Jim_MDP
Philosopher
Merged Battery assault? / Tesla's Powerwall
- Thread starter Rum
- Start date
Hobby? Have some respect man.
Note my avatar... that's one long trip.
Sorry, no slight intended!!! Lifestyle? Yeah, that sounds better.
Jim_MDP
Philosopher
That's funny... I actually read that couple's account of designing and acquiring that battery setup a couple of years ago.
It's a completely custom build (and as I recall, they had some fun with the bracket fabrication) and I haven't come across anyone else doing it, though there are surely some. We're still ~entirely lead acid based.
Jim_MDP
Philosopher
Full-timing is what it is. That one was 9 months and ~20,000 miles. Notice the blank middle states? It was a single clock-wise loop. Did I mention I'm also an expert on Wal-Marts and casinos?
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The Greater Fool
Illuminator
It appears the "fly over states" are also "drive around states"
Jim_MDP
Philosopher
It appears the "fly over states" are also "drive around states"
Indeed.
I did spend a few weeks in Kansas when I was ~10 way back ~45 years ago. Family funeral and I wanted to stay awhile after my family went home. I've always had the travel bug. Parents didn't seem to mind.
Thought about filling in that area next time East but haven't thought much about what would be "best weather" season.
My father is building a home, rather large at over 4000 sq/ft. He has looked into using solar and, after doing the math, has decided that over a 20 year span his $30-40K could be invested in other low risk areas for a better overall return.
Prices have dropped a bit since he did his calculations. This was maybe 2 years ago. His concerns were the life of the system, the performance degradation over the years and eventual panel replacement, and the relatively small increase of the home's value should he decide to sell someday.
Going "green" is another reason to go solar, of course, but are the financial gains really worth it yet?
Also, if people are paying less to the power companies for energy, how will these companies compensate for that? I would guess one way would be for them to credit people less for the energy they are creating, assuming all systems are on the grid.
Perhaps this is the wrong thread to bring this up. If so, please don't allow me to derail it.
Jim_MDP
Philosopher
My father is building a home, rather large at over 4000 sq/ft. He has looked into using solar and, after doing the math, has decided that over a 20 year span his $30-40K could be invested in other low risk areas for a better overall return.
Prices have dropped a bit since he did his calculations. This was maybe 2 years ago. His concerns were the life of the system, the performance degradation over the years and eventual panel replacement, and the relatively small increase of the home's value should he decide to sell someday.
Going "green" is another reason to go solar, of course, but are the financial gains really worth it yet?
Also, if people are paying less to the power companies for energy, how will these companies compensate for that? I would guess one way would be for them to credit people less for the energy they are creating, assuming all systems are on the grid.
Perhaps this is the wrong thread to bring this up. If so, please don't allow me to derail it.
Seems appropriate to me and as I said RVers think about this alot. It ties in to whether Elon's product will find wide acceptance or be an early adopter status symbol.
Late last year I was seeing great reviews of an RV custom solar retailer somewhere here in Oregon. I think a full on monster set-up was in the 3 to 4k USD range. I wish I could remember the specs, but they were impressive. I'm not sure how a house (even 4k sq/ft) would need more than 3 or 4 times the capability.
And you raise a good point about the future of buy-back rates if/when home gen becomes more popular.
Jim_MDP
Philosopher
I should add... I'm probably not the one to advise on what's on topic or not. I usually don't give a damn about modest thread drift.
I do recall someone here (Arth maybe?) had a thread last year-ish about powering a stand alone garage. This topic certainly applies.
I have a rural, though on-grid, property in NorCal. If I thought this thing was revolutionary, suitable and economical... I'd buy one tomorrow.
eta: The difference in power grid pricing is substantial depending on location. The rural property I mentioned is a couple decades behind in having the standard usage allotment adjusted. And going over sends you into a usage pricing scale that ramps up very fast.
I've twice tripped up and had $600 monthly bills just from some limited electric heater usage.
Heating in the mountains can be a bitch.
I do recall someone here (Arth maybe?) had a thread last year-ish about powering a stand alone garage. This topic certainly applies.
I have a rural, though on-grid, property in NorCal. If I thought this thing was revolutionary, suitable and economical... I'd buy one tomorrow.
eta: The difference in power grid pricing is substantial depending on location. The rural property I mentioned is a couple decades behind in having the standard usage allotment adjusted. And going over sends you into a usage pricing scale that ramps up very fast.
I've twice tripped up and had $600 monthly bills just from some limited electric heater usage.
Heating in the mountains can be a bitch.
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And if enough take it up for green/status reasons it could also drive prices down. Or if somewhat lower costs would make the technology financially and ecologically viable you could also make a case for subsidies in the early years.
LTC8K6
Penultimate Amazing
10kwh is not going to keep your average US home powered up for very long, though.
About 8 hours.
Or about 2 hours in Lousiana.
http://www.eia.gov/tools/faqs/faq.cfm?id=97&t=3
About 8 hours.
Or about 2 hours in Lousiana.
http://www.eia.gov/tools/faqs/faq.cfm?id=97&t=3
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Jim_MDP
Philosopher
Exactly why I say it may only be price appropriate for a select few... for now.
Tesla's figure of ~25% savings is undoubtedly a bit of PR inflation. But the addition of solar systems is IMO a no-brainer (where efficient of course).
Again... I like the discussion because I'm a wire-head and tech fascinates me, whether I'd trust myself to wrench on it or not.
A consumer pre-packaged install with up-to-the-minute battery tech is an evolution. I like it. I want it. But I'm cheapazz enough to want it to be economical.
Did I mention I'm also an expert on Wal-Marts and casinos?
Yeah, we looked into doing it for the first year or two of retirement, but I think we'll pass. Wal-Marts and Casinos are not high on our list of things to see in retirement!
That's funny... I actually read that couple's account of designing and acquiring that battery setup a couple of years ago.
It's a completely custom build (and as I recall, they had some fun with the bracket fabrication) and I haven't come across anyone else doing it, though there are surely some. We're still ~entirely lead acid based.
If you look at the links they learned a lot from the experience and have some info for doing it differently the next time. They also dismiss the Tesla product as not for RVs, but I think they are a bit quick in their judgment. I could see it working well if you design your interior to accommodate it.
Gawdzilla Sama
121.92-meter mutant fire-breathing lizard-thingy
Folks like to laugh at us RVers. You'll catch up... little by little.
I do like the progress away from lead acid storage. On this scale, it's too new to me for opinion, so I'll just keep watching.
Careful, or this will get split to the Electric RV Theory thread.
Jim_MDP
Philosopher
RV is "Recreational Vehicle". Motor homes, trailers (caravans "over there").
I don't use campgrounds so I overnight in WallyWorld and casino parking lots (mostly). And I love casinos. I'm building quite the "Player's Club" card collection.
Thanks... I'll go back and catch up with their adventures.
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And "fulltimers" are nutcases who travel the country living out of their RV on a full-time basis. No real home, just an oversized box and some wheels. Their main intention, the only thing that seems to get them up in the morning or moving at all, is coloring the shapes of the states they visit on a little map of the US.
Well, I'm sure Jim_MDP isn't like that, but others tend to be.
Jim_MDP
Philosopher
And "fulltimers" are nutcases who travel the country living out of their RV on a full-time basis. No real home, just an oversized box and some wheels. Their main intention, the only thing that seems to get them up in the morning or moving at all, is coloring the shapes of the states they visit on a little map of the US.
Well, I'm sure Jim_MDP isn't like that, but others tend to be.
Don't know what the hell would make you believe that.
And you can see from the unfilled parts of my avatar map, I'll never get the RV to either of our two island states... Hawaii and Alaska.
EHocking
Penultimate Amazing
Three words.
External isolation switch.
Our residential solar has a number of them fitted, including a smart switch that the power company can operate by sending signals down the gird.
Initially I was a little nonplussed when told that if there is a blackout, our brand new household solar system would not be of any use to us.
The explanation is, of course, quite logical.
The power company shuts down residential solar systems so that generated power from them is not fed to the grid while work needs to be done.