DIY Solar Installation in Canton, GA

[rman]

Just got my solar installation up and running last week in Canton Ga. The cost of power from my power company is only about $0.06/kwh, and I get a lot of shade in the morning and in the late afternoon, so I had to do a self install in order to make the project cost effective. I have been wanting to do this for a number of years, but in the past I found it difficult to get anyone to sell me the panels and other required equipment. Fortunately, that is no longer the case. I ended up buying my system from Renvu, and the cost was about $7300. The system uses 23 THAISUN 320W Poly 72 cell panels, a SOLAREDGE SE6000A-US 6kW inverter, and 23 SOLAREDGE P400-5 Optimizers. The solar panels were priced at around $0.36 per watt, so I thought it would be worth the risk to buy panels that were not top tier. IRONRIDGE racking and mounting hardware, and S-5 clamps were used to mount the panels to a hidden fastener standing seam roof. I used S-5 clamps at every standing seam on the roof because my roof was fastened to a 3/4 inch plywood roof deck with hidden fastening clips, and not directly to the rafters. I wanted the Ironridge rails to be attached to the roof at as many locations as possible.

Having had no experience with solar panel system design, I relied on the expertise of the tech support teams and the online design tools at Renvu, Ironridge, Solaredge and S-5 to make sure that I was purchasing a viable system. I also used the online design tool at www.solardesigntool.com to generate the electrical line drawing and design documentation. Solar Design Tool offers a free 30 day trial of their online software platform. After making an appointment for a phone tutorial meeting with their tech support, I was able to generate a full set of accurate plans that were accepted by my power company and my local permitting authority. I found the tech support at all these companies to be extremely helpful.
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[bcroe]

Sounds like you did very good research. Optimizers will do the best possible, but shade is always a negative. If you
have the panels in good sun for the 4 hours around solar noon, production will be pretty good. I put panels in the
most sunny spot on my lot, far from the house. Even so, some trees seem to disappear vey year. Bruce Roe

[Sunking]

At 6-cents per Kwh and not having full Sun makes it impossible you will ever have an ROI. You are now paying more for electricity A lot more. Why would you do that?

[SunEagle]

Based on my napkin calculations that $7300 system will take maybe 11 years to pay for itself at best.

If shade becomes an issue or if the OP spent more than that $7300 the number of payback years easily goes more than that 11.

[rman]

Total cost after tax rebate is about $5500. Based on performance so far (about one week of data) )and comparisons with other public sites nearby it looks like I may get about 700 to 7500 kwh per year.(PV watts website estimate is about 10000 kwh per year with 7 % shade factor) 5500/(0.06 * 7500) = ~ 12.2. That ranges from about 12 to 13 year payback time, assuming that energy prices do not go up. I am earning a measly 1% on my savings right now, so, while not a great ROI it does not seem so bad. I also have the option to remove some trees when I get a better idea of which ones are causing the most shade on the panels over time.

[Sunking]

I am earning a measly 1% on my savings right now, so, while not a great ROI it does not seem so bad.

You must not know much about money or how to make it work. YTD I am up right around 100% and no end in site but up.

[ashg]

Hi Rman

I noticed you are in GA and did your own install. I live over in Roswell and am embarking on the same kind of project and was wondering if we could chat about what you did regarding permits. I have all of my equipment ready and waiting in the garage. i have all the tech specs for the equipment, line drawings for the system, racking design/load calcs i just want to make sure i have everything they may want before i head down to the permit office.

thanks

Ash