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Old 09-02-2021, 11:53 AM
 
Location: Tyler, TX
23,850 posts, read 24,091,732 times
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We're considering converting to solar with a full off-grid solution. It'll be a pretty big system for a residential installation. Does anyone have any experience with a local installer that they can recommend or warn about?
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Old 09-04-2021, 07:58 AM
 
Location: Wonderland
67,650 posts, read 60,853,687 times
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I'd worry about hail storms but hey, that's just me.
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Old 09-04-2021, 12:29 PM
 
Location: Tyler, TX
23,850 posts, read 24,091,732 times
Reputation: 15115
Quote:
Originally Posted by KathrynAragon View Post
I'd worry about hail storms but hey, that's just me.
I'm not looking at lower end panels, so they'll hold up as well as anything can. We've been in Texas for five years and seen hail once or twice, and it wasn't that big. I know it can happen, but it doesn't seem to be a huge concern and besides, anything can happen. That's what insurance is for.

We'll also still be tied into the grid, for just that kind of reason, but want to produce enough power to be self-sufficient as far as consumption goes.
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Old 09-05-2021, 10:56 AM
 
Location: Wonderland
67,650 posts, read 60,853,687 times
Reputation: 101073
Quote:
Originally Posted by swagger View Post
I'm not looking at lower end panels, so they'll hold up as well as anything can. We've been in Texas for five years and seen hail once or twice, and it wasn't that big. I know it can happen, but it doesn't seem to be a huge concern and besides, anything can happen. That's what insurance is for.

We'll also still be tied into the grid, for just that kind of reason, but want to produce enough power to be self-sufficient as far as consumption goes.

I don't know, call me crazy but here in NE Texas I can't wrap my head around putting glass panels on a roof. You're posting in the Tyler part of the forum so I figure you're also in NE Texas. In the last 15 years I've replaced two roofs that were hail damaged. One was four years ago. Gotta love that golf ball sized hail.

Also - batteries. Batteries are an issue.

Have you considered wind power?
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Old 09-05-2021, 12:36 PM
 
Location: Tyler, TX
23,850 posts, read 24,091,732 times
Reputation: 15115
Quote:
Originally Posted by KathrynAragon View Post
I don't know, call me crazy but here in NE Texas I can't wrap my head around putting glass panels on a roof. You're posting in the Tyler part of the forum so I figure you're also in NE Texas. In the last 15 years I've replaced two roofs that were hail damaged. One was four years ago. Gotta love that golf ball sized hail.

Also - batteries. Batteries are an issue.

Have you considered wind power?
We're out in the sticks east of Tyler. Somewhere around the lakes.

We'll be doing a ground based system. We have a steep pitched roof that angles east/west, so it's not very suitable for solar. Also, I want it accessible for cleaning and maintenance, and right now, I can't even get on the roof, nor do I want to.

Batteries are part of it, I know. Have to store that power somewhere. We thought about doing a simple grid-tie system, but didn't see any point. Our electric rates aren't bad, IMO and I'm not doing it to save money.

Our goal is something which will work when the grid goes down and doesn't rely on any kind of external fuel being brought in to keep it producing. That's pretty much just solar. We have a creek running through the property but no real volume of water. I could probably charge my phone with it LOL.

I know people who have done wind. They regret bothering with it. I think that wind has it's place, but my house isn't it. If I'm going to stick something in the air like that, it'll be an antenna.
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Old 11-09-2021, 11:29 AM
 
5,760 posts, read 11,541,357 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by swagger View Post
We're out in the sticks east of Tyler. Somewhere around the lakes.

We'll be doing a ground based system. We have a steep pitched roof that angles east/west, so it's not very suitable for solar. Also, I want it accessible for cleaning and maintenance, and right now, I can't even get on the roof, nor do I want to.

Batteries are part of it, I know. Have to store that power somewhere. We thought about doing a simple grid-tie system, but didn't see any point. Our electric rates aren't bad, IMO and I'm not doing it to save money.

Our goal is something which will work when the grid goes down and doesn't rely on any kind of external fuel being brought in to keep it producing. That's pretty much just solar. We have a creek running through the property but no real volume of water. I could probably charge my phone with it LOL.

I know people who have done wind. They regret bothering with it. I think that wind has it's place, but my house isn't it. If I'm going to stick something in the air like that, it'll be an antenna.
Hey Swagger, did anyone help you on this?

Texas Master, 30 years. MS/BSEE. And yes we do Solar.

DM me if you need help?
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Old 11-09-2021, 04:16 PM
 
3,028 posts, read 5,080,951 times
Reputation: 1910
Strong chance you will need to respond directly. None of my business, yep!
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