Cabo San Lucas · San José del Cabo · Los Cabos
High CFE Bills in Los Cabos? Understand DAC and Your Solar Options.
A painful electricity bill deserves a clear explanation before you buy solar. Start with your tariff, your consumption history and how your property uses power.
WhatsApp +1 951-577-5097 · Include your phone, email and property location.
What is CFE’s DAC tariff?
DAC means Doméstica de Alto Consumo, CFE’s high-consumption domestic tariff. Classification uses a rolling 12-month average of electricity consumption, compared with the limit for the applicable domestic tariff. A large peso or dollar bill alone does not establish DAC status.
Source: CFE’s official DAC tariff guidance.
Why your Los Cabos bill needs a property-specific review
A year-round home in San José del Cabo, a Cabo San Lucas vacation rental and a seasonally occupied condo along the Tourist Corridor can have very different operating schedules. Tell us when the property is occupied and whether someone changes equipment settings between guest stays.
Cooling and occupancy
List the air conditioners, rooms used and typical operating hours. Include upcoming changes, such as a new rental schedule or an additional bedroom.
Pools and other loads
Identify pool pumps, water heating, electric cooking and vehicle charging. A bill review is more useful when it explains what runs and when.
Your roof and meter
Share roof photos, shade concerns, the number of meters and any condo or HOA requirements. Confirm access and roof-use permission before design work.
How do you get out of DAC?
CFE’s published guidance says the corresponding domestic tariff applies when the customer maintains an average below the local high-consumption limit. The practical starting point is to review your history, reduce the consumption recorded for your account and confirm reclassification with CFE.
Solar installation does not erase previous bills or reset the consumption history. Ask for an assessment that separates immediate energy savings from any later tariff change. We do not promise a fixed exit date.
- Identify the account. Read the tariff and billing dates, and check whether the property has more than one meter.
- Build the usage picture. Gather the previous 12 months when available, then note occupancy and major equipment changes.
- Compare practical options. Review equipment schedules and a solar proposal based on the property, rather than choosing a kit from a payment total.
- Track the result. Keep subsequent bills and ask CFE to confirm the applicable classification and billing treatment.
DAC consumption limits: check your actual tariff
The official threshold depends on the domestic tariff applicable to the locality. Do not assume every account in Los Cabos has the same classification. Confirm yours from your bill and CFE.
| Domestic tariff | Limit (kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| 1 | 250 |
| 1A | 300 |
| 1B | 400 |
| 1C | 850 |
| 1D | 1,000 |
| 1E | 2,000 |
| 1F | 2,500 |
Threshold source: official domestic tariff agreement, DAC sections 2–4. Historical prices in that agreement are not current price quotes.
Illustrative example: 10,800 kWh over 12 months averages 900 kWh per month. If CFE confirms tariff 1C is applicable, that is above its 850 kWh monthly limit. This arithmetic example is not a forecast for your home or a solar-system size recommendation.
Find out what is driving your bill
Send a clear photo showing the tariff, billing dates, kWh and consumption history. Add your phone, email and property location. If you have earlier bills, include them too.
Three turnkey solar packages for Los Cabos homes
Choose a starting point for your bill review: a compact solar-only system, solar with battery storage, or a larger package with more storage. These packages pair clear starting prices with a property-specific design review.
Turnkey starting prices in USD, excluding IVA. Final equipment selection, compatibility, roof conditions, electrical service and delivery scope must be confirmed in the written proposal. Panel capacity is DC; inverter ratings and battery capacity describe different parts of the system.
Compact solar-only option
Starter Solar — 4 panels
From $6,250 USD
2.2 kW of solar: four 550-watt panels with a microinverter system. No battery included.
Who it suits: a homeowner seeking a smaller solar investment, with usable roof space and daytime electricity needs, who does not need this package to provide outage backup.
- The lowest starting price of these three packages.
- A smaller array to consider when roof space or the initial budget is limited.
- No battery purchase or battery replacement budget in this package.
Labor included: three installation days.
Solar-only grid-connected equipment does not provide outage backup in this package. System suitability and microinverter selection depend on the roof, panel specifications and electrical service.
Solar with storage
Solar + Backup — 8 panels
From $15,500 USD
4.4 kW of solar: eight 550-watt panels, a LuxPower 6,000-watt inverter and two 5.12 kWh batteries: 10.24 kWh nominal storage.
Who it suits: an occupied home or vacation property whose owner wants solar and a plan for selected essential circuits during an outage.
- Twice the panel capacity of Starter Solar.
- Storage to plan for selected evening or backup loads.
- A middle option for buyers who want batteries without choosing the largest package.
Labor included: four installation days.
Define essential loads first—for example, refrigeration, lighting or internet. Exact inverter model, battery compatibility and backup wiring must be confirmed; the 6,000-watt rating is not a promise that every appliance can operate together.
More solar and storage
Larger Home + Backup — 12 panels
From $21,900 USD
6.6 kW of solar: twelve 550-watt panels, a 12,000-watt inverter and three 5.12 kWh batteries: 15.36 kWh nominal storage.
Who it suits: a property with more usable roof area and a larger energy requirement, where the bill history and load assessment support a bigger system.
- 50% more panel capacity than the eight-panel package.
- 50% more nominal battery storage than the eight-panel package.
- More room to plan a broader set of essential loads, subject to equipment and circuit limits.
Labor included: five installation days.
A 12,000-watt inverter does not turn a 6.6 kW array into 12 kW of solar generation. Usable output depends on the final equipment, battery discharge limits and installation. Whole-home or air-conditioning backup requires a load assessment.
What does the turnkey starting price include?
Each starting price includes the listed equipment configuration, a mounting allowance, installation labor, wiring and electrical-protection allowances, and a freight allowance. The two backup packages include the battery quantities listed above. Final brands, models, installation scope and any allowance adjustments will be documented before purchase.
Not included: IVA, roof repairs or major electrical-service upgrades. Additional site work, delivery costs beyond the allowance, and any permit, engineering or CFE-related charges must be identified in the final proposal. Installation-day allowances are labor budgets, not promised project completion dates.
Which kit will help me get out of DAC?
No package guarantees a DAC exit or a particular bill reduction. The right comparison starts with your CFE consumption history, daytime and nighttime loads, the applicable connection arrangement and expected production for your roof. For a property in Cabo San Lucas, San José del Cabo or the Tourist Corridor, include occupancy patterns and rental schedules in the review.
How much backup time do the batteries provide?
The eight-panel package includes 10.24 kWh of nominal storage; the twelve-panel package includes 15.36 kWh. These figures are not promised usable energy or runtime. Runtime depends on the selected loads, battery operating limits, reserve settings and system losses. Ask for a backup estimate based on the appliances you actually want to run.
To compare these packages: use a WhatsApp button on this page to send Benjamin your phone number, email, property location, CFE bill photo and preferred kit. Mention any appliances that must stay powered during an outage.
What a useful solar proposal should explain
For a high-bill household, the question is how the proposed system fits the way the home operates. Ask for the expected production assumptions, the equipment list, installation scope and the applicable CFE connection and billing arrangement in writing.
- Energy use: how expected solar production compares with daytime and evening demand.
- Utility treatment: how electricity drawn from and delivered to the grid would be handled under the account’s applicable arrangement. Do not assume identical export credits for every project.
- Site conditions: roof area, shade, mounting design, electrical work and access.
- Backup requirements: which circuits need power during an outage, and for how long, if storage is included.
- Total scope: quoted equipment, labor, exclusions, warranty terms, maintenance and utility charges that may remain.
Explore our Los Cabos solar installation process, battery backup planning or solar assessment. For business accounts, use our commercial solar service.
CFE DAC and high-bill questions
Is DAC the same as an excedente charge?
No. Excedente describes a consumption band on a domestic tariff; DAC is a separate high-consumption classification. Start with the tariff label on your bill rather than the total amount due.
How do I know if my Los Cabos home is in DAC?
Look for DAC in the tariff field on your CFE bill. If the field is unclear, send a readable photo and confirm the account classification with CFE.
How long does it take to get out of DAC?
There is no single deadline we can promise. Your consumption history matters, and older high-use periods remain relevant until they leave the rolling calculation. CFE confirms the applicable reclassification.
Can solar panels help reduce a high CFE bill?
They may. The proposal needs to compare when you use electricity with expected generation, the applicable connection and billing arrangement, and charges that remain. Installing panels does not itself guarantee removal from DAC.
Do I need batteries to address DAC?
Battery storage is a separate design decision. Tell us whether your priority is the electricity bill, backup during outages, or both. Compare a solar-only proposal with storage where the site and connection permit.
What if my bill arrives every two months?
Keep the billing dates and kWh visible. Do not compare a two-month total directly with a monthly threshold. Provide a full year of history when available so the periods can be interpreted correctly.
Does this apply to a business or hotel?
DAC is a domestic classification. A business, hotel or property with multiple meters needs a review of its actual tariffs and operating profile; do not assume this household threshold table applies.
Can you estimate solar from the amount I paid?
A payment total alone is not enough to size a system. Send the tariff, billing dates, kWh history and property details. Roof space, shade, equipment choices and your goals also affect the proposal.
What should I send Benjamin on WhatsApp?
Send your phone number, email, property location, a clear photo of the latest CFE bill, and previous bills or consumption history if available. Mention air conditioners, pool equipment, electric vehicles and planned additions.
Can you guarantee a zero CFE bill?
No. A useful quote explains its assumptions, expected energy production, remaining utility charges and exclusions. CFE determines the account’s tariff; savings and timing require a property-specific assessment.
Start with your bill. Make the next decision with better information.
Tell Benjamin where your Los Cabos property is, how you use it and what you want to improve. Attach your bill in WhatsApp after opening the conversation.
Send My Bill to Benjamin on WhatsApp
Phone +1 951-577-5097 · Please include your email and property location.
Tariff sources reviewed September 25, 2026. Cabo Solar Experts is an independent solar business, not CFE. Account classifications and utility billing are confirmed by CFE. Project pricing and savings require an individual assessment.