Honest Question about SolarCity

[J.P.M.]

So strictly for materials, this could have cost as little as $6800 wholesale?

Three comments:

1.) It 's not about low initial price. It's about a safe, fit for purpose system, professionally designed and installed, that provides the most long term bang for the buck. Seems that you may have the worst of both high price and low quality, at least in terms of vendor choice.

2.) Having seen more SolarCity installs up close and personal than most other folks and having dealt with SolarCity on site and phone/e-mail with office personnel has led me to the unfortunate opinion they are pretty much universally inadequate to the purpose of installing residential PV systems in terms of adequate quality, professional installation and particularly inadequate in the areas of product knowledge, and dealing honestly and professionally with their customers. I wouldn't let them on my property.

3.) For someone who wasn't really shopping and not surprised that you didn't get what you call the best deal - and IMO, you sure didn't, all the way around - you seem quite concerned about prices.

You life/choices/$$, but again, my condolences.

[solarix]

Panasonic are some of the most expensive panels there are and Delta is a cheap Chinese inverter.

[KenK-AZ]

I am waiting on a materials list, but based on the reported brand and wattage, I "assume" the panels are:

Panasonic VBHN325SA16 HIT N325 Monocrystalline 325 Watt Solar Panels

and looking at my inverter label, it appears to be a:

Delta Solivia 6600TL

So how crap are those, what should I have paid for them, and what comparable equipment would you replace them with. The goal is still 6.8kW.

[KenK-AZ]

Solar equipment wholesales for about a $1/watt currently (panels, inverter and BalanceOfSysytem) SMA SunnyBoy, Q-Cell or Canadian Solar. You can get "high efficiency" panels which cost a lot more, but they are no more durable or long lasting and as long as you have enough roof space for standard efficiency panels - you are wasting your money.

So strictly for materials, this could have cost as little as $6800 wholesale?

[KenK-AZ]

This is the only pic I have at the moment. I'll get some of the inverter and conduit if I remember. I'll see about getting specs on the other components.

I am not in Phoenix. I am in Sierra Vista, about 4 hours to the south. Weather here is usually pretty favorable for solar, with exceptions in July, August, September for monsoons. The roof faces south and only has two vents to worry about. 4500ft elevation.

The Power Wall just seemed like a good idea since most of my use will be at night and I want to see how little I can touch the grid. It's all an experiment. Feel free to point out my mistakes and I will pass the info along to anyone who asks me about my system. I'm not at all surprised I didnt get the best deal because as I stated, I wasnt really shopping. My bad. I can live with it.

[solarix]

Solar equipment wholesales for about a $1/watt currently (panels, inverter and BalanceOfSysytem) SMA SunnyBoy, Q-Cell or Canadian Solar. You can get "high efficiency" panels which cost a lot more, but they are no more durable or long lasting and as long as you have enough roof space for standard efficiency panels - you are wasting your money.

[KenK-AZ]

You guys are a riot.

Solarix, what price would you put on materials for my PV system and which panels would you use?

[solarix]

I would have sold you a 6.8kW grid-tied system for about $15,300 (assuming a typical roof). I don't work in Phoenix but am familiar with the pricing their. You way overpaid for your system. (think about - a half day of work?) I too love to have customers that happily over pay for for drinking kool-aid.

[J.P.M.]

I just had my 6.8KW PV system installed last Friday by Solar City/Tesla. Total cost to me was $23K, financed through Mosaic for 10 years @ 2.99%. This is for 21 325W Panasonic panels. The install went flawlessly. They arrived just after 8 AM and were out by 11AM. After rebates, tax credits, and cash back, this should cost me around $15K.

As for others commenting about shifty sales people, this was not my experience. My sales rep got my last electric bill and designed a plan around that use and factoring in my new EV, which was not represented in my billing history. We came up with 7.8KW, but the electric company went by the history and approved 6.8KW. Since I was getting a Power Wall, I figured that would be fine, and approved the 6.8KW design plan. At no point did the rep try to fill my roof with panels. To the contrary, he said we should aim for 100% of my projected use and no more. They also quickly put in my paperwork to make sure I got in under the existing net metering rules before they changed to the less customer friendly version. I am very happy with how they have taken care of me so far.

Disclaimer: I drink Tesla Kool-Aid. I have a Model S 75D and the tax credit from it will pay for my Power Wall (arriving March 2nd)

My condolences.

[bcroe]

Great, show us pictures. Microinverters? 100% works when the weather cooperates. Why
do you need a power wall? Bruce Roe

[KenK-AZ]

I just had my 6.8KW PV system installed last Friday by Solar City/Tesla. Total cost to me was $23K, financed through Mosaic for 10 years @ 2.99%. This is for 21 325W Panasonic panels. The install went flawlessly. They arrived just after 8 AM and were out by 11AM. After rebates, tax credits, and cash back, this should cost me around $15K.

As for others commenting about shifty sales people, this was not my experience. My sales rep got my last electric bill and designed a plan around that use and factoring in my new EV, which was not represented in my billing history. We came up with 7.8KW, but the electric company went by the history and approved 6.8KW. Since I was getting a Power Wall, I figured that would be fine, and approved the 6.8KW design plan. At no point did the rep try to fill my roof with panels. To the contrary, he said we should aim for 100% of my projected use and no more. They also quickly put in my paperwork to make sure I got in under the existing net metering rules before they changed to the less customer friendly version. I am very happy with how they have taken care of me so far.

Disclaimer: I drink Tesla Kool-Aid. I have a Model S 75D and the tax credit from it will pay for my Power Wall (arriving March 2nd)

[solarix]

All the big, nationwide solar companies that are focused on "rolling out solar to the mass market" are run by their financing partners. To get solar onto the roofs of the general public means you have to provide long term financing. My conclusion is that the finance industry is a bunch of selfish, rapacious scoundrels that seek to take advantage of anyone where ever possible. (I reference the whole practice of high-speed trading algorithms for example). Any kind of solar financing involves the finance people taking the lion's share of the margin (and there is a lot of margin these days what with the cost of solar equipment being so low) leaving just enough for the consumer to be cash flow positive and feel good about going solar. Who is making money in the solar game these days - the finance people of course. They don't care about putting solar on difficult roofs or helping as many people as possible go solar - they are greedily going after all those easy naive customers that they can make the most off of with the least effort..... rant off.

[J.P.M.]

They didn't like me at all-but it left me wondering who they consider their customers then- naive folks who bought into solar hype and who didn't run the numbers?

That would include most of the solar buying public.

[max2k]

They didn't like me at all- they actually didn't want to do my install. All I did was to state that I want to own the system and was fluent with numbers. We parted on good terms but it left me wondering who they consider their customers then- naive folks who bought into solar hype and who didn't run the numbers?

[Sue]

I've deleted my post, as Solar City has responded to my concerns with the Pigeons.

IT'S NOW 6-25-17 ----8 MONTHS SINCE MY FIRST POST.

RESPONSE TO J.P.M.
Solar Fanatic

• Join Date: Aug 2013
• Posts: 8605
• .--Wish I'd never let them on my property, waaay to late for that.

SOLAR CITY now claims no responsibility to the DAMAGE to my roof. how convenient after removing my first post 8 months ago.

Solar City persons were the last PERSONS TO DO any WORK ON MY ROOF,. after MY NEW ROOF WAS PUT ON IN 2015.
Solar City replaced the panels after inspection from the City of Centennial. So..... no one else has been on that roof except for PIGEONS, and their employees.
So... WHO then is Responsible for damages to this NEW roof?
The pigeon guard should have been put on WHEN the panels were first put on.
Lazy? Technology unavailable? I vote for Lazy, and trying to save a buck.
Interesting how they put this guard on new installs.
I am not going to ignore their lack of responsibility and changing their minds as to their responsibility.
I submitted 2 bids, very different prices. However, the first bid, later stated there is no way he could have done it for that amount once actually SEEING
the damage, so.... 2nd bid was denied why?
I can only speculate that Solar City CHOSE to GO BACK ON THEIR ORIGINAL REPONSIBILITY OVER $500-$600 DIFFERENCE.

THIS WAS A NEW ROOF, COST US A LOT OF $$$$ MONEY, AND NOW IS DAMAGED AND WHAT????
Solar City has NO accountability, and hide behind their very kind customer service manager Irma, who is only relaying "someone's" response,
thereby HIDING behind this kind employee, whom has no authority, only can submit on my behalf, my request.

I began this in October of 2016 or thereabouts, and have documented EVERY conversation, every email.
So as I see it, submitting a proposal/estimate, REQUESTED by Irma cust. service manager, on behalf of "someone" at Solar City, pretty much
is admission of responsibility, and I'm sure I have persons that will agree with that.

I just want my roof repaired. YOU never protected my roof it in the first place from a KNOWN PIGEON situation.
How dare you have me get estimates, and because you don't LIKE the cost of repairs, you NOW claim NO RESPONSIBILITY!

THAT IS BOLOGNA, though I have many "other names" to refer to this situation.

Buyer Beware,
DO YOUR RESEARCH. READ THE COMMENTS FROM YEARS AGO.
https://www.solarpaneltalk.com/forum...olarcity/page2