What next?

[gearhead]

I wonder what happens when you need to replace the roof shingles.
All I know about solar is what my ex boss lady told me a few months ago. She and her family retired to her hometown of Kingsport TN. They bought an old farmhouse and part of the remodel included solar. She told me they haven't had an electric bill since. She has a BS in Mech Eng and a MS in Engineering Management. She ain't no dummy.
That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

[bbells]

I use about 6kwh a day. My solar produces 27kwh per sunny day. I sell the excess to the power company. The half life of the panels are 30 years. So, they should still be working for more than 50 years. Mine paid for themselves in the first year. That was because I used the scratch and dent panels that people wouldn't pay full price for. I used to be able to buy 240w 24vpanels for less than $50 each. Now the price has more than tripled due to the tariffs. It used to be US companies sent materials to china to be assembled, then when the panels came back were labeled that they were made in the USA (more than 50% of the materials were made here). The Chinese duplicated the tariffs on the panels to the materials coming in and used the money to build their own equipment to create the raw materials for the panels. So now they have better equipment than the US and panels are no longer made here. I guess that must have been what the tariffs were designed to do. I rarely have an electric bill, even with the AC running 24/7.

[German Shepherd Guy]

As someone who has lived off of the grid since 1982 I can tell you quite succinctly, solar works. I have run two companies, Oak Blade Company, and Oak Forge, both used large electric machinery, on Solar. Not a grid tie system but a stand alone, I am my own power company, system. Did I have to sometimes adjust because of extended periods of heavy overcast? Yes. Was I able to do so and still meet my payroll and my contractual obligations? Yes. Was it always easy? No. The point is it can be done. And even though the grid has made it's way to my small ranch out here in East Bejesus Colorado I will never go back. And when I say machinery I am talking about fairly heavy metal working grinders, lathes, saws, shears, welders. However nothing that required three phase. As for life span, I have 8 panels I purchased USED from California Power in 1976 that are still producing electricity at their rating when I bought them. They are small panels by today's standards but I use them to run my pump house lighting. This does not mean solar is for everyone, but if you live where sun outnumbers cloudy days you are missing a real monetary advantage by not using them. By the way my initial investment, plus upgrades, plus battery replacements was a push even back in 1998. I am old now but am seriously thinking about building my own solar powered charging station and getting an electric car to cover the 60 mile round trip commute to town. But do not think I would live long enough now to break even. It's been a hell of a ride though.
Oak

[gearhead]

German Shepherd Guy....my son is considering building what we call a barndominium...a home built like a barn. Red iron or post framing with metal roof and siding. How would he attach panels to a metal roof? Screws sound like massive leak opportunities.

[Badbart56]

This article would seem to imply that true cost comparisons between electric vehicles and fossil fuel vehicles might be biased! (imagine that!)

https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/r...232722262.html

I notice that it's pointed out in the original analysis that the "savings" of the EV was $14,500 over a 15 year period. Does this include replacing the batteries every 7 years??? (to the tune of $20,000 each?)

[slow]

My Prius Prime has a ten year warranty on the traction battery. And I am saving $2,000 a year for gas compared to my previous Honda Fit.

The current cost to replace my battery is $5,300 with labour, but excluding taxes.

[Badbart56]

An interesting video I ran across. I should have guessed that the parts would be proprietary, but find it interesting that Tesla won't repair some assemblies but rather insist on replacement of the entire assembly. Seem like you should have a choice, yes?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nq5c4jGR2gM