SDGE Highest Rates in U.S.! (Carlsbad: lease, Home Depot, purchasing)

[NORTY FLATZ]

Heck, mine's $12 just for today!

LOL

[cruitr]

Originally Posted by NORTY FLATZ

Heck, mine's $12 just for today!
LOL

Go solar. You'll get a 30% federal tax credit. I've never regretted going solar. Especially when I look at my SDGE electric bill.

[NORTY FLATZ]

Originally Posted by cruitr

Go solar. You'll get a 30% federal tax credit. I've never regretted go solar. Especially when I look at my SDGE electric bill.

Thought about it, but it just doesn't pencil out for me. (Altho, my SDG& E bill has been rising quickly.)

Neighbor just got his solar "turned ON" by SDG & E Monday.

Thinking about running an extension cord to my shack!

He'd never know I was siphoning power, as long as I kept doing it from the get-go. LOL!

[Tipmart87]

Originally Posted by cruitr

Go solar. You'll get a 30% federal tax credit. I've never regretted going solar. Especially when I look at my SDGE electric bill.

We've just moved to Carlsbad. How much roughly is it to get it installed to a home?

[cruitr]

Originally Posted by Tipmart87

We've just moved to Carlsbad. How much roughly is it to get it installed to a home?

It depends on a lot of things. But mainly how much electricity you need.

[Axxlrod]

Originally Posted by NORTY FLATZ

Thought about it, but it just doesn't pencil out for me. (Altho, my SDG& E bill has been rising quickly.)

Neighbor just got his solar "turned ON" by SDG & E Monday.

Thinking about running an extension cord to my shack!

He'd never know I was siphoning power, as long as I kept doing it from the get-go. LOL!

I think solar is smart to do if you can afford it, even if it's nothing more than a hedge against continually rising elec rates from SDGE.

[stablegenius]

Originally Posted by Axxlrod

I think solar is smart to do if you can afford it, even if it's nothing more than a hedge against continually rising elec rates from SDGE.

If anyone gets quotes, please post here. I'm curious what it's costing these days. My neighbor paid 20k, with a 7k rebate for 14k which is not bad. My wife doesn't really want to do it because you hear all these stories about shady solar companies. My buddy is in the industry and says wait a year. It's really only worth it if you can stay in your house long enough to break even and I'm not sure we'll be here that long.

[Axxlrod]

Originally Posted by stablegenius

If anyone gets quotes, please post here. I'm curious what it's costing these days. My neighbor paid 20k, with a 7k rebate for 14k which is not bad. My wife doesn't really want to do it because you hear all these stories about shady solar companies. My buddy is in the industry and says wait a year. It's really only worth it if you can stay in your house long enough to break even and I'm not sure we'll be here that long.

Lots of variables to the equation.

- How much power your house uses vs. how much power can panels provide
- How many panels will fit on your roof
- Orientation of the panels/roof
- shade from trees

A home with a north-facing roof will need more panels to produce the same power as a home with a south-facing roof. More panels = higher cost

Do you want to produce 50% of your homes elec needs? 80%? 100%? 150%?

The cost varies by manufacturer of the panels too. For instance, I don't want Chinese (junk) panels. I want Made in USA panels. So I chose to go with Sunpower panels, which are more expensive.

My most recent proposal which I am going forward with is $28K for 20 panels. Which equates to $1400 per panel. That also includes all install, micro-inverters, and some new breakers. This system will produce 125% of my current elec use, so I will have extra capacity in the future to add an elec car, pool, heat pumps, etc...

I'm putting 20% down upfront, and financing the rest. The payment will be $225 per month. No prepayment penalty. This month's SDGE bill will be $900.

[joosoon]

Originally Posted by Axxlrod

I'm putting 20% down upfront, and financing the rest. The payment will be $225 per month. No prepayment penalty. This month's SDGE bill will be $900.

That's a good way to look at it. Our SDGE bill isn't that high, even this time of year (btw wow), but it's up there and certainly more than the monthly cost you're talking about to finance your system. For us, I'd rather just buy it outright but regardless, I had never really thought about it in those terms.


Last time we got an estimate, which admittedly was a long time ago, I think panels were about $1k each but the break-even point was going to be over a decade. That's why we keep kicking the can down the road on solar.

[kbuhagiar]

Originally Posted by Axxlrod

Lots of variables to the equation.

- How much power your house uses vs. how much power can panels provide
- How many panels will fit on your roof
- Orientation of the panels/roof
- shade from trees

A home with a north-facing roof will need more panels to produce the same power as a home with a south-facing roof. More panels = higher cost

Do you want to produce 50% of your homes elec needs? 80%? 100%? 150%?

The cost varies by manufacturer of the panels too. For instance, I don't want Chinese (junk) panels. I want Made in USA panels. So I chose to go with Sunpower panels, which are more expensive.

My most recent proposal which I am going forward with is $28K for 20 panels. Which equates to $1400 per panel. That also includes all install, micro-inverters, and some new breakers. This system will produce 125% of my current elec use, so I will have extra capacity in the future to add an elec car, pool, heat pumps, etc...

I'm putting 20% down upfront, and financing the rest. The payment will be $225 per month. No prepayment penalty. This month's SDGE bill will be $900.

Axxlrod,

Thanks for sharing that information.
Does the $28K include any available govt. credits?

BTW my SDGE bill last month was $690. This month with some diligence we are predicted to come in at around $570.

Thanks again.