Diy solar install - Page 2

philb · 10-09-18, 06:52 PM

Oil Pan 4,
I didn't want a second meter or additional charges either, so I kept the grid and solar power completely separate with a Midnite Solar MNTRANSFER-60A 60 Amp 240 Volt Dual AC Manual Transfer Switch. $103. https://www.solar-electric.com/midni...xoC90sQAvD_BwE The switch works seamlessly without the TV or any appliance going down and back up. Now they can't say anything.

I do have a complete stand alone solar system with batteries. If battery power gets low, I switch the power to grid. That usually doesn't happen except during late nights in the summer.
That's an option you might have a look at.

oil pan 4 · 10-11-18, 09:56 PM

I went and talked to an engineer at the power coop.
So what they do is put a co-gen meter on your house to bill and back feed and put in a second meter that only tracks the panels power production.

So all the power comes and goes through your original service drop, all the power comes and goes through your original meter box, all the power the panels produce goes through the solar panels meter and back feeds to the breaker box.

I asked if I could do house panels then later on add satellite panes out in my field and connect those to their own meter, with both systems producing less than the 10kw limit.
They said it shouldn't be a problem.

oil pan 4 · 12-04-18, 11:42 PM

The electrician looked over my work and they said it all looks very good.
Hopefully next Tuesday they will pull permits, put the meter base in and disconnects.

where2 · 12-06-18, 07:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oil pan 4

The electrician looked over my work and they said it all looks very good. Hopefully next Tuesday they will pull permits, put the meter base in and disconnects.

Great News!! I always love to hear positive updates on DIY PV arrays.

10-09-18, 06:52 PM	#11
philb Apprentice EcoRenovator Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Oklahoma City Posts: 155 Thanks: 58 Thanked 17 Times in 14 Posts	Oil Pan 4, I didn't want a second meter or additional charges either, so I kept the grid and solar power completely separate with a Midnite Solar MNTRANSFER-60A 60 Amp 240 Volt Dual AC Manual Transfer Switch. $103. https://www.solar-electric.com/midni...xoC90sQAvD_BwE The switch works seamlessly without the TV or any appliance going down and back up. Now they can't say anything. I do have a complete stand alone solar system with batteries. If battery power gets low, I switch the power to grid. That usually doesn't happen except during late nights in the summer. That's an option you might have a look at. Last edited by philb; 10-09-18 at 06:57 PM.. Reason: additional comments

10-11-18, 09:56 PM	#12
oil pan 4 Land owner Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: NM Posts: 1,026 Thanks: 12 Thanked 127 Times in 107 Posts	I went and talked to an engineer at the power coop. So what they do is put a co-gen meter on your house to bill and back feed and put in a second meter that only tracks the panels power production. So all the power comes and goes through your original service drop, all the power comes and goes through your original meter box, all the power the panels produce goes through the solar panels meter and back feeds to the breaker box. I asked if I could do house panels then later on add satellite panes out in my field and connect those to their own meter, with both systems producing less than the 10kw limit. They said it shouldn't be a problem.

12-04-18, 11:42 PM	#13
oil pan 4 Land owner Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: NM Posts: 1,026 Thanks: 12 Thanked 127 Times in 107 Posts	The electrician looked over my work and they said it all looks very good. Hopefully next Tuesday they will pull permits, put the meter base in and disconnects.