About This Video
David Lupberger is installing solar panels on his house. In part two of this two-part series, he answers questions on optimal installation, how long the project takes and the inspection process.
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Comments on "How Much Does Solar Cost? Part II"
Have you installed or thought about installing solar panels? Tell us about it below.
Howard S.
from Bryson, TX on 10/17/2009 at 01:32 PM MT
you failed to say how much this all cost you ( in Dollars/Cents). Also what is the amps from the total collection, and what voltage. How much is lost through the converson from D.C. to A.C power.
/ 21 of 25 Liked this Comment
TONY D.
from Baytown, TX on 10/26/2009 at 12:31 PM MT
i want to know how much would it cost for a 1200 sq ft home
/ 24 of 31 Liked this Comment
Joe W.
from Mchenry, IL on 10/27/2009 at 11:14 AM MT
What happens when it's time to re-roof? What about routine maintenance? I've heard these panels must be kept clean to work properly. If true, who is going to want to do that? What about snow? What about damage from hail? Did he get a rebate from the utlity company for excess electricity generated and sent back to the utility? Please tell the whole story about costly projects like this.
/ 27 of 36 Liked this Comment
Alex D.
from San ysidro, CA on 11/15/2009 at 11:30 AM MT
Hi,
The video title says '"How much does solar cost" but you never tell how much did it cost
/ 1 of 1 Liked this Comment
from In albion, NY on 11/17/2009 at 12:45 PM MT
He did say how much ,you did not listen he said $40,000 and Government rebate and some back and possible the county & from the power company and financed About $15,000 spread over several years on the tax load! The savings could be 100% with enough panels so subtract what your monthly/yearly power payments and mine run around $2000. a year so it would be a toal pay back in 7 or eight years!
/ 6 of 7 Liked this Comment
from In brentwood, CA on 12/01/2009 at 11:18 AM MT
Ron M from Brentwood Ca. Northern bay area, not the southern L.A. area.
After watching the video of the installing of solar panels on David Lupberger home and seeing that it basically didn't cost him anything after the dual rebates plus the rolling of the remainder into your yearly taxes over the next 15 years would be something that we would for sure like to look into.
One question we do have is who go out and makes the contacts through the city, the electrical company, the rebates and the county taxes to make sure that all is approved prior to ever signing anything.
Otherwise what assurance is there to the home owner that all is taken care of so that after all is in place that it is not found out that the electrical company or the county tax people have not agreed to do what we thought they were going to do in the first place.
Also if I understand what the video was saying that if it is done the above way that no moneys were to be dished out by the home owner.
Another question is this a unit that requires batteries or is it just run through the electrical company so they are buying back what is not used by the home owner.
Let me know more information when you can about the above and also what maintanice will be required and how often it will need to be done, otherwise yearly up keep cost.
Our home does face east and west but the roof line falls north and south, can this be addressed also in your reply. Our home is 2,100 SQ. Ft. and is a tile application, this needs to be addressed also due to the video only showing it applied to shingle.
Ron
/ 10 of 13 Liked this Comment
Colin N.
from Saint clair, MO on 12/23/2009 at 08:57 AM MT
What happens when it's time to re-roof? What about routine maintenance? I've heard these panels must be kept clean to work properly. If true, who is going to want to do that? What about snow? What about damage from hail? Did he get a rebate from the utlity company for excess electricity generated and sent back to the utility? Does the electric company buy back the excess electricity? Please tell the whole story about costly projects like this.
/ 9 of 14 Liked this Comment
Bob L.
from Lakewood, CO on 03/14/2010 at 10:32 AM MT
I was disappointed by these two videos. They didn't address the question in the title (besides what it cost for Mr. Lupberger's house). WHY did his cost $40,000? How did they come to that number? I have a flat roof. How does that affect the cost, since there would need to be mounting brackets to raise the angle of the panels to 40 degrees (I'm in the Denver area). I have an 1100 sqft condo, so I won't need as much solar energy to power my condo which is smaller than his house. How do they figure out how many solar panels are needed and how much that part will cost? Those are some of the questions that I was expecting to see in the videos because the titie was "How much does solar cost?".
/ 8 of 8 Liked this Comment
Clark C.
from Chesapeake, VA on 04/27/2010 at 11:12 AM MT
Solar window film is a VERY affordable product and it will conserve energy resulting in lower utility bills. Window film is a MUST have for all windows. Don't deny yourself this affordable alternative to window replacement.
/ 1 of 1 Liked this Comment
Patricia B.
from Uniontown, PA on 10/24/2010 at 04:10 PM MT
I would like to see if it would work for my home in Uniontown PA
/ 2 of 3 Liked this Comment
Andrew F.
from Kentwood, MI on 11/13/2010 at 10:54 PM MT
I work for United Solar in Greenville Mi and bracketing is not needed.
<br />The panels are flexible and integrate right with the existing shingles.
<br />This removes most of the weight shown in the video.
<br />Check us out at unisolar.com
/ 2 of 2 Liked this Comment
from Grand rapids, MI on 10/10/2011 at 01:47 PM MT
iF Ìts cost about $40,000.00...OH it's not an economical price we look for...!...
<br />i am not a rich person like that to install an vast money system.....
<br />there is no me
/ 0 of 1 Liked this Comment
melody r.
from Irving, TX on 12/11/2014 at 01:21 PM MT
hi i am interested to know abut cost off solar in Dallas and how i can get the info
/ 1 of 2 Liked this Comment
Video Transcript for "How Much Does Solar Cost? Part II"
David Lupberger on How Much Does Solar Cost? Part II: Hi, I'm David Lupberger with ServiceMagic.com. It's the morning of day two of the installation of solar panels on my home. This morning they're focusing on getting the rails in place so they can begin to mount and finish the installation of all the solar panels.
David Lupberger: After yesterday's hot afternoon sun forced work to stop, the crew from Namaste solar is wasting no time in getting things started this morning. Their goal is to finish installation by this afternoon. After placing 44 brackets into my roof, they're now installing the rails that will eventually hold the solar panels. This layout, on the western side of my house, isn't the ideal situation. In fact, this positioning for the panels is the THIRD choice for Namaste to work with.
Amanda Bybee/Namaste Solar: Every area of the U.S. is going to have its own characteristics. Here in Colorado, our optimum installation faces due south, is completely unshaded and is at a tilt angle of 40 degrees, which is the equivalent of our latitude.
David Lupberger: But my roof doesn't have a southern exposure. The second option Namaste likes to go with is the east side. However, my chimney casts a shadow that would dramatically hamper the system's efficiency.
Amanda Bybee/Namaste Solar: Just given the layout of the land and the layout of your roof, West ended up being the best option even though it isn't quite optimal.
David Lupberger: Remember in Part One of this series, we focused on the financial decision to go with solar -- having to install the panels on the Western slope of my roof reduced maximum efficiency to 75% ... and that impacted the rebate from my utility company.
Amanda Bybee/Namaste Solar: In Xcel's case, when we find that a system is going to be less than 90% efficient, we actually pro-rate the rebate accordingly. So that's been taken into account on your application and on your proposal. Your rebate amount was amended to reflect that unfortunately your roof was not quite optimal.
David Lupberger: However, it still made financial sense for me to go through with it.
David Lupberger: As the solar panels begin to head skyward, another Namaste crew begins working on the wiring ... installing the wires that will bring the power collected from the sun right into my breaker box.
David Lupberger: This is the inverter. It effectively functions as the brain of the PV system. When all is said and done, the inverter will show me how much power is being generated and how much CO2 is being offset.
David Lupberger: Throughout the course of the day, the crew works tirelessly to hoist each panel to its permanent location on my roof ... and make sure they're properly secured to withstand the fiercest of storms. In less than two days, my roof has gone from a unit that protects my house from the elements, to one that will produce power for my home, even on days where the scorching heat of the sun can't burn through the cloud cover. I'd like to say we were through at this point ... but there are a few more steps to go through before the system is operational.
David Lupberger: However, there are two more inspections that have to take place. Early next week, a building inspector will come out to make sure the work was done properly. Following that, the utility will come out to certify the installation. So for now, the inverter is turned back off... and will wait.