Is this a good deal?

[jlgarza15]

Ok, after receiving a the call back from REC informing me that they made a mistake I decided to go with Petersen Dean.

$18,000 for a 4.5kW (4.00 a Watt)
18 Canadian Solar Panels (250W)
Enphase Micro Inverters (M215)
Envoy Monitoring

$5,400.00 Tax Credit = $12,600 Net

I still have time to save $601.00 (Net) and go with an SMA Sunny Boy 5000 string inverter if I ditch the enphase micros.

That's the main question I have now. Is it worth it to pay roughly $1000.00 more upfront ($601 Net) for the enphase inverters?

[ma6n6s6on]

I finally pulled the trigger. Quote is for San Diego. Thanks to all the help from this forum.

21 Lg panels 260 watt
21 enphase 215s
5460 dc system
$21,067 before fed credit, no more csi in San Diego
$14,747 net cost
$2.70/watt net price
10/25 year standard warranties
s-tile concrete roof.

I think a pretty good deal considering the concrete roof, name brand panels and micro-inverters. hope this goes well. break even in ~6 years.

[silversaver]

I finally pulled the trigger. Quote is for San Diego. Thanks to all the help from this forum.

21 Lg panels 260 watt
21 enphase 215s
5460 dc system
$21,067 before fed credit, no more csi in San Diego
$14,747 net cost
$2.70/watt net price
10/25 year standard warranties
s-tile concrete roof.

I think a pretty good deal considering the concrete roof, name brand panels and micro-inverters. hope this goes well. break even in ~6 years.

That's kind of the setup I'm looking for. Thanks for sharing the info. I personally prefer micro inverters over string inverter.

[PenguinSolar]

jlgarza,

How many quotes have you gotten? Which panels did they say they would use? I use about 750kwh/mo and I am going with a 4.25kW system which I think is big enough for my needs, even though my usage will increase now the I am plugging in a Volt.

Also drive a Volt (2011) - fun car huh! , what are you seeing as your daily charge? I'm around 10-13KWhr for full charge, think post 2011 the battery is slightly bigger.

I got a quote from a local outfit that charges a flat rate of $4.40 a watt installed. That company uses upsolar panels (UP-M240P) and the enphase set up.

I am still waiting for a quote from REC

I think I'll go with the 4.5kW system. I'm just debating to with the SMA Sunny Boy for $3.77 a watt installed or the Enphase M215 w/ Envoy monitoring for $4.00 a watt.

Oh saw you switched vendors, but the conversation between micro and string is pretty touchy and even when I asked the installers sometimes it gets so heated/emotional like I'm in a political debate!

Here's my thinking on micro:
Pros:
1) Flexible (if you think you'll expand later it's easier to scale)
2) 25yr warranty vs 10yr on string
3) Needed if you have shading due to distributed optimization vs central
4) Lower voltage to wake-up --- trying to quantify this to see if it's really true that you get more harvest time but this is the theory
5) Panel by panel monitoring (makes it really easy to see if a single panel is failing, under string you can't tell if one panel is bad but being masked by the others)
6) "Free" lifetime monitoring (baked into your price)

Cons:
1) To replace X inverters could be more costly/troublesome than just 1
2) You need to send someone to the roof to switch/repair the inverters (more liability/risk) vs down on the ground
3) Usually costs more
4) Newer technology so less proven
5) May experience clipping on very high watt panels

For me, I'm a growing family but starting solar small so want the flexibility and also doing full purchase so like the warranty. Plus I'm a techie at heart so the Enphase monitoring is a pretty cool feature.

That being said still haven't figured out if the premium is worth it, so still price shopping.

Best of luck!

[HBJoe3]

Also drive a Volt (2011) - fun car huh! , what are you seeing as your daily charge? I'm around 10-13KWhr for full charge, think post 2011 the battery is slightly bigger.

I am seeing about 13kwh per charge or 35kwh per 100 miles. My range varies between 37 and 40 miles. I do enjoy the car and am anxiously awaiting the car pool lane stickers.

[PenguinSolar]

PenguinSolar,

One of the companies I talked to said that SCE will move everyone to TOU plans in 2016. Have you heard that?

That's what all the sales people say to persuade you. I tell them show me the report/data otherwise it's just hearsay .

What will matter is if SCE can get the San Onofre Nuclear Plant back up or not. That will definitely affects rates.

http://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSL2N0CQ1YS20130403?irpc=932

As pushy sales guys go:
Had one pushing for the lease (I'm looking at purchase) told me that with purchase the tax credit cannot be claimed in one year but spread over several years. I said don't think so but he insisted so asked him if he's a CPA and then became quiet.

With such a large investment it pays to do your HW so you really understand what you're buying.