Tesla Solar

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NewGuy132

Feeling the Heat
Jan 22, 2021
254
Central MA
Anyone have the Tesla panels installed? Looking for a picture of them from a distance like from the street. Also how has your experience been with them? I would like to do solar to help offset our electricity bill, but the wife doesn't want anything on the front of the house. Unfortunately the front of the house is south facing.
 
Here is another thread from a few months back on Tesla Solar roofs. Personally I would choose Tesla only as a last resort for solar, there are far better options out there at a realistic price, but I'm not as concerned about the aesthetics, I have black panels on a dark colored roof so they do blend in a bit, but I don't mind that my panels are visible.

 
There are two types of Tesla Panels. There are the "bait and switch" solar roofs that are on their third redesign. Many folks with deposits just were informed that the cost was going way up and Tesla has informed anyone who wants them that they will only install them with Powerwall batteries. Then there are the run of the mill solar systems using conventional panels that looks about the same as any other solar install. Reportedly the solar roof draws the customers in and then the salesmen switch them over to regular panels. They also are reported to push non ownership options where they get the majority of the benefits and the owner gets the risks. If you cant pay cash I would not recommend solar as these non ownership deals inevitably make it very difficult to sell you house.

The solar roof requires a roof tear off down to the sheathing. They then put a water proof membrane on top of it. If you have an older home plan on having to do some repair work on the sheathing and fascia boards (pretty typical for an older neglected roof) that is an extra and if you dont hire them to do the fix, your roof is wide open to the elements. The next layer is injectional molded plastic with channels for all the wiring (lots of wiring far more than a standard panel). Then the glass like solar panels are clipped into the plastic. Its all proprietary so the only ones that may be able to supply you spares or replacement parts if they have them is Tesla Its a evolving design so its likely in several years you will have a nice looking roof that may or may not be generating at full capacity. Of course that is assuming the injection molded plastic does not loose its plasticizers and start to lose a grip on the nice "glass" wafers with the wires attached. The roof may not initially leak due to the water proof membrane but the roof may start to look like kids mouth missing lots of teeth.

Of course roam around on the internet and you will run into the Tesla cult and their glowing testimonials which on occasion gives the person who did the video credits towards equipment. In that case Tesla is right and the rest of the world can be ignored

Mass does have incredibly good solar incentives and incentives for batteries. The battery incentives limits you on equipment but if you have unreliable power it may be worth it. IMHO stick with conventional panels. You can get black framed panels that are far less visually obtrusive and the reality is for most once they are installed they sort of blend in with the house in a couple of months. Note if you have HOA you may need special permits or they may just ban them from being visible. In that case move;). Ideally deal with a regional or local firm with solar experience. Revision Energy seems to have good rep, its employee owned and a B corp so in theory they are in it for the long haul. i think they work in Western Mass.
 
I'm proud of my (conventional) panels - and am happy everyone can see them :)
 
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