Power-up before inspection?

[IntrusDave]

Hello,

I've just finished building my PV system, which consists of 21 Suniva 260W panels, 21 SolarEdge 300W Optimizers and a SolarEdge SE5000A-US inverter. And of course the state/city required disconnects and breakers. Everything is entirely up to code.

I've just missed the cutoff for the city and Southern California Edison to inspect before the new year. Edison has not yet replaced my meter and has not given the approval to connect. So, my question is this; It's a grid tired inverter, I need to connect it to power it up and verify that all the optimizers are functional and that the inverter is fully operational. Do I have to wait a month for Edison to inspect, or can I bring it online and get everything configured and tested before then? Also, without the meter being replaced, can they even tell if it was producing before they inspect?

Thanks in advance.

Dave

[Naptown]

Yes you can start up the system for a short period for testing purposes. but then it must be shut down until approved and the new meter set.
If you run the system on the old meter for any period of time you will probably be billed for any power you export to the grid as your meter most likely only will record power up no matter which way the current is flowing.

[bonaire]

In my state of PA, our local power company does allow for test periods. In fact, my installer didn't want payment for 25% of the work until it was fully commissioned with the POCO. Mine was one two days (Dec. 3/4) and the power outputted by the array (about 75 kWh) went to the grid and I will be paying for them in January. Now, with the two detented meters, it's working properly for Net-Metering.

Did you do it yourself or use an installer? The installer, if used, should know this topic.

[IntrusDave]

I went with SolarCity for the install. They did an outstanding job, and I am VERY pleased with the lease and pricing.
The only down side I've had with them is that they have NO "project manager". No one person to hit with questions.

When they left, I was short 3 panels. (damaged in shipping) Everything else is connected and ready to go. I was left with a
... "uh duh... we don't know" feeling about the powerup and testing. So I've gone ahead and done it myself. I figured today
is a great day, it's full cloud cover and raining, the system is putting out about 50% of my usage so I'm sure that I wont be
putting anything back into the grid.

Thanks for the input - I feel better about bring it online. At this point I've only put out $250, and SolarCity has replaced the
main panel with a 200A box, installed everything except the 3 damaged panels. (expected on the 26th). So I'm pretty happy.

David

[bonaire]

That's a lot of work for a pretty good price. One of two outcomes could happen. Solarcity grows and helps deliver a lot of renewables across the country for a fair price to all - or they fail and close up after a few years of running thin margins. If they are "cranking out the projects" in a cookie cutter fashion, it may work out by running their workers ragged with lots of projects. The most successful companies have tired workers and now with a publicly-traded company, they have thousands of owners all wanting results.

Having a project manager helped me a lot because I had to have my installer change a few things that the installer guys just didn't see as big-picture things. You know, decisions that experienced project managers understand but installer guys don't see and "making it right" means more work for them.

[IntrusDave]

Thankfully, the installers were really good about the changes that I asked for, even down to the routing and bends for the conduit. The placed the disconnects and inverter within inches of my preferred locations, and even relocated 4 of the panels that would have ended up as a 3rd string on another part of the roof. I think they will end up doing quite well. I've already received confirmation (and a W9) for three of my neighbors signing with them. $400 a pop is nothing to sneeze at! One more and my first year is paid.

[peakbagger]

I live in a rural state up in the "boonies", when my system was ready to go I called my contact at the power company. He authorized me to "test" the system and then made the statement that I was supposed to turn it off until inspected, the next day he sent me the authorization to run it without a Poco inspection. My GE housemeter was about 18 years old and it ran backwards quite well so not all older meters will treat your prodcution as usage. Its pretty easy to check, put the system on line without a lot of load in the house and observe the direction its spinning, then turn on a big load like an electric oven. If the meter stops and and starts spinning in the other direction, you are all set and its up to you how long you need to "test" the system. In most areas the utility test is farce, all they used to do was to look for an external lockable disconnect with proper labeling and in our state, thats waived for under 10 KW. Just expect that a meter guy will stop by after the next billing cycle and change out you meter as the sharp drop in usuage will usually flag a "meter fraud/malfunction" whne your usage drops.

I expect if you have a smart meter you have to wait, although my dumb new digital meter (replaced a month after In upgraded my system) runs both directions.

[inetdog]

Just expect that a meter guy will stop by after the next billing cycle and change out your meter as the sharp drop in usuage will usually flag a "meter fraud/malfunction" whne your usage drops.

And replace it with one which only runs forward?

[IntrusDave]

My current meter is a fairly new "smart meter".
You can see it in the first image here:

https://www.icloud.com/photostream/#A4G4TcsmGnn3NQ

[IntrusDave]

Well, I think I'll be doing okay. I had the system inline for 3 hours yesterday and ass you can see, it did pretty well. No too shabby, given that it was full cloud cover and sprinkling. Not to mention that I'm still 3 panels short. Oh, the graph is from my PoCo, showing my utility usage for each hour.

[peakbagger]

In response to meter change outs, a lot of utilitites are very lapse at checking their meters, as long as there is a consistent output they just let em run. Even though the results are consistent does not mean they are accurate and could have a noffset error but the utility doesnt care for most residential accounts. They do run software that compares the current use to past use and if they see a signficant change in usage (like a negative power usage) the standard operating procedure is to change out the meter and inspect the installation for tampering.

[sirebral]

New system. Waiting for final approval from SCE

In response to meter change outs, a lot of utilitites are very lapse at checking their meters, as long as there is a consistent output they just let em run. Even though the results are consistent does not mean they are accurate and could have a noffset error but the utility doesnt care for most residential accounts. They do run software that compares the current use to past use and if they see a signficant change in usage (like a negative power usage) the standard operating procedure is to change out the meter and inspect the installation for tampering.

I just had a 4.6 kW system installed with inverter, new 200 W panel and everything was inspected and passed. The SCE panel shows arrows going to the left when I turn everything off and arrows going right when I turn on AC, computers and lights.

I now have been told to leave the system off until the utility tells me to turn it on. It's 105° outside. If I turn it on, will I get in huge trouble?

[IntrusDave]

I just had a 4.6 kW system installed with inverter, new 200 W panel and everything was inspected and passed. The SCE panel shows arrows going to the left when I turn everything off and arrows going right when I turn on AC, computers and lights.

I now have been told to leave the system off until the utility tells me to turn it on. It's 105° outside. If I turn it on, will I get in huge trouble?

Short Answer... Yes.

Long Answer.. Not really. It's expected that the system will be powered up several times for testing, configuration, inspection and certification. That said, as long as your are consuming more than you are generating, SCE can not tell that the system was turned on.

Personally, I generated quite a bit before I was given the go-ahead. I was quite surprised to fine that I was credited for it too.

[sirebral]

Short Answer... Yes.

Long Answer.. Not really. It's expected that the system will be powered up several times for testing, configuration, inspection and certification. That said, as long as your are consuming more than you are generating, SCE can not tell that the system was turned on.

Personally, I generated quite a bit before I was given the go-ahead. I was quite surprised to fine that I was credited for it too.

Thanks.

With reference to the short answer, do they penalize you for this if they find out?

[Naptown]

The penalty will come during times when you are generating more than you are using.
In short unless you have a smart meter you will be billed for any exported power. Meters only read up they don't turn backwards until programmed to.