Grid-Tie without netmetering

[progro]

Thanks, that was a concern getting stuck with one vendor. I already have 2 Helios 275 watt panels.

[ButchDeal]

1) If I add additional panels, I'll need to submit a new application which is $100 each time since I'm generating more wattage than the original application.
2) Should I go with a DC/AC (Sunny Boy type) inverter I could add on to the maximum that the inverter would allow without additional application fees/approvals.

Going to decide this weekend and would like some advice on the micro-inverter vs a Sunny Boy type inverter.

Thanks!

I would not go micro or sunny boy. I would deffinitly go SolarEdge, you can get a larger system say an SE7600 and add modules of any kind type without worry.
Try to do that with a string inverter is going to be very difficult to keep the strings in range, and modules equal.

[progro]

To get off the topic of car leasing for a little while

Wanted to follow-up regarding the call to my POCO Eversource. Actually spoke directly with their solar group and explained the system I was planning on building.

5 275W panels with micro inverters.

I said I want to add additional panels in the future as my time/funds permit and they gave me some advice:

1) If I add additional panels, I'll need to submit a new application which is $100 each time since I'm generating more wattage than the original application.
2) Should I go with a DC/AC (Sunny Boy type) inverter I could add on to the maximum that the inverter would allow without additional application fees/approvals.

So even though my initial configuration would only be 1.3 KWh, I could continuously add panels up to the maximum input of the inverter anytime I wanted too.

He said all they care about is the local permit inspection passing and after approval will install the bi-directional meter within a few days. They could
care less who does the install whether its the homeowner, a solar tech company or electrician. He said in the end its all the same since it needs approval
from the town inspector.

They were very helpful and said my installation is very straightforward and would be approved quickly as long as the inverter had UL approvals
and the 240V breaker amperage was appropriate.

He said people that hook up their systems without approval will just be charged for generating excess power since the meter is not bi-directional - he
laughed and said happens more than you would think.

Going to decide this weekend and would like some advice on the micro-inverter vs a Sunny Boy type inverter.

Thanks!

[Ian S]

And Sunpower looked favorably on the deal. The 3/watt was in CA PGE territory, but Ian had great local subsidies that dropped it down to $1watt. I don't know if he's in SRP territory but they aren't so favorable on PV anymore.
All the other non SP vendors quoting me were shocked when I showed them the competing proposal and full contract terms as standard rates were somewhere around $5+/watt for nonSP. There were very few on this forum who were familiar with it. Expired in 2011.

I'm with APS and at the time they were giving $1 a watt subsidy but it was probably going to be reduced. It was summer 2011 and I'd had quotes from several installers and was most interested in the prepaid lease. A local installer (Perfect Power) recommended by a friend had offered their in-house prepaid lease using Suniva panels. I was still hemming and hawing when the sales rep came back and said that Sunpower was offering a new deal that he thought I'd like. And wow, did I!! It was far less than anyone else and I soon learned that SunPower were top notch panels. Several folks here had difficulty believing the numbers but the lease terms were clear so I went with it, signing the lease in early October 2011. It wasn't long after that that Perfect Power got into financial trouble and I had a scary few months where I wasn't sure the system would ever materialize. But it did and went live on May 18, 2012. It's been over four years and because the lease actually started in 2011, I have less than two years to go until my early buyout in April of 2018. I've got that date in my Google calendar.

And yes, J.P.M., I should have bought a lottery ticket on the day I signed the lease!

[cebury]

If I'd seen a deal like that, even as much as I think leases are a rip off, I'd have jumped on that one. Ian should have bought a lottery ticket the day he made that deal.

And Sunpower looked favorably on the deal. The 3/watt was in CA PGE territory, but Ian had great local subsidies that dropped it down to $1watt. I don't know if he's in SRP territory but they aren't so favorable on PV anymore.
All the other non SP vendors quoting me were shocked when I showed them the competing proposal and full contract terms as standard rates were somewhere around $5+/watt for nonSP. There were very few on this forum who were familiar with it. Expired in 2011.

[organic farmer]

... Sort of back on topic, leasing solar would have been a terrible choice for me but maybe not for others. What I've learned with both cars and solar is that too many people make the wrong choices because they don't look at the details and trust what someone else is telling them.

Leaving the cost of leasing aside, we went for the lower priced system. As did most of my neighbors. So far only one neighbors has been suckered in by the slick salesman.

[Engineer]

We're going to buy a Bolt when it comes out - and plow the Solar credit refund into it. Sometime after that will get another EV and so will be all electric. Just rent a car if we take a rare long trip.

[DanKegel]

I just bought a 3 year old Leaf for $12,500. It's important to not buy one that's lost more than one battery life bar (out of 12). Mine was down one bar. I'm getting ~65 mile range with AC and not being careful, ~90 mile range driving carefully and avoiding hills. I do expect it to degrade over time, so I'm babying it a little. I think I bought because I'm from that generation; leases really are getting sweet these days. And I agree, used 2017 Leafs with the bigger battery are going to have more useful life left in 'em after the lease is over.

[J.P.M.]

That specific system that Ian leased was a some25at unique offering with special buyout terms due to some favorable legislation that allowed for very early depreciation on the leased equipment. I believe Sunpower was the only company to take advantage of it and expired soon after Ian signed on.

If I'd seen a deal like that, even as much as I think leases are a rip off, I'd have jumped on that one. Ian should have bought a lottery ticket the day he made that deal.

[Engineer]

Bingo! My POCO considers me an environment destroying monster, but I'm not doing much either. A few things adds up.

[rsilvers]

Nothing. We even keep the AC either off or on 76. We don't have electric heat pumps or heat and we have LED lamps. Just large houses.

[Engineer]

Awesome. I prefer electricity, but in California they want you to use NG which I dislike. What do you and your neighbor do that uses so much, heating/cooling?

[rsilvers]

Yes. kWh. Website makes me enter at least 10 characters so I cannot just say yes.

[Engineer]

80 what, kWh?

[rsilvers]

I use about 80 per day. My neighbor is 101. Al Gore used 523 a day in 2006.