solar investing

SOLAR INVESTING

OK, I owe it to Mr. Rawles to post this where everyone can see it and not just hide it in the comments section.  My snide comments on his rifle sling idea where unwarrented.  I misunderstood, as he was talking about a braided sling, not just a thin cord.  So, I humbly apologize.
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Gary In Bama had a wonderful suggestion for an article ( if you like it ), or, he begged me to write this until I gave in just to shut him up ( if you don’t like it ). Investing in solar power as a collapse business. He was talking about E-Bay mono panels, which isn’t a bad idea, but I’ll stick with new ones. My thinking being that you should pay a bit extra to ensure you get the maximum life span out of them because this is your only source which can’t be replaced. But, you might not agree. Do as you feel best. Here is an Amazon panel. I don’t post it thinking everyone will buy it and give me a huge whopper of an Amazon commission check. While that would be nice, I’m not living in a fantasy game either. I’m just throwing it out as an example.

http://www.amazon.com/Instapark%C2%AE-Mono-crystalline-Solar-charge-controller/dp/B004FOGL0K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1310756236&sr=8-1

As you can see, you get 30 watts for $139. But, since the controller usually cost about $20, and it is included, your cost is close to $120. The last thin film panel I bought was $80 for 15 watts. So, not only is the mono panel cheaper per watt ( $4 verses the $5.30 ), you are getting a superior product. The thin film panels last five to ten years, the mono panels up to thirty. I used to recommend getting a few thin film as a quick starting unit and then investing in the mono panels when you could afford it, but it seems lately the mono’s are really becoming much more affordable. I won’t buy any more thin films myself, as I already replaced one panel after a mere two years. Of course, if China makes both kinds you might be equally screwed. Check the country of manufacture and try to avoid China. My 40 watt mono panel a buddy GAVE me, gave me because he wasn’t going to his cabin much anymore, was made in Japan and while I don’t know how old it is I imagine it will outlast me.

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Gary recommended a battery charging business. The grid is down and every snot dripping, pants hanging, backwards wearing ball cap gansta wannbe Wigger out there will want his portable electronics charged up. They are literally addicted to them ( it probably altered their brain chemistry ) and will, one could hope, rent out their nice looking older sister for an hour for a charge. Of course, they won’t have their unique charging jack/cord. Perhaps you’ll need to stock up on the more popular ones. Or, figure out how to improvise doing so. Charging stations are pretty good businesses in the Third World. A ratty old wheezing generator has its juice cleaned up through multiple surge protectors and cell phones are charged for twenty five cents or whatever it is. One wonders, alas, if that business will survive the death of the cell providers. In the US, there are many, many more electronics that can be charged. You will have a booming business until the batteries start to die. The batteries are the weak link. Even storing acid drained batteries for your 12v lights will only take you so far. You can’t even begin to stock up on portable electronic batteries. Too diversified. So, once you start losing that business, you need to become a daylight electric company. Plenty of folks will need to run their computers ( think about stocking a few cheap netbooks for rental as they use under 50 watts ). Smaller items can become a business onto themselves. My hair clippers use about 35 watts, and you only need to run them a few minutes to give a haircut. Stocking up on those cost $10 each. Yes, scissors can do a good enough job but I’d wager there aren’t a lot of good ones around that everyone has access to them. Just a thought, we shouldn’t get sidetracked from electric generation.

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In Gary’s example of 250 watts for $500 ( buying the used panels ), you get an average of 1000 watts a day ( minus cloudy days you can usually expect the sun to average those four hours a day, although your location might differ ). To that out of a generator ( 8 hours per gallon of gas ) you would spend fifty cents, so the panels are paid for in two years, leaving your investment to be pure profit for the twenty-eight years after that. This is a very good investment. However, since you are buying new, it takes twice as long to pay itself back. Until you consider how high gas is going to climb, then be rationed, then only be available on the black market for $20 a gallon, and then the panels are paid back in less than a year. And once gas is unavailable at any price, immediate payback. Now, if you throw in the generator cost, payback times looks much better. A $150 generator cost means the used panels have a one year payback, more or less. And the new ones only two years. And that’s before gas increases. If gas is $6 a gallon, not inconceivably given the east Coast price of $5 for a time after refineries were shut down a few years back, your daily cost for those 1,000 watts is seventy five cents. Anyway you look at it, buying solar NOW, don’t wait too long or the credit contraction/shipping costs will jack up the prices, is a great investment. Either to assure yourself juice, or to profit from its sale later. And don’t forget you need to mount your panels on a portable rack to secure each night. It won’t be long before they join copper in thefts.

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To answer a minions question on why work is so stressful, it isn’t about donations right now. Yes, store donations are up ( to substitute for lost sales ), but that has been a long term trend. No, right now it is the major road construction making it almost impossible to get to the stores, plus it is time for the bi-monthly government food giveaway ( “government cheese”, but nastier food ), which of course simply must include, as if ordained by the gods, the boss starting to sniff around trying to micromanage me ( she’s a very good boss, but I’m always glad when she turns her sites elsewhere ). Hey, I know I get off track at times, just pick better timing, would ya? I think she smells fear, like a preditor.

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My e-mail is jimd303@netzero.com
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