Trying to decide

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  • kendive
    kendive Solar Expert Posts: 38 ✭
    #32
    Re: Trying to decide
    Peter_V wrote: »
    You might want to look into the Brultech ECM-1240 system.
    http://www.brultech.com/

    For about $200 delivered you get a ECM-1240 with 14 current transformers. With this you can monitor your main power (including net metering) your PV system, your dryer, your stove, your refrigerator, your entertainment system, your generator (if you want), etc.
    And you can monitor the power used by these items separately so you can see exactly how much power each one is using.

    Setting it up is probably a bit more technical than the TED, but it gives you a lot finer detail.

    Plus I've hear that the TED can have problems with some solar inverters. From what I've read it either works with no problem, or it doesn't work at all and can't be made to work.

    Thanks for letting me know about this system... I would be interested in it...

    I would have no problem installing anything electrical or electronic... I would install the whole PV system myself if I would still get the rebates but that would not happen :cry: Has to be installed by a state certified electrician...
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  • Blackcherry04
    Blackcherry04 Solar Expert Posts: 2,490 ✭✭✭
    #33
    Re: Trying to decide

    I figured out a little twist with the 30 % tax credit. I had a traditonal IRA. For 2010 you could convert it to a Roth IRA and then pay the tax in two payments in 2011 and 2012. For me, being retired the 30% will let make the conversion with out putting up any cash for the tax.

    Check with your tax professional, but I think you could do it up till Apr 18th. if anyone is interested.
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  • Peter_V
    Peter_V Solar Expert Posts: 226 ✭✭✭
    #34
    Re: Trying to decide
    kendive wrote: »
    Thanks for letting me know about this system... I would be interested in it...

    I would have no problem installing anything electrical or electronic... I would install the whole PV system myself if I would still get the rebates but that would not happen :cry: Has to be installed by a state certified electrician...

    There might be a compromise available.
    To get the full incentives available to me a certified electrician has to sign off on the install, but there is no requirement that the electrician do ALL of the work.

    I found an electrician that agreed to let me do all the grunt work; set the poles, install the trackers, mount the panels, run the conduit, etc. And he ran the wires and installed the disconnect switch, meter box, etc.
    Since he was only doing the "electrical" part of the install it was significantly cheaper than having him do the entire install.

    So you might try asking around to see if you can find an installer that is willing to make the same deal with you.
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  • kendive
    kendive Solar Expert Posts: 38 ✭
    #35
    Re: Trying to decide
    Peter_V wrote: »
    There might be a compromise available.
    To get the full incentives available to me a certified electrician has to sign off on the install, but there is no requirement that the electrician do ALL of the work.

    I found an electrician that agreed to let me do all the grunt work; set the poles, install the trackers, mount the panels, run the conduit, etc. And he ran the wires and installed the disconnect switch, meter box, etc.
    Since he was only doing the "electrical" part of the install it was significantly cheaper than having him do the entire install.

    So you might try asking around to see if you can find an installer that is willing to make the same deal with you.

    That's a good idea. Did you just mail order all the components?

    I do have a contractor friend that I bought some land from. His electrician would do that for me.

    So it does not have to be a certified solar installer. I guess I would have to ask the power company if a electrician could do the install.

    I know the power company wants alot of info about your system for there rebate program... Angle of the panels, type of inverter ans specs, and which way the panels are facing.
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  • Peter_V
    Peter_V Solar Expert Posts: 226 ✭✭✭
    #36
    Re: Trying to decide
    kendive wrote: »
    That's a good idea. Did you just mail order all the components?

    I do have a contractor friend that I bought some land from. His electrician would do that for me.

    So it does not have to be a certified solar installer. I guess I would have to ask the power company if a electrician could do the install.

    I know the power company wants alot of info about your system for there rebate program... Angle of the panels, type of inverter ans specs, and which way the panels are facing.

    Checking with the power company is a good place to start, especially since they set the rules for their rebate. The folks at my power company know me by name now :-)

    Anyway when I asked them, they actually said that I could do all of the work, including the electrical, IF I could get an licensed electrician to sign off on it, fat chance of that happening.

    I actually went through a solar installer on my setup and talked him into basically hiring ME to do the grunt work. We sat down and came up with a realistic figure for how much that would cost and added it to the bill for the materials. This way the power company rebate is calculated on the total cost including MY labor.

    We were up front about this and checked with the power company and they said as long as the costs were in line with hiring someone else to do it, then they were ok with it.

    I checked with the IRS about doing the same thing when I file for my tax rebate and basically as long as I claim the "income" on my taxes I can get the rebate on it. Since I'm below the 28% tax bracket, even this works out for me.

    I might have paid a little more to buy the materials through a local guy instead of online (even after getting the extra rebates) but it gives me a paperwork trail for taxes etc. and it helps keep the local guy in business, which helps insure that he is there when other people want to install solar.
    Beside he was real helpful with ideas and made sure I filed the right paperwork with the right folks and so forth.
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  • kendive
    kendive Solar Expert Posts: 38 ✭
    #37
    Re: Trying to decide
    Peter_V wrote: »
    Checking with the power company is a good place to start, especially since they set the rules for their rebate. The folks at my power company know me by name now :-)

    Anyway when I asked them, they actually said that I could do all of the work, including the electrical, IF I could get an licensed electrician to sign off on it, fat chance of that happening.

    I actually went through a solar installer on my setup and talked him into basically hiring ME to do the grunt work. We sat down and came up with a realistic figure for how much that would cost and added it to the bill for the materials. This way the power company rebate is calculated on the total cost including MY labor.

    We were up front about this and checked with the power company and they said as long as the costs were in line with hiring someone else to do it, then they were ok with it.

    I checked with the IRS about doing the same thing when I file for my tax rebate and basically as long as I claim the "income" on my taxes I can get the rebate on it. Since I'm below the 28% tax bracket, even this works out for me.

    I might have paid a little more to buy the materials through a local guy instead of online (even after getting the extra rebates) but it gives me a paperwork trail for taxes etc. and it helps keep the local guy in business, which helps insure that he is there when other people want to install solar.
    Beside he was real helpful with ideas and made sure I filed the right paperwork with the right folks and so forth.

    I all about keeping the local guy in business. I would rather them just do it all. I will start talking price with them. If I can get the installed price down to $5 a watt I think I would be doing good.
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  • solar_dave
    solar_dave Solar Expert Posts: 2,397 ✭✭✭✭
    #38
    Re: Trying to decide

    I just got a quote of $4.95 a watt for 3.4 Kw Enphase system installed, before rebates /tax credits.
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  • kendive
    kendive Solar Expert Posts: 38 ✭
    #39
    Re: Trying to decide
    solar_dave wrote: »
    I just got a quote of $4.95 a watt for 3.4 Kw Enphase system installed, before rebates /tax credits.

    That sounds like a good deal. Is the Enphase system the micro inverters where you have AC coming from the Panels?

    I think if I can get them to come down to 4.95 a watt I am going to go for it.

    Not sure if I would want the Enphase or just a SMA inverter???
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  • solar_dave
    solar_dave Solar Expert Posts: 2,397 ✭✭✭✭
    #40
    Re: Trying to decide
    kendive wrote: »
    That sounds like a good deal. Is the Enphase system the micro inverters where you have AC coming from the Panels?

    I think if I can get them to come down to 4.95 a watt I am going to go for it.

    Not sure if I would want the Enphase or just a SMA inverter???

    Yeah it is the AC from Panel system. The biggest reason I would go that way is I have some shading issues near the winter solstice, they actually quoted a lower price with standard inverters. About $0.20 a watt less.
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  • kendive
    kendive Solar Expert Posts: 38 ✭
    #41
    Re: Trying to decide
    solar_dave wrote: »
    Yeah it is the AC from Panel system. The biggest reason I would go that way is I have some shading issues near the winter solstice, they actually quoted a lower price with standard inverters. About $0.20 a watt less.

    I don't really have any shade problems so my best bet is probably a standard SMA Sunny Boy Inverter.
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