[Milsurplus] OT: Solar Panels

[David Stinson]

Probably considered OT, but I trust this group's good sense.
Please reply off-list (unless a lot of people say they 
want to see the thread :)

One of the more effective ways of using solar panels
to help with your bill is to connect them through 
a "grid synchronizing" or "grid tie" inverter.
These create a pure sine wave at a slightly higher
voltage than the line, so that they actually feed power 
back to the grid.  
They used to cost like $2000, but the Chinese have
gotten into the act and moved that decimal place
to the left; you can get one for less then $200 now.

I need some smart people to tell me 
if I have this right:

I have 400 watts worth of solar panels.
I feed these to a grid-tie inverter.
Fudging for losses, let's say I can deliver 350 watts
to the grid for about 14 hours a day (in the summer).
That's 4.9 kWh a day.  Times 30 days is 147 kWh.
My electric rate is 12.6 cents per kWh.
That's $18.52 a month discounted to my bill,
best case.  Average it out over the year for 
low-output days and let's call it $12 a month.
That's $144 a year.  Payback time on that 
small system would be long.  

Hardly seems worth the trouble.

73 Dave S.