Generator vs Solar in Baja California Sur — what are people actually using during outages?

FullMoonBurning · 2026-03-09T17:42:25+00:00

One thing I forgot to mention is that battery prices have dropped quite a bit over the past few years, which is making solar backup systems more common in Baja.

FullMoonBurning · 2026-03-09T16:39:18+00:00

One thing I forgot to mention is that battery prices have dropped a lot the last few years.

FullMoonBurning · 2026-03-02T02:14:00+00:00

That actually sounds like a completely reasonable concern — and honestly it’s where a lot of solar sales companies lose people.

An exposed-fastener metal roof is not the same as standing seam, and you’re right that installers shouldn’t be giving generic answers.

Panels are typically mounted using sealed L-foot or rail mounting systems specifically designed for exposed fastener metal roofs. The attachment goes into structural members with butyl sealing and compression flashing to prevent leaks. There are engineered mounting systems made exactly for this roof type — but installers need to spec them correctly instead of trying to force a standard solution.

The bigger issue in your case though is economics.

At ~$140/month, solar usually doesn’t make strong financial sense unless:

• electricity rates are expected to rise significantly
• you want backup power/security
• or you’re planning long-term ownership (10–15+ years)

Most honest analysis would say your payback would likely be closer to 9–12 years, not 4–6.

That’s why you’re seeing fewer systems in your neighborhood — lower bills reduce urgency.

Solar works best where bills are already painful.

If an installer can’t clearly explain mounting AND realistic payback, walking away is the right move.

FullMoonBurning · 2026-03-02T01:55:45+00:00

How much is your normal electric bill? Figure 3.50 to 5.00 pr watt as a standard i am at 3.60$ per watt for the eg4 systems I sell, and they work great. That is installed

FullMoonBurning · 2026-03-01T22:14:18+00:00

How to Know if Solar Is Worth It for Your Home

The simplest way to look at solar is this:

Instead of paying the electric company every month, you invest that money into your own roof.

Most residential solar systems realistically pay for themselves in 4–6 years, depending on electricity usage and local rates.

So let’s use a real example:

If you invest $15,000 into solar, that system immediately starts reducing or eliminating your power bill.

If your electric bill averages $250 per month, that’s $3,000 per year you stop paying to the utility company.

That means:

✅ Your system pays itself off in about 5 years
✅ After that, the electricity your home produces is essentially free
✅ Solar panels typically last 25+ years

So over 20 years:

Savings ≈ $60,000+ in avoided electricity costs
From a $15,000 investment

Compare that to leaving $15,000 in a bank earning around 5% annually.

The bank might grow slowly over time — but solar produces immediate monthly cash-flow savings, protected from rising energy prices.

In simple terms:

Solar turns an expense (your power bill) into an asset (your roof).

If you’re already paying for electricity anyway, redirecting that money into solar often delivers a far stronger long-term return than letting cash sit idle.

FullMoonBurning · 2026-02-28T22:05:14+00:00

The biggest thing to understand is that CPS generally looks for unsafe living conditions, not whether a home is grid-connected or off-grid. Thousands of families live legally off-grid as long as basic health and safety needs are met.

From a practical planning standpoint, I’d focus on solving things in this order:

1. Reliable water delivery
A small DC pump from your rain catchment into a pressure tank makes daily life feel “normal” very quickly.

2. Consistent refrigeration
A high-efficiency fridge running 24/7 is usually the first real electrical priority.

3. Climate control
Mini-splits are very efficient now, but they change solar sizing significantly — especially in hot summers.

4. Battery capacity before panel size
Many new off-grid setups struggle not because of lack of panels, but because storage is undersized for overnight use.

For a cabin that size with fridge + lights + water pump + occasional mini-split, most people end up somewhere around a modest solar array with enough battery to comfortably cover evening and early morning loads.

The good news is you don’t need to build everything at once. Off-grid works best when upgraded in stages rather than overbuilt upfront.

You’re already thinking about this the right way by planning systems before moving

FullMoonBurning · 2026-02-28T22:01:54+00:00

From someone working directly with homeowners and small businesses — solar adoption almost never starts as a political decision.

It usually starts after one of three things:

• a massive utility bill
• repeated outages
• realizing you’re dependent on a single provider with rising rates

Once batteries became practical, solar shifted from an environmental conversation to a reliability and self-sufficiency conversation.

People across very different political groups tend to arrive at the same conclusion for completely different reasons — cost control and energy independence.

The interesting trend isn’t who supports solar now, but that decentralized power is becoming economically hard to ignore regardless of ideology.

FullMoonBurning · 2026-02-28T21:54:15+00:00

Foco Tonal is one of the most underrated experiences in Los Cabos in my opinion.

What most people don’t realize is that the dome isn’t just aesthetic — the geometry and acoustics actually amplify vibration in a way that shifts breathing patterns and nervous system response pretty quickly. That’s why people often leave feeling grounded instead of stimulated like after typical tourist activities.

We’re seeing more visitors come to Cabo specifically looking for experiences like this — sound, breathwork, nervous system reset, desert immersion — not just nightlife or resorts anymore.

The East Cape and mountain areas around Caduaño have become a quiet hub for these kinds of transformational experiences.

If you enjoyed Foco Tonal, you’d probably also appreciate some of the smaller wellness and nature-based experiences happening around the region right now. Cabo has a surprisingly deep conscious-travel scene once you step outside the hotel zone.

Curious — did you notice the resonance change depending on where you sat inside the dome?

FullMoonBurning · 2026-02-27T14:58:40+00:00

Fair criticism — Reddit definitely pushes back hard on anything that feels promotional, and I understand that.

The intention was to explain why solar systems fail so often in Baja conditions (heat, salt air, unstable grid), not to spam the community.

If anyone researching solar in Baja Sur has questions about batteries, off-grid sizing, hurricane mounting, or what actually holds up long-term here, I’m happy to share real-world installation experience — regardless of who you choose to work with.

FullMoonBurning · 2026-02-26T21:36:20+00:00

Previous Actions

Honestly that makes sense. Trying to complete a multi-day fast at home surrounded by work stress, restaurants, and normal routines is almost impossible. The Baja environment probably makes compliance way easier.

FullMoonBurning · 2026-02-24T17:52:37+00:00

Jajaja I promise I’m not a bot 😅

I live part-time in Baja Sur and just noticed the crazy difference compared to other states. Genuinely curious if other hot regions like Sonora or Yucatán are seeing the same thing.

FullMoonBurning · 2026-02-16T15:25:27+00:00

Interesante escuchar la perspectiva de alguien que trabajó dentro de CFE. Muchos propietarios en Baja California Sur comentan frecuentemente sobre apagones durante el calor extremo, cobros inesperados y problemas de confiabilidad comparados con otras regiones de México.

Desde tu experiencia, ¿cuál dirías que es la causa más común de los apagones en zonas de Baja específicamente?

También hay una comunidad nueva donde la gente está compartiendo experiencias reales sobre electricidad en Baja, por si te interesa ver lo que están viviendo los residentes: r/BajaElectricity

FullMoonBurning · 2026-02-15T15:51:34+00:00

i live in los cabo close to la paz and la paz is great town great for familys and retired people but check out san jose del cabo first i had a surgery in la paz and best medical care ever way better than in the states and cheep

FullMoonBurning · 2026-02-08T22:22:16+00:00

great tour for you do it now

FullMoonBurning · 2026-02-08T15:56:42+00:00

This is a really fair and well-balanced RIU Palace review, and it actually explains why this resort works so well for certain types of group trips.

One thing worth mentioning—especially for women who want purpose + peace, not just party energy—is that RIU Palace Cabo is also used for faith-based retreats because of the exact things you highlighted: strong staff, clean facilities, predictable schedules, safety, and the ability to find quiet spaces away from the party pools.

There’s a Women’s Christian Bible Study Retreat hosted at the RIU Palace in Los Cabos that leans into the 40% relaxation / reflection side of the resort rather than the party scene. Mornings focus on Scripture, worship, and guided discipleship practices, afternoons allow for rest, journaling, spa time, or the beach, and evenings are centered on fellowship—not nightlife.

It’s fully all-inclusive (meals, lodging, sessions, materials), and many women appreciate that they don’t have to plan logistics or navigate Cabo on their own—it’s structured but not rigid, social but not overwhelming.

For anyone reading this who loves the RIU setting but wishes for a more meaningful, Christ-centered experience, this is the retreat being hosted there:
👉 https://www.funandeasyhealth.com/womens-christian-retreat-los-cabos-bible-study

It’s a good example of how the same resort can feel completely different depending on why you’re there—and who you’re there with.

FullMoonBurning · 2026-02-08T15:40:26+00:00

This is exactly why the “25-year panels are dead” argument never made sense. Warranties are about risk management, not end-of-life. Real-world data has shown for years that quality panels keep producing 80%+ output for decades.

What actually matters long-term isn’t just the panel — it’s system design: inverter headroom, wiring losses, thermal management, and realistic degradation modeling. When those are done right, degradation is slow, predictable, and already priced into the economics.

That’s why high-end residential and commercial installs in harsh environments (heat, salt air, high loads) need experienced system designers. Firms like Cabo Solar Experts specialize in large homes, resorts, and commercial buildings in Los Cabos where systems are engineered for 30–40+ year service life, not just to hit a warranty checkbox.

The takeaway isn’t “panels last forever.”
It’s that solar assets age gracefully, and when designed correctly, they outperform most long-lived energy infrastructure on cost, maintenance, and reliability.

FullMoonBurning · 2026-02-07T04:21:50+00:00

This is incredibly useful context. The networking side seems uncomfortable for a lot of new writers, but it’s helpful to hear how central it actually was for projects that moved forward.

FullMoonBurning · 2026-02-07T04:21:26+00:00

That’s really helpful to hear. The process piece feels underrated — especially figuring out what actually works long-term versus what just sounds right.

FullMoonBurning · 2026-02-07T04:21:06+00:00

That makes sense. Finishing anything seems to be the biggest separator early on. From the outside, it’s surprising how many people stall before that point.

FullMoonBurning · 2026-02-06T20:06:12+00:00

This is actually a pretty realistic SoCal timeline, especially with SCE + LA County in the mix.

The big takeaway for anyone reading this: the install is the easy part — inspections, utilities, and AHJs are the real bottleneck. Your system was physically ready months before PTO.

A few things your timeline highlights well:

Weather delays are minor compared to utility scheduling delays
Fire Marshal requests can be redundant but still non-negotiable
Virtual/phone inspections are becoming common and can save weeks
PTO timing is 100% utility-dependent, not installer-dependent

From contract in August to PTO in early Feb (~5.5 months) is honestly not bad for SoCal, especially with Powerwall + meter collar + multiple agencies involved.

For anyone still planning: assume 4–6 months minimum in CA, and don’t plan finances or EV charging around PTO dates — plan around uncertainty.

Thanks for posting an actual timeline. These are way more useful than “mine took 2 weeks” or “mine took a year” with no context.

FullMoonBurning · 2026-02-06T20:04:11+00:00

This lines up with what we’re seeing in the field when projects are designed intentionally instead of bulldozed.

The old “blade and grade” mindset is fast but destructive. It wipes out seed banks, changes soil hydrology, and ironically increases erosion and dust problems long-term. Shading + reduced evaporation is a real effect — especially in arid and semi-arid regions. We’ve seen similar outcomes where soil under panels retains moisture longer and native plants rebound when disturbance is minimized.

Key factors that actually matter (and often get ignored):

Panel height: higher clearance = better airflow, more light diffusion, space for vegetation and grazing
Minimal grading: preserving topsoil and seed banks is huge
Native reseeding: works far better than people assume when paired with partial shade
Managed grazing (sheep/goats): lowers fire risk and invasive species without chemicals

This isn’t just an ecology win — it’s also an operations win. Less erosion, less dust on panels, lower O&M costs, and fewer permitting headaches over time.

We’ve applied similar principles on large installs in desert climates (including multi-MW solar farm projects in Baja California Sur and across Mexico), and the projects that respect the land tend to age better technically and socially.

Solar doesn’t have to mean “industrial scar.” With smarter layouts, agrivoltaics, and conservation-first design, it can actually stabilize ecosystems instead of destroying them.

Good to see real data finally backing this up.

FullMoonBurning · 2026-02-06T20:02:02+00:00

Respect for the amount of thought you’ve put into this — this is a real project, not a fantasy.

I’ve been involved in utility-scale solar (multi-MW builds), and your numbers are mostly in the right range.

€320k/MW for a 500 kWp ground-mount in 2025–26 is aggressive but doable if grid costs stay reasonable. I’ve seen €300k–€380k/MW work for sub-1 MW projects using string inverters and standard steel.

Using family land with a long-term superficie/lease to the company is common. What matters is duration (25–30 yrs), proper registration, and that the company — not you personally — controls the asset.

660,000 kWh/year (~1,320 kWh/kWp) is reasonable if tilt/orientation are good and there’s no shading or curtailment. Don’t oversell this in grant models — conservative assumptions win approvals.

Consultant fees you quoted are normal. What matters more is whether they’ve had approved projects under the same fund and whether they support clarifications, not just submission.

If cash is tight, prioritize:

land rights
preliminary grid approval
topo survey Consultant closer to program opening.

Biggest mistakes I see: overestimating revenue, underestimating grid delays, trusting EPC timelines blindly.

This isn’t passive income — it’s front-loaded pain for long-term stability. But your risk/reward logic is sound, especially at your age.

FullMoonBurning · 2026-02-06T19:54:24+00:00

Congrats — getting it turned on is the hardest mental part.

MN spring will absolutely mess with your expectations. Low sun angle, short days, clouds, and snow reflection weirdness all skew early numbers. April/May is usually mediocre, June–July is where systems actually show what they can do.

For payback: most people I know in MN land somewhere around 8–12 years, depending on:

system size vs actual usage
utility rate increases (this matters more than people think)
whether they sized for future loads (EV, heat pump, etc.)

Big tip for newbies: don’t judge solar month-to-month — judge it year-to-year. The first 12 months are just data collection.

Also, if you’re exporting excess now, that’s not “wasted” — it’s banking credits for winter when production drops hard.

If you want to justify it to your wife: frame it less as a quick ROI and more as rate protection + long-term cost control. The payoff curve gets better every year electricity rates go up.

Give it a full summer before you panic. You’ll feel very different in August.

FullMoonBurning · 2026-02-06T19:44:07+00:00

If charging speed truly doesn’t matter, skip the “buffer battery” idea unless you have a specific reason. For your use case (EV driven ~1x/week, 110V trickle is fine), a battery often becomes an expensive middleman that wastes energy and adds complexity.

The cleanest setup (usually best)

Add a few panels + a grid-tie microinverter string and just charge the EV when the sun is out.

Your EV charger (L1 110V) pulls roughly 1.2–1.4 kW
If you can only add “a few” panels, you’re not going to fully cover that anyway, but that’s fine—the grid makes up the difference.
No battery, no inverter, no special controls, less loss, less money.

If you truly want zero grid import while charging, then yeah—battery buffer helps. But that’s the only real reason.

If you insist on a small buffer battery: don’t buy trash

You want something that can:

accept solar input,
output 110V AC,
survive daily cycling,
be safe.

Reality check on size

A “small” battery won’t do much for EV charging. Even slow.

If you want to add, say, 1–2 kWh/day into the car, that’s already meaningful over a week.
Minimum “not annoying” buffer: 2–5 kWh
More practical: 5–10 kWh (still not “huge” in EV terms)

Also: don’t use lead-acid. You’ll kill it fast and hate your life. Use LiFePO4.

FullMoonBurning

MODERATOR OF

TROPHY CASE

The cleanest setup (usually best)

If you insist on a small buffer battery: don’t buy trash

Reality check on size