X
 
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts
  • control4userguy
    Solar Fanatic
    • Aug 2014
    • 147

    Yeah, they don't all go like this one...

    Comment

    • HX_Guy
      Solar Fanatic
      • Apr 2014
      • 1002

      Originally posted by bcroe
      I'm more and more happy that this one is a ground mount. Bruce Roe
      Which "one"?

      Comment

      • bcroe
        Solar Fanatic
        • Jan 2012
        • 5203

        Originally posted by HX_Guy
        Which "one"?
        Mine. Bruce

        Comment

        • Living Large
          Solar Fanatic
          • Nov 2014
          • 910

          I can't believe the installer came out on a Sunday. Amazing. I'll want to get this guy's name - it looks like he really knows what he is doing. Some guys would just poke anchors through into sheathing, and put a dab of caulk on. Great work!

          Comment

          • subdriver97
            Solar Fanatic
            • Nov 2014
            • 133

            Originally posted by living large
            i can't believe the installer came out on a sunday. Amazing. I'll want to get this guy's name - it looks like he really knows what he is doing. Some guys would just poke anchors through into sheathing, and put a dab of caulk on. Great work!
            lmao!

            Comment

            • Alisobob
              Banned
              • Sep 2014
              • 605

              Originally posted by subdriver97
              lmao!
              X2

              Remind me how much time and effort bartering is saving you....

              I am glad you grabbed this project by the horns though...

              What a PITA !!

              Comment

              • HX_Guy
                Solar Fanatic
                • Apr 2014
                • 1002

                Originally posted by Alisobob
                X2

                Remind me how much time and effort bartering is saving you....

                I am glad you grabbed this project by the horns though...

                What a PITA !!
                Well...about $15,000 so, how long would it take to make that much in pay?

                Honestly the work is pretty hard but I'm enjoying it at the same time. It's pretty rewarding seeing it come along and knowing it's done by the book. I don't know if any installer, no matter how well they may be rated, would take the kind of time I'm taking to double check that every stud was hit and that the caulking is exactly in a nice U shape etc etc.

                Comment

                • Alisobob
                  Banned
                  • Sep 2014
                  • 605

                  Originally posted by HX_Guy
                  It's pretty rewarding seeing it come along and knowing it's done by the book.

                  Comment

                  • HX_Guy
                    Solar Fanatic
                    • Apr 2014
                    • 1002

                    One of the other nice things I've realized is that it's going to be very easy to expand this system in the future, and I'll be able to do it myself. The inverter is rated for up to 15,350 DC input and the breaker/wiring is being installed for that max amount right now, so I should be able to add 2,950 more watts, or about 10 panels and just interconnect them into the string since with SolarEdge you don't need the strings to be the same number of panels.

                    Comment

                    • silversaver
                      Solar Fanatic
                      • Jul 2013
                      • 1390

                      Originally posted by Living Large
                      I can't believe the installer came out on a Sunday. Amazing. I'll want to get this guy's name - it looks like he really knows what he is doing. Some guys would just poke anchors through into sheathing, and put a dab of caulk on. Great work!
                      classic

                      Comment

                      • Living Large
                        Solar Fanatic
                        • Nov 2014
                        • 910

                        Originally posted by HX_Guy
                        Well...about $15,000 so, how long would it take to make that much in pay?

                        Honestly the work is pretty hard but I'm enjoying it at the same time. It's pretty rewarding seeing it come along and knowing it's done by the book. I don't know if any installer, no matter how well they may be rated, would take the kind of time I'm taking to double check that every stud was hit and that the caulking is exactly in a nice U shape etc etc.
                        Every installer should check to see they are going into rafters, or that wouldn't be the manufacturer's recommendation. A perfect U shape isn't required - you could have a V, but every installer should get the basics of top and sides sealed, bottom no. These are routine building procedures.

                        Just out of curiosity, the approx $15,000 figure - what is that for? Labor for the entire installation? I'm curious because I have no idea what I will find when I go looking for quotes. What will be your initial total PV wattage?

                        Comment

                        • HX_Guy
                          Solar Fanatic
                          • Apr 2014
                          • 1002

                          Originally posted by Living Large
                          Every installer should check to see they are going into rafters, or that wouldn't be the manufacturer's recommendation. A perfect U shape isn't required - you could have a V, but every installer should get the basics of top and sides sealed, bottom no. These are routine building procedures.
                          Should yeah, and most probably do. But with this clown, there were two bolts I ran into that he just went into the plywood, no stud at all. And it was right at the top of the install where the rafters go horizontal. It looks me over an hour to locate the rafter correctly and that was with referencing pictures of when the house was built...he probably said screw this and moved on to the next one.

                          Originally posted by Living Large
                          Just out of curiosity, the approx $15,000 figure - what is that for? Labor for the entire installation? I'm curious because I have no idea what I will find when I go looking for quotes. What will be your initial total PV wattage?
                          That was 1/2 the whole job...the deal was 1/2 cash and 1/2 barter. So his price was $29,500 and I was to buy the inverter and optimizers myself (~$4,500). Now that I bought the panels and mounts myself, I subtracted what I paid for those out of the cash I still owed him which was basically the whole amount, so at this point I don't owe him anything anymore, but if he doesn't finish up the install (put up the panels, commissioning, etc) I can get all or most of that barter back through the barter company, I've already talked to them about it.

                          The system is 12,400 Watts.

                          Comment

                          • Living Large
                            Solar Fanatic
                            • Nov 2014
                            • 910

                            Originally posted by HX_Guy
                            That was 1/2 the whole job...the deal was 1/2 cash and 1/2 barter. So his price was $29,500 and I was to buy the inverter and optimizers myself (~$4,500). Now that I bought the panels and mounts myself, I subtracted what I paid for those out of the cash I still owed him which was basically the whole amount, so at this point I don't owe him anything anymore, but if he doesn't finish up the install (put up the panels, commissioning, etc) I can get all or most of that barter back through the barter company, I've already talked to them about it.

                            The system is 12,400 Watts.
                            Wow - you have your own power company. Neat.

                            I never heard of bartering "officially" with a contractor. How much cash have you paid him?

                            Comment

                            • HX_Guy
                              Solar Fanatic
                              • Apr 2014
                              • 1002

                              Originally posted by Living Large
                              Wow - you have your own power company. Neat.

                              I never heard of bartering "officially" with a contractor. How much cash have you paid him?
                              We've done quite a few things through the barter company and also get a lot of services like dry cleaning, landscaping, maid service. It's treated like paying with cash, you sell your product for barter dollars and then have an account that you can spend with others that also accept barter. Of course you also get to pay income tax on it with a 1099.

                              I havne't paid him any cash to this point.

                              Comment

                              • Living Large
                                Solar Fanatic
                                • Nov 2014
                                • 910

                                Originally posted by HX_Guy
                                We've done quite a few things through the barter company and also get a lot of services like dry cleaning, landscaping, maid service. It's treated like paying with cash, you sell your product for barter dollars and then have an account that you can spend with others that also accept barter. Of course you also get to pay income tax on it with a 1099.

                                I havne't paid him any cash to this point.
                                Interesting - I'll have to look into that to learn more. It's good to hear you didn't fork over any cash to him so far. Good luck.

                                Comment

                                Working...