[Roguegal]

Well, you are lucky that you could even afford that. Some of us who wish they could use solar power can't even afford it. Someday it'll be cheap enough for us low income people.

[horselover]

I still have to get out with my camera and take a picture of the house not far from me that runs on solar.

[freeranger]

'we only worry when we have a few cloudy days in a row. Eventually we'll have enough to sell back to the power company.'

This is the big problem with small systems - particularly if they are 'off-grid' It's a fine balance to generate and store enough power to meet the household needs - which is a good reason for a wind/solar combination.
Price is always the big problem but it's certainly possible to reduce costs by buying new or second hand equipment at auction sites like ebay. I've been able to buy $2000 solar panels for $300 - $400 each, 120 amp/h deep cycle gel cell batteries for around $150 each and a $3000 inverter for $600. Makes the set up very cost effective.

[EviesEarth]

Wow, guess its time to check ebay!
I would like to be wind powered. As where we live they are quite popular. This is our goal when we are able to get a bigger house, with more property.

[Green-Moo]

Originally Posted by rubybeetle

I wish solar power were cheaper. We live off the grid. We started by spending about $2500 dollars on equipment and thankfully my husband installed it (he's an electrician), but it was barely enough for lights and a television so we'd add a panel or a battery here and there when we could afford it. Now we're comfy, we only worry when we have a few cloudy days in a row. Eventually we'll have enough to sell back to the power company.

I imagine that this is how we'll start off, & add panels as we find them affordably. Unfortunately setting an entire system upin one go is likely to be out of our range, though my partner is currently reading up to see what he's able to build himself.

[freeranger]

Good luck Green-Moo. It's very satisfying to build a system yourself, bit by bit. There's not many of us who have the resources to do it all in one go (and pay somone to do it for us).

[rubybeetle]

Originally Posted by freeranger

I've been able to buy $2000 solar panels for $300 - $400 each, 120 amp/h deep cycle gel cell batteries for around $150 each and a $3000 inverter for $600. Makes the set up very cost effective.

What kind of panels and inverter did you buy?

We used our tax return to start us out. We didn't have electricity, we were in the dark for a month when someone let us borrow the system for their RV until we got our tax return. We were going to use the money to get electricity to our property but by them we were sold on solar power and decided to buy a small system. I should add that we moved onto our land to live in a travel trailer and save money and slowly build a straw bale house, which might actually happen this year.

[RFL1986]

It's true that if you just allocate your money toward solar energy a little better then it can be affordable. It's all about just switching priorities around and really wanting to do it. I think more people would be onto the whole process as well if they knew that it would eventually mean energy and money savings.

[freeranger]

"What kind of panels and inverter did you buy?"

It is a 15,000 watt inverter and the panels are mostly 175 watt output - a couple of different brands made in China and Japan.

[freeranger]

Originally Posted by freeranger

"What kind of panels and inverter did you buy?"

A couple of the panels are Schott 300 watts output - they are the best I have found.