I'll be doing my laundry during daylight hours soon
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (325983)
Rockingham, Australia
August 25, 2020 6:42pm CST
Because our power is so much cheaper between 9pm and 7am, I do all my laundry and ironing (if any) between those hours. I also run the dish-washer at night.
As from Friday, we should have solar power. For technical reasons, the panels have had to be assembled near our meterbox which is down in the paddock near the boundary fence. If the sun is shining, our power should be free and any voltage we’re not using feeds back into the grid and we get paid a pittance for it. If it’s too overcast for solar, we will still have mains power.
It was quite expensive to put in and we may not get our money back in savings before we leave here. However, it will be a good selling point. And we’re expecting the kangaroos to enjoy the extra shade the panels will provide.
The top image shows the panels almost completed and the bottom shows the framework which Vince put up on a photo site as an entry for a ‘triangle’ challenge.
33 people like this
32 responses
@wolfgirl569 (95431)
• Marion, Ohio
26 Aug 20
It will save you some money at least.
3 people like this
@rebelann (111223)
• El Paso, Texas
26 Aug 20
I had a conversation with a solar company about getting them set up here then they asked what my monthly bill is and then told me that the price of those panels wouldn't be worth it because my electric bill wasn't over $80 a month.
Well, at the cost of those things I'll just keep things as they are.
2 people like this
@RebeccasFarm (86774)
• United States
26 Aug 20
Oh this is wonderful Judy the solar. I surely wish I could do that here course I am just renting. My bills are outrageous.
2 people like this
@Orson_Kart (6114)
• United Kingdom
28 Aug 20
Could be worse, you could have a duck bill.
1 person likes this
@RebeccasFarm (86774)
• United States
26 Aug 20
@JudyEv It will be brilliant Judy!
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (458583)
• Switzerland
27 Aug 20
@JudyEv The only option here is to install on the roof of the home, most people hate to have their beautiful tiled roof ruined by the solar panels, it is a minus if you need to sell the house. Geothermal heat pump is the favorite system here.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118504)
• Gainesville, Florida
26 Aug 20
That is great that you are installing solar power! I completed a project a few years ago at one of the city pools I manage where I put solar panels on the roof of the pool's bathhouse to provide electricity to heat the hot water in the showers. The panels look almost the exact same as yours in your photo, but there are 15 rows of them. When installed, it was estimated that they would provide 10-15% of our electrical needs. We have found over time that they are providing about 17% of the overall electrical needs of the pool, much better than we anticipated. With monthly electric bills of about $15,000 to run that pool, you can imagine that it produces quite a bit of savings. And it was all paid for by a grant from the federal government!
2 people like this
@moffittjc (118504)
• Gainesville, Florida
26 Aug 20
@JudyEv The system Vince persuaded them to install is called geo-thermal heating. We use that at all of our pools. It's basically free heat from the earth. We use it to heat our pools in the winter, and also to cool our pools in the summer. The technology to do that is pretty amazing. It barely costs us anything to pump that deep underground water to use for heating/cooling.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325983)
• Rockingham, Australia
26 Aug 20
@moffittjc That's good you know all about it. I was hoping you wouldn't ask questions. It's a great system isn't it, but he had to work hard to convince the Board that it would work.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325983)
• Rockingham, Australia
26 Aug 20
It's magic when that happens, isn't it? Vince was bursar at a school and he persuaded them to pull artesian water from quite deep underground. This came up as hot water, went through a heat transfer system (like a car radiator maybe?) heating the pool water as it went through then went back underground again. It worked really efficiently and saved them a heap of money. It's great that you got a grant to do yours.
1 person likes this
@Blondie2222 (28611)
• United States
25 Aug 20
Nice, my sister put in solar power 2 years ago also to save money they have not had any issues. I think more and more people that live in the country are leaning towards that way.
2 people like this
@Blondie2222 (28611)
• United States
28 Aug 20
@JudyEv we got storms today as were getting what's left from those tropcial storms. It just thundered real loud, lots of rain and ended within an hour. They said we could see tornadoes today but that didn't happen luckily. We seldom get those where i live.
1 person likes this
@Downwindz (2537)
• Netherlands
26 Aug 20
We have had solar panels on our roof since 2013, and according to my better half, we have almost recouped the costs in savings. Plus it is our own little footprint to a greener and more sustainable world
1 person likes this
@Downwindz (2537)
• Netherlands
27 Aug 20
@JudyEv Ahh yes, life in the senior years can be a challenge to predict. I do pray that you will be able to remain in your current house as long as possible, until the needs and dependency of others may change that.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325983)
• Rockingham, Australia
27 Aug 20
@Downwindz Thank you for your kind words. You never know, we might be able to manage here for quite a few years yet.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325983)
• Rockingham, Australia
27 Aug 20
We have roof panels for solar hot water. Our meter is near the boundary of our 18 acre property and the panels for the power supply have to be situated reasonably close to that. So, you've had yours for 7 years and we'd expect to get our money back in about that time. However, we'll be in our 80s by then and might have had to move nearer, or, into, town. And you're right - if you can afford it, it's the right thing to do.
1 person likes this
@Orson_Kart (6114)
• United Kingdom
27 Aug 20
We don't get enough sun to benefit from solar panels, plus they are expensive to put in. They are recommending installing heat source pumps on new builds here.
Save the planet!
1 person likes this
@Orson_Kart (6114)
• United Kingdom
28 Aug 20
@JudyEv There are also too many people. We should just live in temperate regions and keep the population down to a manageable number.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325983)
• Rockingham, Australia
28 Aug 20
I didn't realise geothermal heating is apparently common in some countries. That would help save the planet for sure.
@JudyEv (325983)
• Rockingham, Australia
28 Aug 20
@Orson_Kart My husband and his friend had this conversation about how to reduce the population. They decided the older people should be culled off - then they realised that THEY are the older people. So they made the cut-off point 80!! 
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
28 Aug 20
Kasey has solar and it doesn't really save her much, for us we will not live long enough to make it worthwhile. I am sure it is warmer the so will work better and our electricity is rather affordable.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325983)
• Rockingham, Australia
26 Aug 20
I commented on this and it disappeared. I think you need large (and expensive) batteries to store the power you don't use. The facility is there to add it on later. Our thinking is that batteries will become cheaper over time.
@LindaOHio (156584)
• United States
26 Aug 20
Solar power is a nice, clean way to get energy. Have a great Wednesday.
1 person likes this
@nawala123 (20852)
• Indonesia
27 Aug 20
Ironing is the hardest house chore ever
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325983)
• Rockingham, Australia
27 Aug 20
@nawala123 Oh. So she has a lot of ironing to do for customers?
1 person likes this
@nawala123 (20852)
• Indonesia
27 Aug 20
@JudyEv it takes much energy and times. the funny thing, my wife runs a small laundry at home
1 person likes this
@LovingMyBabies (85127)
• Valdosta, Georgia
26 Aug 20
I hope you love it once it's all set up! I am looking forward to Friday as well because we are FINALLY getting home internet! 
No more having to use my mobile hot spot!
No more having to use my mobile hot spot!1 person likes this
@porwest (78759)
• United States
26 Aug 20
Yeah. It could be just a 'feel good' thing. Solar power is notoriously inefficient. So it may not pay for itself in the amount of time needed. But hey, MAYBE you can deliver back enough power that it works out. I guess it is a wait and see thing.
1 person likes this
@jvicentevalera (13671)
• Santiago, Chile
26 Aug 20
What a good way to use new kinds of power these days! Getting the sun rays and turning them into power throughout a panel is so brilliant! It does not only allow you to save up some money but also is eco friendly!
1 person likes this
@jvicentevalera (13671)
• Santiago, Chile
26 Aug 20
@JudyEv yay! Keep us posted please!
1 person likes this
