One New Jersey homeowner hoping for a practical solar upgrade ran into a snag after realizing that the panels were 23 years old and would soon need to be replaced.
But when they reached out to installers for quotes, they were told it would cost $90,000, something they described as "absurd."
Here's what to know
In a Reddit thread on the site's r/Solar community, the original poster described a fully owned 60-panel ground-mounted system at a New Jersey home, built with roughly 23-year-old 170-watt modules.
But even though the site gets good sun, billing records show production falling from 504 kilowatt-hours in June to 84 kilowatt-hours by September.
The OP also said one of the system's four inverters is no longer working, while the rest of the equipment is much older, and estimated their average monthly electric bill at about $300. The homeowner wrote, "I don't want to put 50k into this project" and added that they were "looking for suggestions on economically upgrading."
Instead of starting over, many commenters recommended using what is already installed by keeping the existing ground rack, addressing the failed inverter, and investigating shade before paying for new panels.
"Start by cleaning the panels, that's free to do," one commenter wrote. Others pointed to visible shading in the photos and suggested tree growth may be dragging down output more than the panels' age alone.
Commenters largely pushed this troubleshoot-first approach. First, verify how much shade the array actually gets; next, fix or replace the failed inverter; and third, have a qualified local solar technician check whether newer panels could fit on the existing frame. If the rack and conduit are still in good shape, that could make a phased upgrade possible instead of a full tear-out.
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Other users were just stunned by the initial quote, with one commenter writing, "A 90k quote is borderline criminal."
More background
Homeowners who want a reality check before signing a contract can try EnergySage to get free solar installation estimates and compare quotes. With EnergySage's help, the average person can save up to $10,000 on solar purchases and installations and get advice from vetted solar professionals.
Meanwhile, EnergySage's solar map shows the average cost of a home solar panel system by state, along with details on solar panel incentives for each state. Together, those resources can help homeowners get the best price for rooftop solar panels and access available incentives.
Where can I learn more?
These stories look at the same issues that came up here: a sky-high solar quote and an older system that may still be worth saving.
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