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  • went live in March 11.4kw

    from Wayfare Energy, Orlando,FL. They provided us with a complete solution. Reduce consumption & produce energy.

    1. New variable speed pool pump - Pentair Intelliflo
    2. American Standard Heat Pump water heater HPWH50G
    3. 38 Heliene 300W solar panels 11.4kw, all facing south with no shadows
    4. SolarEdge SE7600 (installed in the garage)
    5. New pool solar panels (old ones were 16+ yrs old and leaking) w/all new plumbing too
    6. New Jandy pool controller.

    The Jandy (~$1500) was unexpected. When they installed the new pool pump, it did not communicate with our previous 16 yr old Jandy so they replaced it (at no cost to us). Much nicer controller, even reports watt usage; and has 8 device connections. I think we'll add yard lights to the controller.

    So far, I'm happy with the service and products provided. If you're in Orlando and chose Wayfare you must get Henry involved. In our 4 quotes, Henry was head and shoulders above all the other company representatives.

    I'm sure they have good reason; my only question is why we didn't bump up to a SE10000, (could be a power panel issue) with 38 panels X 300W = 11.4kw. Seems we could be 'clipping' some energy w/SE7600.

    Being in FL/Duke Power, if your system is over 10,000KW you have to purchase a $1M insurance policy. We stayed under this, but it seems like we may be leaving power on the table.

    https://monitoringpublic.solaredge.c..._US#/dashboard

    Looking forward to making power and learning more about solar.
    Last edited by troup1998; 04-03-2018, 08:13 PM.

  • #2
    Question about Duke Power's meter.

    What does it mean when the meter reads 00 222 and 01 470

    I'm in FL and right now I'm certain I'm creating more power than I've been using. I'm assuming: 00 222 means I've used 222 kw from the grid and 01 470 means I've put 470kw on the grid?

    Is that correct?
    Attached Files

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    • #3
      Originally posted by troup1998 View Post
      Question about Duke Power's meter.

      What does it mean when the meter reads 00 222 and 01 470

      I'm in FL and right now I'm certain I'm creating more power than I've been using. I'm assuming: 00 222 means I've used 222 kw from the grid and 01 470 means I've put 470kw on the grid?

      Is that correct?
      I am not sure what each meter is showing but I do know they are posting kWH not just kw.

      Can you provide more information as to how the meters are wired to your system? Which is the main house meter and which is measuring what your pv system is producing?

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      • #4
        Originally posted by SunEagle View Post
        Can you provide more information as to how the meters are wired to your system? Which is the main house meter and which is measuring what your pv system is producing?
        I get the kW/kWH reference. I don't know how they are wired but I do know, I only have one meter from Duke power. The display switches through several displays. They had to replace my old one with a Net metering meter. I'll get my bill in about 5 days, perhaps that will help me understand more.

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        • #5
          Originally posted by troup1998 View Post

          I get the kW/kWH reference. I don't know how they are wired but I do know, I only have one meter from Duke power. The display switches through several displays. They had to replace my old one with a Net metering meter. I'll get my bill in about 5 days, perhaps that will help me understand more.
          Ok so those pictures are of the same meter but it shows 2 different measurements. It still hard to say what they represent since your monitoring system shows over 155 kWh generated so far this month and over 812 kWh generated over the systems lifetime which does not represent the Duke numbers.

          My guess is that your system Solar edge Dashboard shows all the generation since the system was started up but your Duke meter may only show what they have measured based on when your contract with them started.

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          • #6
            I think I've calculated it out.

            00 00470 = 470 kWh put back on grid
            01 00222 = 222 kWh taken from grid(night)

            SE reports 813kWh created but 9kWh was during installation before we went live so we have 804kWh generated while connected to Duke Power. We didn't go live until they changed out the meter to a 'net-metering' meter.

            Last month we used 36kWh/day. We've been live for 16 days 16 * 36 = approximate usage 576kWh

            804(total kWh generated) - 470(put onto grid) = 334 (self generated energy used) + 222(taken from grid) 334 + 222 = 556kWh; this seems about right

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            • #7
              Originally posted by troup1998 View Post
              I think I've calculated it out.

              00 00470 = 470 kWh put back on grid
              01 00222 = 222 kWh taken from grid(night)

              SE reports 813kWh created but 9kWh was during installation before we went live so we have 804kWh generated while connected to Duke Power. We didn't go live until they changed out the meter to a 'net-metering' meter.

              Last month we used 36kWh/day. We've been live for 16 days 16 * 36 = approximate usage 576kWh

              804(total kWh generated) - 470(put onto grid) = 334 (self generated energy used) + 222(taken from grid) 334 + 222 = 556kWh; this seems about right
              That make sense to me. Maybe getting hold of a Duke engineer to provide some information on what the meter readout means will confirm what you have estimated.

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              • #8
                Originally posted by troup1998 View Post
                I'm sure they have good reason; my only question is why we didn't bump up to a SE10000, (could be a power panel issue) with 38 panels X 300W = 11.4kw. Seems we could be 'clipping' some energy w/SE7600.
                I took a look at your graphs and you are clipping just as bad as my new system. I have three separate arrays with my system (E,S,W) and I thought the 7600 inverter was enough with 11.25 kW system. I was wrong and so was the contractor. Take a look at March 22 from your production. You are clipping from 10:30 AM until 4 PM. You created 68 kWh that day, but should have created close to 80 kWh.

                The 7600 can handle up to 11.78 kW of Solar Panels, but that is if you have shading issues or have a 50/50 split East and West array. If you have a 7600 inverter with 11.4 kW South array the system was not designed correctly. The reason for them using this inverter is it used a 40 amp breaker and there is not panel modification needed for 200 amp service. A SolarEdge 10000 inverter used a 60 amp breaker and usually requires a $2000 panel modification. Contractors are also using the 7600 because down the line they can add things to your inverter and make money. The 7600 can be used for battery back-up and is also coming out with an EV charger you can hook up directly to the inverter.

                I would show the contractor your March 22 output and ask them if they intended the system to clip for almost 6 hours. If I was you I would ask them to use a 10000 inverter or add an additional inverter. 11.4 kW on an entire South facing array with a 7600 is not acceptable.

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                • #9
                  So I spoke to the engineer/contractor and he mentioned we could add an additional SolarEdge SE5000 or SE6000; if we did that, would that put me over the Duke Power limit that would require me to purchase a liability insurance policy? I would hope not, the panels are 38 300W = 11.4kw, but the inverters would be capable of 5000+7600=12.6. I don't know the exact way to calculate loss based on DC->AC, etc.

                  Being in FL/Duke Power, if your system is over 10KW you have to purchase a $1M insurance policy.
                  Last edited by troup1998; 04-09-2018, 11:04 AM.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by troup1998 View Post
                    So I spoke to the engineer/contractor and he mentioned we could add an additional SolarEdge SE5000 or SE6000; if we did that, would that put me over the Duke Power limit that would require me to purchase a liability insurance policy? I would hope not, the panels are 38 300W = 11.4kw, but the inverters would be capable of 5000+7600=12.6. I don't know the exact way to calculate loss based on DC->AC, etc.

                    Being in FL/Duke Power, if your system is over 10,000KW you have to purchase a $1M insurance policy.
                    That would be 10 kW, not 10,000 kW.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      I would inquire about how much the insurance policy would be. It might not be that much. Unfortunately, stories with oversizing a 7600 inverter will become more common. SolarEdge designed these in mind of having a 50/50 split roof or a shaded roof. I am trying to get my contractor to install a second inverter as well, but I think the extra cost won't be worth it. With Florida it won't be a bad thing having an oversized array because of the frequent clouds and during the summer the panels won't be as efficient. However, that is way too many panels for that inverter. The contractor should be made aware that they were in the wrong here.

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                      • #12
                        It probably wouldn't fly with your POCO but the output of the inverters can be limited in software to less than 100%.

                        If you got a 10K Inverter and derated it to 90%, or two separate inverters each de-rated slightly if you are using load side taps, you could theoretically stay under the 10K limit. Otherwise, I'd see how much the insurance policy is. I have a 500K liability rider on my homeowners "just because" and it's only like $50 a year. I asked them about bumping it up to a million (also just because) but they said I would need a separate umbrella policy which they don't offer. So I never bothered to get a quote.

                        Realistically, the installer should have sold you fewer panels.

                        This websites estimates that a $1million dollar umbrella policy should be roughly ~$383 per year
                        https://www.trustedchoice.com/umbrel...age-rate-cost/

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                        • #13
                          Originally posted by discodanman45 View Post
                          ...The 7600 can be used for battery back-up and is also coming out with an EV charger you can hook up directly to the inverter....
                          Info on EV charger to inverter, please

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                          • #14
                            Found Solaredge EV charger https://www.solaredge.com/us/products/ev-charger#/

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                            • #15
                              Those familiar with the 7600 - it would NOT make sense to replace a SE-10000 inverter with the EV-7600 while connected to a 12.2kW PV array, right? Not sure I understand the 7600 specs fully & getting a little clipping currently with 10K.
                              The plan is to have electrician replace 200A main breaker+box with 200A combo mechanical interloc box, add subpanel + 30-40A breaker to charge PHEV at 240V on L6-30 outlet. Car needs 3.4kWh.

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