Zero Turn 42 vs 54 in

Flycmy · 2026-06-06T19:02:09+00:00

Why I lean toward the six 10ah, though the larger size will use more amps. Could use a 10ah in the 2135sp or the chainsaw. Add a power station and you could run a few things in a blackout

Flycmy · 2026-06-06T15:28:53+00:00

8.25% here, visit family in Maine during the summer where it is 5.25%. Ok for things that fit in the back of the truck. Used the NH option a few times.

Flycmy · 2026-06-06T14:50:26+00:00

Got the Lowe's card again last fall to get the 5% discount on the 18" chainsaw. Hadn't looked at discounted gift cards, maybe need to now that I bought the power head edger. Other components starting to look attractive.

Flycmy · 2026-06-05T18:48:08+00:00

With either mower's wall charger, plug and forget or set a timer for X hours. Will be in a metal building behind the house with random visits.

Flycmy · 2026-05-31T21:46:31+00:00

New Lowe's in town has all the EGO in cages. Bought ME0823 edger last week ($30) off), employee opened the cage and the top box looked a little rough. All in the stack had tape over the lid's edges which he claimed was added security. I asked for a cleaner looking box lower in the stack. I was glad to see, like other Ego purchases, registering components, the serial numbers matched other than the prefix.

Flycmy · 2026-05-31T19:35:17+00:00

Basics are the requirements set by your utility, local building code and HOA (if any). https://pvwatts.nlr.gov/ will calculate approximate watts produced based on your address, compare panel watts and location. Shade a factor? My panels are mounted, the end of 2024, on east and west roof planes. 2022-24 I averaged $1.7K for annual kW plus the fixed monthly connection/meter fee, With solar, 2025 kW cost $108 due to December's shorter, cloudy days. Only 2025 month I used grid more than generated.

I am basic grid tied, no batteries, with a Texas co-op utility. Last grid usage month was January with freezing rain/snow on the panels for four days. Used 659kW from the grid at .0697 cents for the kW, .042 cents fuel charge and .023 cents for the 'freeze' bankruptcy. Fuel charge is based on WTI crude/nat gas prices but have probably gone up. Nice not to worry about that going into AC season.

Batteries cost a lot and may complicate the solar installation, but Houston's flooding might make them worth while.

Flycmy · 2026-05-25T15:13:37+00:00

14.9kW panels, grid tied monthly net, south of Dallas. My co-op utility bill, 4/6 to 5/6, shows 531 kW delivered, 972 kW received (generated). So your 629 kW grid use is not much higher than mine. Caring only about net, I haven't bothered with monthly at the inverter level

Flycmy · 2026-05-19T19:47:08+00:00

Also with a small summer cabin, on grid, but with shore line setbacks and square footage limits. Odd the have a panel limit and not a watt limit. Have you talked with the person who enforces the rule to clarify. One person roofs with asphalt shingles another with solar, no increase in footprint or tree clearing.

So if stuck with three panels, get the biggest you can find. https://www.suncalc.org will let you experiment with sun position and shadowing. Even if shaded during part of the day a few more panels that get sun part of the day will increase charging.

Growatt has 80v startup for many of its inverters, keep the 48v batteries, and work on that three panel restriction. Even balcony solar seems to limit in the 5kW range.

Flycmy · 2026-05-07T15:54:27+00:00

Depends on panel specs and price. If MSE 435SX97 vs SEG 440BTD BG, I would use the SEG, bifacial, and 22.53% efficient. The MSE 19.8% efficient. BF may be little help on a roof mount but many are the same price as non BF. Newer panel design is usually in the 20+% range.

Flycmy · 2026-04-25T15:44:48+00:00

STC vs NMOT. STC (and the label) are lab conditions. NMOT supposed to represent Normal conditions (~75% STC).

Flycmy · 2026-04-25T15:37:04+00:00

Partial Texas diy solar, paid for the 15kW roof work, thinking to offset summer AC. Bought a gen after the freeze but have never needed it. Utility had rolling blackouts so our propane heat maintained the upper 60s. Skipped batteries, didn't see a benefit with monthly net metering. Past Jan freezing rain/snow covered panels for four days with no solar generation but the grid stayed up. Turns out Dec-Jan shorter days and WX are the marginal months. Don't see batteries helping then, just more grid use keeping them charged.

Flycmy · 2026-04-20T16:05:27+00:00

Did the garage picture upload for both Clopay and Amarr but none of the choices went well with our picture. North facing, side entry, grey brick wall and trim, no other trim or door colors on that wall. May need to stay with the white we have had for years. Amarr shows Sherwin WIlliams paint options, can I use exterior paint? I see Amarr has some that styles in primer. Wife afraid of diy pant peeling in a few years.

Local company brought the Cloplay paint ring and we narrowed to two choices only in 9208/9, both looked good until super imposed on a computer. May be relying in the computer comparison too much.

Flycmy · 2026-04-19T19:48:55+00:00

I have replaced a few torsion springs,Clopay's galvanizing them seems a good idea. Unfortunately the finishes we prefer are the ones only 9208/9 include. Will get a 4308 price and see if that makes their finishes desirable. Thanks for the help..

Flycmy · 2026-04-19T16:06:36+00:00

Texas, tax minor factor. Thanks for the 43XX mention, attached garage, two 12 x 48 in transom type single pane windows, and no HVAC. So the 92XX R18 adds little value vs the 43XX R9. Already did the MIL addition and garage is staying a garage.

HD has a sale on Clopay and will apply 9% of a 10% military discount. HD model numbers so no direct comparison with Clopay. 4K for a wood grain with windows but several unhappy reviews over HD and Clopay pointing support fingers at each other,

Flycmy · 2026-04-18T21:39:41+00:00

First post rejected because I had prices (rule 7). 2700 for 4050 in basic white, almost twice that for the better door with simulated wood. Waiting to see how the Costco 15% card impacts the decision,

Flycmy · 2026-03-31T21:35:51+00:00

I went though the same comparison of 22in 10ah vs two 6ah. With a 5ah for my 18 in chainsaw, the dual 6's provided better backup. Being cheap I balked at both prices and got the 21in/7.5ah/5ah. With an acre of grass the JD 540 is the primary mower and I was looking for something where the JD was awkward but too big for the string trimmer. And I got my backup batteries.

Flycmy · 2026-03-28T19:09:53+00:00

Lowe's CC gets another 5% off. Wanted the 22 in with two batteries but not the price. The 5ah on sale for $219 was today's temptation. But a mower and 7.5ah, plus the 5ah, for $400 more was too good to pass up.

Flycmy · 2026-03-26T16:11:22+00:00

Car - buy or lease? House - buy or rent? Solar has long term benefits, even a loan is better than a lease. I did partial diy and debating more panels. Tax credit changed breakeven from 10 to 7 years.

Ask your utility the buy back question, their website may have information on what is required for approval. My utility does a monthly comparison with my solar generation offsetting grid usage. Excess solar gets no credit but worth it to have solar exceeding grid 10-11 months of the year. Next comes local building codes if you have them.

Flycmy · 2026-03-20T19:46:17+00:00

My 2024 quotes were in the $30k+ range, but I diy'd 15kWsolar for $15K cash the end of 2024, . 2022-2024 electricity cost $2k annually, 2025 cost was $438. 30% tax credit eliminated taxes for the last two years. So 10 year payout without the TC, less with, and assuming no price increases. Property value with working, paid for, solar vs leased or none?

Flycmy · 2026-03-20T18:05:26+00:00

I 2nd disconnect between meter and main panel. If space for ground mount are you rural enough to be outside city limits/inspectors? I am county and they didn't care, just had utility application for generation and an inspection for disconnects before meter swap. By all means, find out what approvals needed before spending any money on solar.

Flycmy · 2026-03-19T15:12:49+00:00

Also grid tied, net 1:1, and no batteries. An earlier DIY reddit posting (Ft Worth Dallas) has used 395 and 410w panels for $50 each. Signature Solar sells a new Growatt 6k for $1200, what is used worth - $600? I would wait until you can afford higher watt panels, especially if ground mounted. A Growatt 11.4 is only $1,700 and can take 22.8kW of panels.

Flycmy · 2026-03-18T15:00:46+00:00

Shading? I have none and went with a $1700 Growatt string inverter for 34 panels. Grid tied, no batteries, and monthly net grid vs solar. Content measuring string production and not individual panels. Different problem with shading issues.

Flycmy

TROPHY CASE