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  • 4.5kW SolarEdge/LG System coming soon to San Diego

    After ~1.5 months of research and estimates from 6 vendors. I came to agreement on price with a vendor today. System specs are:

    Option 1 : SE6000
    System Size: 4500 kW
    Panels: 15 LG300
    Inverter: SolarEdge SE6000
    Total Cost $18140 (includes $2500 service panel upgrade)

    PV System Cost (pre-tax credit) = $15640 ($3.48/W)

    Option 2 : SE5000
    System Size: 4500 kW
    Panels: 15 LG300
    Inverter: SolarEdge SE5000
    Total Cost $18005 (includes $2500 service panel upgrade)

    PV System Cost (pre-tax credit) = $15505 ($3.45/W)

    While I've posted price, equipment, and $/W up front. I would caution anyone in the vendor selection process to be wary of focusing solely on finding the lowest price and equipment selection without consideration of the installation quality. The best way to avoid a cheap solar system is paying a cheap price. Or buy cheap, buy twice. I focused first on vendor reputation (yelp, this forum, solar reviews.com, angle's list), credentials (license(s) held), company history (years in business), and references. Only after narrowing the pool of vendors to those I felt would do a quality installation did I start working toward the best price. For this and most things in life, everything is negotiable.

    Interestingly, the vendor that I ended up choosing had one of the lowest estimates that I obtained. Finding low prices is easy, but sifting them through them to identify a quality installer requires more effort. One thing I did is I actually asked references if I could visit their home and evaluate the installation quality myself. In another topic, http://www.solarpaneltalk.com/showth...manship-Photos , I posted the installation work of two vendors... one which is clean and professional (the vendor I choose) and the vendor leaves much to be desired. Both were very similarly priced.

    I ended up going with a vendor with a base of business in C-10 electrical contracting (as opposed to solar only C-46 vendor). My theory is that electrical contractors have a longer company history than recently started solar only businesses and have something to fall back on when the solar tax credit dries up in a couple years and the pace of solar installation slows.

    My only gripe with the vendor was that the sales guy would not budge on their $2500 price tag on the service panel upgrade. I posted a whole thread trying to reconcile this price. In the end, I was able to get the vendor to come down $700 on the overall cost.

    The vendor will be sending someone out to do a site survey (measure the roof) next week. Assuming that goes well, the contract will be put in place a couple days after that. The vendor has 26 jobs currently and 3 installation crews. The projection is Jan or early Feb to have my system up and running.

    Will update as they come...

    NOTE: My vendor initially quoted the service panel price as $2500. During price negotiation the vendor reduced the overall system cost by $700, but it wasn't clear if he was reducing the service panel price to $1800 as he was adamant about the $2500 price initially. Further down the road when I was considering not upgrading the service panel review of estimates revealed that the vendor was clearly assigning $1800 to the price of the service panel upgrade. --- It's interesting to consider that assuming service panel upgrade is included in the overall system cost, a higher price assigned to the service panel upgrade reduces the $/W cost. Something to consider if you know you require a service panel upgrade and vendors are quoting different prices on the cost. The majority of the bids I got were $1500 for the service panel upgrade, $1800 from one vendor (which this one eventually matched), and the $2500 initial price from this vendor.
    Last edited by subdriver97; 12-21-2014, 09:32 PM. Reason: Added price for SE6000/SE5000 options and note

  • #2
    Glad you're making progress. Just a quick correction, $16505/4500 = $3.67/W. One of the lowest prices with that equipment lately nevertheless. Also I think you meant "pre-incentive". Taxes are always included by default.
    16xLG300N1C+SE6000[url]http://tiny.cc/ojmxyx[/url]

    Comment


    • #3
      Originally posted by thejq View Post
      Glad you're making progress. Just a quick correction, $16505/4500 = $3.67/W. One of the lowest prices with that equipment lately nevertheless. Also I think you meant "pre-incentive". Taxes are always included by default.
      Apologies, I had my numbers confused. It should actually be:
      Total Cost $18005 (includes $2500 service panel upgrade)
      So, PV System Cost (pre-tax credit) = $15505
      $15505/4500 = $3.446/W

      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by thejq View Post
        Glad you're making progress. Just a quick correction, $16505/4500 = $3.67/W. One of the lowest prices with that equipment lately nevertheless. Also I think you meant "pre-incentive". Taxes are always included by default.
        Is the wattage figure DC or AC watts?
        LG280/SE6000/[url]http://tinyurl.com/pav2bn8[/url]

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by lkstaack View Post
          Is the wattage figure DC or AC watts?
          Always DC watts for this usage.
          [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

          Comment


          • #6
            AC or DC

            Originally posted by lkstaack
            Is the wattage figure DC or AC watts?
            I would prefer, for system output, whichever is less. For cost per watt, DC total.

            Comments? Bruce Roe

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by subdriver97 View Post
              After ~1.5 months of research and estimates from 6 vendors. I came to agreement on price with a vendor today. System specs are:

              System Size: 4500 kW
              Panels: 15 LG300
              Inverter: SolarEdge SE5000
              Total Cost $18140 (includes $2500 service panel upgrade)

              PV System Cost (pre-tax credit) = $15640 ($3.48/W)

              While I've posted price, equipment, and $/W up front. I would caution anyone in the vendor selection process to be wary of focusing solely on finding the lowest price and equipment selection without consideration of the installation quality. The best way to avoid a cheap solar system is paying a cheap price. Or buy cheap, buy twice. I focused first on vendor reputation (yelp, this forum, solar reviews.com, angle's list), credentials (license(s) held), company history (years in business), and references. Only after narrowing the pool of vendors to those I felt would do a quality installation did I start working toward the best price. For this and most things in life, everything is negotiable.

              Interestingly, the vendor that I ended up choosing had one of the lowest estimates that I obtained. Finding low prices is easy, but sifting them through them to identify a quality installer requires more effort. One thing I did is I actually asked references if I could visit their home and evaluate the installation quality myself. In another topic, http://www.solarpaneltalk.com/showth...manship-Photos , I posted the installation work of two vendors... one which is clean and professional (the vendor I choose) and the vendor leaves much to be desired. Both were very similarly priced.

              I ended up going with a vendor with a base of business in C-10 electrical contracting (as opposed to solar only C-46 vendor). My theory is that electrical contractors have a longer company history than recently started solar only businesses and have something to fall back on when the solar tax credit dries up in a couple years and the pace of solar installation slows.

              My only gripe with the vendor was that the sales guy would not budge on their $2500 price tag on the service panel upgrade. I posted a whole thread trying to reconcile this price. In the end, I was able to get the vendor to come down $700 on the overall cost.,

              The vendor will be sending someone out to do a site survey (measure the roof) next week. Assuming that goes well, we the contract will be put in place a couple days after that. The vendor has 26 jobs currently and 3 installation crews.The projection is Jan or early Feb to have my system up and running.

              Will update as they come...
              Would you mind PM'ing me who you decided to work with? I'm in San Marcos and so far the only quote I have translates to $4.45 / watt.

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by LouieA View Post
                Would you mind PM'ing me who you decided to work with? I'm in San Marcos and so far the only quote I have translates to $4.45 / watt.
                PM Sent

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by subdriver97 View Post
                  System Size: 4500 kW
                  Panels: 15 LG300
                  Inverter: SolarEdge SE5000
                  Did you consider using power optimizers?
                  LG280/SE6000/[url]http://tinyurl.com/pav2bn8[/url]

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by lkstaack View Post
                    Did you consider using power optimizers?
                    Yes, SolarEdge consists of individual DC Power Optimizers (MPPT) per panel coupled to a Power Inverter (essentially a string inverter).

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by subdriver97 View Post
                      Yes, SolarEdge consists of individual DC Power Optimizers (MPPT) per panel coupled to a Power Inverter (essentially a string inverter).
                      So, you're using them?
                      LG280/SE6000/[url]http://tinyurl.com/pav2bn8[/url]

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by lkstaack View Post
                        So, you're using them?
                        My system is not installed yet... What's your question regarding SolarEdge? thejq is running SolarEdge, he can probably answer...

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by subdriver97 View Post
                          My system is not installed yet... What's your question regarding SolarEdge? thejq is running SolarEdge, he can probably answer...
                          I think he was asking if your configuration when installed will include the SE Optimizers.
                          For the price you got your system I'm interested to know too.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Originally posted by LouieA View Post
                            I think he was asking if your configuration when installed will include the SE Optimizers.
                            For the price you got your system I'm interested to know too.
                            Yes, my system will employ the SE Optimizers. As far as I know that is the only way that the SolarEdge inverter system works. PV panel -> SE Power Optimizer -> SE Power Inverter. Without the Power Optimizer you essentially have a string inverter.

                            The SolarEdge website provides a pretty solid description of how it all works. Let me know if you have any questions about the technology.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              At the risk of asking a question that has been asked a million times before, what are the advantages of a power optimizer + string inverter over multiple micro-inverters?

                              It seems to me that the biggest risk to using micro-inverters is their reliability. Although recent technology my increase their life to 25 years, many in the past haven't lasted longer than five years; requiring the labor associated with getting on a roof and pulling an inverter that's underneath a low panel. Perhaps they are more expensive than power optimizers and inverter?

                              So, power optimizers have a 25 year warranty like micro-inverters. Has their technology been proven over time?
                              LG280/SE6000/[url]http://tinyurl.com/pav2bn8[/url]

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