# another solar question



## dolfan (Aug 3, 2013)

I am interested in getting solar next yr at tax time and have been playing around online some for info etc. I have looked on craigslist and there is a company that is selling a basic setup for $1995.00. It is 1500 watts and reads it can power refrigerators,laptops,tvs and indoor lights and is 120 volts. It includes 2 x 270watt panels,change controller,converter,and a deluxe control board. What do you think is it a good deal or not? thanks


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## Gary in ohio (May 11, 2002)

first thing I would want to know is what panels? Get the specs, what charge controller, What converter and what control board. It doesn't appear to include batteries and will it power a fridge, depends on the fridge. does the price include installation and all cables/wires?

Next question to ask yourself is what am I trying to do by going solar? is the TV and laptop important if the power is out?



$2k for 1500watts seems a little high depending on what your getting.


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## dolfan (Aug 3, 2013)

Thanks. I/we don't know anything about solar. We have talked a little about solar but more so about having it for water but came across this on CL.


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## TnAndy (Sep 15, 2005)

Surely there are batteries, why else have a charge controller ?

Or is it a "batteries not included" kinda thing .....ahahahaaaa

Anyway, without specifications, price doesn't mean anything. Post a link to the actual ad.


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## Alaska (Jun 16, 2012)

with out specs it is hard to judge, but my first thoughts is to stay away from it.


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## wy_white_wolf (Oct 14, 2004)

I'm making some assumptions here.

1500Watts would be the inverter size since they list 2 - 270 watt panels. In the winter the 2 panels would only generate about usable 700 to 1000 Watt hours a day. So I'd say the inverter is oversized for the array. Typical trick to make a system sound larger than it is.

Batteries would be extra since you didn't list them. That puts the cost ($1995/540watts) at $3.69 per watt plus batteries and any other incidentals. Seems a little high to me.

I'd spend a little more time learning and put together my own system that is designed to power the load I have instead of some generic system.

WWW


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## JeepHammer (May 12, 2015)

I agree, without details this is very hard to assess.

The rebates/tax credits will usually only come with a professional installer signing off on the install.
Manufacturer rebates are few & far between since they are having no problems selling everything they can produce.

Panels will last 20 years or more, so buy good panels,
The panels coming from China are junk, you are much better off with quality panels.

Lastly, 1,500 watts (usually inverter rating) is barely enough for a fridge or freezer.
Its fine for a couple low consumption lights, charging phones, ect,
But I've found that a 1,500 watt inverter often won't 'Hard Start' large freezers or friges.
Too much current draw and the inverter will kick out (circuit protection).


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## dolfan (Aug 3, 2013)

thanks i will not check into this then


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## Xperthunter (Mar 30, 2015)

A reputable company in the Midwest will sell, install, certify, and warentee a grid tie system for around 2.35/watt. Batteries run about $2k for every 4k you generate (assuming standard storage and AGM 105ah deep cycle batteries.


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## JeepHammer (May 12, 2015)

I have batteries, I'm off grid.
Batteries are EXPEN$IVE!
Expen$ive in cash, housing them, and maintenance time.


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## AndrewD (Nov 24, 2015)

I&#8217;m going to second what many other people on this thread are saying; without more information, it&#8217;s difficult to tell whether or not you&#8217;re getting a good deal. There are many factors that go into a solar investment. It&#8217;s a complex interplay of different variables, but luckily there are a lot a great online resources to help you out. In your case, I think that it would be very useful to take advantage of some of these online resources. There&#8217;s a great site called Solar to the People: http://solar-to-the-people.com/ 

It would be a good idea to look into it, because I think it could really help you. There are also sites that have solar energy calculators. A good one is PVWatts ( http://pvwatts.nrel.gov/index.php ), which will help you determine the energy output of your system. Additionally, there are sites that will help you roughly determine the price of solar in your area, since the prices vary from location to location. A good site to help you determine pricing is a page from the U.S. Department of Energy--- http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy14osti/62558.pdf . This page gets a bit complex, but it does have some detailed information on pricing. There&#8217;s also a good FAQ put out by the Solar Energy Industry Association: http://www.seia.org/about/solar-energy/solar-faq 

Hope this helps!


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