Considering solar panels, looking for sizing/financing advice

[jjrandorin]

At least PEPCO just provides these silly charts (which seem not to take into account a lot of things, including gas vs. electric appliance use, number of people, EVs, house size) and doesn't call and harass you like folks in CA reported PG&E doing.

I have never had SCE call me like some report PGE doing, however, I still get these reports sometimes and they are "full of you-know-what". I had a lot more typed here but realized I was just ranting against SCE, and there was no value add to it (other than making me feel better by ranting, lol.

Anyway, those reports are stupid, and at least in our case, dont seem to take into account anything other than straight usage... meaning "efficient homes" might be 1/3 the size of my home, for example.

 

[Electrph]

I have never had SCE call me like some report PGE doing, however, I still get these reports sometimes and they are "full of you-know-what". I had a lot more typed here but realized I was just ranting against SCE, and there was no value add to it (other than making me feel better by ranting, lol.

Anyway, those reports are stupid, and at least in our case, dont seem to take into account anything other than straight usage... meaning "efficient homes" might be 1/3 the size of my home, for example.

if you discover a way to opt out of these (monthly for me) SCE letters please let me know they are essentially propaganda and a waste of paper
I do agree SCE at least in my area is much less aggressive with this than PG&E

 

[willow_hiller]

I know I had mentioned in other threads that we were looking to upgrade our HVAC as well, and I'm considering getting it done now before the winter hits.

Is there any reason why it would be a bad idea to get major appliance work done while waiting for PTO? Or does it make sense to get it done while our system is unpowered anyway?

 

[wjgjr]

I know I had mentioned in other threads that we were looking to upgrade our HVAC as well, and I'm considering getting it done now before the winter hits.

Is there any reason why it would be a bad idea to get major appliance work done while waiting for PTO? Or does it make sense to get it done while our system is unpowered anyway?

As long as the county permits for the solar are marked "Finaled", I don't see it as an issue (and even if they aren't, it really shouldn't matter, but an outside chance they get confused somehow.) Especially if you don't have PWs, there should be no problem doing the install, and I doubt the utility would notice, let alone care, about pending work not related to the solar install, as far as granting PTO.

 

[willow_hiller]

"There has been the following activity on your Solar PV project. Your project is in the In Service status."

Is this PTO?? Am I finally ready to pull the big switch outside??

Edit: It's alive! Nice bright sunny day to turn on.

Edit edit: Hmm, one unresponsive optimizer?

Edit edit edit: False alarm. It just took a minute. We're up to full steam

 

[wjgjr]

"There has been the following activity on your Solar PV project. Your project is in the In Service status."

Is this PTO?? Am I finally ready to pull the big switch outside??

Edit: It's alive! Nice bright sunny day to turn on.

View attachment 590529

Edit edit: Hmm, one unresponsive optimizer?

View attachment 590530

Edit edit edit: False alarm. It just took a minute. We're up to full steam

View attachment 590533

Congrats - seems like you had a relatively smooth process. Out of random curiosity - did PTO coincide with the start/end of your billing cycle? I was wondering if PEPCO held ours to make it fit with the billing cycle since we got ours right when our normal billing cycle would seem to be (I know ours aren't quite exactly the same day every month, but close.)

And definitely a nice day to start - I think I will generate more solar in the second half of Sept. than the first, just due to the crappy weather in the first half versus this week (and possibly more) of almost full sun we are in the middle of.

 

[willow_hiller]

Out of random curiosity - did PTO coincide with the start/end of your billing cycle? I was wondering if PEPCO held ours to make it fit with the billing cycle since we got ours right when our normal billing cycle would seem to be (I know ours aren't quite exactly the same day every month, but close.)

Doesn't seem so. Looks like I'm just over a week into a new billing cycle:

 

[wjgjr]

Doesn't seem so. Looks like I'm just over a week into a new billing cycle:

View attachment 590537

Well, so much for me trying to give PEPCO an excuse for part of their delays. Guess I will have to go back to incompetence as the explanation.

 

[willow_hiller]

Alright, based on looking around at some public systems on SolarEdge near my zipcode, I believe my daily peak should occur around now. Looks like I'm producing 8.4 kW peak on a cool, clear day in September. Can't wait to get the Tesla App turned on.

 

[pdx_m3s]

Congrats! Mine will probably be coming online in December. Just in time for our cold gloomy winter.

 

[willow_hiller]

Hmm, I guess we can't tell people to use 877-571-7652 for general solar customer service any more. I had no response from my advisor since PTO this morning so I thought I would call to see if they could turn on the Tesla App.

The prompt for a zip code has now been replaced with an apology about high call volume, and a message to either reach out to your assigned advisor or submit their help form online.

 

[BrettS]

Hmm, I guess we can't tell people to use 877-571-7652 for general solar customer service any more. I had no response from my advisor since PTO this morning so I thought I would call to see if they could turn on the Tesla App.

The prompt for a zip code has now been replaced with an apology about high call volume, and a message to either reach out to your assigned advisor or submit their help form online.

That’s interesting. I wonder if it’s a temporary thing that happens when they have really high call volume and it will go back to normal when the volume goes down or if it’s just going to be like that forever.

However, that’s probably not the best number for you to call about the app anyway. I think that’s more of a sales and pre-PTO type number. The after PTO tech support number is 877-798-3752.

 

[wjgjr]

Got your system active in time for the bizarre Peak Savings Day event from PEPCO. Program seems to have been intended to reduce load on a few hot summer days where everybody is running their A/C, but I don't think they had any this year. Maybe one is required annually or something, so, tomorrow they are having a 1-hour event from 1-2 PM (which is too early for peak) on a sunny, fall day (73 degree forecast high).

 

[willow_hiller]

Got your system active in time for the bizarre Peak Savings Day event from PEPCO. Program seems to have been intended to reduce load on a few hot summer days where everybody is running their A/C, but I don't think they had any this year. Maybe one is required annually or something, so, tomorrow they are having a 1-hour event from 1-2 PM (which is too early for peak) on a sunny, fall day (73 degree forecast high).

Haha, I was wondering about that myself. I wonder exactly how they calculate the baseline, and how they'll consider energy generation during that period.

 

[jjrandorin]

That’s interesting. I wonder if it’s a temporary thing that happens when they have really high call volume and it will go back to normal when the volume goes down or if it’s just going to be like that forever.

However, that’s probably not the best number for you to call about the app anyway. I think that’s more of a sales and pre-PTO type number. The after PTO tech support number is 877-798-3752.

Thats so funny, lol. The tesla number I have in my phone for "Tesla Energy Support" is 877-961-7652 and I dont remember a time when they didnt pick up the phone at that number. Wonder what the difference in the number I have and the number @BrettS has is?

 

[BrettS]

Thats so funny, lol. The tesla number I have in my phone for "Tesla Energy Support" is 877-961-7652 and I dont remember a time when they didnt pick up the phone at that number. Wonder what the difference in the number I have and the number @BrettS has is?

I’ve seen that number posted before too and I tried calling it once. I think they both go to the same place after selecting the menu options. Mine seems to be more of a general tesla support number as the first menu has options for cars and roadside support in addition to energy products while yours just seems to be energy only.

My number was given to me by my installers, so that’s the one I have saved in my phone and the one I hand out here on the forum.

 

[wjgjr]

Haha, I was wondering about that myself. I wonder exactly how they calculate the baseline, and how they'll consider energy generation during that period.

Baseline is average of your 3 highest usage amounts over the prior 30 days. As to whether you get credit for going negative, I don't know - I'm hoping so.

 

[willow_hiller]

Hmmmm... Well, while on the phone with Tesla and being assured they couldn't do anything until they get notice of PTO, I got an email saying they received it.

Now the only issue is the app is not showing solar production

Might have to give it a few minutes...

 

[BrettS]

Now the only issue is the app is not showing solar production

Do you think your house really is using 5.9kW of power right now? That’s a really high number unless you have something like an electric drier or electric oven running. And if your solar is actually turned on and exporting to the grid then you shouldn’t be pulling in any power from the grid. I wonder if it’s possible that your CT’s are backwards and you are actually sending 5.9kW to the grid.

 

[willow_hiller]

Do you think your house really is using 5.9kW of power right now? That’s a really high number unless you have something like an electric drier or electric oven running. And if your solar is actually turned on and exporting to the grid then you shouldn’t be pulling in any power from the grid. I wonder if it’s possible that your CT’s are backwards and you are actually sending 5.9kW to the grid.

Yeah it's definitely backwards. And for some reason the long-term data part of the app seems to know it, but the live data part does not. It somehow thinks I've supplied 40 kWh to the grid via means other than solar.