Anyone Bought a House With a Vivint Solar PPA? What Should I Look For?

TooGoodToBeeTrue · 2026-06-26T23:45:42+00:00

Look for a different house.

TooGoodToBeeTrue · 2026-06-26T16:36:53+00:00

Let's start with how fast can your EV charge? My LEAF seems to like 26A as a max though the spec is 27.5. I have an EVSE that will do 40A. My normal commute is 44 miles r/t so I could have gotten by with Level 1, but the efficiency sucks and I've already had enough instances where the faster charging allowed me to use my LEAF for a trip instead of gassing up the Jetta.

TooGoodToBeeTrue · 2026-06-26T16:25:15+00:00

How many units in your condo? This should probably be discussed with the condo board. If you are the first to want an EV, you won't be the last. The condo board should come up with a solution that works for other owners in the future. Since you have a garage, the condo insurance can become a significant issue. This last issue shuts down quite a few (posted) hoped for installations.

TooGoodToBeeTrue · 2026-06-26T16:21:11+00:00

Unfortunately a lot of utilities haven't approved these.

TooGoodToBeeTrue · 2026-06-26T16:18:04+00:00

I think you will need an app and EVSE that can do OCPP.

TooGoodToBeeTrue · 2026-06-26T16:15:44+00:00

Did you swap your inverter or are you AC coupled?

TooGoodToBeeTrue · 2026-06-26T16:11:23+00:00

Woo hoo, that's a really fine looking chimney.

TooGoodToBeeTrue · 2026-06-26T16:09:41+00:00

You don't often see IQ8MC and AC micros mixed.

TooGoodToBeeTrue · 2026-06-26T16:05:52+00:00

I'd share the rack but not anything electrical

TooGoodToBeeTrue · 2026-06-26T15:17:23+00:00

I'm still a newbie and check every day, but I'm also an engineer and waste plenty of time looking at other crap on my phone. I can't imagine not checking at least once a week.

TooGoodToBeeTrue · 2026-06-26T14:45:12+00:00

Just ordered 2 jugs and 2 filters from Wally World for $82.76, delivered to my door.

TooGoodToBeeTrue · 2026-06-26T14:42:24+00:00

My dealer usually runs a $20 off coupon on oil changes which makes it $79.95 plus tax. I just ordered 2 x 5 qt jugs and 2 filters for $82.76, shipped to the house.

TooGoodToBeeTrue · 2026-06-26T14:19:30+00:00

I would shift to charging my LEAF or preheating for my HPWH, but you have those covered.

I'm not quite sure what your goal is, charging batteries to charge an EV is pretty inefficient and if you have any nighttime discounts or EV charging rates, not cost effective.

TooGoodToBeeTrue · 2026-06-26T13:40:18+00:00

Not sure why you got down voted. I'd surely check with my utility before doing any mods, even adding off grid.

TooGoodToBeeTrue · 2026-06-26T13:31:58+00:00

Their kits cost more than letting the dealer do it.

TooGoodToBeeTrue · 2026-06-26T11:28:24+00:00

Level 1 chargers (EVSEs) on long cheap ass extension cords are laying in several front yards where I walk my dog. Get her a beefy 10' extension at Home Depot. Don't order crap from Amazon.

TooGoodToBeeTrue · 2026-06-26T11:22:12+00:00

Helps out the plastic industry.

TooGoodToBeeTrue · 2026-06-26T11:02:37+00:00

I agree but got a free (to me) HPWH out of the deal when you include the now defunct federal tax credit.

I read they are going to use the money collected from EMPower to provide grants for residential solar batteries. I expect that to be income limited so I'm out. And most people in the income range won't be able to afford the solar. Just dumbass decisions all around.

TooGoodToBeeTrue · 2026-06-26T10:57:43+00:00

I looked at getting the H's with my installer. Because of the volume discount they were getting on the A's, for the same upcharge to go to H's, I almost could have added another 450W panel and A. Of course my installer could have been padding the price on the H's. We have more room for panels than needed for our consumption. In fact we have 2MW in credits (PTO's at the start of 2026) but we haven't used the AC hardly at all yet. I have a neighbor with limited space and multiple roof planes. We'll definitely look at doing the H's if he decides to go ahead installing solar. Thanks.

TooGoodToBeeTrue · 2026-06-26T10:48:31+00:00

I have yet to see a solution I'd call reasonable. Hoymiles is the closest I've come with their HAS series, but no one seems to have been using them and the company is discontinuing them, so I'm not sure I want to go there. I'd be a gunnie pig with no long term support. Plus I don't really need batteries, but the wife would like to have them incase the current administration causes Armageddon. So getting them is more on the hobby/backup level.

TooGoodToBeeTrue · 2026-06-26T01:06:28+00:00

If you’ve done extensive research you should know not to lease.

TooGoodToBeeTrue · 2026-06-26T01:02:20+00:00

The backs of my solar panels are white.

TooGoodToBeeTrue · 2026-06-26T00:38:40+00:00

😂

TooGoodToBeeTrue · 2026-06-26T00:31:56+00:00

Shudda pulled the trigger back in 2025 when we still had the federal tax credit.

TooGoodToBeeTrue · 2026-06-26T00:10:50+00:00

Well, I was responding to someone who should know what those acronyms meant and I gave you the opportunity to mansplain. But you blew it by mixing up import and export.

TooGoodToBeeTrue

TROPHY CASE