Operating Solar Panels before Permission from Electric Company

[antiriad]

Does anyone know if there are any issues with running the Solar Panels before the meter is swapped? I currently have a westinghouse d5s meter. I can see the meter is spinning backwards when power goes back to the utility. The electrician from SC said that you can "unofficially" run your system and this will decrease your bill for 1-2 months before the meter is swapped. However I have also heard that some of the meters will actually count production as consumption charging me for the electricity that goes back to the Network. Any recommendations? I might keep an eye tomorrow if the day is good to see if I get charged when meter reverses. Is this statement valid? Thanks

[J.P.M.]

Does anyone know if there are any issues with running the Solar Panels before the meter is swapped? I currently have a westinghouse d5s meter. I can see the meter is spinning backwards when power goes back to the utility. The electrician from SC said that you can "unofficially" run your system and this will decrease your bill for 1-2 months before the meter is swapped. However I have also heard that some of the meters will actually count production as consumption charging me for the electricity that goes back to the Network. Any recommendations? I might keep an eye tomorrow if the day is good to see if I get charged when meter reverses. Is this statement valid? Thanks

What's in writing ? Violate that and you technically run afoul of the tariff you're under. Verbal assurances are not worth the paper they're written on.

[bcroe]

Does anyone know if there are any issues with running the Solar Panels before the meter is swapped? I currently have a westinghouse d5s meter. I can see the meter is spinning backwards when power goes back to the utility. The electrician from SC said that you can "unofficially" run your system and this will decrease your bill for 1-2 months before the meter is swapped. However I have also heard that some of the meters will actually count production as consumption charging me for the electricity that goes back to the Network. Any recommendations? I might keep an eye tomorrow if the day is good to see if I get charged when meter reverses. Is this statement valid? Thanks

We were allowed a month of "test operation". Many meters advance the KWH reading no matter which way
the disc is turning (like mine). The best I could do before the net meter, was to turn on about enough panels
to offset the air conditioning. Bruce Roe

[drbob]

I had a very similar meter and I ran it 5 months before my power company swapped it out for a digital net meter. It indeed counted backwards just fine. I did have permission in writing to use it from the power company after they tested the auto shutdown of my system. It is easy to tell if it reads backwards, just monitor it for an hour or so to see if it is counting backwards.
Solar electric has been a very good investment for me. I did install the entire system myself and have had no problems at all with it

[antiriad]

I just confirmed. It rolls back in reverse.

[peakbagger]

Technically not an issue. You my get flagged b the utility anti fraud group as your usage will drop substantially. Worse case is you get visit and install a new meter.

[ButchDeal]

I just confirmed. It rolls back in reverse.

But do the numbers go down when it turns back or continue up

[drbob]

my numbers did go down.

[tyab]

As stated above - you need something in writing to operate the system. Here in CA, PG&E calls it "Permission to Operate" and they send it out either by email or mail depending on how you asked to receive it. You will want to make sure what your PoCo rules are before you throw that switch.