Talk to me about TED

[HX_Guy]

Bah! I should have ordered the display too then, would have been cheaper and be included in the free shipping. They already shipped it out too so can't change the order.

[ButchDeal]

I see, so PVOutput already does all the figuring out. So for the day, you have generated 8.461kWh and used 15.675kWh, leaving a net of 7.214kWh that you have to pay the electric company for, right?

right. so looking at this one which is yesterday(and static now):

http://www.pvoutput.org/intraday.jsp?id=31117&sid=28507&dt=20140609&gs=0&m=0

Energy used for the day was 28.971kWh
Generated was 11.710kWh
Net was 17.261kWh

[Mb190e]

sure my inverter does but it doesn't record it or post it so i can see my past 24 hours production if i go to the inverter. With two mtus on my ted, i get nice graphs and monitoring of my production and consumption from any place, comparisons to pvwatts predictions, comparisons to similar (or dissimilar if you like) systems as well.

You could pay for pv system monitoring to have the "from any place" and historical parts but you still wouldn't have your consumption together with it.

x 2

[HX_Guy]

Took a look at my service panel earlier today and it looks a bit different than how they show in the TED install video.
Their video shows to put one clamp, with the red LED toward the power source (which ends up having the clamps back to back with each other sort of) on each of the black power cables.


My service panel doesn't have cables like that, it has these metal bars. Would the same type of install still apply? Just put the clamps around each metal bar, facing toward the power source (so both clamps will face the same way).

[inetdog]

My service panel doesn't have cables like that, it has these metal bars. Would the same type of install still apply? Just put the clamps around each metal bar, facing toward the power source (so both clamps will face the same way).

Yes, and hope that they fit.

It looks like what you have is a combination meter socket and main panel, so the interconnects that you see are built into the unit.
FWIW, a flat busbar like that can carry a higher current per unit of copper (or aluminum) because it can transfer heat better out of the area of the flat sides of the bar. That means it can cost less.

[SunEagle]

Took a look at my service panel earlier today and it looks a bit different than how they show in the TED install video.
Their video shows to put one clamp, with the red LED toward the power source (which ends up having the clamps back to back with each other sort of) on each of the black power cables.


My service panel doesn't have cables like that, it has these metal bars. Would the same type of install still apply? Just put the clamps around each metal bar, facing toward the power source (so both clamps will face the same way).

You may want an electrician to change that "red" wire that connected to your Neutral bus and is wire nutted to a white wire at the bottom. It should be a white wire. Inspectors may require you to follow the color code for wiring. Black & Red wires should be used for the "hot" or energized connections. White for Neutral and Green for Ground.

I am also not sure if your local electrical code allows wires to be connected using wire nuts inside your main panel. Something to check.

[ButchDeal]

My service panel doesn't have cables like that, it has these metal bars. Would the same type of install still apply? Just put the clamps around each metal bar, facing toward the power source (so both clamps will face the same way).

Yep thats it. If you can't get the clamp around them then TED sells optional CTs that will, check with them.

[HX_Guy]

You may want an electrician to change that "red" wire that connected to your Neutral bus and is wire nutted to a white wire at the bottom. It should be a white wire. Inspectors may require you to follow the color code for wiring. Black & Red wires should be used for the "hot" or energized connections. White for Neutral and Green for Ground.

I am also not sure if your local electrical code allows wires to be connected using wire nuts inside your main panel. Something to check.

I can change that...I'm the one that wired it like that in the first place.

What should be used in place of wire nuts?

[SunEagle]

I can change that...I'm the one that wired it like that in the first place.

What should be used in place of wire nuts?

I do not have the exact code reference but I don't believe splices are allowed inside the main panel box. You are required to have easy access to all splice points to feeder wires without having to open the front of the distribution panel to get to them which means they need to be outside the breaker panel.

You can use a small "junction" box below the panel to make your splices or a conduit fitting like a "C" condulet that has the code "required space" for number of wires and wire nuts that will be inside it.

[inetdog]

I can change that...I'm the one that wired it like that in the first place.

What should be used in place of wire nuts?

Splices inside an on-grid main panel are allowed by the NEC, as long as there is room for them. However, since turning off the main breaker still leaves hot wires exposed under the cover of the main panel it is not a particularly good idea to do branch splicing there.
In theory (and under OSHA regulations where applicable) you cannot work inside the main panel even with the main breaker off. For residential work, this is almost always ignored since getting the meter pulled by POCO to isolate power completely and then getting it restored again can be a real hassle. (And POCO may ask to see a permit and inspection for the work before reconnecting your meter.)

[inetdog]

You are required to have easy access to all splice points to feeder wires without having to open the front of the distribution panel to get to them which means they need to be outside the breaker panel.

Not true at all, at least not for the NEC. But it is good procedure to do your splices elsewhere if there is another place to do them. Some things like hooking up individual circuit transfer switches cannot really be done anywhere else than in the main panel if you have to attach to "home run" wires that connect directly to the breakers and do not pop up anywhere else close.

[SunEagle]

Not true at all, at least not for the NEC. But it is good procedure to do your splices elsewhere if there is another place to do them. Some things like hooking up individual circuit transfer switches cannot really be done anywhere else than in the main panel if you have to attach to "home run" wires that connect directly to the breakers and do not pop up anywhere else close.

Yep. I concede that there isn't anything in the NEC to prohibit that practice. I couldn't find any in my research and then went back to some old standards for a company I use to work for. That is where I found it. We didn't want an electrician to have to dismantle a panel to find a loose splice so we made sure there were none inside.

Sorry for the misleading statement. But it is a good practice to not have to go into an energized panel to work on a splice.

[HX_Guy]

The splice is coming in from a landscape lighting transformer that I hardwired in and is located right below the service panel. I guess I could make the splice on the outside of the panel, but then they would just be out in the open.

[RiggedCT]

Install help.

This is my panel. I am assuming it goes on the left and right cable and the white cable is the neutral.

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What do I need to do in the inverter? Here are a couple pictures.

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[HX_Guy]

Good question. I'm going to be wondering the same thing once my system is in with the SolarEdge inverter. Where does the TED connect?

EDIT: Now that I think about it, would it connect to the wires going from the inverter into the break (at the main panel)? So inside the main panel itself?