Hi All,
In VA there are a few limits to residential solar and in general it hasn't been a big market. Power here is cheap (right now), there are not additional incentives and it isn't like AZ sun (and we have lots of trees probably doesn't help either). For more background on my project you can see the intro post (https://www.solarpaneltalk.com/forum...-from-virginia) I am allowed (for now) to participated in net metering but the main limiting factor in my design are the archaic rules put in place essentially by Dominion to limit the use of solar outside of their own solar farms (ironic right). Anyway we can discuss politics elsewhere I am just a little guy and have to follow the rules as written. My home is not efficient and is totally on electric so we have historical demand to allow up to the 20 kW max system size permitted (you can only install based on historical usage) BUT after 10 kW (AC side) of production Dominion (Local power) starts charging a monthly stand-by fee (of "Standby Charge of $2.79 per kW of demand") Which seems to vary month to month based on news stories but it does say per kW not kWh and could be $60 or more per month. So this system is meant to produce a MAX of 9.95 kW AC. I don't have any specific questions but let me know if there are known issues with any of the components or other ways you all might think about it.
Location: Barn roof (not yet built) 24 x 60 ft of south facing standing seam roof
Panels: Likely SolarWorld 290W (17.3% efficiency) or Canadian Solar CS6k-300Ms (18.33%)
Total Panels: 36 (3 strings of 12 panels) Total kW DC will (obviously) depend on final panel decision but these are both similar in around 10.5 kW with string voltage around 390 and amps around 9.15.
Inverter: Fronius Primo 10.0-1 plus Quattro rapid shutdown for a combiner
Lightning Protection: TBD but using Midnite's products to protect the strings and inverter
Wiring Size: TBD, Maybe 1 AWG for the long run
I plan on installing the panels on the roof with S-5 connectors and iron ridge XR100 rails in two rows that are two panels tall (so from the eve there would be two panels, a gap then two more panels). It will be about a 2' gap between rows, on a 4/12 slope which I hope is enough to allow access later if needed. The Quattro will be installed on the roof near the array, combine two strings, and run in conduit two DC wires and a communication wire to the Fronius Primo. The inverter will be installed in the barn directly below the south facing roof so run length should be around 25'. The inverter would then output to the long run back to the house in buried conduit, around 170', to a disconnect then the new breaker in one of the existing load panels.
Anything else I should think about?
Thanks,
Bill
In VA there are a few limits to residential solar and in general it hasn't been a big market. Power here is cheap (right now), there are not additional incentives and it isn't like AZ sun (and we have lots of trees probably doesn't help either). For more background on my project you can see the intro post (https://www.solarpaneltalk.com/forum...-from-virginia) I am allowed (for now) to participated in net metering but the main limiting factor in my design are the archaic rules put in place essentially by Dominion to limit the use of solar outside of their own solar farms (ironic right). Anyway we can discuss politics elsewhere I am just a little guy and have to follow the rules as written. My home is not efficient and is totally on electric so we have historical demand to allow up to the 20 kW max system size permitted (you can only install based on historical usage) BUT after 10 kW (AC side) of production Dominion (Local power) starts charging a monthly stand-by fee (of "Standby Charge of $2.79 per kW of demand") Which seems to vary month to month based on news stories but it does say per kW not kWh and could be $60 or more per month. So this system is meant to produce a MAX of 9.95 kW AC. I don't have any specific questions but let me know if there are known issues with any of the components or other ways you all might think about it.
Location: Barn roof (not yet built) 24 x 60 ft of south facing standing seam roof
Panels: Likely SolarWorld 290W (17.3% efficiency) or Canadian Solar CS6k-300Ms (18.33%)
Total Panels: 36 (3 strings of 12 panels) Total kW DC will (obviously) depend on final panel decision but these are both similar in around 10.5 kW with string voltage around 390 and amps around 9.15.
Inverter: Fronius Primo 10.0-1 plus Quattro rapid shutdown for a combiner
Lightning Protection: TBD but using Midnite's products to protect the strings and inverter
Wiring Size: TBD, Maybe 1 AWG for the long run
I plan on installing the panels on the roof with S-5 connectors and iron ridge XR100 rails in two rows that are two panels tall (so from the eve there would be two panels, a gap then two more panels). It will be about a 2' gap between rows, on a 4/12 slope which I hope is enough to allow access later if needed. The Quattro will be installed on the roof near the array, combine two strings, and run in conduit two DC wires and a communication wire to the Fronius Primo. The inverter will be installed in the barn directly below the south facing roof so run length should be around 25'. The inverter would then output to the long run back to the house in buried conduit, around 170', to a disconnect then the new breaker in one of the existing load panels.
Anything else I should think about?
Thanks,
Bill
Comment