Anyone have any experience with solar panels

I don't have any experience with them, but have also thought about solar to run my tank room.
At least my lights and main pump.
It is pretty pricey though. But it depends on what you plan to use on it. (wattage)

 

i have setup 2 grid tie systems on our houses in NoCal and Colorado.  you will definitely save a lot of cash diy. 
you should do a cost/benefit analysis before hand because in nocal and boulder the systems paid for themselves in 3 and 5 years respectively with local and state rebates.
however, here in iowa, electricity is so  cheap per/Kwh [relatively] and there is little, if any, state money available for rebates.
in cedar rapids, iowa i figured it would take approx.  47 years for a 3000w to pay for itself.
 a few years ago there were a lot of zero interest loans up to 250,000 but unfortunately they usually go to universities and non profits.
http://www.energy.iastate.edu/Funding/index.htm
http://www.energy.iastate.edu/renew...ed&a=0&t=0
here are a  few vendors i have worked with;
ALTERNATIVE ENERGY SOLUTIONS


300 FIRST AVENUE S, ALTOONA, IA 50009


Phone: (515) 967-1510



AMBIENT CONTROL SYSTEMS


609 PLEASANT PLAIN ROAD, FAIRFIELD, IA 52556


Phone: (641) 472-4277



Decker Manufacturing Co


312 Blondeau St


KEOKUK, IA 52632


Phone: (319) 524-3304


Fax: (319) 524-2814



ECONOMY SOLAR CORP.

Clinton,IA 52732

(563) 242-2179



SOLAR CONSULTANTS


3010 E JEFFERSON AVENUE, PLEASANT HILL, IA 50317


Phone: (515) 266-8883



Solar Dynamics Inc


212 Gateway Drive


OTTUMWA, IA 52501


Phone: (641) 683-1834


Fax: (641) 683-3031

 

i forgot to add.  whether you buy a kit, diy, or have a ''solar'' professional do the installation make sure you have a ''licensed'' electrician inspect it or tie it in and request a written report when they are done.  make copies and send them to your mortgage holder[if applicable] and home owners insurance co./underwriter to have policy amended.   if, by chance you have a fire, flood, or other disaster an off-grid or grid tied system that they are unaware of can void a home owners policy and they will not cover incidences that are related and unrelated to the alternative energy source.

 

Everything I've read online about solar is that it's so expensive to get going that it takes way to long for it to pay itself off and it's not worth it. I never really read up on the DIY stuff so that may help out the pricing of it, or in another market such as Cali. and stuff where electricity is through the roof.  I've actually thought about looking into a small wind turbine for when we build out in the country but haven't really read much on them yet.  I do know that as a renewable energy source your local utility company is required to buy back any electricity that you over produce.  But unfortunately they buy it back at wholesale price and that's about 1/4 of what we pay for electricity.  They are actually trying to get that changed through congress right now to help encourage more renewable energy.

 

it's not so much that they are ''ungodly expensive'' it's just that power in the midwest is ungodly cheap. it's all relative.
it can definitely be done the way you mention for a lot less cash if you do it  that way.   depending on your experience, i would recommend  buying a few small solar powered landscape lights or a solar attic fan; take them apart to get a feel for the setup.  they are all the same just on smaller scales.
these fans are made here in iowa.
http://www.solardynamicsinc.com/index.htm
here is a method to detirmine cost/benefit  or ROI.
So if you need 150 KWH per month works out to 5 KWH per day.  [MOST HOMES 2,000 SQ. FT.  USE 12-15KWH/DAY]



Solar panel size = (5000 x 1.2)/4 = 1500 watts. If by chance you want off-grid for battery you need 1900 watts.





For grid tied multiply $9 to $10 per watt = $13,500 to $15,000

Battery $13 per watt = $24,700



You can do the math and
cost analysis to determine if it is worth it or not to you. Basically
50 or more years to break even to replace 5 KWH per day @ 15-cents per
KWH.
bottom line, imo, the current cost of energy from the utility provider is just too cheap to justify a full scale solar source in most parts of the midwest.  also, utilities in the midwest purchase a large portion of their power from wind fields in MN, KS, SD, IA, and WY.  but, if money is not a concern, i would encourage alternative sources of energy.
on the other hand, you can be almost certain that energy costs will continue to rise in the future.

 

Wait till you get you hube tanks set up.LOL

Carrie mentioned the other day how cheap our electirc bill was.

 

i just returned from a conference in IC and found out about another option you may want to look into depending on your location rural/urban.
they have a a good rep. and hold a large market share of the residential wind turbine manufacture/installation...these are only 9,000 installed;
http://www.skystreamenergy.com/