On 5/16/2011 7:12 PM, Andy wrote:
On May 16, 2:29 am, wrote:


Andy adds:

I also am a retired electronics engineer and have messed with solar
energy, as part of a hobby, on my house and barn for almost 20 years.
I was able to design and fabricate most of the components myself, so
I
could do it on the cheap. Most people can't....

I agree with everything Harry (above) says.....

Hooking the pieces together is no more complicated than following
directions.... much like plugging accessories into your computer....

However, unless your circumstances are very special, it isn't a
sound financial decision here in the US......

If you take the money you will spend and put it in the bank, just
the interest on that money will pay the electric bill for all the
energy the panels will generate. And you still have your stash
in the bank...

Before going "off the grid", determine how much electricity your
solar setup will generate, and reduce your "on the grid" consumption
to that level for six months. Don't cheat. If at the end of six
months
you are happy with that lifestyle, you might end up being happy with
it..... I've never known anyone who has done this, and never cheated,
and still decided to go "off the grid", tho.... ... And then there's
the cost of
the divorce lawyer to consider... :))))

Andy in Eureka, Texas

I think it's viable here (Austin) if you take advantage of the $2.50/kw
rebate but you have to use one of the city approved installers. A PV
certificate isn't going to do much good in that case so that's why I
dropped the course. My wife is calling me a college drop-out.

I'm looking into one of the "plug-in" systems but it seems like they are
still in the development stage.

Jim