Grid-Tie without netmetering

[Sunking]

Code enforcement says: http://grammarist.com/spelling/gorilla-guerrilla/

Obvisiouly you or the OP are not in the profession. In the Skilled Trades sector like Plumbers and Electricians have to be liscensed. A Gorilla Install is slang for a Hack who does not conform to codes and safe practices. Sames as a trained Monkey could do.

[Sunking]

Without Net Metering, there is no back-feeding to the grid, it will count as consumption. Net Metering is just an application.... You need a bi-directional meter.

You can be smart and creative, but still have to follow POCO's rule

I tried to tell him that. Let him learn the hard way.

[silversaver]

Without Net Metering, there is no back-feeding to the grid, it will count as consumption. Net Metering is just an application.... You need a bi-directional meter.

You can be smart and creative, but still have to follow POCO's rule

[progro]

Good points, appreciate the comment.

[progro]

Kind of my thoughts is it even worth it. I'll see what the utility says before I submit my application. Hopefully I can get someone
in the solar department other than customer service to get a honest critique of my plan.

[progro]

I was asking about the utility company and said I would get it inspected by a local town inspector. BTW, its Guerilla not Gorilla - suggest you think about using the term "fool" but to be fair you might have been referring to the Gorillas at Solar City so I'm at a loss what you meant.

I came here asking for advice and got some very pointed and well thought out comments.

[sunnyguy]

so have at it with a Gorilla Install.

Code enforcement says: http://grammarist.com/spelling/gorilla-guerrilla/

[progro]

Hi bryankloos. I am a eversource customer in the Hartford area. Would love to talk to you. The net metering application I've reviewed is simple enough but want to know if a diy'er with the proper permits can get approved. I've heard from installers that my chances are slim to none and wanted to talk to someone before I go down this road. I did hear from customer service at ever source that I may not get approval for a while since they're "backed up in the queue"

I'm looking to see what's true and what's not.

My installation is very easy and straightforward so would love to hear your experiences with eversource.

Thanks!

[Sunking]

First problem is permits and code. But who cares about that. It could land you in court or jail. No one cares if you go to jail, one less fool on the street, so have at it with a Gorilla Install.

Second issue is without Net Metering contract with the utility, they will bill you for any power you generate and send out on their meter. They have SMART METERS. The Smart Meters knows you do not have a Contract. So they charge you for power consumed or generated.

Do not comeback and say you will not send any power out because you are only fooling yourself. You have no control where power goes. The moment when you are consuming less than what you are generating goes out on the grid. You cannot stop it. When that happens, the Smart Meter raises an alarm alerting the POCO of a Gorilla Install. At that point they disconnect you, and report you to code enforcement agency. Busted !

[bryankloos]

Progro, where are you in CT?

I'm in CT and designing up a 20kW grid-tied system without the help of the big lease companies or the local installers (which there are many). Are you am Eversource customer?

I'd be happy to share what I've learned if you are interested.

[bcroe]

I'm in the United States and have a strong electrical background. I want to install a 1K grid-tie
system to start with either a Sunny Boy or Enphase microinverters into a 240 volt dedicated circuit breaker in my panel.
I've done a number of off-grid and hybrid systems for people but have never done a grid-tie.

I don't want to go through the hassles of a net metering agreement but will be using legal UL listed equipment not
one of the "plug and play" Chinese systems and getting it inspected by my town.

So my question is, since my starting system is so small, will the power company see the wattage I generate as excess
or will it be absorbed by my usage? I'm constantly around 1.2KWh on the mains during the day.

Another option is just setting up a hybrid 24V system with a few dedicated circuits which would bypass the meter
completely when I'm generating power.

If you want to grid tie, you need a permit; there is no other way. You could build up
your own independent battery system, but the cost of a KWH buffered by a battery
will be 5 to 10 times the cost of buying it from the PoCo, not to mention the new
lifetime maintenance hobby.

Your only chance is some dedicated loads that can be operated directly from your
PV solar as power is available. I actually spent some time studying how that might
be done, perhaps building custom DC power equipment (as I had on the job). My
conclusion was that the idea was completely impractical, and soon I built a properly
permitted grid tie system. Bruce Roe

[jflorey2]

I'm in the United States and have a strong electrical background. I want to install a 1K grid-tie system to start with either
a Sunny Boy or Enphase microinverters into a 240 volt dedicated circuit breaker in my panel. I've done a number of
off-grid and hybrid systems for people but have never done a grid-tie.

I don't want to go through the hassles of a net metering agreement . . . .

Then you are not competent enough - or are not willing to do the work it takes - to do a grid tie system safely. A utility inspection without a net metering agreement isn't significantly less difficult than a utility inspection with a net metering agreement.

If you don't want to deal with the paperwork, then get someone else to do it. If you don't want to do that, then build an off-grid system and plug a few things into it. It will cost far more than you will save, but if that's your hobby . . . well, there are worse hobbies.

Another option is just setting up a hybrid 24V system with a few dedicated circuits which would bypass the meter
completely when I'm generating power.

A hybrid system is a net metering system. Just set up a completely independent system and run off that. Or do the work to approve it for grid tie.

[ButchDeal]

you stated you wanted to do it without an interconnection. why would you want to interconnect without net metering?
Get the interconnect from the poco, it is just paper work, and you will have net meter billing. Unless you are in a region without net metering then you still need an interconnect and you can use a bimodal system. Trying to go around the poco interconnect can get you a huge fine, and disconnection.

[progro]

That's the plan interconnection without net metering.

[ButchDeal]

I don't want to go through the hassles of a net metering agreement

I would like to withdraw money from the bank. I don't want to go through the hassle of first putting money into an account....

Solar city doesn't have the market wrapped up just fill out the damn paper work for a legal interconnect and permit...