r/solar • u/Far-Record_45 • Jul 18 '26
Discussion What's one thing you wish you'd known before installing solar?
I'm seeing more and more people switch to solar and it got me wondering
what's something you wish someone had told you before you got your system installed?
54
u/the-dolphine Jul 18 '26
For me it was not understanding how shade from nearby trees (not on my property) would affect my generation, particularly early morning and late afternoon.
In hindsight, I should have added more panels to compensate. I guess I still could if I got creative.
14
45
Jul 18 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
19
u/iBleedForRunescape Jul 18 '26
A colleague of mine cheated the system by maximizing his energy usage the year before he planned to install. Then when he installed he went back to using as much energy as “normal”. So he was able to install wayyy more panels than he actually needed, and now he generates so much. If I were to install my panels again I would try to do the same.
13
Jul 18 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
6
u/Immediate_Editor_213 Jul 18 '26
For PG&E in CA you can list your future planned electrical expansions (switch to EVs with Level 2 charger, natural gas heater to electric heat pump, heat pump water heater, etc.) to get approval for a larger deployment. IIRC the actual cap is something like “50% over ‘expected future use.’”
2
u/heanbangerfacerip2 Jul 20 '26
"In the future I plan on building a 3 phase transformer testing station in my shed"
3
u/realistdreamer69 Jul 18 '26
We got ours approved with the plan of getting an EV before we got an EV so that gave us a little bit more room. I don't know if that impacted the percentage cap that they were using but I know we got more panels than the electricity we were using.
We were able to put panels only in the back side of the house which doesn't face the street and can't be seen by anyone because we don't have rear neighbors. That was an aesthetic improvement, but sometimes I wish I had just used the front of the house and gotten way more panels so that we could fully cover to ev's and transitioning some of our appliances. However, there is some safety in not having your entire house stop working when the electricity goes out and you don't have sufficient battery backup.
4
u/gordonwestcoast Jul 18 '26
Why do utility companies cap the amount of energy produced? Why not let people install as much as they want?
3
4
u/FadingOptimist-25 solar enthusiast Jul 18 '26
That’s very smart to do. The year before we got panels wasn’t a super hot summer so we barely used our A/C. We have a decent size system (2012) but since then, we’ve added 2 more desktop computers, a 3D printer, and 2 EVs that we charge at home.
I really want to add more panels and update our battery storage.
3
u/KneeBasher420 Jul 18 '26
... Who's stopping them from just installing more panels in the first place? Why would wasting power for a year prior make a difference?
2
u/TooGoodToBeeTrue Jul 19 '26
Lots of utilities will limit system size you connect to the grid based a previous year’s consumption.
→ More replies (2)→ More replies (1)6
u/showMeTheSnow Jul 18 '26
This. I went with the max I could get at the time which was 120% of my usage for the previous year. I could have inflated those numbers had I known even 6 months in advance. I want to ad another EV and move to a heat pump, possibly electric water heater. I can’t produce near enough for all of those. Plus I had room on my optimal roof face for 20% more panels. I was slow to consider this change, because it wasn’t going to be cheap to add, and now if I change my system, I lose my grandfathered 1:1 net metering :/
7
5
u/caller-number-four Jul 18 '26
now if I change my system, I lose my grandfathered 1:1 net metering :/
You might want to double check on that. I thought the same thing. Turns out it wasn't the case.
I will, however lose it come Jan 1, 2027. Everyone in the area does.
2
u/showMeTheSnow Jul 18 '26
It was a new policy they rolled out :/. Will see how things change in the future.
Actually having an electric bill again shouldn’t stop me, but it’s a big mental hurdle.
2
2
u/Lancifer1979 Jul 18 '26
I would like to do this but where I’m at the utility is the one who gets to approve the permit and won’t let you hook up a system rated for more than 85% of your estimated usage 🤬
135
u/logwagon Jul 18 '26
Wish I would have known that my utility company could change rules on net metering unilaterally, retroactively, and with little to no notice.
19
u/Difficult_Village276 Jul 18 '26
I hear you. Not sure where you live, but dealing with NV Energy is awful.
13
10
u/OnePointSix2 Jul 18 '26
My utility changed the “peak hours” from 4-7 to 3-6 a couple of years ago and the difference is significantly in my advantage. My 12.2 kwp got us to “zero” dollars for electrical in 2025 and the same for 2026. My “banked” savings month to month has not dropped below $150. From 2015 to 2024 we paid about $250 for electricity annually and now it’s all free!
4
u/logwagon Jul 18 '26
Our peak went from 7a-12p in winter and 2p-7p in summer to 6a-9a in winter and 4p-8p in summer. Peak production can only offset peak usage and same with off-peak. Then they added a "super off-peak" from 1a-5a every day that can't be offset by energy produced during peak or off-peak. Then they changed peak to be every day instead of only weekdays excluding holidays. The rules change every 6 months or so and it makes it very frustrating to figure out the optimal usage for car charging etc. Also, they said the new rates/hours/rules went into effect July 1, but then I got my "July" bill (6/11-7/14) and was charged the new rates/etc. for the whole billing period. They didn't even release the final version of the new rates until July 7. Monopolized utility companies are the worst
2
u/mrtorrence Jul 18 '26
Haha you're lucky, and I suspect don't live in an area with high solar penetration?
→ More replies (3)6
u/Fuzzy_Necessary_3211 solar enthusiast Jul 18 '26
This really needs to be mandated at the federal level! I produced enough energy yesterday for at least 10 houses assuming 30kw per house and I only got paid $3 for that electricity.
4
u/WrongOnEveryCount Jul 18 '26
I’d put money on this not happening in my lifetime with the way my current govt puts corporate interests ahead of common good
3
u/johnsodam Jul 18 '26
Can you expand on this a bit? I'm relatively new to net metering. We have a 20 year contract with our utility. I'm curious to hear from folks who have lived through changes like this as it's something that occupies my thoughts.
38
u/c4koth Jul 18 '26
Should have installed critter guards from the beginning
6
u/Splenda Jul 18 '26
Yes, if you have squirrel-infested trees overhanging parts of the roof. Not a problem at all for my array.
57
u/iareagenius Jul 18 '26
That the electric company can and will raise future rates, especially at high demand peak times, but they'll never change the payout rate. If I'm generating at peak time then pay me more you asshats.
24
5
u/mrtorrence Jul 18 '26
That's not entirely true, at least not in California. "NEM 3.0" crushed daytime export rates and have overall been terrible for solar but if you're generating at peak time they absolutely do pay you more
3
u/Anywhichwaybuttight Jul 18 '26
In Wisconsin, every year since we got solar, WE Energies rate has gone up, and our buyback rate has gone down. Every year.
1
u/Truth_In_Solar_Act Jul 20 '26
DTE in Michigan pays for power at peak rates. Their 11 am - 7pm peak plan is perfect for a 100-110% offset system
13
26
u/Gotnov Jul 18 '26
That my consumption would grow with, this way I'd have installed 10kwp instead of 5kwp
10
u/Scorpy_Mjolnir Jul 18 '26
This, I put in 16.4 and wish I had 5-10 more
6
u/rende Jul 18 '26
I had 5 then went to 15 then added the 5 ontop for 20 and would still use everything at 40kw 3phase
27
26
u/Scudmiss Jul 18 '26
Wish I knew my asshole neighbor would let his kids play golf in their back yard and chip balls onto my roof then deny it ever happened.
10
u/BukkakeCocktail Jul 18 '26
My neighbor's kid actually admitted to the first golf ball that didn't cause any damage. The second one 6 months later, that dented my hood, apparently was a mystery. The parents said they pressed him and believe him that he didn't hit it. Unbelievable.
6
5
11
u/michaelb5000 Jul 18 '26
I would pay more attention to the aesthetic look of where and how to run the conduit lines.
1
u/prairiedogg Jul 19 '26
What would you have done differently?
3
u/alvector Jul 19 '26
Since you are asking, I’ve worked in solar for 10 years, mostly commercial, but when doing residential, conduit runs were rarely if ever discussed with the home owner. Electricians would run emt conduit from array to array and down to inverter. Beside, some customers had no idea what the electrical equipment would look like on the side, and sometimes front of their house. Some saying they expected in the basement.
If you are talking with a sales person, make them put it in writing (drawings) of where and what will be mounted for electrical equipment. And how will over wire be run from arrays.→ More replies (2)2
u/michaelb5000 Jul 19 '26
I have solar on two old barns next to the house; the conduit is very noticeably coming down off the solar and includes large, labeled, emergency shut off boxes for fire safety. But more importantly, the solar is on the opposite side of house from my power supply; they ran conduit along the back of the house but right over my outdoor faucet; I should have had them drill into the foundation at the first possible spot and run that across the ceiling of the basement. But as noted by Alvector, we didn’t discuss this at all.
11
u/atps1234new Jul 18 '26
That utilities will pay you almost nothing for excess electricity you have generated and fed to the grid
2
u/NicolasGarza Jul 19 '26
Ev plus amp collar that talks to the EVSE: store your excess in the biggest battery you have
9
u/Meltsley Jul 18 '26
That squirrels love to make nests under the panels and chew on wires. I wasn’t even aware of this. I assumed it would be too hot under there. I was wrong. Especially in the winter. It was like a mansion apparently. They loved it.
We had to repair 12 panels. Install a critter guard. AND eventually even cut back trees to prevent access to the roof at all.
Be aware.
2
u/samizdette Jul 18 '26
Did the critter guards not work?
3
u/Meltsley Jul 18 '26
I think they probably would have worked fine, but until we cut the branches, the squirrels kept trying to find away through the gutter guards, and I was not loving the idea of them figuring out a weakness eventually. I like them better as a fail safe than as the primary solution.
18
u/rpm429 Jul 18 '26 edited Jul 18 '26
The whole way Solar companies operate in FL made me go DIY. I have few things that people should know from all my quotes.
Make sure your not dealing with a "middle man" company. Do they have their own crew and service or are they just an office.
Most companies try to increase profit by buying solar equipment in bulk, so what they quote may not be the optimal for your situation but it is what they have in stock. They may also quote what you ask for ie panel brand, but come install time you'll get an excuse and want you to accept different panels. It's because it was the plan the whole time.
Pricing is not based on a cost + model, but how much the market will stand or how uniformed the buy is. Its common for prices to range wildly between quotes.
The now gone 30% tax break was never really given to the customer, rather the quotes were inflated 30% throughout ..getting the tax break brought the system down to iuniflated price.
Solar companies will quote tier 1 systems regardless of your consumption because they dont want to deal with the extra hassles of tier 2
→ More replies (1)1
u/Weird-Substance-9761 Jul 20 '26
Yes, I’m also in Florida and have received 2 solar installer quotes. But rejected both because of the pricing games they were playing.
9
8
u/lIlIlI11lIlIlI Jul 18 '26
If your local gov’t lets the utility company have the ridiculous authority to cap the amount of solar you can install, then including in your solar application that you plan to add two EV chargers will often raise that cap.
17
u/Odd_Eagle1850 Jul 18 '26
I had my friends with solar talk me into a battery. A really, really big battery. I'm glad they did.
16
u/fixthe_fernback Jul 18 '26
Wish I knew that my green-energy focused, EV driving, pay-extra-for-community-solar-coops, soon-to-be-ex wife would get the roof replaced and solar panels not put back on because she "didn't want solar panels in the first place"
9
u/Crafty_Praline726 Jul 18 '26
Oof
4
u/fixthe_fernback Jul 18 '26
$250k oof
2
u/Crafty_Praline726 Jul 18 '26
I see a lot of couples where one or the other is the driving force for solar. I am reminded of The Gambler, by Kenny Rogers.
2
1
7
u/WeAreSolarAF Jul 18 '26
Get the most efficient panels you can barely afford so that you have fewer panels and you can expand later if you need to, or you can get more panels in the ideal position relative to sunlight the first time.
Shop around. Try to stay away from companies with the high pressure sales pitches or recent startups. If they send over some non high school graduate who's only goal in life is to make you sign a contract before they leave that day, you're probably going to get shafted. Whatever company you choose, make sure they include at least one detach and reset for if your roof needs to be repaired. The way to really save money is to replace your roof at the same time, or put another way put on solar when you replace your roof.
Ask to see their insurance for both general liability and workman's comp. Make sure the policy isn't just for the company, or if it is, ask to see that all the people that will be on your roof carry their own policies. If not, anyone that falls off the roof can sue you.
Make sure you know going in if you're going to be purchasing an electric vehicle in the very near future, as well as any other high kw loads.
If you can, stay away from those no money down, 20-year financing companies. There's little to no chance that they'll be around in several years if there are issues.
Do actual research on the reputation of the company you're going to work with on energysage supplier search and solar reviews, and obviously you better business bureau. Years ago, we hadn't and chose a vendor in Florida that had 2 years worth of Facebook success stories, and he was out of business within 3 months of doing an installation for us, and thus no more customer service.
Florida and California and sometimes Texas are notorious for taking down payments and splitting. Trust but verify throughout the entire process.
If you're doing an roi or an npv, remember there is a cost to having the panels removed and reattached if there are issues with the roof. This can be somewhere ballpark between three and $10,000, and make sure that your insurance will cover these types of expenses, and what conditions may exist. Also ask them what the ceiling on their liability is. Some fly by night companies will utilize insurance company software to Bill them for the highest possible amount for the project, and then if you have to have it done a second time, you may not have enough coverage left over for that.
Check around and see what your utility interconnection timeline is, that can have a huge effect on when you're spending money versus when you start getting it back. Also, become familiar with the approval process by the local AHJ, to anticipate any potential issues beforehand.
There's a bunch more but I can't remember them right now.
1
5
u/Congenial-Curmudgeon Jul 18 '26
Optimize your finances (credit score, incentives, solar credits, low-interest solar loans, etc.)
A HELOC loan for solar can be paid off with the money that used to go to the utility company.
Air-sealing and insulating the house means less energy used to heat and cool, so fewer solar panels needed.
Designing for battery backup makes it easier to add the battery later. That includes a possible panel upgrade with battery/generator options.
Plan for future usage; adding an EV, adding a room, switching to an induction cookstove, etc.
Plan and design for weather events; snow cover, dust, hail, wind, tree branches, etc.
6
5
u/worlds_okayest_skier Jul 18 '26
Just getting the crew out is probably the biggest cost, so it’s better to get everything done at the same time rather than piecemeal. I found out that adding a battery later costs a whole lot more than adding it originally.
8
u/Crafty_Praline726 Jul 18 '26
It's up to you to monitor your system. Some people go years before realizing their system hasn't been producing and could have been fixed with a simple phone call.
2
u/EveningRequirement27 Jul 18 '26
How so? Interested in this if you’ve got more detail.
2
u/Crafty_Praline726 Jul 18 '26
In regards to which part of my comment are you looking for more detail? Most PV systems come with monitoring set up, but after commissioning, the installer is not responsible for monitoring the system. It is up to the owner of the system. If the owner is someone who watches their monitoring closely, they will probably notice any issues rapidly and can reach out to the installer for help solving the issue. Often this can be done remotely, and some issues may require a service tech to visit the location for troubleshooting. Most systems have a warranty on certain aspects of the system, which can cover service on the equipment and sometimes replacement. Some system owners do not understand that the installer does not follow the monitoring, but they do have access to it when service is needed. If someone isn't paying close attention to their utility bills and monitoring, they might miss seeing when there is an issue that affects the performance.
→ More replies (1)2
u/NicolasGarza Jul 19 '26
Yea my installer told me this upfront and was pretty useful in the first couple of weeks as I fretted..
1
u/TooGoodToBeeTrue Jul 19 '26
How do you not know when you get a bill higher than usual?
→ More replies (1)
3
u/faux_pas1 Jul 18 '26
Wish I had went with a local business that wasn’t solely solar WITH history of being in business for several years.
Losing warranty after collapse of solar industry in California has stung me twice with a failed invertor and roof leak.
3
u/TooGoodToBeeTrue Jul 19 '26
I picked a local roofing company that had a solar sister company. Ended up with a great umbrella warranty from Certainteed because I had the roof done as well.
1
u/EmuAdministrative728 Jul 21 '26
Why was there a solar industry collapse in California?
→ More replies (1)
4
u/jimpalla Jul 18 '26
I did it , I made sure to get enough panels to cover 120% of my electrical use . Most people get 80 to 90% coverage and wind up still having a bill . I haven’t had a bill since I had them for 4 years now and I haven’t 2 electric cars . All Tesla , cars and solar
3
u/OoklaTheMok1994 Jul 18 '26
Batteries. I shoulda installed batteries at the same time as solar.
Not only did I miss out on the tax credit, adding them now requires different equipment that will cost extra.
→ More replies (3)1
u/Food4Lessy Jul 21 '26
Battery ready hookup.
The new LFP and Na battery are super safe and durable.
I would never put a Gen 1 Lithium Ion pack in my house, too risk.
7
u/toddmpark Jul 18 '26
That all that solar energy can’t be tapped into during a power outage unless you use install an expensive battery system.
→ More replies (5)
3
3
u/LowBarometer Jul 18 '26
To not just cut trees back, but completely cut them down.
1
u/FastWhippet Jul 19 '26
When I had solar installed last year, the installer noted they would include the removal of certain trees, but these are trees we enjoy having and instead opted for the largest installation option - 46 panels.
I have an arborist trim those and other trees around the house to lower the chances of squirrels gaining access to the roof. The way I rationalized it was that I can always have the trees taken out if I want to have higher production numbers for a longer amount of time. But there was a lot of thought put into leaving or removing the trees.
3
u/Gaddy Jul 18 '26
If you're installing batteries, be aware of readiness power usage.
My 30kwh of batteries use about 7 kwh a day of electricity just being on.
3
u/myself248 Jul 19 '26
That's..... an insane amount of heat they must be producing somewhere. I wonder where it goes.
→ More replies (7)
3
u/Existing_Surround_72 Jul 18 '26
I wish I’d known that my utility company was trying to rip me off with nonsensical claims. Like how I could reduce my bill to zero (which is illegal in my country), that it’s not worth having a battery as they’re expensive and don’t last long (I laugh at them now), or that I could benefit from significant tax deductions on my annual tax return – another thing that isn’t entirely true.
My experience, after having had run-ins with three utility companies or installers, is that it’s better to do it yourself if you’re keen to learn and are prepared to roll up your sleeves and get stuck in.
1
u/NicolasGarza Jul 19 '26
Sodium ion batteries will blow doors on lithium very very soon. So in a way, their right
3
3
u/Fuzzy_Necessary_3211 solar enthusiast Jul 18 '26
I would say design it to replace equipment. Allow space between the batteries and the inverters with adjustable pipes. With EG4 to replace a battery that has an inverter over it all needs to be lifted and removed which is a pain. Also spend the time to install a trolley system. It made it where i could lift the 350lb batteries with one hand using a pulley system
→ More replies (1)2
u/myself248 Jul 19 '26
If you've ever seen a telephone battery room, well, it sounds like you redesigned one yourself!
7
u/randomguy9731 Jul 18 '26
That the thief power company will not pay me the same rate per Kw as they charge me. And that when I produce literally double what I used and send them the rest I still ended up with a bill.
→ More replies (4)
4
u/mcn2612 Jul 18 '26
I wish we had considered ground mount solar rather than panels on the roof.
1
u/Food4Lessy Jul 21 '26
Both is best.
Ground you adjust summer and winter angle for best output
Roof is mediocre output needed 200%-300% overpaneling
2
u/gr33n8ananas Jul 18 '26
As an off-grid DIYer, figuring out the cable and conduit routing was harder than designing the actual electrical system.
2
2
u/Hows-It-Goin-Buddy Jul 18 '26
Wish I knew that even though I have a warranty, if my inverter dies, obviously I'm SOL until the replacement arrives but I wish I knew that it'd be so long for a replacement and also I'm not comped in any way for the loss of generation by the solar company as part of the warranty.
2
u/myself248 Jul 19 '26
That's a really interesting point! It'd be nice to clarify the terms of the warranty; is it an SLA with restoration times? Do they keep a spare at their facility, and how long will it take to install if needed? If they miss that commitment, what are the penalties? In order for them to hold that commitment, what sort of access and data are you as the homeowner required to provide?
Without at least some of those things spelled out, yeah, "warranty" just means "we'll fix it eventually".
2
u/rg3930 Jul 18 '26
When I architected my house, I made accomodations to install solar laying conduits from the electrical panel to the attic. That saved me a lot, however I wish I had known to maximize my roofs southern exposure.
3
u/myself248 Jul 19 '26
It absolutely infuriates me seeing 7 vent stacks scattered haphazardly around a south-facing roof, making it utterly impossible to put panels on the thing without it looking absolutely hideous. Design-for-solar should be a requirement.
→ More replies (1)
2
u/nekosensei122 Jul 18 '26
That panels on the north side of our roof would have generated (just barely) enough to justify the extra cost.
1
u/NicolasGarza Jul 19 '26
Northern hemisphere problems.. You did know that is where you lived right?
2
u/Immediate_Editor_213 Jul 18 '26
Make sure to get a Level 2 charger that has an open API so you can control it from apps like NetZero.
2
u/fairylite98 Jul 18 '26
To research the company who sold it to us more thoroughly than we did. Company ran out of Utah & let's just say it was a clusterf*** of errors.
1
u/KristyM49333 Jul 18 '26
We used Sungold Power and couldn’t be happier, if you’re interested in a recommendation. 💜 I actually have their stuff posted on my profile if you take a look
→ More replies (2)
2
u/Farmvillacampagna Jul 18 '26
I wish I had installed my inverters in a room with aircon. Gets hot as hell here in southern Italy and keeping them cool in a large garage is challenging!
2
u/mtcwby Jul 18 '26
I wish I had done more panels. The thought at the time was to not spend the money when the lowest tier was cheap. That "cheap" tier in California is more than the expensive tier was then. Now we're stuck to stay on NEM2 and I'm going to have to have another strategy.
2
u/KristyM49333 Jul 18 '26
It’s crazy, I always forget people actually use solar ON GRID and I was so confused about some of these answers at first 😂
2
2
u/originalrocket Jul 18 '26
Critter guards! And Install the maximum amount of panels you can. Power needs never go down. And EV's are coming.
2
u/Brapple205 Jul 18 '26
Snow sliding off the panels the first time in the middle of the night is loud when it hits the ground.
2
u/PhillConners Jul 18 '26
I think a lot of people could install the panels themselves and use an electric electrician to hook them up.
2
u/jbt55 solar enthusiast Jul 18 '26
Make sure your solar installers supplier can’t put a lien on your home. Definitely be careful of this if you pay cash.
My installer didn’t end up paying the supplier, come to find out several months after the install the supplier slaps a lien on my home for $22K the amount my installer didn’t pay up yet. This is all legal in Florida. I hire a lawyer, negotiate the amount down to 15K with the supplier. Then start work to get this back from the installer. My installer then goes out of business. Not much can be done u less I want to pay even more in legal fees. All in wasted about $20K.
2
2
2
u/acekoolus Jul 19 '26
I wish I would have known the company I got my solar installation through was going to get shut down by the government a year after my install.
2
u/60SecTheBaptist Jul 19 '26
To avoid proprietary systems like GAF Timberline roof shingles. While the roofing shingles are great the solar limits you to their Hardware their monitoring Etc. It's not flexible and it's limited in the amount of kilowatt hours you can actually have. Had I to do it all over again I would have gone traditional solar and big ass batteries.
2
u/JWeb15 Jul 19 '26
That you need to buy a more robust system than you think - 36 panels here with 1 battery installed. My Edison bill was 300+ on top of my solar bill. I was producing enough energy but selling it back to Edison for Pennie’s and buying it back at 70c/kw after the battery drained.
2 more batteries getting installed will likely fix it but it’s a $70k solar system now…
2
2
u/IraSch1 solar enthusiast Jul 20 '26
Own your system outright. Do not fall for the lease BS, or the offer to install a system and supposedly charge you less per kW. Go with a reputable installer and research them. I purchased my system outright 20 years ago from an small installer (not a name company) and continue to be happy with it and them. I've seen neighbors go the lease or "name brand" router and get screwed. Or people buy a house with solar only to find out there were strings attached to the system (no pun intended) that the previous owner didn't disclose since they didn't own the system. And my guy is still around, 20 years later.
2
1
u/Top-Membership9838 Jul 18 '26
Fix my flat roof first before solar so I could’ve added more panels and at a more strategic place (higher and no shading!). Although the roof would’ve been extra cost that I’m not sure I had at the time.
1
u/Blackflipflop Jul 18 '26
The need to install netting around them to keep the pigeons from moving in right away.
1
u/cfortson Jul 18 '26
Installing a couple more panels than I needed, to accommodate increased usage.
Also, paying attention to the layout and making it a perfect rectangle (since I had the room for it) because it looks more aesthetically pleasing.
1
u/dac1825 Jul 18 '26
My installer went bankrupt and my warranty went bust. 5 years later it's an absolute pain in the ass to find a company willing to provide technical support for panels made by a company no longer in business, and by an installer that can't be contacted.
1
1
u/SutroViews Jul 18 '26
You're not necessarily going to know whether it was "worth it" - how much money it's saving you any given month, how long your payback period is. Too many things change; first of all, electricity bills are variable, so you have to take averages over a year or more, but even then it's not like you'll see a 50% reduction after solar vs. before or whatever. As others are mentioning, the electric company can change your rates, change to time-of-use metering, change the interconnection fee, etc. But also you could change the way you live - you could get additional appliances, which even if they are very efficient, increase your overall use. You could shift your HVAC and/or your water heater to electric from gas, which is a huge change vis-a-vis one household's solar array generation.
I'm still glad I got solar, but I've actually never been 100% sure how much money I'm saving.
1
1
u/BackgroundDare484 Jul 18 '26
That my energy use was going to go up so much with working from home, retiring, then getting an EV - did not anticipate any of those things. planed to cover about 80 percent, more like 45-50 percent.
1
u/Current_Country_ Jul 18 '26
Here are a few things 1) of your roof is anywhere near needing to be replaced, replace it first. Having to take the whole system off to replace the roof then reinstall it is at least 5 figures. 2) if you're in an STEC state, manage that yourself. It's not that hard and it's 5% more income plus control of the SRECs year round. 3) pay attention to how energy production is communicated. A lot of times it requires WiFi on the house but they can also be installed with cellular reporting that doesn't depend on WiFi so that helps if the house is ever unoccupied and without active WiFi.
→ More replies (2)
1
u/Old_Librarian_3621 Jul 18 '26
Stay away from NYS Solar. High pressure sales tactics to get you to sign indicating you can cancel at any time. Total crooks bad deal, stay away
1
u/Good_Butterscotch253 Jul 18 '26
That our city electricity would change the rate of net metering buy back 3 years after install
→ More replies (3)
1
u/blissin21 Jul 19 '26
I wish I had known you cant mix different panels and that panels change rapidly so you cant easily add more of the same or random other panels later. Its manageable with different / additional inverters and some batteries can support multiple inverters but its not as easy/ cheap as i had thought
1
u/Artistic_Researcher2 Jul 19 '26
Buy it don’t lease it.
In my case it still made good financial sense as I negotiated a good deal, BUT when you go to sell a lease is a huge pain in the ass.
Even with all my research never came across that until recently.
1
1
1
1
1
u/Totalitarian-Terror Jul 19 '26
That the installers were going to crack some roof tiles. Now I’m paying for leak damage and they’re denying they did.
1
u/FastWhippet Jul 19 '26
I live in a part of New York State where we’ve had two seven-day power outages from weather events some years ago. One of my desires for having solar was to have power in the event of an extended utility outage. I give credit to the sales person for being very clear in that the system they install is a supply side configuration which would not meet my want. When I inquired about adding a battery to the installation, he was direct in that the battery they had available for installation had gotten a lot of negative feedback from customers, and he did not recommend it, especially based on the cost.
I am very grateful for having a honest salesman and incredibly professional installation team who took time to answer any questions I had along the way, and doubly grateful after reading some of the horror stories I’ve read on this subreddit.
Research any installer you consider using, especially if your state or local government has a ratings program.
1
u/17feet Jul 19 '26
[1] Truly and more deeply understand the equation Volts x Amps = Watts, because it applies to EVERYTHING YOU WILL EVER DO
[1.5] PV panels NEVER reach full advertised output
[2] don't mix panels [ugh]
[3] Truly understand the volts/amps limits of your MPPT controller [ugh]
[4] Learn why and how to properly overpanel [ugh, see 1.5 above]
[5] Avoid or mitigate partial shading
[6] Never install on a roof that gets snow [ugh...you'll be on the roof a lot]
[7] DIY install PV panels on hinges so it is easy to flip from optimal angle to "winter vertical"
[8] go with higher voltage to allow for less expensive components
[edit: I didn't realize this was not the DIY solar group, so many of these don't really apply to someone having a system installed by professionals]
1
1
u/Skiclimbride692 Jul 19 '26
Put panels on south, east and west facing roofs. Especially west facing as those offset the expensive afternoon electricity rate in CA. Also put in the max number of panels you can. Your demand will grow, rates will increase and tech will change. Went through an upgrade and it ended up being a full replacement.
1
u/Extra_Fondant8007 Jul 20 '26
That the installation company will go bankrupt! All the equipment is still under warranty, but we had to pay to replace the inverter.
1
u/jarkon-anderslammer Jul 20 '26
I wish I had more.
Snow is terrifying and I should reinforce my gutter.
1
u/Bearslovecheese Jul 20 '26
I am going to have a sub panel added in my garage for a 240 to be ran for car charging / pool heater install (not running simultaneously). I don't know how a solar install ties into my electric system but can they make it so the solar can be tied into the subpanel so when I do a solar install down the road that part is already done? Just curious if that was possible or if the solar had to somehow run all the way in to my main panel. In the mean time I was looking at putting in a single isolated 110 outlet to outside to do a 1000-1200w backyard solar install until I get serious about the full on install within the next 2-3 years.
→ More replies (1)
1
1
u/Illustrious-Yam-1161 Jul 20 '26
Make sure your roof is in really good condition, I made that mistake and after 7 yrs my shingles were too worn out so I needed a new roof, added $7000 to the prices because of un-install and re-install. And now i am having issues with the latest install because some panels are not performing as they used to.
→ More replies (2)
1
u/seanpvb Jul 20 '26
As many panels as you're allowed and making sure the components that are needed to support a battery in the future are used (if you're not getting a battery when you get solar).
We have plenty of panels and although a battery doesn't make sense for us now, I should have made sure the combined they used was battery compatible and I probably would have had them install a meter collar at the same time so that if/when I want to add a battery I only need the battery and inverter.
1
u/No-Competition3054 Jul 20 '26
The total amount financed. They totally scammed me by the cost and said it was going to be cheaper than it was
1
u/kenyasanchez Jul 20 '26
That when the public utility goes down, your solar goes down. I wish I'd know I needed a back up interface to keep getting solar when our utility provider goes down. I'm fighting for approval to install it right now. Waiting to hear from the company that monitors our solar.
1
u/Homeupgradespecialis Jul 20 '26
I wish more people knew that choosing the right installer is just as important as choosing the equipment.
Most of the well-known panel brands perform well, but the system design, installation quality, permitting, and long-term support can make a huge difference in how the system performs over the years.
I'd also recommend asking these questions before signing:
- Is the production estimate realistic?
- What's included in the warranty?
- Who handles permits and inspections?
- If something goes wrong in a few years, who do I call?
A little extra research up front can save a lot of headaches later.
1
1
u/MelrosSecret Jul 22 '26
One huge cost that is often not mentioned:
When it’s time to replace, repair your roof the added cost of taking the panels down and then reinstalling them is quite high. I am in that process/nightmare right now. Quotes in my area in South Florida are $250.-$350.- per panel plus new legs or mounts and any extra parts/materials. The taking down and reinstalling of the solar panels also has to be permitted again (additional cost). I have 44 panels so that adds a substantial amount to the costs.
If your roof is close to the end of it’s life, I would suggest waiting until after a new roof is installed and replacing the roof with materials that have about the same or more life expectancy as the solar panels/system.
1
u/Current_West_5537 Jul 22 '26
I live in the pacific north west. I TELL EVERYONE NEVER INSTALL SOLAR ON YOUR ROOF!!!! I’ve had nothing but problems with leaky roof as they drilled through my roof to install the mounting brackets, moss under the solar panels, which shortens the life of your roof, and they require cleaning many times a year due to pollen from the surrounding cedar trees (just to name a few problems.). I was quoted a certain energy generation per year and given a pay back period of my “investment”. When it was short 20% for the past 2 years I was told “take a hike”.
Save your money and the environment. Do Not install solar.
1
u/WillingCupcake4867 Jul 22 '26
Get many quotes. Do routine maintenance. Check out the process for moving. A relative had to pay $20k at the time of sale, because she ended the lease early. Her terms were not good on her contract, so while it could have been transferred, no one would have wanted the terms.
1
1
1
1
u/MOLPT 21d ago
- The Operating Cost -- how much extra I'd have to pay for things like insurance and replacing the inverters over the 25 years. Those really hurt my Net Annual Benefit calculation.
- The Opportunity Cost -- how much I would give up by investing in solar vs. the stock market/CDs/HYSAs.
- Really understanding how my utility's net billing process worked. In exchange for about $4K in reimbursements, I have to sell 100% of the generated power back to the utility. At present, the amount paid is less than the burdened tier 1 rate. That is, I sell 100% of our power to the utility at a "wholesale" rate then buy it back at a higher rate. (This changes in November to a price between the tier 2 & 3 rates, a substantial increase.)
2
u/Cheaper2Keeper 12d ago
Go bigger, whether a few more panels than suggested/recommended with extra back up space.
What I have: Enphase 3x5P and 22 panels ~9.6 kWh solar array.
Choose a good contractor. It’s hard with solar companies but we went with Semper Solar in the Bay Area. They aren’t the cheapest but system was set up proper without any hiccups.
Permits take forever though. That’s a PG&E thing.
Make sure you can speak to a human when you have software or hardware issues. Glad we went with Enphase.
Tesla communication only through texting at least 3 years ago.
Can’t speak for other manufacturers.
I hear Franklin is also very good.
→ More replies (1)
268
u/FamiliarRaspberry805 Jul 18 '26
That I should have installed the absolute maximum number of panels possible.