Power Company Requirements suggestions/help requested

[Ampster]

My luck, they've teamed up with the power company to purposefully screw us over.

That is why I was asking the question earlier. That utility does not look like the kind of Investor Owned Utility like we have in lots of California. It is very possible if they are a publicly governed entity that they have convinced the City to give them more power than the IOUs have in California. It would still be worth finding out what kind of building permit is required for a battery backup system that does not backfeed the grid.

 

[cs1234]

You don't need UL9540 batteries if they are lead acid. Lead acid sucks in many ways, but they are cheap, can have pretty high peak discharge, and don't have to play with many of the LifePO4 regulations. You would want to keep them in a well ventilated area though, to be safe.

 

[tacomaguy20]

You don't need UL9540 batteries if they are lead acid. Lead acid sucks in many ways, but they are cheap, can have pretty high peak discharge, and don't have to play with many of the LifePO4 regulations. You would want to keep them in a well ventilated area though, to be safe.

I was reading something about that on this forum that said there was conflicting information as far as that goes so I wasn't clear if that was true or not. Something about that exemption for the lead batteries being outdated or the verbiage was unclear? I'm not sure exactly.

 

[tacomaguy20]

That is why I was asking the question earlier. That utility does not look like the kind of Investor Owned Utility like we have in lots of California. It is very possible if they are a publicly governed entity that they have convinced the City to give them more power than the IOUs have in California. It would still be worth finding out what kind of building permit is required for a battery backup system that does not backfeed the grid.

It's true that having an off grid system would probably help me eliminate my utility demand charges & probably eliminate my on peak energy usage as well. Ultimately, however, if I can find a cleaver way to make grid tied work without spending a fortune, I'd prefer that. That growatt system with lead batteries perhaps? I also saw that on alibaba they were selling the growatt battery pack for a lot cheaper than I could get it in the states but I don't know if that would still be UL9540 certified if I bought from China. If it is, that's probably my solution.

 

[cs1234]

What are the specs on your 4 ton AC unit? Do you know the LRA (locked rotor amps) on it? I'm not sure that Growatt would really be able to start a 4 ton AC unit if you don't already have some sort of soft start installed on it.

I was reading something about that on this forum that said there was conflicting information as far as that goes so I wasn't clear if that was true or not. Something about that exemption for the lead batteries being outdated or the verbiage was unclear? I'm not sure exactly.

That would be up to what your AHJ says when you pull your pemit and get an inspection done. I don't think there are any lead acid batteries that have UL9540 certification. Per this website, they aren't covered by it. I'm one of the ones in the camp of lead acid isn't governed by UL9540.

 

[cs1234]

It's true that having an off grid system would probably help me eliminate my utility demand charges & probably eliminate my on peak energy usage as well. Ultimately, however, if I can find a cleaver way to make grid tied work without spending a fortune, I'd prefer that. That growatt system with lead batteries perhaps? I also saw that on alibaba they were selling the growatt battery pack for a lot cheaper than I could get it in the states but I don't know if that would still be UL9540 certified if I bought from China. If it is, that's probably my solution.

If it's the same exact unit, then yes, it should still be covered by the UL9540 cert. The certificate will list specific model numbers / revisions on it.

 

[tacomaguy20]

If it's the same exact unit, then yes, it should still be covered by the UL9540 cert. The certificate will list specific model numbers / revisions on it.

Okay, I'll check it out. I think I'll start messaging the companies selling them.

 

[tacomaguy20]

What are the specs on your 4 ton AC unit? Do you know the LRA (locked rotor amps) on it? I'm not sure that Growatt would really be able to start a 4 ton AC unit if you don't already have some sort of soft start installed on it.



That would be up to what your AHJ says when you pull your pemit and get an inspection done. I don't think there are any lead acid batteries that have UL9540 certification. Per this website, they aren't covered by it. I'm one of the ones in the camp of lead acid isn't governed by UL9540.

Well I was thinking that I could just cool the house before peak hours since I'll still be tied into the grid, have the AC off and run on battery/solar during peak, and then have the AC kick back on after peak when I switch back to the grid. However, I'm willing to get a soft start for the AC if needed.

 

[Ampster]

if I can find a cleaver way to make grid tied work without spending a fortune, I'd prefer that.

That is my dilemna. I consume more than I produce in the winter, but then in Spring, Summer and Fall I produce more than I consume and I arrive at True Up with a minimal bill. I have batteries but I also need to use the grid as a seasonal battery because my winter loads are more than my summer loads.

 

[FilterGuy]

That is my dilemna. I consume more than I produce in the winter, but then in Spring, Summer and Fall I produce more than I consume and I arrive at True Up with a minimal bill. I have batteries but I also need to use the grid as a seasonal battery because my winter loads are more than my summer loads.

That is the case for a lot of us!! It makes it more difficult to justify a bigger system because there is no payback.

 

[tacomaguy20]

That is my dilemna. I consume more than I produce in the winter, but then in Spring, Summer and Fall I produce more than I consume and I arrive at True Up with a minimal bill. I have batteries but I also need to use the grid as a seasonal battery because my winter loads are more than my summer loads.

Yeah it's tricky because everybody has different usage, different power company requirements, and different peak times. It's no wonder people just say screw it and pay the 50 grand, it's less of a headache. But I'd rather figure it out and do as much of it as I can to save myself all that cash.