Just finished my grid tie install ! Testing , what's next

[Gilscessna]

I just finish installing a 30 panel grid tie system on my house with a sun power inverter ! Can I turn it on before the power company changes meter ? i also have to get the final inspection signed off? I have never installed a solar system . What is the next step ?

[foo1bar]

I just finish installing a 30 panel grid tie system on my house with a sun power inverter ! Can I turn it on before the power company changes meter ? i also have to get the final inspection signed off? I have never installed a solar system . What is the next step ?

Usually the POCO and AHJ tell you the next steps.

Most times you can turn on the system for testing.

I tested mine for a week or two and watched the meter go backward before the final inspection, and then tested it for another couple weeks until the POCO replaced the meter.

FWIW, that was at my own risk - if it caught fire, or somehow electrocuted a lineworker, I would have been liable.
And I could see the meter go backwards -not all meters go backwards.

[bcroe]

Even if the meter is going backwards, they will most likely CHARGE YOU for the power you gave them. For the 6 weeks I waited for
the POCO to get a net meter installed, I would turn on just enough strings to try and cancel the air cond use. Bruce Roe

[foo1bar]

Even if the meter is going backwards, they will most likely CHARGE YOU for the power you gave them

They can only do that if the meter ISN'T going backwards.
If the meter is going backwards during the day and forward at night all they'll see is that the kwh reading hasn't changed much since the last reading.

Of course if you have a fancy digital meter, they might be doing a lot more readings - so they could possibly tell. But if it's a regular old mechanical meter, it may go backwards (mine did) or it may not (some people's always go forwards, so even if you provide power the counter still goes up.)

On the plus side if it's a digital meter, they can probably update it to be bidirectional quickly - probably won't even need to have a service truck roll out and replace it.

[ButchDeal]

Many mechanical meters the wheel will turn backwards, but the numbers continue going up.

[sunnyguy]

They can only do that if the meter ISN'T going backwards.
If the meter is going backwards during the day and forward at night all they'll see is that the kwh reading hasn't changed much since the last reading.

Of course if you have a fancy digital meter, they might be doing a lot more readings - so they could possibly tell. But if it's a regular old mechanical meter, it may go backwards (mine did) or it may not (some people's always go forwards, so even if you provide power the counter still goes up.)

On the plus side if it's a digital meter, they can probably update it to be bidirectional quickly - probably won't even need to have a service truck roll out and replace it.

Even the smart meters with amr they physically replace in my area because they don't do over the air updates and they program the specific rate plan data into the meter at the office and record that in a database for traceability.

[bcroe]

They can only do that if the meter ISN'T going backwards. If the meter is going backwards during
the day and forward at night all they'll see is that the kwh reading hasn't changed much since the last reading.

My old meter (that I was given) has a reversing gear so that the digits always go up, regardless of power direction. Most do.
Bruce Roe

[SunEagle]

I am pretty sure that unless you have a net metering contract with your POCO and they have upgraded their meter to subtract what you send them the old meters will just charge you for the power no matter which way it is going. PIA but that is how the POCO can keep people from cheating them if they try to "co generate" without permission.

[foo1bar]

I am pretty sure that unless you have a net metering contract with your POCO and they have upgraded their meter to subtract what you send them the old meters will just charge you for the power no matter which way it is going. PIA but that is how the POCO can keep people from cheating them if they try to "co generate" without permission.

IF the meter continues to go forward (count up) then you'll get charged.

My meter went backwards while I was generating. The kwh counter decreased.
It did not have gearing to force it to always count up.
Yes, I've seen people post that they have had meters that always count up. I do not know whether it's "most" or not. But since we know both cases happen, anyone looking at doing "extended testing" should simply check their meter over 30 min or an hour - and they'll be able to tell quite easily.

[peakbagger]

My original meter also would run backwards and it didn't need to be changed out. The utility did change out the meter a few months later as I expect their antifraud software suspected that I was cheating as I had a negative power usage. If I remember correctly the new meter also ran backwards. They eventually put in a digital meter and upgraded it last year to a dual channel meter that tracks my purchased power versus my generated power.

[SunEagle]

IF the meter continues to go forward (count up) then you'll get charged.

My meter went backwards while I was generating. The kwh counter decreased.
It did not have gearing to force it to always count up.
Yes, I've seen people post that they have had meters that always count up. I do not know whether it's "most" or not. But since we know both cases happen, anyone looking at doing "extended testing" should simply check their meter over 30 min or an hour - and they'll be able to tell quite easily.

Good point. Some of the older meters will go backwards others will not. Best to check before any extended testing is done.