10-22-16, 05:11 PM | #61 | |
EcoLearner
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Quote:
Fracking has become a political football and when the next round of anti-fracking laws go into effect it may kick off a new round of energy price inflation. Power companies will have to pass on the higher costs to their customers. As gas goes, so goes electric... my opinion is that the general pressure will be up, even as renewables help to lighten daytime loads. |
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10-23-16, 10:36 AM | #62 |
EcoLearner
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A local ground mount array that I find impressive...
We drive past this array often. This guy probably sells more solar than any radio or tv ad could.
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10-23-16, 10:43 AM | #63 |
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Solar Edge Design Tool Screenshot
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10-23-16, 06:10 PM | #64 |
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My PV array is on the rear side of my house on the second story roof. I'm fairly certain most people up and down my street have no idea my array exists. A few in my community have them on the roof on the front side of the house due to existing home orientation on the lot. I do not begrudge those residents the opportunity to have solar simply because it cannot be hidden, nor do I think it detracts from home values around installations in view.
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10-28-16, 02:33 PM | #65 |
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Progress..
Talked to the building department about permitting. Turns out I need a letter from a structural engineer to proceed in addition to about $400 in fees. Found a local guy that specializes in solar stuff and he did his site visit today. He says he will have the package to the city by next Wednesday.
The power company had a truck on site yesterday and I presume they were doing their evaluation of my meter/panel and the support infrastructure. I'm pleasantly surprised as I just turned my application in 6 days prior. My Spider Rax Black Widow mounts have arrived. The shipping company called and arranged to drop off the panels, power optimizers, and inverter on Monday. So real progress! |
10-28-16, 02:44 PM | #66 |
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It is sure different in other parts of the country. Here they do not even inspect the solar array.
I just got a permit for a breaker added to my panel in my barn/garage. (I live in a small rural area so laws are not the same as bigger places.) I think it was $25 and I paid for it with my aluminum can recycling. Sounds like things are moving alone nicely.
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10-28-16, 03:58 PM | #67 | |
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Quote:
Seems like the more tightly you pack people into a small area , the more likely that they will try to exert control over each other instead of minding their own business! Last edited by Roostre; 10-28-16 at 03:58 PM.. Reason: spell |
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10-28-16, 04:05 PM | #68 |
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Our inspectors have a time each day where you can call them and run stuff by them. I called my inspector a few times and ran the system by him and he would assist me on code interpretations. He did want me to use a larger ground wire than code required. I just did it because he was so nice and I am sure it is safer anyway.
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10-28-16, 04:24 PM | #69 |
Steve Hull
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Pinball,
I like to use AWG 4 stranded copper (typically 7 strands of AWG 16) with no splices connected at the ground to two 10 foot deep copper clad ground rods ~ 4 feet apart. Did your inspector recommend something similar? Or are you talking of the ground wire that goes to the inverters . . . . I also like to put an RF "choke on each 220 line coming off the roof array. This is ten turns or so of the wire with a ~ 6 inch diameter held together by 3-4 plastic ties. When lightening hits the array, the pulse tries to get to ground - or rather WILL get to ground. The "choke" impedes this impulse on the AC circuit and the surge finds another way - down the non spliced stranded copper wire. The key to to make sure the mhos (inverse of ohms) of the ground wire are way more than through the L1 and L2. No, it is not code (it's better), but lightening can make a day REALLY bad! Steve
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consulting on geothermal heating/cooling & rational energy use since 1990 Last edited by stevehull; 10-28-16 at 04:27 PM.. Reason: speling and clarity |
10-28-16, 04:39 PM | #70 |
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He had me use #6 bare to all rails and micro inverters with no splices. #8 bare copper was code but it was not a big deal to use #6.
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