Anyone have connections with Solar (PV) system installers in MA?

[jeffw]

We're considering purchasing a PV system. Does anyone within COM have connections or suggestions for system installers?

[jlwhorf]

I recently had a solar system installed through Sunrun. We have been very happy with the process and the results. So for we have run 100% solar for the last 3 months, and the first month was 10KWh.

My Salesman's contact
Jamie.Rother@Sunrunhome.com
tel:424.280.7026

[jeffw]

thanks!

[breakaway500]

Jonathan,are you saying the first month your system generated 10KWh for the entire month?

[cfossum]

I had the same question..
Anyhow, Nate H is in the business, sort of. I think his company makes articulating/tracking mount systems for panels. He may also know dealers or installers in MA.

[jlwhorf]

No, I'm saying that the first month, the solar generated all but 10KWh, which turned out to be about $2 of electricity usage. I have beed producing about 1,375 KWh/month with 13 KW DC panel system. I'm seeing how things go this year, and if keep running 100% solar, I'll switch to electic hot water. That could save 5 gallons of oil per week during the summer season.

I did contact Solar City during process for another offer, they were not very attentive or professional.

[breakaway500]

" I have beed producing about 1,375 KWh/month with 1.2 KW DC panel"

Wow..that's pretty substantial.How many square feet of panels is that setup? I have a BIG south roof that would be ideal for solar..but didn't think numbers like that were possible. Maybe with todays panels they are more efficient than what I looked at years ago.. I'd love to toss my electric bills..

[cfossum]

Your entire system is 1.2 kw? Is it 12 instead? Otherwise it works out to 1146 producing hours per month.

[jlwhorf]

Your entire system is 1.2 kw? Is it 12 instead? Otherwise it works out to 1146 producing hours per month.

Carl, I was off by a decimal point, I fixed it above.

" I have beed producing about 1,375 KWh/month with 1.2 KW DC panel"

Wow..that's pretty substantial.How many square feet of panels is that setup? I have a BIG south roof that would be ideal for solar..but didn't think numbers like that were possible. Maybe with todays panels they are more efficient than what I looked at years ago.. I'd love to toss my electric bills..

Mark, the panels fill the pretty much entire roof on on the back side of my roof, I estimate that as about 50X10 area. And a couple of panels on the front, maybe about 6X10" area. I still get a service charge bill from the electric company for $10.40.

I did a no money down lease option, so I pay a fixed monthly fee.

[offcamber09]

Jeff, I went with Sungevity. I have 22 panels on 1 side of my roof. May and June my National Grid bill was $0 and my net for both months was down 50% of previous year's bills. The install was seemless and no money out of pocket.

[jeffw]

We've gotten our first set of quotes, with 2 different vendors giving a different # of panels on the roof (25 vs 32). 25 panels covers about 36% of our usage, but 32 panels gets us to around 50% of our consumption.

Now to do a little more research.

[CP]

How tough is it for snow to melt with those panels all over your roof? I'd think that snow between the panels and the roof would stick around for a while, creating leakage issues. I'm constantly fight ice dams in the winter due to the strange roof lines (@8 different ones, plus dormers) all around the top of our house. So I turn on the heating cables before storms and break out the roof rake afterwards. It really needs to be re-insulated but that would require tearing off the entire roof and starting over which isn't in our budget.

[jeffw]

The panels will be on the 'sunny' side of the roof, and we've never had problems with ice or snow buildup on that side, so I'm hoping that continues to be the case.

We are going with Boston Solar (based in Woburn). The system will be 31 300w LG panels with Enphase microinverters. Hope to have it installed by Thanksgiving.

[paultg]

This means you have to come up with the best Christmas lights / decor now too.

[jlwhorf]

Quick update for the first year in operation. I am using August as the acid test, because it is usually the highest month for electric usage. Even with adding a fourth AC unit, and running longer and more often, this month's usage was still %100 solar. I don't know the details of the components, but it is a 37 panel system.