to cheat or not to cheat... that is the question

[robby]

It is the FEATURES I want, not the cost, that matters most to me. Saving on the bill is my 5th level priority. My first is to have power when the grid is down. Insulin in my refrigerators is far more important to keep viable

A fridge uses very little power. Put it on Solar with 5KWh worth of batteries and it should be fine.
If Insulin is the only factor I would buy and even smaller separate fridge and just run that on a very small PV system.

 

[CaliSunHarvester]

Just about everywhere my electrician friend tells me.

I do have a permitted grid tie 5kW system, 20 years old, and I added recently an off grid system.

My bill month compared to previous year's same month definitively drops a lot more than 50%. As in from 1900kWh to 600kWh in March year over year.

But there have been similar drops in past years. E.g. one of the structures was uninhabited for a while and became inhabited again. I never heard anything from PG&E (I am in California).

Has anyone had such an inspection actually happen?

 

[vallesj]

wow, Lowes sells a Renogy 3500W for $600.... that gives me 90 days return window

 

[Bluedog225]

Trespass. And I suspect the possibility of criminal charges. Distribution lines are not your property. Respect that.

 

[CaliSunHarvester]

Trespass. And I suspect the possibility of criminal charges. Distribution lines are not your property. Respect that.

Ummm ... which question is this a response to?

 

[Bluedog225]

Ummm ... which question is this a response to?

“the meter will detect negative consumption and if there is alarms set on the meter my company will know I am interconnecting with them.“

 

[vallesj]

“the meter will detect negative consumption and if there is alarms set on the meter my company will know I am interconnecting with them.“

take it easy doggy.... If you read the 2 pages thread, you will see grid tie connection is not longer considered. Any good, reliable, AOI brand you recommend?

 

[billvon]

wow, Lowes sells a Renogy 3500W for $600.... that gives me 90 days return window

Yep. I've had good luck with the cheap Renogy. And it should never backfeed.

 

[Bluedog225]

deleted

 

[CaliSunHarvester]

“the meter will detect negative consumption and if there is alarms set on the meter my company will know I am interconnecting with them.“

Yeah, exporting to the grid without permission seems crazy.

I previously had read your comment thinking it's a response to my posting about an off grid installation which would bring down the grid bill.

I still wonder if a 20%+ drop in consumption triggers the aforementioned PoCo to do an inspection. I doubt it.

In the past decade, I at times have had over 15 PG&E accounts, as a landlord and small developer. Down to 9 now. Certainly there have been huge monthly ups and downs, I never was aware of any inspection -- however they may have happened without me knowing.

 

[42OhmsPA]

Just about everywhere my electrician friend tells me.

I'm not everywhere.

 

[dougbert]

A fridge uses very little power. Put it on Solar with 5KWh worth of batteries and it should be fine.
If Insulin is the only factor I would buy and even smaller separate fridge and just run that on a very small PV system.

not the only factor

 

[42OhmsPA]

wow, Lowes sells a Renogy 3500W for $600.... that gives me 90 days return window

If you're not dead set on the return window you should check out SRNE, the OEM of that inverter. You should also be able to get it from powmr cheaper, they are another re-labeler of SRNE.

 

[CaliSunHarvester]

Off topic: Just to give you an idea how messed up our PoCo PG&E is.

One of my renters called me 2018 that her fridge doesn't work. It was dark. I hoped to just give her a new bulb and feared to be on the hook for a fridge.

Upon my visit, it turned out that her house had no power. I called PoCo and they said that it is a personal matter and they cannot discuss.

Interestingly they did not turn off gas. Just electricity. I think because they can do that remotely and didn't want to send someone. Or maybe a safety concern.

So they decided to put the bill in the son's name (different last name!). I suppose he made a payment or 2. When I evicted them in 2023 I saw an old bill showing an unpaid balance of 15k. As I am writing this, services are still in the son's name, new tenant heats a LOT and no consequences.

That account literally has not been paid in 5 years. No inspection, no consequences.

And I shall believe there is an inspection because my usage drops 25%?

 

[vallesj]

If you're not dead set on the return window you should check out SRNE, the OEM of that inverter. You should also be able to get it from powmr cheaper, they are another re-labeler of SRNE.

Thanks! I am still shopping around... All I want is just an AOI, reliable, efficient, not expensive, and data logging/ app is a nice have... let me check what I can read about SRNE.

 

[42OhmsPA]

Thanks! I am still shopping around... All I want is just an AOI, reliable, efficient, not expensive, and data logging/ app is a nice have... let me check what I can read about SRNE.

It's tough to get everything you're asking... Panels and batteries are cheap enough; I chose to take a hit on efficiency.

Solar Assistant has you covered on data logging. Many of us here wouldn't run a system without it.

 

[vallesj]

It's tough to get everything you're asking... Panels and batteries are cheap enough; I chose to take a hit on efficiency.

Solar Assistant has you covered on data logging. Many of us here wouldn't run a system without it.

interesting addon.... Thanks!

 

[JRH]

what about the dreaded Smurf Disease? That seems like an infection to me....you buy one piece of Victron and then the whole forum jumps on you to buy more... next thing you know you are pimping out the wife and the family dog to get one more interconnect cable for your cerbo unit...

Awww geezz…I may be infected…I found myself figuring how to rewire my panels so I would need to buy more Blue CC’s for the same power I have now…
Is there a cure..?

 

[Mattb4]

That has not been my experience in California but my case may be unique. I have had three GT setups and received Permission to operate for one with SCE and for two with PG&E. In all those systems I have increased the capacity after the fact and never got a phone call or a message from either power company. My latest clandestine increase is on an 8 kW system which I added 3kW of additional panels for a total of 11kW. I rarely see more than 8.5kW of production at any one time and with overhead and house loads the export rarely exceeds 7.6kW. That peak output only for about an hour because the additional panels are West facing and peak at a different time than my main system. My total kWhs exported is less than 70% of what my permitted system could produce because I charge two EVs from excess solar during the day and usew batteries to avoid using the grid during peak times. Both those things may mask my clandestine increase in capacity.

You had an approved grid tie though. You also kept your export within your allowed amount. Rather hard to detect something that is not there.

 

[Ampster]

You also kept your export within your allowed amount. Rather hard to detect something that is not there.

My 3kW addition is over the 1kW allowed in my NEM agreement and is clearly visible from aerial photos. As far as I know my original export limit was 6.6kW and with the allowed 1kW increase that might be 7.6 so my occasional 8.5kW peaks could be easily detectable. My point was that PG&E has not said or done anything in two years.