If so, how many hours a day do you get maximum production? And what production do you see the rest of the time?

It is hard to get through all the bullshit the solar companies put out. I am wondering how much power you actually get out of the systems. Mine would be on a south facing roof unobstructed.

I looked into it a while back and the cost didn't outweigh the benefits.  It would take me 20+ years to see enough savings to recoup the cost of the system, and that's assuming batteries and other equipment doesn't need replaced in that time (which they will).  The lifespan of panels is only 20-25 years from what I can tell so it makes no sense to me unless you want it strictly to be off-grid.  When the tech gets better it might be more appealing, but IMO it's a bad investment right now.

I have heard of some doing DIY's just to eat up some of their energy usage and it keeps the initial costs down, and can be added to over time if you like.  Something to consider.

I am going to DIY it. 8000 watt system for $8500. Add in shipping and other miscellaneous costs and let's say I'm at about $12,000. That puts me at a four year break even point. At those numbers it actually starts to make sense.

Few guys at work are doing it. their systems ran from 20K to 30K higher with battery back up other with grid tied no battery or live production off grid he intends to upgrade later. 10 and 11kw peak time and conditions runs everything. Sometimes peak heat of summer they are drawing a little from the utility.

Seemed their tax break and utility saving pushed them into it.

Im interested in your DIY project.

I've spoken to the owners but haven't ordered yet: https://firemountainsolar.com/products/7-92kw-diy-grid-tie-solar-system-kit-for-pitched-roof-with-fronius-string-inverter/

I'm still on the fence. One concern that's growing for me is storm survivability. I would hate to put 50k into an amazing system that I plan on relying on post-hurricane, just to have it destroyed. A study was done not long ago about photovoltaic hurricane survivability in the Caribbean. It was popular enough they did a followup. Anyone who is considering solar in Florida should read these.


Solar Under Storm

Solar Under Storm Part II

I wouldn't consider ANYTHING other than a DIY battery bank solution.  The "sell power back to the power company" line seems to be a scam.  They put a lean on your house for the equipment, you pay a third party for power, and they adjust your bill to make it LOOK like it 's working...  then start raising your bill and claim it's because your trees must be blocking your panels, etc, etc.

To sell your house you have to transfer the second mortgage on the panels... good luck with that.

My liberal cousin who lives in SF, CA sells these things and admits it's a total scam.

Does it work for some people? I don't know MAYBE, but I have my doubts.

the main reason my son went off grid solar was the high cost of getting poles into his property.  He is using a 12 panel system, I believe it's 10K, and a battery bank.  He also has a generator in the system that kicks in at preset levels if needed.  5 years using the system now, and little or no problems.  The controller died recently, but he had a spare in storage.  A new one is now up in the pole barn, in storage.

I looked into getting solar when I was moving from CT to FL, but decided to wait and see how much my electric bills would be first. Glad I held off.

We signed up for the FPL solar program last year. So far our bils have dropped. FPL built massive gigantic solar farms in Okeechobee..

I primarily run solar at camp. Once we’re out of A/C season, the generator gets dosed with sta-bil for next summer.

Modest system that takes some attention to keep charged. Wife & kids don’t grasp the concept of limited power; timer switch gets installed on everything they have trouble remembering to turn off.

Steady draws are a killer. Running a couple ceiling fans all day & night sounds trivial, but in practice, it’s an expensive luxury.
After installing a 24/7, 12 camera security system it cost about $600 in additional upgrades to keep it from negativity affecting the system. (45W day/ 90W night)

You’ll learn a lot about your usage when you pay upfront for every watt; and that’s what solar is..... paying upfront (at a higher rate) for all the power each device will ever use.

Does anyone know of any places to buy Li Fe PO4 batteries in FL to save on shipping costs?

My system has been up for almost 9 years. The output will graph just like the arc of the sun. Zero at both ends and peak for a few hours during the day. The panels really are that sensitive to the angle of the sun. Even seasonally there will be a difference in performance just based on the suns angle. My panels are south facing with no obstructions.