System Installed!! Update and some questions

[adam61]

Thanks again for your help in asking the right questions and getting it installed. Here's where I ended up...

-14.4kW System
-36 LG 400N2W-A5 Modules
-36 P-505 SolarEdge Optimizers
-2xSE7600H SolarEdge Inverters (Each has 18 Strands capable of 7.2kW)
-SolarEdge Monitoring (switched from Ethernet or ZigBee to GSM and that's one of my questions)
-SolarEdge Consumption monitoring (another question below)

Azimuth 268 degrees, Tilt 55 Degrees (flush mounted to roof all one side), East Texas, 0 Shade ever
Should Cover 95-100% of usage on average

Gross Cost: ($2.62/w*14.4k+$1,000 Consumption Monitoring)=$38,728 ($2.69/w with consumption)
Net Cost: $38,728-$8,828 Oncor (REP) Rebate-$9,000 Federal Tax Credit=$20,900 ($1.45/w with consumption and about 7-8 year realistic payback)

I feel pretty happy about the above, install looks very professional, all wires inside the roof, very clean lines, looks a bit like a power plant by the meter with about 7 boxes, but no one is ever over there.

Sad for Texas, but even though the lifetime usage runs backwards all day on my meter it doesn't and won't positively effect my bill as there's no net metering. They have a separate Consumption since last read that is used to generate the bill. Once they give Permission to Operate (10-15 business days) they will firmware update my meter and it will have a new line of Production since last read. If I pick the right provider and plan, Page one of the bill will charge me for ALL my consumption, page 2 will credit me for ALL my production, and page 3 will be my final bill.

I can get some production data for you soon, but it was only finished installed Wednesday, inspected Thursday, and SolarEdge paired on Friday. So on to the questions, before my provider semi-checks out on me and moves fully on to other projects I want to make sure I've asked for all I'm eligible for and everything is working as it should.

1) When I log onto SolarEdge it shows total system production, each inverters production, then just a long line with 18 panels and their production. I thought I saw pictures where it showed where they were at on the roof to work through any issues and identify a broken panel easier or an area not working as well as they should. I have no idea which panel is which.

2) Consumption monitoring. They've never installed it before. The box is there next to the inverters, and they put something above my circuit breaker box as well, and they followed the manual pretty close, but nothing shows up on SolarEdge. The Ops guy said he would reach out to SolarEdge next week.

3) I asked for Ethernet, but they originally gave me ZigBee, after 4 hours of it not pairing they gave up, and sent someone out here. I asked again about ethernet since the router was within 5 feet of where they were installing cables (just down a wall they were working over). He said the Ethernet in these was sketchy and they've had better luck with GSM. He installed GSM on both inverters, took back the ZigBee modules, and said there would be no add'l cost. Is the lifetime of the GSM plans paid for and is there any downside? I still seem to be getting very regularly data every 5-15 minutes.

4) Anything else I should, ask for, buy, or do, not addressed above? I'm gonna keep a spreadsheet for payback unless there was a site that was even easier.

Thanks again for all the help.

[ButchDeal]

I think you mean each inverter has a string of 18 pv modules not 18 strands. However that is too many in a single string so it should me that each inverter has two strings of 9 pv modules.

1) your installer has not set up the layout of the optimizers.

2) installer needs to read the manual.

3) gsm is not paid for life but usually 12 years. Down side is data uploaded more slowly. Ethernet is nit sketch, but your installer sure is.

4) make sure they give you full owner access and a map of the optimizers. If they didn't get the layout map then insist in it and make them figure it out.

[adam61]

1) Has been fixed.
2) He's come out twice and SolarEdge, has tickets open, but no dice on consumption yet
3) Doesn't sound like a problem I get pretty regular updates(Every 5 minutes is what it seems like, from GSM)
4) The layout is there now, what would I check to see if I have full owner access?

Unfortunately the Electric company has the Transmission and Interconnection Agreement signed and City Inspection done, but their turnaround to update meter firmware is 2-4 weeks so 1 week in. Right now I just get data, the solar doesn't do much since the bill ignores my production and does not net it out
New: Just a final check for a 14.4kW system are these daily totals pretty good and all panels seem to be within range of what they can do?

The lower production day was mostly cloudy with one rainstorm that came through quickly. The other day was mostly sunny with just some clouds here and there
Day1.JPGDay2.JPGPanelProduction.JPG

[ButchDeal]

3) they put the modem into high speed mode, It will kick back down after a few weeks.

4) on the web site (not the app) do you have CHarts and Reports tabs or just Dashboard and Layout tabs?

[adam61]

3) Those look pretty solid for totals kW and overall panels before I get less updates? Good to know about the modem modes though.
4) Dashboard, Layout, and Admin. I will ask about full owner for the other access.