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VTA for me but my wife burns a ton of gas driving up to EPA from San Jose every day :(

Solar Faq. What peak output should I expect to see from my system? It is not uncommon to see actual peak AC power in kilowatts be less than 70% of the DC system size. In some cases, when it is sunny and cool, the peak output may be higher. You may occasionally see an effect called cloud...

The ideal is be on the south facing roof.... If you look around for Faqs you will find you will get around 90% of what you get facing south, if you face East or West. If you move to Australia, be sure to go with North facing... 5.2 KwH is DC, I know you lose in the DC-AC conversion... I'll have...

Do you have room.. you want south facing roofs and you want to be shadow free. Each string of panels are wired such that a little shade on one panel, say 50% shaded, would drop the efficiency of all the panels to 50%. So make sure no little vent or chimney shades where you want the panels...

I think the amount you save on Water is supposed to offset by a large margin, the amount you lose to wasting energy, reheating the cooled water in the pipe, and recirculating it. I guess you could set it up to just press a button to recirc it for 30 seconds before you start your shower, so it...

I've paid about the min for electric each month.

Yes, I've considered that too. Despite not knowing the numbers on that, it's probably the main reason apart from laziness that I haven't replaced it.

Yep. I've considered that. Pretty cheap and I think I may even be able to install it myself. What concerns me, the biggest problem I have is the shower, I collect like 4 gallons before it goes hot. If I run the water in my sink (next to the shower and the usual place to piece of the...

Very recently. This is AFTER Rebate (8,500) and with the eBay discount. I think eBay give me 200$ a year because I'm a green citizen while I still work there. That included a Panel upgrade too. Look at the size of the eBay install and you get an idea of the kind of bulk panel buying that...

I think 30K (shoot I can't remember) and it is 5.2KW dc I'll get back on the before and after.... ....I don't have it handy but looking at my BofA statement. I had bills of well over 200... maybe 250 average and the last two months i've paid 60$.

Probably I should have googled NSFW before I tried that link.

Yep. I use a frontloader. I think my Fridge-freezer should be changed... It must be 10 years old now... must be much more energy efficient now. FYI, they do leasing of Solar now at SolarCity if you don't like the initial crazy dollar outlay. BTW, I don't work for them.

The only thing I use gas for is my stove-top and waterheater. I looked into tankless and it was a pita. Loads of extra gas work and tons of expense to make it a reality... I'd have maybe gone for it, but my old tank actually ruptured so I had to move quickly and I don't want to replace the...

If you have anything but Composite Roofs, you are going to pay a bunch extra for installation. My Cedar shingle roof was leaving shingles in the garden every time we had a storm and lots of neighbours with similar age roofs were fixing their roof or moving to Composite or other roof types...

If you want 'zippy' you could get one of these but not sure if there's enough room to get a bucket of RC bacck from the LFS. http://www.teslamotors.com/

I sometimes think I take it too far. I am starting to annoy myself. I have a solar system. I keep a bucket in my shower so I can catch the gallons of water I waste waiting for hot water and I use that water for the cold in the kids bath and to top up the toilets cisterns after flushing. I...

Here's one thing to consider if having Solar. I have a big system that made sense as I have a fairly large electric bill. Now, after loads of issues with my Tank, I considered downsizing to a nano or getting out completely. Then I realized, I'd be generating way to much electicity and giving...

I do use carbon.... I tend to leave it in up to a month... I don't use phosban or any other phosphate removing media, just a good Carbon. I think Black Diamond at this time. I hear different recommendations about Carbon every time I poke around on the net. Not sure what to do about that. I...

I have no plans to cut the skimmer. I'll start singing to mine... somethings working for Arnold.

All at once... never. I clean them all from time to time. None of them has gone for more than a few months without a clean... couple of tunze's, Panworld return pump, BM160 pump, little pump that feeds the Carbon. All pretty regularly cleaned although I'm not doing it all the time. Haven't...