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groingo
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# Posted: 15 Oct 2025 12:27am - Edited by: groingo
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Thanks to my discovery of some great group 24 100 ah LFP batteries, all new solar controllers and replacing 50% solar panels building two portable 300 watt solar chargers on wheels you take where the sun is to supplement fixed solar, long term tracking of power use and NO...More utility power what so ever, as MLK said "Free at last Free at Last" The kicker was the power companies 5th increase this year....I said Fk it, ENOUGH!
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Brettny
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# Posted: 15 Oct 2025 07:49am
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What where you paying per KW?
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groingo
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# Posted: 15 Oct 2025 07:47pm
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0.152405, was 11.37 10 months ago and the power company was bragging how they will be continually raising rates after just reporting a record 200 plus million dollar profit. They repeatedly break promises and now clearly have state government in their pocket so it's more about principal than outright cost plus they are privately held so no stocks to invest in so purely a greed based company.
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gcrank1
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# Posted: 15 Oct 2025 08:26pm
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In 5yrs Im thinking a lot of folks will be wishing they could have done what you have done. Sadly, most folks are too hooked on the grid drug.
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Brettny
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# Posted: 16 Oct 2025 05:47am
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That's cheap! I pay .28c in early spring this year. How many KW are you useing per month?
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Steve_S
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# Posted: 16 Oct 2025 11:50am
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Haven't had a Power Bill in almost 10 years, solar system more than paid for itself already. The extra in my pocket every month has gone to far more worthy needs than being indentured to the Power Co.
Independence and Freedom are AWESOME!!!
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gcrank1
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# Posted: 16 Oct 2025 01:54pm
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We decided to not run grid to our cabin in 2020, my accounting thus far:
About $3k to have run it in and all
5yrs/60mo billing about $30mo = $1800
So close to $5k Not spent on grid.
That has 'paid for' my 2x 100ah LFP's, the inverter gen and more. I pretty much consider that not having to pay the monthly as a deduction off my prop tx now.
No regrets.
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Brettny
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# Posted: 16 Oct 2025 03:28pm
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If grid power was $5k away theres not a chance I would be useing a single solar pannel. But the nearest power pole is about 1mi away and theres no way there running power up a seasonal rd.
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MtnDon
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# Posted: 16 Oct 2025 03:44pm
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Our local NM power utility rate for up to 450 kWh per monthly billing cycle is $0.0822519/kWh (summer) The next 450 kWh is $0.1363443/kWh and more than 900 kWh is $0.1829479/kWh
Our grid tie bill for the past year is $17.16 monthly, which is the meter fee of $11, and some misc fees and taxes.
So, not independent but $200 a year is a cheap battery rental.
Plus we have some lithium battery storage and use off-grid microinverters, which enable the array to send power into the house even if the grid is down.
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Steve_S
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# Posted: 16 Oct 2025 04:22pm
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Last estimate to get get Grid Power to my "shack" in 2016 was $75,000 + tax. They've raised of course, not gonna find out EITHER cause I'm happy now. Besides, not much point either as my time is running out, faster & faster. Past my best before date. Lol.
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MtnDon
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# Posted: 16 Oct 2025 04:54pm
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Just to be clear, the above is our suburban home; underground lines ran down our street. Solar panels installed 2021.
Our cabin operates efficiently on a single 24-volt 100Ah lithium battery and a 624-watt PV array.
In 2006 the POCO estimate for grid tie to the cabin was $55K to the property line. Then we'd be responsible for about a 1/4 mile of cable to the cabin. No thanks to that.
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groingo
Member
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# Posted: 21 Oct 2025 07:22pm - Edited by: groingo
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Brettny:
Per month it comes to 75 kwh but then there are all the other fees and the never ending increases as they brag about how many millions the latest increase will generate and just said ENOUGH.
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darz5150
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# Posted: 21 Oct 2025 10:43pm - Edited by: darz5150
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Quoting: groingo all the other fees and the never ending increases
Yep. I called our electric co. To find out how much to put in new power drop for the camper. They couldn't tell me how much for the drop. Until I paid $15 bucks + for them to look at the power pole, which is the same as every other pole we have, then hook to a pedestal 2 feet away. But told me it's $44 per month for the meter!
Just got my first bill since installing the mini split. $89 bucks. $44 for the meter, $45 for actual power cost.
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Brettny
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# Posted: 22 Oct 2025 06:09am
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Quoting: groingo Per month it comes to 75 kwh
That's prety low useage. I calculate price per KW by useage divided by the monthly cost. If I didnt do that the "price per KW" would be prety low.
My normal home uses 1200-1300kw in summer months.
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groingo
Member
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# Posted: 22 Oct 2025 12:43pm - Edited by: groingo
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Brettny:
For years I have gotten awards from the power company for using the least power in a residence even after they continue raising the rates but the bottom line is I now have the means to halt their non stop rate increases and lousy service once and for all, besides solar is almost addictive, it's cheap and always improving...can't do that with grid power where it's always the same but just more expensive every time you turn around.
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Project Mayhem78
Member
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# Posted: 23 Oct 2025 08:02am
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This is impressive, How large is the residence your powering?
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gcrank1
Member
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# Posted: 23 Oct 2025 08:29am
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Keep in mind that it isn't so much the size of the residence it is the way you use electric in it.
An energy conservation mindset is always a good 1st step.
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Project Mayhem78
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# Posted: 23 Oct 2025 08:48am
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True, I have been on a energy conservation kick lately at my house (1000sqft), I recently moved alot of my energy vampires (tv, power tool chargers, laptop, ect) onto smart switches and it made a noticeable difference, but I am still not satisfied.
I cant reduce usage any more than I am, like many people, all my appliances are newer, led lights, ect.
So I have a couple of solar panels in my garage, thinking of hooking them up to a micro inverter, I know its not much, but the Energy bills are getting ridiculous.
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MtnDon
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# Posted: 23 Oct 2025 10:06am
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Micro inverter output would need to be totally isolated from the power grid to be safe or would need to be authorized/approved to be grid tied. Depending on how well you can deal with the power company hoops it may be possible to do a grid tie yourself. Our jurisdiction rules did allow us to make DIY grid tie. We did have to hire an engineer to inspect and verify the roof trusses were able to carry the load on the roof. I also had to pass the city DIY electrical test.. And a fair amount of waiting between stages, inspections between city building dept and power company.
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Project Mayhem78
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# Posted: 23 Oct 2025 10:24am
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Mtndon,
Yeah, I am not talking about a huge array of panels probably just a couple for now.
There are small microinverters now that plug into a standard 120v outlet that need 120v to turn on, so they do not back feed the grid if it goes down.
like this one.
https://www.amazon.com/BAIODNB-Inverter-Waterproof-Monitoring-Inverters/dp/B0DGT9RF6R /ref=sr_1_36?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.usL30wZVQZeYte-C7IEP8aWZND7COymy34R79CPgBSNGk-PtdNTl3QM bvCoRNu5f27mH9OcstNkFJBezFs_95rrB9ZDxSEPjUAw7FQMSaShm9EfC6OHARQSZItq16Qp7_N1lSDYYM1wR x6x4B6kHW24whbgnoqT0cI5gSYh607KJ7yiGYaXt7FBZw9psmlxX59WJ84nKZ64dgYxaxYymrnmpreJ5m-Y5X eZaz4rqhL0.kb8d5PISwADznq5-K13d_xfIuKGcffsudFSlv6udgPA&dib_tag=smacab-20&hvadid=684045243803 &hvdev=c&hvexpln=0&hvlocphy=1016517&hvnetw=g&hvocijid=1619209989036206791--&hvqmt=b&h vrand=1619209989036206791&hvtargid=kwd-299521863509&hydadcr=1274_13655340&keywords=mi croinverters%2Bfor%2Bsolar%2Bpanels&mcid=5dc4acdc8750313dab7d9d6275cffc0a&qid=1761229 205&sr=8-36&xpid=JJIJX3AVd4TDR&th=1
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MtnDon
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# Posted: 23 Oct 2025 11:23am
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Ah yeah. I had forgotten about those. They've been popular in Germany for some time.
Question. Do they backfeed the grid at all on any occasion where you may be generating with little actual on-site use?
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Project Mayhem78
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# Posted: 23 Oct 2025 11:55am
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Yes, I found out about these watching an Austrian Youtuber. I'm Not sure about that scenario, If I was to guess, I would say yes they do.
I wonder if will Prowse has ever torn into this stuff...
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MtnDon
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# Posted: 23 Oct 2025 09:33pm
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If they backfeed the grid the power company may not like them, and may officially not allow them unless the items make it through the POCO approval. One reason eing that the POCO will want to be certain the inverter output falls within the voltage and frequency limits the POCO uses.
I was told that not all meters will work properly in the reverse direction. I'm not certain what that means, but the POCO installed a new main meter as well as a second REC meter when we connected. It would be a shame to backfeed a surplus and not have it credited. Not all POCOs offer net metering with a one-to-one credit for the surplus generation, either. Ours does.
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gcrank1
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# Posted: 23 Oct 2025 10:56pm
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Just use the array to power specific things or areas Not connected to the service panel (or not switched ON to the s-panel)
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