7.440KW DIY Turnkey Grid -Tie with Enphase M215 and Hyundai Panels - | eBay Add in just a bit over 8% sales tax, deduct a bit of wattage loss for DC/AC conversion via the included inverters - they will throw in your framing, the connectors etc. You'd get a nice sized system - pretty much complete for just under $3/watt. That doesn't even count state rebate money and fed tax credit. Seems like all you'd need is a bit of conduit, 3 strands of #10 wire, a disconnect, a back feed breaker, permits, and someone to tie it all into your main service panel after you spend a few days putting it all together. If you live local, and have a pick up or trailer handy, that's not too shabby a deal for a DIY'er, . .
I've been seeing small "starter" kits, same concept ( Enphase) for about the same price per watt. Been considering just setting a few in the backyard (too much shade on the roof) and plugging them into an existing unused 240v circuit. With a small number of panels (low total amperage) it's tough to see what could go wrong. I've read through the enphase install manual, and it's just like tinkertoys up to the point where you install a regular (house-wiring) exterior junction box. You just clip the plugs into the sockets. Then it's just standard house wiring. With the Federal 30% tax incentive, at that price, the simple payback period is about 13 years, at the rates I pay for electricity.
Raw panel prices are ~$1-1.50 per watt. (retail, cheaper in pallet or container quantities) When I bought my first panels they were close to $10! Grid tie installs are now under $5/watt, exclusive of rebates and tax credits. Icarus
That's about right. Name brand panels (Sharp, Hyundai, and so on) are ~$1+/W, decent inverters are ~$.5/W, and everything else is about $.5/W. Someone can pay someone a $1/W markup for putting it all together, but they don't need to these days.
Not bad. Don't know where they are getting their rebate info though. AZ is $1000 state tax credit capped, federal is 30% (~$5100), utility rebate is $5k cap. Still not bad, but not free as they claim. FWIW I'm in the middle of a DIY, here's how its shaping up: 24 x Canadian Solar 230W: $5800 Sunnyboy inverter: $2600 Unistrut for racking: $1000 est Misc HW & cabling: $1000 est Final hookup, permits, etc: $1600 est Ttl $12,000 / 5.5kW = $2.18/W gross installed AZ Tax Credit: $1000 Fed Tax Credit: $3600 Util Rebate: $5000 Net Cost: $2400 Annual Production $700-800 @ 9c/kWh, simple payback ~ 4yrs. That's all a bit oversimplified, but hopefully it'll work out ok. Found a local contractor who is willing to "supervise" the design and install at an hourly consulting rate so we can qualify for tax credits and utility rebate. Got my design package approved by utility, working on the building permit package. Fingers crossed
