Solar Panels

[Jyruiz]

Keep in mind those damned plasmas suck up juice! I changed from a plasma 50" to 50" LCD, 680 watts vs. 180 watts.
The 680 watts is a total output, no way would the plasma use that much in normal viewing. The only time an LCD uses less power than a plasma, is if both are showing an all white picture, otherwise, there is very little difference if both are setup (contrast, brightness, power saving) properly. Of course, I am talking about name brand plasmas, and plasmas that are not older than 3 to 4 years tops. Sometimes the plasma even uses less power than an LCD depending on what you are watching.

[Sleek-Jet]

The grid tie was high voltage though, so it was dangerous I guess -- that's what they all kept telling me when they found out I wanted to do it myself.
The dangerous part comes in if you have no way of isolating your panels from the incomming service during an outage. Your panels will back feed the transformer which in turn will charge the high voltage distribution lines. I'm sure you had to put some sort of automatic disconnect in that would isolate you in case the source side power was lost on your service.
Lineman don't like to be electrocuted... they are funny that way.

[WYRD]

We just installed a complete 15kw system to run the office. It works very well and used to spin the meter backwards..............until SCE installed a NET Meter
Its not too complicated but is still very pricey upfront like it was said before its just kinda cool to make power from the sun. Next month we are installing a wind generator and battery storage banks as well

[WYRD]

The dangerous part comes in if you have no way of isolating your panels from the incomming service during an outage. Your panels will back feed the transformer which in turn will charge the high voltage distribution lines. I'm sure you had to put some sort of automatic disconnect in that would isolate you in case the source side power was lost on your service.
Lineman don't like to be electrocuted... they are funny that way.
It needs power to make power, the inverter runs of of a 240v supply breaker. If that looses power the inverters will not operate so you are just left with DC voltage

[Sleek-Jet]

It needs power to make power, the inverter runs of of a 240v supply breaker. If that looses power the inverters will not operate so you are just left with DC voltage
We require an auto disconnect. Just like if there was a generator sitting there.

[Sleek-Jet]

We just installed a complete 15kw system to run the office. It works very well and used to spin the meter backwards..............until SCE installed a NET Meter
The NET meter is because they have to purchase the power from you. There's got to be a record so it all balances out on the spreadsheets.

[WYRD]

We require an auto disconnect. Just like if there was a generator sitting there.
That would be a transfer switch, because the generator is considered a completly seperate power source. Solar panels operate in conjunction with the grid power, at least every one I have seen

[Sleek-Jet]

That would be a transfer switch, because the generator is considered a completly seperate power source. Solar panels operate in conjunction with the grid power, at least every one I have seen
It's a safety issue... different utilities have different installation standards I'm sure, but that is what we require.

[WYRD]

The NET meter is because they have to purchase the power from you. There's got to be a record so it all balances out on the spreadsheets.
but they buy it for what they produce it for which is far cheaper that what they sell it to me for.
I.E.
take the month of July for example
say I used 100kwh of power but my solar produced 100kwh of power you would think I would have a zero bill right? wrong and here is why
they sell me 100kwh at .20/kwh for a bill of $ 20
they give me credit for the 100kwh at .10 for a credit of $10
for a total bill of $ 10 even though I made the same amount of power that I used....

[Sleek-Jet]

but they buy it for what they produce it for which is far cheaper that what they sell it to me for.
I.E.
take the month of July for example
say I used 100kwh of power but my solar produced 100kwh of power you would think I would have a zero bill right? wrong and here is why
they sell me 100kwh at .20/kwh for a bill of $ 20
they give me credit for the 100kwh at .10 for a credit of $10
for a total bill of $ 10 even though I made the same amount of power that I used....
That's all in the rate terriff... and that's pretty much standard for co-generation sites. You still have to buy the power you use from SCE, because they have the francise to serve you, even if you generate the power you use. There are places that do a zero-sum solar system, but they are few and far between. The only way to get away from the NET meter is to go entirely solar and/or battery and pull the service.
If you want to change that, next time they go in for a rate increase, show up at the public hearings.
Look on the bright side, at least they aren't charging you to take the power and then sell it back to you.