Craftstrom solar: six months of data and savings

These figures summarize readings reported in the source video and apply to the tested setup and conditions.

How much did this setup save? The video reports about 500kWh over roughly six months. At the stated $0.14/kWh tariff, that energy is worth about $70 if it replaces electricity bought from the utility. The $140 annual figure doubles that period; it is an extrapolation, not a measured full year or an audited bill reduction.

Tested setup and measured period

This is the 800W Craftstrom kit used in the video, with four 200W panels and two microinverters, plus its demand-based export-control system. The readings cover the beginning of December 2025 through early June 2026, as described in the video. They are not a test of every current Craftstrom kit revision.

Payback needs the whole cost

The video describes a kit price just above $2,000 before a coupon, rather than a verified current checkout price. At $140 a year, a $2,000 example gives roughly 14.3 years of simple payback, consistent with the video's rounded 15-year discussion. This calculation excludes financing, installation, maintenance, tariff changes and seasonal differences between the measured half-year and the rest of the year.

The battery discussion is a scenario for capturing production that would otherwise be curtailed. It is not a measured fourfold annual savings result. Calculate (kit cost + battery cost + required installation costs) ÷ annual net bill savings. Battery losses and the actual recoverable curtailed energy belong in the savings estimate.

For illustration only: if annual net savings rose to four times $140, they would be $560. A hypothetical $2,000 kit plus a hypothetical $1,000 installed battery would then take about 5.4 years to pay back. Those are scenario inputs, not a battery quote or a forecast for this installation. Without a verified battery cost and annual usable-energy estimate, a sub-four-year payback is unproven.

Conditions and approval limits

Daytime demand, shading, panel orientation, seasons and electricity rates affect the result. The DOE homeowner guide explains these savings factors and directs readers to their utility for local export-credit rules.

The available evidence does not substantiate the earlier “legal in all 50 states” claim. Export control alone does not establish approval for a particular installation. Confirm applicable utility requirements and local installation rules with the responsible utility and qualified installer before connecting equipment.

Sources and related content

Watch the original TATFT data discussion, including Watch the source video. See the Craftstrom gear entry, home-energy videos and the mini-split power test.