5' a storage tank and a mixing valve.* It is a closed loop system and the storage tank looks like a regular hot water heater.* On the inside of the tank there is a heating coil with a solution that cycles from the panels to the heating coil.* The water in the tank usually stays around 180 degree's!*There*is a mixing valve outside of the tank that cools the water down to around 110 to 120*degree's as it heads off to the*your faucet.* The brand I'm familiar with is "velux" and is*sold and installed by "First Light Solar" here in Asheville.*All the equipment and installation is included in the price."

If you are getting a 3 panel Velux system for that price the markup is hidden somewhere else. sounds too good to be true. We used to be Velux dealers but dropped the line as it was difficult to compete considering the cost of the equipment.

[Stephen850]

If you are getting a 3 panel Velux system for that price the markup is hidden somewhere else. sounds too good to be true. We used to be Velux dealers but dropped the line as it was difficult to compete considering the cost of the equipment.

He first said 6800; then he felt the price dropped to 5800; then the developer quoted 6800 and now the builder is back to the 6800. So there's the profit I guess. Will adding the drainback add money to my cost?

[russ]

Drainback is a different schematic and the panels have to be designed to allow it.

Shouldn't cost any more.

Russ

[Naptown]

He first said 6800; then he felt the price dropped to 5800; then the developer quoted 6800 and now the builder is back to the 6800. So there's the profit I guess. Will adding the drainback add money to my cost?

Well it can't be done with a velux system the absorbers are serpentine If I remember and series together with all connections at the bottom of the panels. They will not drain.

[Stephen850]

Hey guys. Hope you are all healthy and wealthy or at least earning a living these days. So I don’t have solar based on your recommendations 9 years ago. E bills run $80 per month average. I spend 50% of my time in that house. Should I now install a 4 kw solar system? Have prices come down a lot? rebates? Thanks!

[SunEagle]

Hey guys. Hope you are all healthy and wealthy or at least earning a living these days. So I don’t have solar based on your recommendations 9 years ago. E bills run $80 per month average. I spend 50% of my time in that house. Should I now install a 4 kw solar system? Have prices come down a lot? rebates? Thanks!

The price of solar equipment may have come down but the installation costs are still high.

If you plan on installing a solar pv system you will have to determine the payback by some type of estimate for the installation divided by the cost savings each year. For me a non DIY install is still over $2/watt which is more than 10 year payback. Each person needs to do their own math to see if it is worth installing pv.

[nwdiver]

Hey guys. Hope you are all healthy and wealthy or at least earning a living these days. So I don’t have solar based on your recommendations 9 years ago. E bills run $80 per month average. I spend 50% of my time in that house. Should I now install a 4 kw solar system? Have prices come down a lot? rebates? Thanks!

If you're willing to DIY the prices are crazy cheap. If you shop around you should be able to get everything you need for ~4kW for <$3k; That's <$2k if you purchase this year and take the FTC.