Solar Power - Part 2
Time to install some solar panels!
Timeline
2013-05-03 Requested price quotes from several installers
2013-05-03 First phone and email contact with solar installers (CAM Solar)
2013-05-06 First installer to walk around on my roof and give suggestions (Longhorn Solar)
2013-05-07 Received first written price quote for solar system
2013-05-08 First survey and price quote for roof replacement
2013-05-09 Home Owners Association Approval
2013-05-10 Roof air vents removed, sewer vent rerouted to north surface
2013-05-11 Old roof removed and tar paper resurfaced
2013-05-12 New roof shingles installed (Day 1)
2013-05-13 New roof shingles installed (Day 2)
2013-05-14 Oak tree in the backyard cut down
2013-05-15 Oak trees in the front yard trimmed
2013-05-16 Signed contract with solar installer. Application documents sent to the power company.
2013-07-01 Power company finally approves solar application
2013-07-03 Received all solar panels, inverters, and racks. Racks mounted on the roof.
2013-07-04 Solar panels mounted on the roof
2013-07-09 Wires run and additional electrical boxes mounted to the wall
2013-07-30 Utility company swaps the old meter with the new PV meter and turns the system on! Internet monitoring system setup.
Overview
All 29 panels in a stack.
![](https://pipedot.org/pub/2014/09/20/photo_2TB7_1440x1080.jpg)
Each panel contains 60 monocrystalline cells soldered together behind a glass cover.
![](https://pipedot.org/pub/2014/09/20/photo_2TB8_1440x1080.jpg)
The panels bolt onto these aluminium tracks mounted on the roof.
![](https://pipedot.org/pub/2014/09/20/photo_2TB9_1440x1080.jpg)
Behind each panel resides an micro-inverter that immediately converts the DC of the panel to the AC of the grid.
![](https://pipedot.org/pub/2014/09/20/photo_2TBA_1440x1080.jpg)
Most panels are on the south-west facing surface of the roof.
![](https://pipedot.org/pub/2014/09/20/photo_2TBB_1440x1080.jpg)
![](https://pipedot.org/pub/2014/09/20/photo_2TBC_1440x1080.jpg)
The middle and right sections face south-east.
![](https://pipedot.org/pub/2014/09/20/photo_2TBD_1440x1080.jpg)
![](https://pipedot.org/pub/2014/09/20/photo_2TBE_1440x1080.jpg)
![](https://pipedot.org/pub/2014/09/20/photo_2TBF_1440x1080.jpg)
![](https://pipedot.org/pub/2014/09/20/photo_2TBG_1440x1080.jpg)
Because the micro-inverters take care of the hard part, this simple junction box is all that is needed to tie the runs together.
![](https://pipedot.org/pub/2014/09/20/photo_2TBH_1440x1080.jpg)
Lots of boxes! On the top from left to right we have:
![](https://pipedot.org/pub/2014/09/20/photo_2TBJ_1440x1080.jpg)
This is the PV meter. It simply counts how many kWh of electricity the solar system has produced.
![](https://pipedot.org/pub/2014/09/20/photo_2TBK_1440x1080.jpg)
This is the revenue meter. It cycles between a number of counters. Although the display does have an animated "arrow" that moves backwards during the day, none of the counters are actually negative. The relevant counters are: "Total kWh delivered from the utility" and "Total excess kWh sent out to the utility."
![](https://pipedot.org/pub/2014/09/20/photo_2TBM_1440x1080.jpg)
Timeline
2013-05-03 Requested price quotes from several installers
2013-05-03 First phone and email contact with solar installers (CAM Solar)
2013-05-06 First installer to walk around on my roof and give suggestions (Longhorn Solar)
2013-05-07 Received first written price quote for solar system
2013-05-08 First survey and price quote for roof replacement
2013-05-09 Home Owners Association Approval
2013-05-10 Roof air vents removed, sewer vent rerouted to north surface
2013-05-11 Old roof removed and tar paper resurfaced
2013-05-12 New roof shingles installed (Day 1)
2013-05-13 New roof shingles installed (Day 2)
2013-05-14 Oak tree in the backyard cut down
2013-05-15 Oak trees in the front yard trimmed
2013-05-16 Signed contract with solar installer. Application documents sent to the power company.
2013-07-01 Power company finally approves solar application
2013-07-03 Received all solar panels, inverters, and racks. Racks mounted on the roof.
2013-07-04 Solar panels mounted on the roof
2013-07-09 Wires run and additional electrical boxes mounted to the wall
2013-07-30 Utility company swaps the old meter with the new PV meter and turns the system on! Internet monitoring system setup.
Overview
- 7.685 kW DC Power
- 29 Renesola 240 Watt Panels
- 29 Enphase Micro Inverters
- Enphase Envoy Gateway
- Gross System Cost: $29,946
- Utility and Installer Rebates: $16,895
- Federal Tax Credit: $3,915
- Net Cost: $9,136
All 29 panels in a stack.
![](https://pipedot.org/pub/2014/09/20/photo_2TB7_1440x1080.jpg)
Each panel contains 60 monocrystalline cells soldered together behind a glass cover.
![](https://pipedot.org/pub/2014/09/20/photo_2TB8_1440x1080.jpg)
The panels bolt onto these aluminium tracks mounted on the roof.
![](https://pipedot.org/pub/2014/09/20/photo_2TB9_1440x1080.jpg)
Behind each panel resides an micro-inverter that immediately converts the DC of the panel to the AC of the grid.
![](https://pipedot.org/pub/2014/09/20/photo_2TBA_1440x1080.jpg)
Most panels are on the south-west facing surface of the roof.
![](https://pipedot.org/pub/2014/09/20/photo_2TBB_1440x1080.jpg)
![](https://pipedot.org/pub/2014/09/20/photo_2TBC_1440x1080.jpg)
The middle and right sections face south-east.
![](https://pipedot.org/pub/2014/09/20/photo_2TBD_1440x1080.jpg)
![](https://pipedot.org/pub/2014/09/20/photo_2TBE_1440x1080.jpg)
![](https://pipedot.org/pub/2014/09/20/photo_2TBF_1440x1080.jpg)
![](https://pipedot.org/pub/2014/09/20/photo_2TBG_1440x1080.jpg)
Because the micro-inverters take care of the hard part, this simple junction box is all that is needed to tie the runs together.
![](https://pipedot.org/pub/2014/09/20/photo_2TBH_1440x1080.jpg)
Lots of boxes! On the top from left to right we have:
- Revenue meter
- Main breaker panel
- Sub breaker panel
- PV meter
- PV cutoff switch
- PV panel with lightning arrester
- ATT U-Verse box
- Time Warner Cable box
- Enphase Envoy box
![](https://pipedot.org/pub/2014/09/20/photo_2TBJ_1440x1080.jpg)
This is the PV meter. It simply counts how many kWh of electricity the solar system has produced.
![](https://pipedot.org/pub/2014/09/20/photo_2TBK_1440x1080.jpg)
This is the revenue meter. It cycles between a number of counters. Although the display does have an animated "arrow" that moves backwards during the day, none of the counters are actually negative. The relevant counters are: "Total kWh delivered from the utility" and "Total excess kWh sent out to the utility."
![](https://pipedot.org/pub/2014/09/20/photo_2TBM_1440x1080.jpg)