http://www.solardave.com/index.php/cost-of-a-partital-diy-solar-panel-system-video/
SolarDave: Please tell me about your solar panel system and how you saved some money?
Adam Stevenson: The total of the system and materials was $22K. I ended up spending about another $1,800 in permit fees and a structural engineer and $400 for an electrician, several hundred dollars for a guy to come help me out for the two afternoons he spent with me.
Xcel (Energy) gave me $16,538 rebate. Fix cost based on the number of kilowatts you are installing and has nothing to do with how much you pay the permit office or the electrician.
My final cost after rebate was $7,237. (SolarDave note: that is cheap!)
I started my research in solar probably about a year before I actually installed it went and got a couple of bids from some of the local solar people both from contractors that my friends have used as well as just searching the internet and while talking to one of the guys I find of developed a good feeling from him, and I asked the question “Would it be possible to do some of the work myself” and kind of learn along the way he said “Sure I absolutely support the do-it-yourself-er (DIY) so I said why don’t you throw me bids, what it would cost just come home and have solar one day and what it would cost to have it done where I do some or all the work myself. And throw them both to me and I said let’s try the second one.
The guys name is Steve Cross from Sun Spot Solar.
I gave him my electric bills and said this is how much I think I need to generate and he said I agree and lets do these types of panels 180 watts each, you will need some where around 19 to 22 we figured out 21 fit pretty well.
So I went and got all the permit information from Golden (Colorado), filled it out. He came by 1/2 hour one day he type all the Xcel application on the internet and I kind of ran the process and when I had a question I would just send him an email and he helped me out.
I think in parallel we order the equipment – he dropped off in my driveway. Then one of his installers came out and helped me for two afternoons and I pretty much myself put in the whole rack system on the roof and the installer came out and helped me kind of a two man job carrying the panels up, putting the panels down and bracketing them down.
I think we sketch out on the side of one of the solar panel boxes how they are all going to wire together so that we get three rows of series – 7 series strings so the amperage works out.
I let his installer run the conduit because that is pretty much a one person job and then I paid an electrician to plug it all in for me.
Duration : 0:3:2
[youtube udUSVdJ2WqY]
You might also like
 |  | | |
I just got my 5″ …
I just got my 5″ monocrystalline solar cells at Solar-Deals(.)com for a great price! I’m going to use these for my DIY solar panel.
Very cool. Let me …
Very cool. Let me know if you need pannels. I have discounts to many states.
great vid, thx Its …
great vid, thx Its cool you get major rebates in CO.
I absolutely agree, …
I absolutely agree, man.
I have taken 8 …
All this solar companies are not giving me any option.
I have taken 8 different bids from all this installers and the best i have gotten is $7.70/W installed + permits. Subtracting the $18K rebate still leaves me with $16,765 vs. your $7,237. I need to find a “Steve Cross” here in LA
The problem home …
The problem home owners are having in getting a solar system is due to all of this new “Solar” companies that charge as much as the cost of all your equipment. + permits. They charge per watt installed. On this video,you have spent $23.8K installed($6.29/W installed).If I was going to get a contractor and get the same number of panels but 215W w/c would generate 4.5kWh DC, this would cost me $36.2K! Thats a $13K difference for a 3-day install. Here in Ca. the usual rate of installed is $8/W.
100 5″ 2 watt solar …
100 5″ 2 watt solar cells!
$264.99 at checkout!
$1.32/watt!
Ends Sunday, June 21, 2009!
Solar-Deals(.)com
because our …
because our ancestors broke their backs to build this country to what it is now. thats why we can be rich.
the only way to give the gift of success to the third world is to teach them the way and let them do it for themselves. capitalism and the free market with a government that is free from most corruption is the path to success. not handouts and free rides. that just adds to laziness and stupidity (see: anyone currently living on welfare)
i wish i could …
i wish i could blame al gore fore everything , but al gore didnt turn off
the turbine car at indy500. al didnt make tome ogles galaxie 500 go away.
im not sure if the …
im not sure if the problem is foreign energy sources. why should we be so rich and other countries so poor?
GOD so it cost …
GOD so it cost about 19,800 in materials is that right?
Actually it’s the …
Actually it’s the utility companies that are building major solar, wind, thermal, geothermal, tidal, etc systems, and they plan on selling you their Earth generated energy at a premium by controlling access to emerging technology. From Stan Meyer’s water fuel cell, to striling engines, to solar to wind. They hate all sources of energy they do not control. Too many people just naively ert it’s just a business and monetary issue, wake up. They’ll give you it, when you’re already able to make it
Typicly, overnight …
Typicly, overnight power comes from the utility company still, while hopefully the daytime production exceeds that so you can break even or if fortunate enough, earn some change by feeding more into the grid, than what you consume. No need for batteries, you just sell surplus during the day and buy back some during the evenings.
government wont pay …
government wont pay for it cause theres money and business in electric companies…and since that is that the solar companies have the ability to charge alot for ur dedication.