close 2 argument with wife solar panels residentia

[2008wrx]

whether if i have more things to worry or not, also none of your business. whether if it has effect on me or not, also none of your business. i chose to share a little story here, i am cool with all feedback from anyone and that is one of the functions of the forums, so people can exchange opinions. keep going keyboard hero. But at least now i see real people experience that in 7 years someone got the good ROI. Instead of coming from commercial. Oh, even i called it argument, my wife is always cool with that type of conversation.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Originally Posted By: KrisZ
Why get upset over what someone else spends their money on?


I could never understand why people do that. Now if they were in charge of spending MY money, then yeah it would be a different story.

On a side note, if planning to spend some money to save more money in the long run makes sense (decent positive ROI), then why not do it.

 

[gathermewool]

Very hard to read you post, OP. Both its structure and content are pretty poor. You could ask them for their logic or simply do the research yourself, instead of assuming and coming across as petty and ignorant.

Even if their intent isn't to be green, but to save some green, what is your argument against? They own a big home, so they should waste money on utilities? That's a ridiculous argument, and is partially the logic that keeps poor people poor; thoughts similar to, "he thinks he's all that? How come he owns a big house, but drives a Corolla!? How come he doesn't wear nice clothes, if he's so well off!? Heck, I make $30k/year and wear Gucci and drive a Benz!"

Of course, I'll take back most of what I said above if you reply that the subject people are wasteful idiots who simply chose to convert to solar without any forethought/research, and are only doing it to show off their green street cred

Originally Posted By: Nick1994
When solar makes sense is when you buy the panels outright and not make payments on them or lease them.

Also, it depends on the area. In Phoenix with a 4000 square foot house, your electric bill in the summer is guaranteed to be a MINIMUM $600 a month, likely way more than that.

A family member of mine has a 1,500-2,000 square foot house with solar he paid cash for, the break even point is 6 years for them. Their electric bills are $0 a month.


A buddy of mine, using state subsidies, claims he will be even in 5 years based on the last few years he has had the panels installed. He feeds the grid and takes in what he needs, and then pays the difference, which he again claims is negligible.

 

[yeti]

Originally Posted By: ZeeOSix
Originally Posted By: KrisZ
Why get upset over what someone else spends their money on?


I could never understand why people do that. Now if they were in charge of spending MY money, then yeah it would be a different story.

On a side note, if planning to spend some money to save more money in the long run makes sense (decent positive ROI), then why not do it.


the O.P. is really funny.
if a couple is going to have an argument, keep it on the home front, and not about another's solar panels.try leaving the toilet seat up -- that will do it.
thanks for a good laugh, and have a good evening.

 

[RoadRaceJosh]

Originally Posted By: 2008wrx
whether if it has effect on me or not, also none of your business.


Whether or not you have a dog in this fight is relevant. If you don't like people questioning your motives then you're probably going to be much better off not starting any discussions, here or in person.

 

[2008wrx]

Thanks all, great inputs. good discussion

 

[yeti]

Originally Posted By: Joshua_Skinner
Originally Posted By: 2008wrx
whether if it has effect on me or not, also none of your business.


Whether or not you have a dog in this fight is relevant. If you don't like people questioning your motives then you're probably going to be much better off not starting any discussions, here or in person.


this.
O.P. --you made it the business of all bitogers when you hit the submit button.show this thread to your wife. see what she thinks.
i can't be the only one that thinks this is funny.entertainment, and no cover charge.

 

[CT8]

Originally Posted By: Nebroch
I don't understand what's wrong with solar electricity / heating. It's a small step towards sovereignty, and technology gets cheaper and better every day.
Sovereignty is a thing of the past is seems. We seem to be heading into a new world order.

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: 2008wrx
I said her friend is cheap; count pennies. Her friends can afford a half a million home with close to 4000 Sq ft. But install solar panels to save electricity bills. Main purpose is to save money. If trying to be GREEN, i admire. But [censored].. if you can buy such a nice house; why count on the electricity usage. Just want to vent.
We just spend 10k to put a new roof, i am like no f way to drill holes to take a chance to save money! Like 25 bucks a month? Rill holes is going to leak, no matter what. Thanks for listening.


Newsflash - a half a million home is not an expensive home in plenty of places. And given that the median salary in the USA, including in many of these places, is like $50k, the ratios are not in their favor.

Depending upon utility rates, it can be a very good returning investment. My inlaws pay nearly 50c/kWh for their electricity. They run freezers and equipment for their business at their home. Installing panels has offered a healthy return given net metering and lack of bills.

 

[aquariuscsm]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Originally Posted By: 2008wrx
I said her friend is cheap; count pennies. Her friends can afford a half a million home with close to 4000 Sq ft. But install solar panels to save electricity bills. Main purpose is to save money. If trying to be GREEN, i admire. But [censored].. if you can buy such a nice house; why count on the electricity usage. Just want to vent.
We just spend 10k to put a new roof, i am like no f way to drill holes to take a chance to save money! Like 25 bucks a month? Rill holes is going to leak, no matter what. Thanks for listening.


Newsflash - a half a million home is not an expensive home in plenty of places. And given that the median salary in the USA, including in many of these places, is like $50k, the ratios are not in their favor.

Depending upon utility rates, it can be a very good returning investment. My inlaws pay nearly 50c/kWh for their electricity. They run freezers and equipment for their business at their home. Installing panels has offered a healthy return given net metering and lack of bills.


Did I read that correctly,they pay fifty cents per kw for electricity? In DFW a couple years ago we were paying three cents per kw. Man that's some expensive juice!!

 

[bubbatime]

Many places have a return on investment in the 25 year range, which is far too long to realistically install solar, in my opinion. If you live in an area where you can get a return of investment within 5-7 years, installing solar should be a no brainer.

Another cool thing about solar is that it leaves the roof under it in the shade, so potentially 30-70% of your roof will be in the shade, which could help cool your home in the summer as an added side benefit.

I would LOVE to have solar electric panels, solar water heater, geothermal cooling/heat, and my own drilled natural gas line, but hey, I don't have any of that.

 

[Shannow]

With rebates, in my state it's about $1,000 per KW installed...$1,200 if you buy the "premium" kit.

Wholesale generation rates are about 4c/KWhr, retail about 27c, and the incentives for the early adopters were 60c/KWhr feed in tarrif. 500MW p.a. started getting put on roofs, displacing a coal unit every year...

There's a problem in that the panels were supposed to be offset from true north to provide peak load closer to evening peak, while the installers maximised daily KWhr (and certified their own installs)...there was talk about making them redo them to the planned angle, but they won't.

Now the feed in tarriff is the wholesale cost (4c), and people are whining about being ripped off by not getting parity with their retail rate.

Next big thing will be batteries, and people will be storing their own energy to use around the clock. I know a guy who did that $30k for a whole house install. His house, choice, and money, and he's a year or two from retirement, and considers the lack of outgoings in his retirement to be worth it.

My mother has a system that her and Dad sized to meet their reverse cycle air conditioning/heating load...they thought air conditioning a luxury all their lives, and put in a set of panels with their air-con as a single capital investment. Made them happy.

Another workmate on his way to retirement (guy shoulda been an engineer) knew that he and his wife would be home every day, so instead of facing his panels due North, placed 1/3 to get the morning sun, and the 2/3 to get the afternoon (with low sun angle in winter)...his is pumping enough at breakfast time to run their place. 11AM will run the aircon and clothes washer/drier, and enough to get the house cold all through the day. He's happy with his design, and how it runs his house.

Tax office is now all over "negative" energy bills as an income stream, and for retirees it's serious, so the engineered systems make more sense if used.

Emerging issue is that a lot of the inverters and whatnot are 10+ years old now, and the occasional failure is leaving rooftop panels a stranded ornaments because the replacement isn't subsidised like the installation was.

 

[Andrew1972]

People buy brand new hybrids and diesel cars at good premium over gasoline in the pursuit of "saving money" when the economics aren't there either. Especially with $2/gallon fuel and near 30city/40 highway figures on proven/simple gasoline motors.

I would not call them cheap just a choice.

 

[Greasymechtech]

I doubt its simply to save money and most don't even consider cost/payback...

Solar panels like hybrids/diesels/organic foods/.... are a lifestyle choice.

Some choose to waste their income on other frivolous things. Who are we to judge whether its better to wear a Rolex or drive a Bentley, vs a Timex or Prius while having or not having a roof full of solar panels?

Enjoy your income and hobbies.

 

[Doog]

When I move into my home in SW Florida I will install a few panels on the back of the home. I have a South exposure so they will have a 5-6 year ROI. I will also convert the whole house to LED lights. Etc.

I like doing simple upgrades that knock my variable expenses down even if it is only 5-10%

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: aquariuscsm
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Originally Posted By: 2008wrx
I said her friend is cheap; count pennies. Her friends can afford a half a million home with close to 4000 Sq ft. But install solar panels to save electricity bills. Main purpose is to save money. If trying to be GREEN, i admire. But [censored].. if you can buy such a nice house; why count on the electricity usage. Just want to vent.
We just spend 10k to put a new roof, i am like no f way to drill holes to take a chance to save money! Like 25 bucks a month? Rill holes is going to leak, no matter what. Thanks for listening.


Newsflash - a half a million home is not an expensive home in plenty of places. And given that the median salary in the USA, including in many of these places, is like $50k, the ratios are not in their favor.

Depending upon utility rates, it can be a very good returning investment. My inlaws pay nearly 50c/kWh for their electricity. They run freezers and equipment for their business at their home. Installing panels has offered a healthy return given net metering and lack of bills.


Did I read that correctly,they pay fifty cents per kw for electricity? In DFW a couple years ago we were paying three cents per kw. Man that's some expensive juice!!


When you live on an island that runs gas turbines burning diesel, it can be!