Solar install turning out really bad - looking for some help/advice please.

[bcroe]

I think there is a safety issue. Not only are there the tags on my equipment indicating that there is a solar power system but when the APS inspector came out, she also put an identifying tag on a nearby transformer indicating co generation. That's important for utility workers to be aware of I should think. Here's what our nearby transformer looks like with the co-gen plaque added:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]5828[/ATTACH]

I wonder if anyone does that for a pole mounted transformer? My array can't be seen from the
pole at the street 800' away. But of course it shuts down instantly with a power interruption.

I hope your net meter gets there inside of 3 weeks. Mine took 6 weeks of bothering the meter
man, the local maintenance dept, and the headquarters. Turned out they hadn't even ordered
a meter 2 months after I paid and the permit was approved; wonder how long it would have
been if I hadn't rattled any chains? Altogether it went operational 1 AUG instead of 1 JUNE, I
estimated the loss just sitting out the prime months cost me $700 of KWH. Guess they weren't
really organized for net metering here in the WILD WEST. But maybe I shouldn't complain too
much, there are plenty of advantages to this practically unregulated land of ice & snow. Bruce

[SunEagle]

I wonder if anyone does that for a pole mounted transformer? My array can't be seen from the
street 800' away. But of course it shuts down instantly with a power interruption.

I hope your net meter gets there inside of 3 weeks. Mine took 6 weeks of bothering the meter
man, the local maintenance dept, and the headquarters. Turned out they hadn't even ordered
a meter 2 months after I paid and the permit was approved; wonder how long it would have
been if I hadn't rattled any chains? Altogether it went operational 1 AUG instead of 1 JUNE, I
estimated the loss just sitting out the prime months cost me $700 of KWH. Guess they weren't
really organized for net metering here in the WILD WEST. But maybe I shouldn't complain too
much, there are plenty of advantages to this practically unregulated land of ice & snow. Bruce

Well you do have a lot of cheap Nuclear power generation up there in that neck of the woods.

[azdave]

...when my system was done my installers were very clear. Do not energize the system until approval from SCE comes.

Same here with SRP in Phoenix. There is a disconnect installed that prevented me from attempting to feed the grid until the final commisioning by the utility was complete. That disconnect has a very secure padlock on it and it was kept locked until the day they installed the meter and did the final approval. I have a feeling they might not take kindly to a homeowner feeding the grid without their knowledge.

If APS notices I'm sure they could cause trouble if they felt like it.

[Mb190e]

Sucky thing here is that it seems it's about 3 weeks out for the POCO to come swap out the meter...quite a long time, but it's been 7 months, what's another 3 weeks.

I read about all these people waiting for weeks and weeks before they can turn their system on because of the net meter. My installer submitted all the paperwork and had my meter changed a month and a half before they even started installing the system. So as soon as the last wire was tighten down the inspector was there and it was live. 3 months from the time I wrote the deposit check until they clicked it on.

[HX_Guy]

I read about all these people waiting for weeks and weeks before they can turn their system on because of the net meter. My installer submitted all the paperwork and had my meter changed a month and a half before they even started installing the system. So as soon as the last wire was tighten down the inspector was there and it was live. 3 months from the time I wrote the deposit check until they clicked it on.

That would't be possible here (installing the net meter before the system is completed). The POCO needs clearance from the city that the system passed inspection, and inspection can't be done until the system is completed obviously. After they receive the clearance, the POCO reviews all the paperwork apparently and then if everything looks ok, then they schedule the meter swap which happen 7-10 business days after they verify the paperwork.

A house one street over who had their inspection passed on 01/15/15 just had the meter swapped on Monday this week (02/09/15), so right about 3.5 weeks from inspection to new meter. My inspection was passed on 02/10/15, so I guess realistically sometimes between March 2nd - March 6th they should be coming out to swap out the meter. Was really hoping it could be done before the end of the month so that March could be a full month with solar.

[SunEagle]

That would't be possible here (installing the net meter before the system is completed). The POCO needs clearance from the city that the system passed inspection, and inspection can't be done until the system is completed obviously. After they receive the clearance, the POCO reviews all the paperwork apparently and then if everything looks ok, then they schedule the meter swap which happen 7-10 business days after they verify the paperwork.

A house one street over who had their inspection passed on 01/15/15 just had the meter swapped on Monday this week (02/09/15), so right about 3.5 weeks from inspection to new meter. My inspection was passed on 02/10/15, so I guess realistically sometimes between March 2nd - March 6th they should be coming out to swap out the meter. Was really hoping it could be done before the end of the month so that March could be a full month with solar.

I guess if you look on the positive side at least the delay is during the Winter months and not the Summer where you would be losing a lot more of solar production waiting on the meter.

[control4userguy]

I read about all these people waiting for weeks and weeks before they can turn their system on because of the net meter. My installer submitted all the paperwork and had my meter changed a month and a half before they even started installing the system. So as soon as the last wire was tighten down the inspector was there and it was live. 3 months from the time I wrote the deposit check until they clicked it on.

3 months? I wired a deposit while on Summer vacation in Aug and installation was complete and net metering was turned on Sep. 16th. 6 weeks. Sunpower Elite dealer and a fat check.

[Mb190e]

3 months? I wired a deposit while on Summer vacation in Aug and installation was complete and net metering was turned on Sep. 16th. 6 weeks. Sunpower Elite dealer and a fat check.

The longest part was waiting for the state to approve the rebate.

[HX_Guy]

Freaking finally!!! It's a wrap folks!

[SunEagle]

Looks like they didn't care if your system was already on or you turned it off before they showed up.

Glad to see your system is now completed and will be Net metering.

[Ian S]

Cheers and Congrats! Too bad we're headed into a wet few days.

[gregvet]

Congratulations!!. I have been quietly following your saga and all the responses you have had. May I say that you have been more than patient with your "Solar Contractor" and hope that all your issues with him will be resolved.

[donald]

Finally, the end.
Good work getting this right. Guys like your installer are broke and trying to get by day to day. They always think the next job will be fast and profitable. His amazingly consistent sloppiness is surprisingly common.

[HX_Guy]

Looks like they didn't care if your system was already on or you turned it off before they showed up.

I shut off the system two days ago when I got the email from the POCO that'll paperwork had been reviewed and thy were ready to schedule the meter swap.

[dusty144]

Whew! Took a while to read thru. Bit late but Congrats HX_Guy.

As a DIY installer myself it is clear to me that the install process is not a mature industry. Which is why there are so many inexperienced and newbie type installers out there. Too many are learning on the job. This is the reason that after taking several bids I decided to do it myself. My system is up for 2 year 24/7 with 0% down time so far. The reliability of my grid here in the Midwest does help.

BTW, I think the snipping you have experienced is terribly unfair. Folks are talking from a commercial install perspective where a $10,000 change order is often acceptable while you appear to be talking from a home owners perspective where even $1000 is a major stretch of the budget. The fact that you saved $19,000 is immense IMHO. Esp. considering you had to use an installer who would accept your barter money which probably drastically reduced your options. I would love to hear more on how this barter thing works. It does give folks a rough idea of the savings that are available, even though one needs to be ready to step in to fix all the potential pitfalls. It is relatively easy to sit on a fence and say one should put up $19,000, hire a top rated installer and get it done but the vast majority of people I know do not have $19,000 sitting around, with very limited options. You have shown it is possible even for a relative novice to cut a sizable chunk of cost off, something like 60% of the cost it appears. My hats off to you.

Thank you for documenting in great detail and your patience in dealing with other posters. I wish more people would post their difficulties and solutions/failures, esp. in terms of trying to cut cost. I think people learn more from your process than the hundreds of projects that report no issues with a $40,000 budget.

Also, I too felt like an expert by the time the process was done and could probably fly through the install, as long as it is the exact same equipment and city! What I do know is that all AHJ’s are different and the equipment is all different and each one has a learning curve to it. Personally I don’t think I know enough to go into business based on one install. JMT et al… Again delayed congrats....