Dunno if a few solar panels would help me much....I'd have to cover every lot on the block and then some.

Some have posted their energy usage totals....
Here are mine for the last year.
Hang on tight, kitties.......................

1/22/15 689.41 5531kwh
12/18/14 473.40 3652kwh
11/17/14 527.82 4267kwh
10/17/14 640.84 4631kwh
9/18/14 532.65 3938kwh
8/19/14 742.42 5256kwh
7/21/14 812.44 6326kwh
6/19/14 768.20 5737kwh
5/20/14 756.71 5502kwh
4/21/14 715.03 5602kwh
3/20/14 644.05 4946kwh
2/19/14 608.29 4689kwh

One year running total?
$7,911.26 and 60,077kwh.

I would estimate that 95% of that is Seti crunching usage.

Now you know............the rest of the story.
Meow.

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"Freedom is just Chaos, with better lighting." Alan Dean Foster

Dunno if a few solar panels would help me much....I'd have to cover every lot on the block and then some.

Some have posted their energy usage totals....
Here are mine for the last year.
Hang on tight, kitties.......................

1/22/15 689.41 5531kwh
12/18/14 473.40 3652kwh
11/17/14 527.82 4267kwh
10/17/14 640.84 4631kwh
9/18/14 532.65 3938kwh
8/19/14 742.42 5256kwh
7/21/14 812.44 6326kwh
6/19/14 768.20 5737kwh
5/20/14 756.71 5502kwh
4/21/14 715.03 5602kwh
3/20/14 644.05 4946kwh
2/19/14 608.29 4689kwh

One year running total?
$7,911.26 and 60,077kwh.

I would estimate that 95% of that is Seti crunching usage.

Now you know............the rest of the story.
Meow.

omfg... That's a lot of usage...

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rOZZ
Music
Pictures

We are having our front yard trees trimmed today, in preparation for our solar installation. Eric and I are at odds - aesthetics vs maximum solar efficiency. The poor tree cutters are going to need to be channeling Dr. Phil today!!!

We are also having a half dead pine tree taken out of the backyard today, not for solar purposes but simply because it is at the end of its normal lifespan and I do not want it to come crashing through my kitchen the next time we have a big wind storm. My critters are not going to be happy about removal of that tree, but sadly, it has to be done.

The trees will grow back in time if they don't prune them too hard. You can monitor efficiency to see if and when they might need pruning again.

I'm on the side of the trees, sorry!

I'm on the side of trees as well. Our solar system is supposed to come with a very fancy monitoring system which will tell us which panels are and are not performing at maximum efficiency. (Can you tell I'm married to a geek?)

...If it is working at 90% you might decide to save the tree, if at 30% then you send out Mr Geek with the loppers....

Mr. Geek does NOT get to climb ladders, loppers in hand. I prefer he not put an eye out, and I know what a power wheelchair costs!!!

I am reminded of the solar installation Larry Hagman put up. It is several segments. It was reported to be 81Kw of panels. If you can find it on youtube. There is a tour of his house and solar farm. He even said he helped solarize a few neighbors.

Solar Panels

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...If it is working at 90% you might decide to save the tree, if at 30% then you send out Mr Geek with the loppers....

Mr. Geek does NOT get to climb ladders, loppers in hand. I prefer he not put an eye out, and I know what a power wheelchair costs!!!

$8,000 for the one I just purchased in December.

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...If it is working at 90% you might decide to save the tree, if at 30% then you send out Mr Geek with the loppers....

Mr. Geek does NOT get to climb ladders, loppers in hand. I prefer he not put an eye out.

I DO NOT do death or dismemberment either. That's why I use a pole saw. I am not a fan of unsecured heights.

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Dunno if a few solar panels would help me much....I'd have to cover every lot on the block and then some.

Some have posted their energy usage totals....
Here are mine for the last year.
Hang on tight, kitties.......................

1/22/15 689.41 5531kwh
12/18/14 473.40 3652kwh
11/17/14 527.82 4267kwh
10/17/14 640.84 4631kwh
9/18/14 532.65 3938kwh
8/19/14 742.42 5256kwh
7/21/14 812.44 6326kwh
6/19/14 768.20 5737kwh
5/20/14 756.71 5502kwh
4/21/14 715.03 5602kwh
3/20/14 644.05 4946kwh
2/19/14 608.29 4689kwh

One year running total?
$7,911.26 and 60,077kwh.

I would estimate that 95% of that is Seti crunching usage.

Now you know............the rest of the story.
Meow.

omfg... That's a lot of usage...

LOL...yup, it IS.
I wonder how many solar panels it would take to supply THAT demand.

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"Freedom is just Chaos, with better lighting." Alan Dean Foster

For the time being most small home solar installations have a 20 year payback period. This basically means that allowing for the initial cost up front, and the interest on that capital sum that could have been got if invested, and the savings in energy, it will not save you any "real" money for 20 years.

20 years to repay???!!! Good grief Chris, what kind of return do you get on your investments and PLEASE share with us the name of your broker!!!

All kidding aside, I am not willing to go public with all the details of our financial situation, but I think, dear friend, that you may have over-estimated our installation costs, underestimated our energy costs, underestimated the sun power we have out here in California, and/or GREATLY over-estimated the earning potential of our investment dollars!!!

Chris, I have only been to England once, and sadly our stay was all too short, but I never saw the sun while there and it rained on and off throughout our visit. Perhaps the 20 year payback estimate is one for England?

I am skeptical of the 4.2 year "break even" point estimated for our system, and I will also admit that this estimate does not include lost income on our investment dollars, but your 20 year estimate seems a bit "out there" for our particular situation. I do not think that solar would be quite as popular in our area if people were losing money hand-over-fist.

From the little I know of the Korpelas, I suspect much of the intrigue has to do with a certain CRL's love of the planet, with lesser concern of the payback interval.

Ain't that so, CRL?

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"Freedom is just Chaos, with better lighting." Alan Dean Foster

Dunno if a few solar panels would help me much....I'd have to cover every lot on the block and then some.

Some have posted their energy usage totals....
Here are mine for the last year.
Hang on tight, kitties.......................

1/22/15 689.41 5531kwh
12/18/14 473.40 3652kwh
11/17/14 527.82 4267kwh
10/17/14 640.84 4631kwh
9/18/14 532.65 3938kwh
8/19/14 742.42 5256kwh
7/21/14 812.44 6326kwh
6/19/14 768.20 5737kwh
5/20/14 756.71 5502kwh
4/21/14 715.03 5602kwh
3/20/14 644.05 4946kwh
2/19/14 608.29 4689kwh

One year running total?
$7,911.26 and 60,077kwh.

I would estimate that 95% of that is Seti crunching usage.

Now you know............the rest of the story.
Meow.

omfg... That's a lot of usage...

LOL...yup, it IS.
I wonder how many solar panels it would take to supply THAT demand.

There is a solar Calculator here, at 315w, maybe 122 panels, the max wattage per panel used to be about 255w.

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The T1 Trust, PRR T1 Class 4-4-4-4 #5550, 1 of America's First HST's

For the time being most small home solar installations have a 20 year payback period. This basically means that allowing for the initial cost up front, and the interest on that capital sum that could have been got if invested, and the savings in energy, it will not save you any "real" money for 20 years.

20 years to repay???!!! Good grief Chris, what kind of return do you get on your investments and PLEASE share with us the name of your broker!!!

All kidding aside, I am not willing to go public with all the details of our financial situation, but I think, dear friend, that you may have over-estimated our installation costs, underestimated our energy costs, underestimated the sun power we have out here in California, and/or GREATLY over-estimated the earning potential of our investment dollars!!!

Chris, I have only been to England once, and sadly our stay was all too short, but I never saw the sun while there and it rained on and off throughout our visit. Perhaps the 20 year payback estimate is one for England?

I am skeptical of the 4.2 year "break even" point estimated for our system, and I will also admit that this estimate does not include lost income on our investment dollars, but your 20 year estimate seems a bit "out there" for our particular situation. I do not think that solar would be quite as popular in our area if people were losing money hand-over-fist.

Here in the desert We get 10hrs per day in the winter and more the rest of the year, but that's why we have 110+ days of 100F+ temps and a few days will and have reached 115F...

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The T1 Trust, PRR T1 Class 4-4-4-4 #5550, 1 of America's First HST's

I`m not sure where Chris got the numbers from.
One of my co workers has solar panels on his roof for 10 years now.
It payed off after 5 years.
He produces approx 9000 KWH a year and consumes ~5000 KWH.
So he makes a good additional money as well getting €0,50 per KWH he don`t use.
Of course the UK isn`t a sunny country.

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With each crime and every kindness we birth our future.

I`m not sure where Chris got the numbers from.
One of my co workers has solar panels on his roof for 10 years now.
It payed off after 5 years.
He produces approx 9000 KWH a year and consumes ~5000 KWH.
So he makes a good additional money as well getting €0,50 per KWH he don`t use.
Of course the UK isn`t a sunny country.

The estimated pay back time for England, based on an average 4kWp system in Birmingham for the average household is 12 years, with the present feed in tariff. But I believe the feed in tariff for new installations is due to fall, again, this year.
That's for a house rated D for loft and cavity wall insulation, using efficient household appliances.

Chris's figure was based on the "UK norm" installation, running and payback figure, indeed the most often quoted payback is about 20 years. But this figure is based on all sorts of "wild estimates", such as cost of installation - that really depends on the roof structure and the type of house, with the typical UK house being two stories, and so (under UK insurance enforced (miss)regulations) needing stupidly expensive scaffolding to do the work; the cost of panels hasn't changed much over the last few years, but the efficiency has improved, but the costing model still assumes the "old fashioned" panels (which mean my house with a west facing roof is "not viable", but with modern panels would be "OK"), and the assumed loss of interest (hey, my investments are barely making 2% on a very good day). If one assumes a more realistic model the payback time is somewhat less, more like 12-15 years (we get about half the solar energy per year you do in CA).

Angela, don't be disappointed, there are people over here who haven't seen the sun for years, never mind weeks. But when it is sunny for more than two consecutive days it makes the national news....


Vic, it makes a lot of sense me, given where you live, and your financial situation, to be investigating the possibility of getting some of your energy "for free" by installing PV panels.

And an aside - does anyone know if there are any small (domestic) scale solar-thermal generators around? (e.g. Stirling engines driving generators)

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Bob Smith
Member of Seti PIPPS (Pluto is a Planet Protest Society)
Somewhere in the (un)known Universe?

See if you can find a broken or second hand Baxi Ecogen 24/1.0

@Admiral, the 30% sounds right, but I think there is a cap on costs. Please don't quote me on it, since I have not had to do this tax wise. The last solar water panel we installed was, in the late 80s. The State of California gave us a $3,000 REFUNDABLE credit, paid for the panel, the installation and plus put some money into our bank account.
Now California is very stingy with refundable credits.

I post a rant here, with regards to my HOA and wanting to put Solar Panels on our Clubhouse. Dipshit Boardmembers converted that to water heating. None of these people now use the pool. I iniciated the Solar part, but was not on the board, when it was switched and approved. Cost $16.000 and mounting due to repairs. Both the Federal and State had a credit in place for the Solar Part, I didn't see one for the Water at the time I put it up for discussion.

@Ang, I look forward to seeing it some day and the Geek station.

Going Solar is on my radar. Since I get a break on my bill and my neighbors trees are an issue, I will have to be patient.

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Pluto will always be a planet to me.

Seti Ambassador
Not to late to order an Anni Shirt