My panels are finally online!

[rbridges]

They were installed in early November. GA power finally finished the paperwork and got me going. It's only an 8kw system, but I'm pretty excited. I still need to get the app set up that goes with it.

solar display.jpg

[Mike90250]

8KW of PV is a pretty largish system. 10kw is usually the upper limit for homes. Welcome to the club

[bob-n]

Cool. Congratulations!

Can you post a photo of the panels installed? Do you want to share details (panel model, inverter, etc.)?

[rbridges]

Cool. Congratulations!

Can you post a photo of the panels installed? Do you want to share details (panel model, inverter, etc.)?

I actually posted here about a month ago. It just seemed to take forever for the approval to go online, so I haven't had much to say in the meantime.

https://www.solarpaneltalk.com/forum/solar-panels-for-home/solar-panels-for-your-home/421227-just-had-ground-panel-system-installed-waiting-for-interconnect

[rbridges]

Cool. Congratulations!

Can you post a photo of the panels installed? Do you want to share details (panel model, inverter, etc.)?

This is the details on the panels and inverter. Hopefully they're decent. I felt ignorant talking with them. They could have sold me anything.

Screenshot_20201229-174911.png

[oregon_phil]

I think you did pretty good for being new to it. I have almost the same inverter (SB7.7-1SP-US-40). The next revision of -40 inverters do not have the display like you showed in your original post. I hope I don't pepper you with too many questions.

Did your installer give you the "installer password"?

I think the app you are talking about is the Sunny Portal. If you can get to the inverter directly through your router (i.e. 192.168.1.xx), you can get much more information every 5 minutes rather than every 15 minutes on Sunny Portal.

There is so much to learn with a new system. Congrats!

[J.P.M.]

This is the details on the panels and inverter. Hopefully they're decent. I felt ignorant talking with them. They could have sold me anything.

Screenshot_20201229-174911.png

Panels are a commodity beyond the basic level. Hanwha is as good as the next. SMA's are built like tanks. Those two points and a quality install from a reputable vendor should increase the probability of a fit for purpose installation good for many years of service.

W/out more details about how your POCO tariff is set up it's hard to comment on orientation except to say that if you're on T.O.U. rates w/a structure similar to mine (and pretty common for T.O.U. rates in the U.S) where those rates are higher in the afternoon/early evening, the orientation looks about right if the goal is to maximize array revenue on an annual basis.

Q: Did the permitting require limiting access to the array such as fencing or signage for safety reasons ?

BTW, nothing wrong with ignorance. Coupled with curiosity and persistence, it can be one of the the driving forces to wisdom.

Enjoy your array. If it doesn't rain or if pollen/tree droppings get bad like in the spring, hose it ~ 1X/month or as needed in the A.M. before the sun heats the panels. Use ~ 3/4 - 1 gal. of plain H2O/panel.

You appear to have done well Grasshopper. Good Luck.

[rbridges]

Panels are a commodity beyond the basic level. Hanwha is as good as the next. SMA's are built like tanks. Those two points and a quality install from a reputable vendor should increase the probability of a fit for purpose installation good for many years of service.

W/out more details about how your POCO tariff is set up it's hard to comment on orientation except to say that if you're on T.O.U. rates w/a structure similar to mine (and pretty common for T.O.U. rates in the U.S) where those rates are higher in the afternoon/early evening, the orientation looks about right if the goal is to maximize array revenue on an annual basis.

Q: Did the permitting require limiting access to the array such as fencing or signage for safety reasons ?

BTW, nothing wrong with ignorance. Coupled with curiosity and persistence, it can be one of the the driving forces to wisdom.

Enjoy your array. If it doesn't rain or if pollen/tree droppings get bad like in the spring, hose it ~ 1X/month or as needed in the A.M. before the sun heats the panels. Use ~ 3/4 - 1 gal. of plain H2O/panel.

You appear to have done well Grasshopper. Good Luck.

Thanks, I appreciate the feedback. I think they're set at 210* because we plan to switch to a TOU plan with Georgia power. I don't have any passwords. The installer is supposed to help me with the setup once we got online. No issues with permitting. It's wide open. The only concern we had were some power lines cutting along the edge, and no one had a solid answer for clearance. Lol.

[solarix]

Good job. Nice panels, nice inverter. Get your monitoring hooked up and sit back and enjoy being part of the solution....

[khanh dam]

how much did you pay? Why did you choose that company vs Tesla @ $2/watt. I honestly don't understand how some solar companies can charge $3 or $4 a watt and compete against tesla?

[rbridges]

how much did you pay? Why did you choose that company vs Tesla @ $2/watt. I honestly don't understand how some solar companies can charge $3 or $4 a watt and compete against tesla?

I got quotes from a couple of installers. They were very close to each other, and ASE could get me finished this year at 26% tax credit vs 22 for 2021. They also had good reviews.

[khanh dam]

just curious what the price was per watt? I would of gone with company that could get 26% tAX as well, Trump/congress did extend it another 2 years with the covid bill.

[J.P.M.]

how much did you pay? Why did you choose that company vs Tesla @ $2/watt. I honestly don't understand how some solar companies can charge $3 or $4 a watt and compete against tesla?

What's your experience w/ SolarCity or their spawn, Tesla Solar ?

If you've had as much experience dealing w/ SolarCity and now Tesla as I've had you might not ask that question.

Based on my dealings and from what I've seen, I wouldn't put anything solar Musk was associated with on my property even if it was free. They're about the most consistently unprofessional bunch of peddlers I've come across, and I've dealt with dozens.

[rbridges]

What's your experience w/ SolarCity or their spawn, Tesla Solar ?

If you've had as much experience dealing w/ SolarCity and now Tesla as I've had you might not ask that question.

Based on my dealings and from what I've seen, I wouldn't put anything solar Musk was associated with on my property even if it was free. They're about the most consistently unprofessional bunch of peddlers I've come across, and I've dealt with dozens.

I'd read somewhere about their support being a little inconsistent, but I honestly have no first hand experience.

[J.P.M.]

I'd read somewhere about their support being a little inconsistent, but I honestly have no first hand experience.

Well, I do have 1st hand experience. Inconsistent my butt. More like nonexistent.

I'm the guy who reviews, recommends approval for and monitors progress on all the solar installs in my HOA.

Of the 160 or so installs I've reviewed and monitored during construction, about 20+ are SolarCity/Tesla. In the 10 yrs. or so I've been at it, SolarCity/Tesla are at the bottom of of the barrel for product knowledge, organization and installation quality. They're also, IMO only, one of the most disorganized companies I've ever dealt with anywhere.

The change to Tesla from SolarCity hasn't changed their quality or M.O. in any way I've noticed.

Also, and still IMO only, the probability of you having a safer, better designed and constructed, and more fit for purpose system with what you have is much higher than you'd be likely to get with Tesla.

As for low(er) initial cost, buy cheap, buy twice. The errand of a fool.