Solar for me... sounds shady!

[woodgeek]

If you ever get power outages, I'd recommend bundling in some batteries and automatic transfer switch. Even if the batteries are fairly small, this would at least let you keep power on if the sun is shining and the grid is down. That's been my favorite feature of my solar installation.

I already power my home by backfeeding 120V from my EV using V2L. I've been doing this for 8 years now, and no need to buy another battery.

 

[woodgeek]

Solar install tomorrow, 11/11. Any last minute tips from the veterans?

 

[stoveliker]

Don't worry about app addiction. You'll stop looking every day soon enough.

 

[gthomas785]

Solar install tomorrow, 11/11. Any last minute tips from the veterans?

Set out some cookies for the installers. Seriously, it'll make their day and keep you on their good side should you have any complaints about their work.

 

[bogieb]

Don't worry about app addiction. You'll stop looking every day soon enough.

Depends on how you define "soon". I used to be addicted, especially to tell when the best time was to run big draw items like my drier or dishwasher. After a couple of years I don't look at it often.

Actually, I have been looking at it fairly regularly this last two months or so, since I had an Ecoflow Titan 5000 with SHP1 Backup / Energy Management system installed (I was picked as a beta tester, so I just paid in testing, reporting and frustrations). I look to judge how closely the Enphase reporting and the EF reporting are.

 

[stoveliker]

Yeah, but that's making use of the app.
Most folks initially look everywhere day, not using anything just looking. And that declines soon enough. Unless you have a buddy with PV so you can compare. Then it'll last a bit longer...

 

[woodgeek]

Welp, project is done. Arrived at 9, left at 3:37. 4 guys on the roof, 2 guy in the attic, and the foreman working near the meter, installing the pipe up the side of the house and the gateway and switch boxes. Very clean looking install. 12.88 kW_DC rating.

Only drama was getting internet to the gateway. My Router is opposite end of house, and does reach to the garage breaker box (and the neighbors house on that end... but the 16" stone wall of the garage blocked the signal very well to the equipment outside. I came up with the solution, a wifi extender, and drove myself to a MicroCenter a mile from my house, to get it. The crew got a few more minutes to clean up and shoot the breeze while I configured it.

They seemed happy when it worked and I solved their problem.

I have to wait for the company to set me up with login info for the gateway and stuff... so no addiction for me yet.

Also, apparently protocol is that the array IS hooked up to the grid on install day, and I just push free power to my utility until they come by and do a safety inspection and reconfigure my meter for net metering.

 

[stoveliker]

Yes.
Mine was hooked up during install.
But my meter ran backwards immediately even tho the utility only inspected the system many months later for me. So I did get the credits right from day 1.

But the "can't switch it on until the utility approves" has not been true for all installs I've seen (5-ish).

 

[bogieb]

Welp, project is done. Arrived at 9, left at 3:37. 4 guys on the roof, 2 guy in the attic, and the foreman working near the meter, installing the pipe up the side of the house and the gateway and switch boxes. Very clean looking install. 12.88 kW_DC rating.

Only drama was getting internet to the gateway. My Router is opposite end of house, and does reach to the garage breaker box (and the neighbors house on that end... but the 16" stone wall of the garage blocked the signal very well to the equipment outside. I came up with the solution, a wifi extender, and drove myself to a MicroCenter a mile from my house, to get it. The crew got a few more minutes to clean up and shoot the breeze while I configured it.

They seemed happy when it worked and I solved their problem.

I have to wait for the company to set me up with login info for the gateway and stuff... so no addiction for me yet.

Also, apparently protocol is that the array IS hooked up to the grid on install day, and I just push free power to my utility until they come by and do a safety inspection and reconfigure my meter for net metering.

That is interesting. My installers told me not to flip the switch until town inspection, utility inspected / meter switch AND utility gave their written okay (which is an email). Otherwise I would get huge fines and maybe they could revoke their initial okay for the project.

May be the difference of requirements between states and/or utilities. Or maybe if NJ has legalized balcony solar, which was not around when mine was installed.

Hope your inspections go well!

 

[EbS-P]

I had to get an email letter from the power company. It felt good skidding that button in the app. Really it’s not free power to the grid. Unless your utility wasn’t giving you credit for it. The meter is turning backwards during peak production and your bill is based on that meter. Well that’s how my utility works anyway. My net billing is done per bill cycle.

 

[woodgeek]

I had to get an email letter from the power company. It felt good skidding that button in the app. Really it’s not free power to the grid. Unless your utility wasn’t giving you credit for it. The meter is turning backwards during peak production and your bill is based on that meter. Well that’s how my utility works anyway. My net billing is done per bill cycle.

Indeed. I don't know if my (digital) meter is an updated one that can run backwards, or an old one that can't.

 

[semipro]

Beware the rodents, especially the squirrels.

 

[EbS-P]

Beware the rodents, especially the squirrels.

I paid extra for the squirrel guard

 

[kborndale]

My solar was turned on as soon as they finished the install, I didn't need approval from my power company. This was over a decade ago, maybe it wasn't required back then.