DIY solar array 12.5 kw - Page 42

Robaroni · 07-01-15, 07:42 AM

Hi Steve,

Personally, I'd go with the cheaper system. You don't know when the new inverters are coming out and they might be bullet proof but then again they might need a few revisions before Enphase gets them right. I guess you could ask Enphase when they'll be out. The other thing is that each panel is more money so if you ever need to replace a panel (storms, etc.) the poly's will probably cost less.

I just ran into this. I accidentally backed into a panel with my backhoe, it was a Sharp panel but sharp doesn't make panels any longer. I was lucky it was a poly panel because I had a lot of options to replace it, less so with mono panels. In fact my wholesaler sold me 2 USA panels for $152.00 each that came pretty close to the original specs of the Sharp.

I think it's important to take those types of things into perspective when you set up a system. The Enphase 250 will be around and replacing one (I've replaced several first gen Solaredge microinverters on my interties so far) will likely be cheaper.

Thee other thing is that you have the room for the poly's, why spend for monos that maximize space at a higher cost.

Just my two cents, others might have different approaches but I've been living with PV for a decade now.

Rob

gasstingy · 07-01-15, 08:00 AM

From my perspective, as long as the cost of racking and installation labor doesn't push the cost of poly over the cost of mono {and you already said space was not an issue}, there's no remaining reason to not go with poly.

pinballlooking · 07-01-15, 08:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robaroni

PB,
We've had a really rainy month but I just checked and we still did OK. Here's the intertie stats for the last few years, with the off grid/intertie system added to this we did a little over a Meg in June but our house is running during the day on the second system and selling the excess back so it's pretty good overall.

Rob

It is interesting we have different best months.
Mine is May and yours looks like July.

Robaroni · 07-01-15, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pinballlooking

It is interesting we have different best months.
Mine is May and yours looks like July.

Mark,
I'm at the 42 parallel and my intertie roof is east/west, I'm wondering if that's what does it?

Rob

MN Renovator · 07-01-15, 01:35 PM

My last 30 days has been:
107kwh used
483kwh produced
=376kwh sold

We haven't had things as humid as they usually are and the first half of June was particularly cool at night with low dew points. I took advantage of multiple nights in the mid 50s. My billing period is currently the middle of the month but I can pull the history from my eGauge for whatever time period I need. I'm imagining that mid July to mid August will be around 300kwh usage. I thought the heat was supposed to reduce the output more significantly but I'm still getting great output on hot days. For example we had a high of 85 degrees on June 21 and the output curve was reduced less than 5% and that day was 91% the output of my absolute best day and there were some clouds that accounted for maybe a 5% daily loss too. I figure the modules would be cooking with the heat and sunlight, granted they aren't pegging my 3kw inverter at the max 3395watts like in a frigid February day but things aren't as bad as I expected in regards to hot modules.

stevehull · 07-01-15, 01:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robaroni

Hi Steve,

Personally, I'd go with the cheaper system. The other thing is that each panel is more money so if you ever need to replace a panel (storms, etc.) the poly's will probably cost less.

I just ran into this. I accidentally backed into a panel with my backhoe, it was a Sharp panel but sharp doesn't make panels any longer. I was lucky it was a poly panel because I had a lot of options to replace it, less so with mono panels. In fact my wholesaler sold me 2 USA panels for $152.00 each that came pretty close to the original specs of the Sharp.

I think it's important to take those types of things into perspective when you set up a system.

Rob

This is REALLY good advice and something I had not considered (PV replacement). We do have hail here and sooner or later, we get hit; not if, but when. I previously thought that baseball to softball sized hail was just a myth - made up by Oklahomans just to "upstage" Texans.

We got hit two years ago with such. About $100,000 damage to barns, roofs and cars. The $1000 insurance deductible was eagerly paid . . .

Dime to nickle size hail is very common every year, ping pong ball (quarter size) once a year and every 5-8 years some golf ball sized hail. I understand that PV panels must take golf ball size metal balls dropped from some height (I have forgotten) without damage. The "softball size" is once every 15-20 years, but well within the life of such a system.

You had the infamous "backhoe incident", I may have the "dropping the PV panel off the roof while installing". Gotta just laugh at times . . .

As for Enphase and the higher power single phase unit for 72 cells, they are being very closed mouthed about it, but it is a well known industry "secret". They are developing a home ready, plug and play, "power wall" (10-40 kW) that interfaces directly to their micro inverters via cable and can be set up for time of use or utility directed energy electronic notifications. For people that must have electricity when time of use charges are $100+ per kWhr, this energy "bank" has a very rapid payoff time (< 5 years). Prototypes are already in use in Europe where $200/kWhr peak electricity is common in summer afternoons.

Musk made a big splash with his battery, but Enphase is quietly ready to put this out to the hundreds of thousands of existing Enphase installations. The stock right now is in the $7.50 range and a tremendous buy.

Thanks again, superb suggestion.

Steve

Robaroni · 07-01-15, 02:09 PM

Steve,
Glad to help.
I don't know if your modules will be set up to tilt, my roof ones aren't but my off grid poles ones are and when we have storms coming I can tilt them down to deflect hale or flying debris. You might want to think about roof angles when you set up stationary modules if your get that kind of hale. You might lose a little sun at some times of the year but you may make it through bad weather at other times.

I know about Musk's battery back up, it will be interesting to see what comes out of Enphase.

Rob

pinballlooking · 07-14-15, 10:34 AM

Our June was very hot but with the Mini splits cooling we were able to over produce and bank more power for the winter. They boys are in school activity’s this summer so the Volt is doing many more EV miles this summer. At least 3 times a week we charge twice a day.

Keep in mind we made 1,994 KWh so we use about 688KWh that does not show on this bill.
our total use was 1,244 KWh for the month June. Our banked power for just this month 750KWh.

Here is a great heat wave power bill.

We have a place on lake Hartwell and we used 543 KWh the bill is $92.61 that comes to .17 KWH I hate co-op elect their base is like $28. Even if you install solar you get a $28 bill. They have a $5 a month solar fee they are waving but have the right to start it back up anytime they want.

Robaroni · 07-14-15, 05:41 PM

PB,
What are you going to replace the Volt with now that the lease is up?

Rob

pinballlooking · 07-14-15, 06:52 PM

We bought it we drive way too much for a lease. Since we are going to keep this car for a while we even bought the extended warranty. I usually don’t get the extended warranty and the car has been very reliable.

But there is so much tech in this car repair cost can get big. I shopped around and got a fair price on it. I hope I never have to use it.

07-14-15, 10:34 AM	#418
pinballlooking Super Moderator Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: SC Posts: 2,923 Thanks: 172 Thanked 564 Times in 463 Posts	Our June was very hot but with the Mini splits cooling we were able to over produce and bank more power for the winter. They boys are in school activity’s this summer so the Volt is doing many more EV miles this summer. At least 3 times a week we charge twice a day. Keep in mind we made 1,994 KWh so we use about 688KWh that does not show on this bill. our total use was 1,244 KWh for the month June. Our banked power for just this month 750KWh. Here is a great heat wave power bill. We have a place on lake Hartwell and we used 543 KWh the bill is $92.61 that comes to .17 KWH I hate co-op elect their base is like $28. Even if you install solar you get a $28 bill. They have a $5 a month solar fee they are waving but have the right to start it back up anytime they want. Attached Thumbnails Last edited by pinballlooking; 07-14-15 at 03:49 PM..

07-14-15, 05:41 PM	#419
Robaroni Journeyman EcoRenovator Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Delhi, NY Posts: 332 Thanks: 20 Thanked 53 Times in 40 Posts	Volt? PB, What are you going to replace the Volt with now that the lease is up? Rob

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07-01-15, 07:42 AM	#411
Robaroni Journeyman EcoRenovator Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Delhi, NY Posts: 332 Thanks: 20 Thanked 53 Times in 40 Posts	Hi Steve, Personally, I'd go with the cheaper system. You don't know when the new inverters are coming out and they might be bullet proof but then again they might need a few revisions before Enphase gets them right. I guess you could ask Enphase when they'll be out. The other thing is that each panel is more money so if you ever need to replace a panel (storms, etc.) the poly's will probably cost less. I just ran into this. I accidentally backed into a panel with my backhoe, it was a Sharp panel but sharp doesn't make panels any longer. I was lucky it was a poly panel because I had a lot of options to replace it, less so with mono panels. In fact my wholesaler sold me 2 USA panels for $152.00 each that came pretty close to the original specs of the Sharp. I think it's important to take those types of things into perspective when you set up a system. The Enphase 250 will be around and replacing one (I've replaced several first gen Solaredge microinverters on my interties so far) will likely be cheaper. Thee other thing is that you have the room for the poly's, why spend for monos that maximize space at a higher cost. Just my two cents, others might have different approaches but I've been living with PV for a decade now. Rob

07-01-15, 08:00 AM	#412
gasstingy Journeyman EcoRenovator Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Arab, AL Posts: 491 Thanks: 109 Thanked 49 Times in 43 Posts	From my perspective, as long as the cost of racking and installation labor doesn't push the cost of poly over the cost of mono {and you already said space was not an issue}, there's no remaining reason to not go with poly.

07-01-15, 01:35 PM	#415
MN Renovator Less usage=Cheaper bills Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Minneapolis, MN Posts: 939 Thanks: 41 Thanked 116 Times in 90 Posts	My last 30 days has been: 107kwh used 483kwh produced =376kwh sold We haven't had things as humid as they usually are and the first half of June was particularly cool at night with low dew points. I took advantage of multiple nights in the mid 50s. My billing period is currently the middle of the month but I can pull the history from my eGauge for whatever time period I need. I'm imagining that mid July to mid August will be around 300kwh usage. I thought the heat was supposed to reduce the output more significantly but I'm still getting great output on hot days. For example we had a high of 85 degrees on June 21 and the output curve was reduced less than 5% and that day was 91% the output of my absolute best day and there were some clouds that accounted for maybe a 5% daily loss too. I figure the modules would be cooking with the heat and sunlight, granted they aren't pegging my 3kw inverter at the max 3395watts like in a frigid February day but things aren't as bad as I expected in regards to hot modules.

07-01-15, 02:09 PM	#417
Robaroni Journeyman EcoRenovator Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Delhi, NY Posts: 332 Thanks: 20 Thanked 53 Times in 40 Posts	Steve, Glad to help. I don't know if your modules will be set up to tilt, my roof ones aren't but my off grid poles ones are and when we have storms coming I can tilt them down to deflect hale or flying debris. You might want to think about roof angles when you set up stationary modules if your get that kind of hale. You might lose a little sun at some times of the year but you may make it through bad weather at other times. I know about Musk's battery back up, it will be interesting to see what comes out of Enphase. Rob

07-14-15, 06:52 PM	#420
pinballlooking Super Moderator Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: SC Posts: 2,923 Thanks: 172 Thanked 564 Times in 463 Posts	We bought it we drive way too much for a lease. Since we are going to keep this car for a while we even bought the extended warranty. I usually don’t get the extended warranty and the car has been very reliable. But there is so much tech in this car repair cost can get big. I shopped around and got a fair price on it. I hope I never have to use it.