New array

Started by TomW, November 02, 2016, 06:09:05 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

russ_drinkwater

Yes, but  a loyal and highly productive monster!
BFM!  ;D
Standalone. 20 Hyundai x 220 watts panels, 2 x classic 150's, Latronics 24 volt 3kw inverter, Whiz bang Jnr, 12 Rolls surrete  4KS 25P  batteries and WBJ.
Grid tie feed-in, 12.5 kw in 3 arrays generating 50 kws per day average. Solar river grid tie inverters

zoneblue

I heard that its a galvanic reaction that destroys galv posts in soil. If you fix a wire the base of it and bury that wire deeper, then the voltage potential changes in your  favor... apparently. Source long forgotten, probably hippie era Ken Kern etc bare foot builders.
6x300W CSUN, ground mount, CL150Lite, 2V/400AhToyo AGM,  Outback VFX3024E, Steca Solarix PL1100
http://www.zoneblue.org/cms/page.php?view=off-grid-solar

TomW

Buried the conduit today and submitted the intertie application only to have the inept city owned utility's Electrical Superintendent tell me the application document has changed for the 4th time since I started the process.

Being the first is, well, interesting. If he  doesn't cure his cranial rectosis soon I will have to go over his head to the City Counsel and see if their "green" initiative is just bull. So far just trying to not rock the boat so we can get it finished.

I may just tell them to shove their intertie program and go for a stand alone system which was the original plan. >:(

Just the latest in this saga.

Tom
Do NOT mistake me for any kind of "expert".

( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)


24 Trina 310 watt modules, SMA SunnyBoy 7.7 KW Grid Tie inverter.

I thought that they were angels, but much to my surprise, We climbed aboard their starship and headed for the skies

ClassicCrazy

Hope it works out for you soon Tom.  It is good to always have that battery based option up your sleeve !

Larry
system 1
Classic 150 , 5s3p  Kyocera 135watt , 12s Soneil 2v 540amp lead crystal for 24v pack , Outback 3524 inverter
system 2
 5s 135w Kyocero , 3s3p 270w Kyocera  to Classic 150 ,   8s Kyocera 225w to Hawkes Bay Jakiper 48v 15kwh LiFePO4 , Outback VFX 3648 inverter
system 3
KID / Brat portable

TomW

Appreciate the support, Larry!


Thanks.

Tom
Do NOT mistake me for any kind of "expert".

( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)


24 Trina 310 watt modules, SMA SunnyBoy 7.7 KW Grid Tie inverter.

I thought that they were angels, but much to my surprise, We climbed aboard their starship and headed for the skies

russ_drinkwater

Australian bush motto.
Tell em nothing and take em nowhere! :o ;D
Standalone. 20 Hyundai x 220 watts panels, 2 x classic 150's, Latronics 24 volt 3kw inverter, Whiz bang Jnr, 12 Rolls surrete  4KS 25P  batteries and WBJ.
Grid tie feed-in, 12.5 kw in 3 arrays generating 50 kws per day average. Solar river grid tie inverters

TomW

#21
Well, did a friendly reached out to the mayor and councilman for my city ward explained things and the next day we got approval after the superintendent talked to my electrician and the PV installer, all pending engineers review, of course.  All the hardware is on the pre approved list they have and my installers are both licensed and bonded, etc. so should slide through like grease through a goose.

Superintendent was mostly just lost. When I did that city officials end run I hoped that it would not cause more trouble. Time will tell.

Got the SB 7.7 inverter ordered and the city has the proper bi directional meter for the install.

Should just be a couple hours work tops to polish off the project once the Sunny Boy shows up. Mount it, pull some cable connect it up and commission it then get the inspector to sign off on it.

Life would be boring without some obstacles to hurdle. Now they want me to help them sort out a set of documents to make it work for others in town. No problem doing that.

Tom






Do NOT mistake me for any kind of "expert".

( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)


24 Trina 310 watt modules, SMA SunnyBoy 7.7 KW Grid Tie inverter.

I thought that they were angels, but much to my surprise, We climbed aboard their starship and headed for the skies

ClassicCrazy

How do they pay you for any extra power ?
Can  you bank extra power for a year ? Or do you just get wholesale rate for any extra power you make ?
Seems like every utility has different arrangements and a lot of them are not that great for the producer.
I realize your array may not be big enough to make extra power over what you may use - but curious what their policies are .

Larry
system 1
Classic 150 , 5s3p  Kyocera 135watt , 12s Soneil 2v 540amp lead crystal for 24v pack , Outback 3524 inverter
system 2
 5s 135w Kyocero , 3s3p 270w Kyocera  to Classic 150 ,   8s Kyocera 225w to Hawkes Bay Jakiper 48v 15kwh LiFePO4 , Outback VFX 3648 inverter
system 3
KID / Brat portable

laszlo

Good work on the PV array! Your town looks like a peaceful place. The superintendent should be thankful to you for making a long-term investment and complying with all applicable regulations.
4.6KW offgrid PV system, Classic 200, MX60, dual Magnum PAE 4448 inverters, Midnite combiner and disconnect boxes, e-panel,  WBJr, and 8 MN SPDs

TomW

Right now, the policy is "no net metering" but they also say they will install a bi directional meter, reconcile monthly and pay their "avoided cost". Whatever that really means?

Nothing  set in stone. The state utilities board is still trying to sort out the guidelines for this stuff and the local utility says they will follow those guidelines when they are released. Hopefully that will reconcile yearly so we never actually sell power at wholesale only to buy it back the next month at retail.

Here, only investor owned utilities are required to net meter. This is not an investor owned utility so they don't actually have any requirement to do it at all.

So, not a great deal for us but still better than buying batteries to kill [again] at least for now. The system is sized to mostly offset our usage.

It is not about personal payback for us it is more about being part of the solution rather than just another part of the problem. Reducing carbon , green energy and all that as well as an example to others. Since we sold the farm and had another financial  windfall this year the tax credits will be a nice bump, as well.

I could have but don't don't really want a classic muscle car, a Harley or a bass boat or other old guy toys so I have a solar array in the yard. Probably best for everyone. Sets a good example.

I ramble.

Tom

Do NOT mistake me for any kind of "expert".

( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)


24 Trina 310 watt modules, SMA SunnyBoy 7.7 KW Grid Tie inverter.

I thought that they were angels, but much to my surprise, We climbed aboard their starship and headed for the skies

Westbranch

Tom,I guess that you don't have enough yard to think about a heat pump furnace? Or are there any limitations on using 2 or 3 bore holes to extract heat from pumped/returned water?
KID FW1811 560W >C&D 24V 900Ah AGM
CL150 29032 FW V.2126-NW2097-GP2133 175A E-Panel WBjr, 3Px4s 140W > 24V 900Ah AGM,
2 Cisco WRT54GL i/c DD-WRT Rtr, NetGr DS104Hub
Cotek ST1500 Inv  want a 24V  ROSIE Inverter
OmniCharge3024  Eu1/2/3000iGens
West Chilcotin 1680+W to come

CDN-VT

Quote from: TomW on November 12, 2016, 10:57:52 AM

I could have but don't don't really want a classic muscle car, a Harley or a bass boat or other old guy toys so I have a solar array in the yard. Probably best for everyone. Sets a good example.

I ramble.

Tom

Friggin Greeny !!!!!!!!!!

VT
Right there also Buddy
Canadian Solar 350W 37.6 VOC  30.6 VMP 8.22 ISC 7.87 IMP ,-15 c +30c max  4 strings in 2 in Series for 24v Classic 150 -1020 Ah  Freezers & fridges ~~~ Second Array same panels of 3sx3 parallel for 24 V Classic 150 -440 Ah Outback Barns & out blds.
48Vdc almost done,11Strings up of 3s11P same panels

russ_drinkwater

Things have changed here as well.
We are on 44cents per kw grid feed and the newer installs are no grid feed!
You can make and use your own or battery storage for later over what you use.
Prior to that people were on 9 cents per kw grid feed in!
Standalone. 20 Hyundai x 220 watts panels, 2 x classic 150's, Latronics 24 volt 3kw inverter, Whiz bang Jnr, 12 Rolls surrete  4KS 25P  batteries and WBJ.
Grid tie feed-in, 12.5 kw in 3 arrays generating 50 kws per day average. Solar river grid tie inverters

Westbranch

44cents per kw grid feed    :o   :'(

Ouch!

Shades of things to come!   >:(
KID FW1811 560W >C&D 24V 900Ah AGM
CL150 29032 FW V.2126-NW2097-GP2133 175A E-Panel WBjr, 3Px4s 140W > 24V 900Ah AGM,
2 Cisco WRT54GL i/c DD-WRT Rtr, NetGr DS104Hub
Cotek ST1500 Inv  want a 24V  ROSIE Inverter
OmniCharge3024  Eu1/2/3000iGens
West Chilcotin 1680+W to come

russ_drinkwater

No no that is what they pay us for our solar feedin mate!
Last bill we got 3 months free power and ergon owes us $900 for the quarter!
They will send us a cheque near xmas time for around $3,000 for what we have sold to them.
What we use (ha ha what a joke) they charge us 26 cents per kw.
The way they work the system is really weird as we are being charged for our own power that we produce and then that is deducted from
our total solar output!
Another reason I made up my mind to build the standalone system.
The system (standalone) has dropped our metered power consumption by 12-13 kws a day according to the ergon graphs!
The peak they will buy off us is $12 of power a day.
Once I get the last system up and running we will hit the maximum return possible.
Umm, that will be my sweet spot!
Not a lot but better coming in than going out :o ;D
Standalone. 20 Hyundai x 220 watts panels, 2 x classic 150's, Latronics 24 volt 3kw inverter, Whiz bang Jnr, 12 Rolls surrete  4KS 25P  batteries and WBJ.
Grid tie feed-in, 12.5 kw in 3 arrays generating 50 kws per day average. Solar river grid tie inverters