41 Responses

1. @livingonsolar You folks are real mizers Amen on the deciding where the tax dollars go.

2. @cdltpx We use 100kwh per month which is a lot less than most. Check out dsireusa.org to find what rebates might be available in your state as well as the federal rebates. We took advantage of the federal tax credit and decided where our tax dollars could go. In our case on us!

3. I was going to buy a system for my place that would have cost me 10k out of pocket but it was a grid tie system. The total cost was going to be around 50K. We were going for 50 % of our current bill ~1500kwh a month. What do you think your KWH useage is and did you participate in any rebates to pay for yours. Folks don’t realize that there is so much money floating around to provide for this.

4. I converted my home to a net-zero solar powered home that uses no oil or gas…I made a video about it called, “Preparing for Peak Oil”…

5. Thank you. Great video.

6. Sorry about the late response. I tried a month ago but I guess my response did not make it. Snow is only a minor problem requiring a window squeegee. Once cleared the panels work just fine. Keeping them clear is only a small chore.

7. We use a very efficient propane refrigerator and do not have a refrigerated Air conditioning system, dish washer or heat water with electricity. That is the major reason. We also use energy efficient lights and have eliminated most of the small transformer loads. We use most all other appliances including a washer and dryer. Some use high power but only for a short time.

8. Jim, How do you get by on 3KWH a day? What major appliances do you use in your home? You use a washer and dryer? Thanks, James

9. how does snow affect the panels?

10. We built the home over 20 years ago. Since the property we bought did not have electric lines to it, we payed a lot less for it. The difference paid for the electric system. A system similar to ours would cost around $9500 before any rebates or tax credits. It can easily provide 4 KWH per day. We use 3 KWH. I can’t answer all your questions here but feel free to ask any on our livingonsolar blog.

11. Great video. Are you saying that you bought a house that had no power coming in and that how you saved? Just looking at the system it appears to have cost about $8000.00 total. It can’t possibly supply all of your needs. Can you run some numbers by? Thanks.

12. What a great video!
    Take a little of God’s sunshine – and convert it into a vacation in aloha-land.

13. Thanks!

14. So FAR,the BEST video I’ve seen on DIY solar..

15. GREAT video-I like all of your explanations…

16. I love it. “Hat do we do with the money we save? we go to Hawaii” haha.

17. @burrant61
    dougleman1@yahoo.com

18. Hello, how is your project going so far? I would like to talk to you about it. Might be able to help get this going. Can you send me your email or post it here? thx.

19. Nice system- I searched all over here, you are the only one who can show it- rest have pictures.

    If Regulators stop you they need to b regulated.

20. There are many new smaller solar tile that work in the same way (Sole, Sunslates, Eagle green) to name a few. These all connect under the shingles without penetrating the roof deck. The difference between my idea and these are, the wind rating from the metal shingle, and the idea that the dummy shingles match EXACTLY, not just have the same profile, not just can be integrated, but exactly so one can not tell one from the other after installation.

21. There is a difference. I have been involved in the construction industry for 30 years and most solar shingle products pass wires through to the attic so that connections are accessible. Your product will never meet NEC code requirements for accessible connections.

    If you had a bad connection there would be no way to find it. You have to engineer these issues into your product.

    I have been involved with code issues and product testing, I normally charge for this type of consulting :)

22. This is no different than any other solar powered shingle. One has to make sure that all the connections are tested before the next row is installed. (same as any other)

23. I am not sure I would trust that many connections. What if one connection is defective? How do you find it and repair it?

24. Sorry it took so long for a reply. This was posted to try and get someone to make this for me. I had the idea, applied for the patent, but have no manufacturing experience, so I need help in that area. I have had some interest but not yet the right person. The shingle and the film are proven existing technologies, my idea was to put them together, with the dummy film.

25. Let me get this right, this was posted in April 2008 Its now Jan. 2010 and your telling the guy below its not available yet ? Sounds a little odd to me.
    This is somewhat of a new technology, right ? So how long will it last last ? What is the min power out of the cell ?
    This sounds good but I want to know more.

26. It is not yet available. I will update you when it is

27. I need a roof and no electric bills,or a low bill. HOw can I get this product?

28. The demand is for an affordable solar roof integrated product that looks good and performs well. As any proud inventor, I would caution you to think your solution is the “best and perfect match”. We have a roof solution that is just as good and already is in production with Florida and Miami Dade County approvals.

29. Personally I wouldn’t care if there was an elaphant on my roof if it was cheap and saved me money on my electric bill. However, by the attempts of others to match(and the failure to do so) there is a demand for this, and this is the best and only perfect match. $800 to $1000 a square is also on of the cheapest solutions

30. So for $800 to $1000 per square, What you are offering is really a color matching solution? Really I believe the first hurdle that should be overcome is the great expense to the homeowner to include PV. I dont really think the consensus would care about aesthetics much if they had an energy solution that would roll their FPL meter backwards.

31. Some people and or homeowners associations still want their roof to match completely. This is the reason these others TRY to match. They just have not been successful at it. As you said, there are choices now in colors because people want a nice looking roof, the same holds true for matching.

32. Thin film and traditional silicon PV are now offered in different colors so color matching is not really a big deal anymore. Besides why would you make your whole roof dark? That would make your roof less energy efficient and lower the PV performance because of a higher surface temperature.

33. The solar slates and dow product are the reason my invention is better. While they say their shingle and solar shingle match the don’t, these are a PERFECT match solar and dummy.

34. gosolar11,

    High temp does bear down on performance of any solar module or thin film. Solar Slates by Atlantis Energy are kind of the same idea and have been out for a while on a composite shingle. Dow Solar Solutions ripped off the same idea to make a solar shingle with thermal plastic embedded with Global Thin Film. Are you going to sue Dow for Patent Violation? You better hire a good attorney.

35. Thanks for reply. :)

36. No fixed cost yet. I am still working on getting these manufactured. Send me an email and I will keep you updated.

37. Great video. I wonder whats the cost per shingle?

    Im going to buy a house in 1 year so either i wait until the shingles get old or buy them once i get the house. If the cost is low then i just get a whole bunch.

38. The object of this style roof is not to just install solar on a roof. That can be acomplished with many different solar panels. The pupose of this roof is to have a totally integrated roof where the solar is indistinguishable from the area that is regular shingles. The base shingle is a 30 yr shingle with the same film attached that you speak of. As far as connections, any conection that fails is a problem no matter how many. The twistlock connections with dyelectric grease do not come apart.

39. What an akward way to install those tiny bits. Go and buy a roofing membrane from a roofing membrane manufacturer with a Uni Solar flex module onto it and you do your roof in a jiffy and with less connections to do. Since membrane is larger than module surface, you can shingle and still have no shadowing. And you get a 25 y guarantee from a supplier with years of experience.
    A PV Industry Professional (not on UniSolar payroll)

40. Temp has no bearing on performance. Only sunshine

41. how do these work in the cold like a michigan winter cus all this solar stuff real big in cali where it dont get cold, im jus wondering