[stevehull]

CYG,

Very interesting first hand experiences with electric coops in your area.

In Oklahoma, I have found few to no problems with coops. One thing that I have found is a killer - surprises.

I try to stay off the roof and let my contractor and his gang do the installation, but I have found that a site visit before the panels go on is key. A lot of little things can be hidden under the panels.

Among them; poor grounding, gaps in PVC conduit, failure to torque down bolts to proper settings - the list goes on.

Before any installation in a coop that does not know me, is an actual meeting with the supervisor. I let them tell me what they expect (and I don't interrupt) and just take notes. Then I pull out some photos of other installs with the names of other coops where I have done an install and the supervisor name (head engineer, whatever) and telephone numbers. The meeting is easy from there.

I show them the plan, bring in a microinverter, some short rail segments, bonding clips, etc. Then I show them post install spreadsheets of other installs that document kWhr production, and any issues that are relevant. My recent experience with a poorly grounded neutral (behind the meter) just came in handy yesterday. Enphase was able to remotely diagnose this and the coop engineer was VERY impressed with that capability.

Early on, one coop inspection field team asked me to have some panels removed so they could inspect the components under there. Thankfully all was not only OK, but it exceeded their expectations. One biggie - they all like UNSPLICED, heavier (thicker) than code, grounding wire. They have all been impressed that I use multi-strand copper ground wire and multiple ground rods.

Word gets around . . .

Only once have I had an issue and that was the location of the turn off switch. To keep wire short, I mounted this next to the main panel. The inspector did not like this and wanted it moved some five feet away. He felt that it might be confused with the panel in the event of an emergency. We settled on putting on BIG stickers that said "PV backfeed to panel" and another that said "solar panel disconnect switch". I have stickers that are 1 inch x 6 inches that say this, but he wanted them bigger. So I had a firm make them up bigger (and found out that I can order them off the internet far cheaper than ordering through Renvu).

As for net metering, all 30 (31?) of the Oklahoma coops have it and there is no extra charge. They give you the avoided cost of generation for any kWhrs that are generated above monthly use. This is ~ 50% of retail.

I lust after some of the people on this site (Pinball) that have a yearly net metering contract where excess kWhrs, generated in the summer, can be used to offset lower sunshine winter hours. But it is what it is.

For a self install, I suggest an actual meeting with the utility or coop. Show them exactly what you are going to do and ask them where you can do "better than code". They all love that. Then do exactly what you say.

I have had to explain my RF chokes on the 240 line coming off the roof more than once. The field utility people have never seen it, but all the engineers know of it (all electric substations have RF chokes). One engineer didn't like my simple coil held together with zip ties, so I wound the THHN 240 V wire around 6 inch PVC pipes and he loved it.

All in all, most coops that I have encountered, have been reasonable. Of course policy is policy and that can differ (as documented in prior post) between coops.

Bottom line - do your homework BEFORE you go up on the roof!


Steve