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My Solar Installation - Should have researched more

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  • #16
    Originally posted by ButchDeal View Post

    I would suggest ADDING an inverter. Specifically the SE3800H with EV capabilities and leaving the SE7600H in place. This would solve both problems. They could also do a line side tap to solve the feed in issues of the larger inverting capacity.
    The problem with this is the 7600 is already taking up garage wall space. Adding another inverter inside, where my charger needs to be with HOA regulations, would take up even more wall space. It is also strange because I have two breaker boxes. They put one inside next to the SE7600 and then because of fire code they put another one outside after the inspection. I guess they could switch the locations of the 7600 and put the 3800 there. In terms of modifying my panel, I am going to demand that it is done and with no cost. They built a system without any research into how it would perform with the inverter. I have clipped over 320 hours for a system turned on for 94 days. The panels are classified as commercial panels by LG, they do have anodized aluminum frames.
    Last edited by discodanman45; 07-01-2018, 04:30 PM.

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    • #17
      Originally posted by Mike90250 View Post
      Did you snap a pic of the sticker on the back of the panel ? does it say commercial or residential?

      All panels have aluminum sides, some are painted, some are anodized. Bare aluminum would be a bad because of corrosion issues,

      I doubt they will upgrade your electrical service panel for free, that is usually a MAJOR expense. They should change the inverter to an EV model and re-program it's output to limit to what your service panel can legally handle.
      Don't need to snap a pic. It is sold through LG as a commercial panel. The LG Neon 2. It is sold as a commercial panel. the 375 Watt is probably a surplus older model.

      https://www.lgenergy.com.au/products/solar-panels


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      • #18
        The link to the .au site won't work for me, just a blank, non loading page.

        Do you have a copy of the contract you signed, stating what was supposed to be installed ?

        Unless the panel has a sticker "for commercial use only" it's going to be tough to get out of that, unless they are not UL rated for Residences. That may be where the fire protection will be important, 30 acres of commercial ground mount needs much less fire rating than house panels.
        Powerfab top of pole PV mount (2) | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
        || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
        || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

        solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
        gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister

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        • #19
          Originally posted by discodanman45 View Post

          I agree, but there are differences. Aesthetically they are not as nice. They make the frames cheaper and plus the panels have lower ratings. Do you think it is ok for a company to install solar panels that are primarily used for commercial without telling the client? Knowing this would have made my decision different.
          They do not make the frames cheaper. In most instances, they use the EXACT same extrusion for all of the frames. The lower ratings are simply because the glass size is a bit larger.
          I installed 72 cell panels on my parents roof. It was cheaper. I don't see anything wrong with that.
          I believe LG's are one of, if not the most common residential panel in the US now.

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          • #20
            Originally posted by emartin00 View Post
            I believe LG's are one of, if not the most common residential panel in the US now.
            60 cell are most common on residential and panasonic would be the most common brand thanks to Tesla.
            OutBack FP1 w/ CS6P-250P http://bit.ly/1Sg5VNH

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            • #21
              Originally posted by ButchDeal View Post

              60 cell are most common on residential and panasonic would be the most common brand thanks to Tesla.
              That's right!
              I'm getting the Panasonic 330W N300 (ftp://ftp.panasonic.com/solar/specsh...spec-sheet.pdf) and if I count the cells I see there are 96 cells (!), but not bigger than the usual 60 cells panels.
              Hopefully they look good !
              Last edited by jgd108; 07-02-2018, 10:38 AM.

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              • #22
                Well I am pretty happy about how the company handled themselves. They did admit fault in the system design. They will be installing a SE3800 with a charger when it is available, modifying my panel, checking to see if the installation was done correctly, snapping me a picture of the Power Optimizer, and cutting a check for the estimated loss in production for clipped energy until they are able to get the 3800 with charger. I did tell him to make sure to tell future customers about the aesthetics of 72 cell panels in the future.

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                • #23
                  If it all pans out that way, I don't think you could ask for a better outcome. Well except it probably should not have happened in the first place and someone less knowledgeable might not have caught it as soon or at all.
                  285Wx9 / MNClassic 150 / CSW4024 / TrojanL16H-ACx4

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                  • #24
                    Hi jgd108,

                    I have the Panasonic N330's and they look fine to me. ( IMG_4917.pdf ) They do have a white backsheet (as most panels do) but they have black frames. While a black backsheet might look nicer, I'm not sure its worth the added cost and reduced performance.

                    Honestly what looks worse, are the "critter guards" which I requested they put up to prevent animals from nesting under the panels and chewing on the wires. These weren't installed yet in the attached picture. While they are needed (in my opinion) and were very professionally installed (by a 3rd party who specializes in them), the product itself just doesn't look that great.

                    My vendor also initially led with a 72-cell panel, which I would have been fine with me (and they were cheaper per Watt as one would expect), but ultimately they wouldn't fit well on my roof due to the size/shape. So I ultimately went with the Panasonics to maximize production. At the time, the NeonR wasn't out yet so I was comparing the 60-cell Neon2's (310W) versus the Panasonics.

                    -Jonathan

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                    • #25
                      Originally posted by discodanman45 View Post
                      Well I am pretty happy about how the company handled themselves. They did admit fault in the system design. They will be installing a SE3800 with a charger when it is available, modifying my panel, checking to see if the installation was done correctly, snapping me a picture of the Power Optimizer, and cutting a check for the estimated loss in production for clipped energy until they are able to get the 3800 with charger. I did tell him to make sure to tell future customers about the aesthetics of 72 cell panels in the future.
                      Sounds like you've found a pretty great installer. Willing to do right by the customer isn't always common.

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                      • #26
                        Originally posted by emartin00 View Post

                        Sounds like you've found a pretty great installer. Willing to do right by the customer isn't always common.
                        This is why I don't understand why people go for larger installers. Local, high reputable installers are the way to go. A lot of times the big companies higher these local contractors anyway to do their installations. If I had an issue with a Tesla installation I would have had a horrific time even trying to reach out to the company to fix the issue. I sent an email on Thursday night, they called me back 10 minutes after they started the work day, had a meeting about the email, and the owner called me up shortly after. He was going to my house right then to talk to me about my concerns, an hour away.

                        The big issue I have about the installer is they want to push the SE7600's to a point they shouldn't without doing an assessment first. I did ask them if they used the SolarEdge software to estimate how much clipping would happen or another estimate like pvwatts. Didn't get an answer, but I think I know what it was. The way the salesman was talking, it seemed like you could throw 11.8 kW of panels on the system for every install. I hope after my complaint and talking to their owner that they take more care in evaluating the ratio of panels to inverter better.

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                        • #27
                          Originally posted by discodanman45 View Post

                          This is why I don't understand why people go for larger installers. Local, high reputable installers are the way to go. A lot of times the big companies higher these local contractors anyway to do their installations. If I had an issue with a Tesla installation I would have had a horrific time even trying to reach out to the company to fix the issue. I sent an email on Thursday night, they called me back 10 minutes after they started the work day, had a meeting about the email, and the owner called me up shortly after. He was going to my house right then to talk to me about my concerns, an hour away.

                          The big issue I have about the installer is they want to push the SE7600's to a point they shouldn't without doing an assessment first. I did ask them if they used the SolarEdge software to estimate how much clipping would happen or another estimate like pvwatts. Didn't get an answer, but I think I know what it was. The way the salesman was talking, it seemed like you could throw 11.8 kW of panels on the system for every install. I hope after my complaint and talking to their owner that they take more care in evaluating the ratio of panels to inverter better.
                          Pro's and Con's - The Con being you had to go through this issue in the first place. The Pro is things get resolved. I personally went with a local installer as well, had all my discussions w/ the company owner, who happens to be a former engineer from my current place of employment (didn't know that until after we were discussing options.)

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                          • #28
                            Originally posted by discodanman45 View Post

                            This is why I don't understand why people go for larger installers. Local, high reputable installers are the way to go. A lot of times the big companies higher these local contractors anyway to do their installations. If I had an issue with a Tesla installation I would have had a horrific time even trying to reach out to the company to fix the issue. I sent an email on Thursday night, they called me back 10 minutes after they started the work day, had a meeting about the email, and the owner called me up shortly after. He was going to my house right then to talk to me about my concerns, an hour away.

                            The big issue I have about the installer is they want to push the SE7600's to a point they shouldn't without doing an assessment first. I did ask them if they used the SolarEdge software to estimate how much clipping would happen or another estimate like pvwatts. Didn't get an answer, but I think I know what it was. The way the salesman was talking, it seemed like you could throw 11.8 kW of panels on the system for every install. I hope after my complaint and talking to their owner that they take more care in evaluating the ratio of panels to inverter better.
                            I'm glad for you that the company seems to have made good and made you happy. I also agree with your statement that local is better - been using that mantra for years.

                            But rereading your first post to this thread, it sort of makes me think that with all your several original concerns, if the outfit is well run and professional, those issues you raised would not have happened in the first place, at least not that many things on the same job. At this point, it looks like they're better at cleaning up a mess than avoiding one in the first place. I appreciate the facts of life that anything can go wrong, even in the best run outfits, and certainly stuff does happen, but that many foul-ups on one job wouldn't inspire my confidence or lead me to recommend the outfit. If it was on my home, I'd also start looking over my shoulder and wonder what else was screwed up on the job. Sounds like a great clean up/mop up after the screwups, but not screwing up in the first place seems a better way to go.

                            FWIW, it looks to me like a lack of communication all around might have been the seed of a lot if not most of the problems. Establishing a written project scope, including goals, and making sure everyone associated with the project works to that scope may have helped. That, and a salesperson who was up to speed, at least technically, and communicates well would have helped avoid confusion. To the degree that the lack of communication may have caused some of the problems, I'd fault the co. management for letting ill trained/equipped salespeople make a mess of things.

                            Take what you may want of the above. Scrap the rest.
                            Last edited by J.P.M.; 07-08-2018, 04:56 PM.

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                            • #29
                              7600 is the size that best matches a 200amp residential panel with no electronical upgrades. In reality they're just trying to give everyone the best bang for the buck while minimizing their permitting and electrical design and inventory costs. Just food for thought.

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                              • #30
                                Originally posted by ImInPhxAZ View Post
                                7600 is the size that best matches a 200amp residential panel with no electronical upgrades. In reality they're just trying to give everyone the best bang for the buck while minimizing their permitting and electrical design and inventory costs. Just food for thought.
                                If I was clipping an hour a day I would be fine with the inverter, except for installing the version with the EV charger which I was shown. Best bang for your buck doesn't include installing a system the clips 4 to 5 hours a day and not doing an estimate of how the system will run when overclocking. If the system was 9 or even 10 kW it probably would have been ok, but they shouldn't have designed a system with a 1.5 DC/AC ratio with no shading. Best bang for the buck would be if they installed a 9 kW system on the 7600 inverter after they performed what SolarEdge says to do. SolarEdge says to check the system when overclocking with their estimator program.

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