Hello from Arizona

[Inverlyon]

Got it. Thanks.

[J.P.M.]

Hi J.P.M. I'm good thank you. Well, I opted for the early SunPower buyout and they claim that original warranties remain in effect. Not that I've had any issues in over 6 years. Like I said, we are planning a move sometime next year likely to Sedona, AZ. The climate is a bit cooler* and there is less pollution. And the scenery is still as awesome as when I first visited in the early 1980's. It's very touristy but there's lots of nice homes in quiet neighborhoods. We love it there and it's still close enough to Phoenix for a day trip and Flagstaff of course is even closer and cooler still.

Re the PV: a new buyer will have a few years on the inverter and 18 or so on the panels. The PV is grandfathered until 2032 with the existing rate plan and net metering. I don't expect it to bring a premium and I don't really care as it's paid for itself already. The roof may be in need of a recoat and I wonder if that can be accomplished with the panels in place but covered. The home interior needs updating but I will leave that to the next owner and price it accordingly. The mortgage will be paid off next month, the surrounding area is booming with activity and the development is very desirable. The HOA Board (I'm Treasurer) is actually considering going for historic status next year when it becomes eligible. Supposedly yields a 50% property tax reduction. Will need to see the fine print of course.

Because of the how new PV is treated in Arizona, I don't expect to consider it for our Sedona home.

*I've lived in Phoenix for nearly 30 years and it seems summers are starting earlier and going longer. Tuesday it's supposed to hit 117F and nightime lows are in the 90's which used to be rare but is now almost normal for this time of year. I believe this will just get worse and eventually this area will be almost uninhabitable. Guess we'll get out while the getting's still good!

Ian: Thanx for the update. Glad all's well.

Sedona's quite the place. Been there several times. We considered moving there from the Palm Springs area, but SWMBO nixed that due to still too warm. Wound up in Albuquerque. Sunnier (!) and cooler. Still some summer monsoon, but not like AZ with winters much cooler and mostly cloudless. Prettiest place I ever lived, but the social climate was not for me - my shortcoming not NM's. So, made it back to the land of fruits and nuts where I started for in '95.

As I've written before, you had a horseshoe in you butt the day you signed that lease.

FWIW, and based more on speculation than experience, I'd be careful about recoating (spraying) the roof. Unless you can really get the array covered front AND back, I'd expect some overspray to sneak in the back of the array and past the spaces between panels pretty much regardless of clearance between panels.

On the new place in Sedona, if it's new/custom construc. have you checked out the possibility of high mass/low heat gain designs ? if so, get or manipulate the building time constant to be ~ 12 hrs. out of phase with the outside ambient temp. and ventilate at nite with a whole house fan. That obviously won't work for hot nites, but will help a lot in the shoulder seasons. Otherwise, or in any case, seal and insulate the crap out of any place you land in.

Keep in touch

Best Regards,

J.P.M.

[Ian S]

Ian: Thanx for the update. Glad all's well.

Sedona's quite the place. Been there several times. We considered moving there from the Palm Springs area, but SWMBO nixed that due to still too warm. Wound up in Albuquerque. Sunnier (!) and cooler. Still some summer monsoon, but not like AZ with winters much cooler and mostly cloudless. Prettiest place I ever lived, but the social climate was not for me - my shortcoming not NM's. So, made it back to the land of fruits and nuts where I started for in '95.

As I've written before, you had a horseshoe in you butt the day you signed that lease.

FWIW, and based more on speculation than experience, I'd be careful about recoating (spraying) the roof. Unless you can really get the array covered front AND back, I'd expect some overspray to sneak in the back of the array and past the spaces between panels pretty much regardless of clearance between panels.

On the new place in Sedona, if it's new/custom construc. have you checked out the possibility of high mass/low heat gain designs ? if so, get or manipulate the building time constant to be ~ 12 hrs. out of phase with the outside ambient temp. and ventilate at nite with a whole house fan. That obviously won't work for hot nites, but will help a lot in the shoulder seasons. Otherwise, or in any case, seal and insulate the crap out of any place you land in.

Keep in touch

Best Regards,

J.P.M.

We would certainly consider Albuquerque after visiting there several years ago. However, family constraints require closer proximity to the west coast than Albuquerque provides. Moving to the west coast would be a possibility but we really would have to downsize to be able to afford the real estate in an area we'd like. Definitely, we will insulate any place we buy. Hadn't really thought of new construction but suppose it's an option. There are a few parcels of land available in areas of Sedona we like. Would certainly look into energy efficient options. Sedona is not for everyone but for us, there's something about the majesty of the red rocks that really appeals. And although the typical day temps are only 10F or so cooler than Phoenix, nights cool off much more than Phoenix probably due to the heat island effect. Extreme heat is also less: Tuesday, it will hit 117 here and only 100 in Sedona. Also, lots of homes on one level which is a high priority. I have a friend in Flagstaff who bought new but they have several levels and lots of stairs - no thanks! Flagstaff winters are too snowy and cold otherwise it would be a reasonable option except it's now pricier than Sedona which surprised me.

As for the recoating, I want to be careful as you suggest. Maybe hand apply under the panels then tarp down to roof surface and spray elsewhere. Otherwise maybe just removing the panels would be as cost effective. We'll see.

[RenewablesRock]

I don't want to drill holes in my roof, but these mounts are a whopping $290/ea!!!!

https://www.renogy.com/template/files/Manuals/MTS-MPM%20v1.2.pdf

That's crazy expensive when considering I have up to 16 panels to install.

Does anyone know if a permit is required to put something like this in the ground? I would hate to spend a ton of money putting a bunch of these in only to have code enforcement get a glimpse and say, "Nope! Take them all out."

All I want to do is have 2 or 3 rooms with emergency power. How can I do this without needing permits? When I move, I want to take all of this equipment with me.

[J.P.M.]

I don't want to drill holes in my roof, but these mounts are a whopping $290/ea!!!!

https://www.renogy.com/template/files/Manuals/MTS-MPM%20v1.2.pdf

That's crazy expensive when considering I have up to 16 panels to install.

Does anyone know if a permit is required to put something like this in the ground? I would hate to spend a ton of money putting a bunch of these in only to have code enforcement get a glimpse and say, "Nope! Take them all out."

All I want to do is have 2 or 3 rooms with emergency power. How can I do this without needing permits? When I move, I want to take all of this equipment with me.

My guess is you'll need a review/permit, but jurisdictions vary one to another. Often, folks are pleasantly surprised at how helpful code folks can be. You've got nothing to lose by giving our AHJ a call. They'll find out anyway. Besides, the instructions for the mounts put the onus for any code compliance on the installer. I'd bet not following instructions might void the warranty.

[RenewablesRock]

My guess is you'll need a review/permit, but jurisdictions vary one to another. Often, folks are pleasantly surprised at how helpful code folks can be. You've got nothing to lose by giving our AHJ a call. They'll find out anyway. Besides, the instructions for the mounts put the onus for any code compliance on the installer. I'd bet not following instructions might void the warranty.

I am in South Florida.

[J.P.M.]

I am in South Florida.

An I'm in San Diego. Call the local AHJ and ask. Where's the problem with that ?

[RenewablesRock]

An I'm in San Diego. Call the local AHJ and ask. Where's the problem with that ?

Who is the AHJ?

[J.P.M.]

Who is the AHJ?

AHJ = Authority Having Jurisdiction. Sometimes called the building inspector. The gov. body that reviews/approves building permits. The outfit you may need to satisfy if you want to build or modify a structure such as a house or an addtion or change to a structure in their jurisdiction.

[RenewablesRock]

Thanks. I've never applied for a permit in my entire life.

[J.P.M.]

Thanks. I've never applied for a permit in my entire life.

Well, maybe you've never lived in a municipality that requires building permits in your entire life. I assure you, such requirements are common, even if not universal.

[RenewablesRock]

Nope. Lived in Georgia and nobody ever came. Also in Hialeah, FL, and nobody ever came. You could pretty much do whatever you want.

[J.P.M.]

Nope. Lived in Georgia and nobody ever came. Also in Hialeah, FL, and nobody ever came. You could pretty much do whatever you want.

Often, the idea is for voluntary compliance. Usually there are not building inspector cops who snoop around trying to catch people doing whatever they want.

One of the reasons for building permits and the review process is to attempt to ensure things are done and constructed in a safe manner.

One other big reason is that property improvements can be thought of as increasing the value of a property. Such increases in value can affect the appraised value of a property and be a source of increased tax revenue.

Some areas work differently. More of those areas that may work differently are often found south of the Mason-Dixon line.

NOMB, but it might be worth a call if you don't know, even if only to a knowledgeable contractor. If permits are required, while I'm not recommending it, you can always ignore the law, but since ignorance of the law is not an excuse to ignore it, that might be a good piece of information to have.

Just sayin'.

[RenewablesRock]

Thanks, man.

[J.P.M.]

Thanks, man.

You're entirely welcome. Just somethin' to think about is all.