PREP 10.5 KW Solar being installed today
- Thread starter CGTech
- Start date
Capt. Eddie
Veteran Member
Repairman-Jack
Veteran Member
Nice!
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CGTech
Has No Life - Lives on TB
No, I'm afraid not. This is, unfortunately, a grid tied system (for now). But once the panels are installed, all I will need is the correct controller / inverter, and the batteries required, for it to be completely off grid. That is my longer term plan. Of course, WW3 might throw a wrench into things. Regardless, this will be a major boost into the resale value of the home if we end up selling at some point. Plus the electrical savings should start adding up in a hurry.
Sure. I totally get it.
Shouldn't be too hard to figure out a quick modification if needed. If you're not too comfortable with electricity you need to find a friend who does that stuff.
With a cheap inverter and your car battery you could provide you & yours some normalcy in an extended outage.
I'm not being a party pooper, since they're not even hooked up yet.
Just a reminder that that extra knowledge might be valuable with very little money or sweat invested .
Capt. Eddie
Veteran Member
I assume you're running micro inverters on the panels if it's straight grid tied. Don't know if the installer told you this, but if you do decide to go hybrid or off grid you should be able to remove the mico inverters and go back to DC to give yourself more options / efficiency on inverters and battery bank. Not sure what code would require for RSD (rapid shut down) for a roof mount without the micros though. Just food for thought.
Sounds like you have a good system going in, the electricity savings and increased equity should give you a pretty quick payback on investment.
CGTech
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Turns out we won't be on solar today. Jumping the gun a bit there LOL. They have to tie into the electric system here, then the utility has to inspect ,then swap the meter out for a dual use (or something) meter. *Then* we will be running off the system. It's sized to provide 98-100% of our normal usage when operational.
Things are progressing though!
Things are progressing though!
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CGTech
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Blacknarwhal
Let's Go Brandon!
Not surprised. Doubt the power company is particularly interested in their part in reducing your bill.
CGTech
Has No Life - Lives on TB
It's been almost a year since this process started, for us.
Dobbin
Faithful Steed
Grid tied/synchronized, or free standing on a battery? Both have advantage.
Grid tied generally brings you into an overall lower electric cost, but payback is generally like 10 years plus. You don't have power if the grid is down.
Battery tied is a higher initial investment but you'll have power when everyone around you is dead. Payback is similar.
Trouble with battery/independent is about the time you get payback, your batteries need replacing - so you start the cycle again.
AND - it used to be solar power really wasn't "cheaper" than grid tied. Now with electric rates being artificially inflated to bring in "green" energy, its hard to know exactly the return on equity.
Owner hasn't asked my opinion (no surprise there) but he's not in a rush to go solar except for hydronic - and a "back up" for a long term outage.
In a carbon power short world, kerosene stock will only last so long (whatever.)
Dobbin
CGTech
Has No Life - Lives on TB
It is a grid-tied system. Was discussing with the tech doing the work today, what it would take to turn it into a off grid system. Biggest issue, as always, is the batteries, the sheer cost. Waiting for that to come down, might not happen while I am on this side of the veil. However, the other thing I am looking at, is it adds to the resale value of the property. Figuring on downsizing within 10 years, assuming any of us are still here....
Is there any such thing as solar going to your house without batteries during daylight hours? If the electricity is going out to the electric company during the day, why can’t it go straight to the house when the electric company is down? Is there some sort of work-around for emergencies?
Macgyver
Has No Life - Lives on TB
We've had a couple people come out to give us estimates for solar (grid tie) but they have all seem stupid expensive for when I looked up panels and micro inverters.
I think we were looking at 16kw.
My wife will not let me do it but I have a local friend that's actually a licensed electrician I just need to chat with him about it.
I'm just not sure how up on solar he is.
I think we were looking at 16kw.
My wife will not let me do it but I have a local friend that's actually a licensed electrician I just need to chat with him about it.
I'm just not sure how up on solar he is.
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tech
Veteran Member
The batteries are typically used as a buffer, much as the grid is. Otherwise, sudden changes in load or production can generate heat and spikes, potentially damaging equipment.
Anti-islanding is a requirement for all solar systems connected to the grid, whether they feed back into the grid or are merely supplemented by the grid. The solar must disconnect from the grid in a certain amount of time (we're talking milliseconds here) to protect their system and personnel. The power company here did surveys a few years back to check for this on all solar installs. Many were not up to par...allowing current to backfeed with the grid down. Ours was one of the few that passed...
There are work-arounds one can do, but I'm not sure of their legality, so I will not describe the methods.
Dobbin
Faithful Steed
Your panels make DC current. An inverter with or without battery converts this power to 120VAC.
Inverter exists in two types: Stand-alone Inverter to convert DC voltage to 120VAC/60hz paired with a battery. Or Grid-phasing inverter to convert DC voltage to 120VAC/60hz no battery MATCHED to the Grid.
The battery inverters are simpler - but not as accurate in maintaining phase. Your electric clocks may need an occasional re-set on time.
The Grid-phasing inverters are more complicated but now pretty foolproof/automated.
Battery inverters SHOULD NOT be attempted to "phase" to the Grid Lines. You can't just "plug it in."
Grid-phasing inverters "sense" the hertz and phase of the line before "phasing/matching" and closing the switch.
Generally Inverters of one application can't be used successfully on the other.
Dobbin
Edit: Tech and I are in the same traces and pulling to the same end. Just said differently.
I lost interest a few years ago when a solar company told me I'd just throw the panels away and replace them in 40 (now 30) years when I had to replace the shingles. This was going to be just when the system began to pay for itself--so it looked like I was simply giving money to the solar company. Now I have an area for ground-mounted panels and so am interested again--and the costs have come down enough that the pay-for-itself point comes quicker.
jed turtle
a brother in the Lord
Went solar with batteries only 15 years ago. 6kw. Had the electric grid with a switch tied to a switch in the garage for 5 years as a back up only if there wasn’t enough sunshine to keep the voltage above 48 V. After we had the utility come and disconnect us from their meters, we junked the 48 golf cart batteries and got the 24, 2 volt batteries and added an additional couple of arrays. Finally had the the utility come back and disconnect their wires between the old meter boxes and the transformer Pole just the other day. I guess they thought I would change my mind. I figure the new batteries will last till I am 85 max. I doubt the world will last as long...and if it does I am sure there will be new battery tech by then. If not, I guess I would have to dig out an “ earth battery”. I am sure you will love the decrease in the elec bill, but I definitely do quietly enjoy that when the grid goes down I am the only one on my 1 mile rural road that is taking a hot shower and reading the Internet, because of batteries instead of the grid-tie connection.
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Capt. Eddie
Veteran Member
Capt. Eddie
Veteran Member
Laurane
Canadian Loonie
Out if curiosity… does your province offer rebates or subsidies for installing solar?
I recently looked into a system just for heating my home in case of power outages at -30c & there is new tech which is a battery standby for the furnace only….. using just enough solar to maintain a battery to charge a plug-in “something” to keep the furnace running,
Just got an overview of an alternative to large solar system & it worked out same cost as installing a vented fireplace. Need to talk to my kids to have them see if they fully understand this technology, as they also are looking for alternatives but thought about large NG generators
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Laurane
Canadian Loonie
Especially with carbon tax increases
CGTech
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Well, they call it a 'grant'. Basically the same thing. Heck, it was $10,000, along with the interest free financing, so wasn't going to turn it down.
IT IS NICE TO GET OTHER PEOPLE TO PAY FOR YOUR SOLAR
BUT, IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A BATTERY BANK, IT IS NOT YOUR SOLAR
IF YOU SELL POWER TO THE POWER COMPANY,
AND THE POWER COMPANY RESELLS IT TO ANOTHER PERSON,
AT HALF THE PRICE THEY PAID YOU
WHO TAKES THE LOSS
WHO IS PAYING FOR "YOUR SOLAR"
BUT, WHO CARES
ITS FREE MONEY
THE ONLY WAY SOLAR IS CHEAPER THAN GRID POWER,
IS IF SOMEONE ELSE IS PAYING A LARGE PART OF THE BILL
BUT, IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A BATTERY BANK, IT IS NOT YOUR SOLAR
IF YOU SELL POWER TO THE POWER COMPANY,
AND THE POWER COMPANY RESELLS IT TO ANOTHER PERSON,
AT HALF THE PRICE THEY PAID YOU
WHO TAKES THE LOSS
WHO IS PAYING FOR "YOUR SOLAR"
BUT, WHO CARES
ITS FREE MONEY
THE ONLY WAY SOLAR IS CHEAPER THAN GRID POWER,
IS IF SOMEONE ELSE IS PAYING A LARGE PART OF THE BILL