alt Hacker News> Having our full costs returned in ~11 years is definitely something we're happy with
Except that after 11 years the equipment will have broken down or become obsolete, at which point you have to start over.
> we've also had protection against several power outages in our area along the way, which is a very nice bonus.
This seems to be the real benefit of the setup.
Replies
What breaks in 11 years? Solar panels and batteries both last longer than that.
As for your other point of becoming obsolete, why care about chasing latest fads for home appliances.
> Except that after 11 years the equipment will have broken down or be obsolete, at which point you have to start over.
If my calculations are correct, that setup probably lasts at least 30 years. This is not a cell phone battery and panels do not degrade that fast.
The equipment doesn’t have moving parts so I wouldn’t expect it to break down so quickly.
The real surprise for me was how much having solar panels on your roof adds to the cost of roofing work. Which is a problem because the roof is likely to need repairs more often than the solar panels.