Considering solar panels, looking for sizing/financing advice

[willow_hiller]

PEPCO publishes their timeline for the process. My experience was I got an email one day before every due date. This was until PTO, where I had to contact them and got PTO within a couple business days after that.

Oof. Found the timeline https://www.pepco.com/SiteCollectionDocuments/Pepco Maryland Application Process Steps_2015Dec31.pdf

I really hope my interconnect approval doesn't take 20 business days. Including today, I've got 10 business days until my installation date.

 

[wjgjr]

Oof. Found the timeline https://www.pepco.com/SiteCollectionDocuments/Pepco Maryland Application Process Steps_2015Dec31.pdf

I really hope my interconnect approval doesn't take 20 business days. Including today, I've got 10 business days until my installation date.

That is the timeline they seem to be following. Just hope you don't need to repeat the Approval process due to changes made during install.

 

[willow_hiller]

That is the timeline they seem to be following. Just hope you don't need to repeat the Approval process due to changes made during install.

I'm guessing Tesla found they needed to make changes for you on installation day? Did you have a site visit?

We had a pretty comprehensive visit, with the guy climbing a ladder to check on the roof, checking in all the attic spaces, and even donning a big jumpsuit and what looked like a welding mask to inspect the main panel. So I'm hoping I get no installation-day surprises.

 

[wjgjr]

I'm guessing Tesla found they needed to make changes for you on installation day? Did you have a site visit?

We had a pretty comprehensive visit, with the guy climbing a ladder to check on the roof, checking in all the attic spaces, and even donning a big jumpsuit and what looked like a welding mask to inspect the main panel. So I'm hoping I get no installation-day surprises.

We had two issues. First, we did add a 2nd PW late in the process. And second, there were some smaller changes in the layout of the panels and cabling. Apparently that was enough to require permit changes.

 

[willow_hiller]

We never got such a notice, but when we tried to access the website PEPCO referenced in emails about our status, it kept saying we had no project.

This would almost be funny if Pepco wasn't so inept... Got a status update today:

There has been the following activity on your Solar PV project at 'XXX'. Your project is in the Incomplete status.

You can view the latest activity for your Project in Pepco's Customer Project Tracker found here: Broken link

I'm guessing "Incomplete" is bad because you said you got a "Ready to Install" status at one point. But it would be nice to know what is incomplete. Their review? My form?

 

[wjgjr]

This would almost be funny if Pepco wasn't so inept... Got a status update today:



I'm guessing "Incomplete" is bad because you said you got a "Ready to Install" status at one point. But it would be nice to know what is incomplete. Their review? My form?

For those emails, the first I got was "Incomplete". Then, the same day, "Resubmitted." I got several "Resubmitted" ones before eventually getting "Technical Review Completed" about a month later (but 2 weeks after the last "Resubmitted") followed the same day by "Approved to Install". Then, a month and a half later were the 10+ "In Service" emails (and also, i noticed, a "Part II Submitted" and "Meter Install Completed" status at the same time as the "In Service" ones.)

So, I would guess incomplete means that Tesla started something but hasn't provided all the documentation yet. Hopefully it is just a temporary thing and will change status soon, but I would check with Tesla if it doesn't change within a day or two at most.

As a note, when I first started, PEPCO seemed to be managing things here - Pepco | Pepco - An Exelon Company - I don't know if they are even using that page (CRW = Customer Requested Work) any longer. So all of my status emails started with Tesla submitting the updated plans after the actual install. So, you may see some different statuses than I do. (And, as I mentioned, the link in the emails for me was always to MyGeneration and that never actually showed my project as existing.)

 

[willow_hiller]

Install day tomorrow! Got any tips? I've already got a cooler full of water bottles in the fridge ready for the workmen. 20% chance of rain, which has me slightly worried.

 

[wjgjr]

Install day tomorrow! Got any tips? I've already got a cooler full of water bottles in the fridge ready for the workmen. 20% chance of rain, which has me slightly worried.

Tell them to hurry - latest models for Hurricane Laura have it hitting our area as a subtropical storm this weekend. (Though with all the uncertainties, probably won't be that big a deal, but who knows.)

I'm assuming that if the weather is too bad, they will just pack it in and continue the next day. With the way the weather has been around here, seems like they would have to deal with afternoon thunderstorms often.

 

[BrettS]

Install day tomorrow! Got any tips? I've already got a cooler full of water bottles in the fridge ready for the workmen. 20% chance of rain, which has me slightly worried.

You forgot the most important thing... take lots of pictures for us

And you might want to ask your installers for a map of your optimizers as I posted here...

PSA for folks getting a new solar install - ask for a map of your panel/optimizer layout

 

[k-mal_808]

Install day tomorrow! Got any tips? I've already got a cooler full of water bottles in the fridge ready for the workmen. 20% chance of rain, which has me slightly worried.

Congrats. I met the lead/foreman upon arrival and asked to walk the job and get his plan on conduit runs, equipment/PW locations, and got his input on panel layout and if he recommended or saw a need for any panel location changes(which he did). I also let him know once he had his optimizer/layout map completed I’d appreciate the chance to snap a picture(he obliged). The crew that did my install here on Oahu was really top notch and did very clean work. All in all I was really happy with the job. Good luck.

 

[pdx_m3s]

Install day tomorrow! Got any tips? I've already got a cooler full of water bottles in the fridge ready for the workmen. 20% chance of rain, which has me slightly worried.

Sweet! Take lot's of pictures. I'm' hopefully not far off. We take possession of the house on Friday, and will be able to schedule hopefully shortly after that.

 

[willow_hiller]

Good morning, Tesla!

Had a chat with the foreman, really nice guy. Had to have a think about where to place my load center, as our main panel is right next to our fireplace. They were really cautious about making any penetrations near the chimney. But he said it should fit. Will also email me a photo of the optimizer map.

Also, the panels themselves are much larger than I imagined. Watching the guys unloading them, they're about as tall and as wide as them!

 

[willow_hiller]

Gateway is plugged in. Installer said about an hour left. Sorry I haven't had many opportunities to take too many photos. The installers have been working flat out since 7 am!

 

[pdx_m3s]

Gateway is plugged in. Installer said about an hour left. Sorry I haven't had many opportunities to take too many photos. The installers have been working flat out since 7 am!

How big is the crew?

 

[wjgjr]

Gateway is plugged in. Installer said about an hour left. Sorry I haven't had many opportunities to take too many photos. The installers have been working flat out since 7 am!

Glad it's going smoothly - even the weather cooperated, at least rain-wise. Probably still not much fun for the installers.

 

[BrettS]

Sorry I haven't had many opportunities to take too many photos.

I’m very disappointed in the lack of photos. You better make it up to us after they finish

Congrats on the new system though. I’m glad things are going well

 

[willow_hiller]

How big is the crew?

About 5 guys. A box truck, a Tesla branded pickup, and a sedan. We actually haven't had much contact since they're taking social distancing seriously. Just chatted with the foreman a bit at the start and the journeyman while plugging in the gateway.

 

[willow_hiller]

Crew is just cleaning up outside. I'll need to schedule a time with their carpenter to patch and paint some drywall in the basement. But the load center seems to have fit nicely. Spotting red stickers already! Can't wait to count the red stickers outside.

 

[willow_hiller]

Okay, here comes the photo post! So they did end up adjusting the layout, very similar to what you suggested @pdx_m3s . It's nice because moving the panels from the North-sides to the South-sides should net us an extra 0.5 MWh every year. Very pleased with how this turned out. Conduit hidden nicely behind the chimney (the extra J-box in the photo is from my Wall Connector). Got the optimizer map with serial numbers texted to me, just posting the numbered layout here so you can see how the panel layout changed.

Bets on how many weeks until PTO?

 

[BrettS]

That looks great, congrats. I’m a little surprised that you got an inverter with a screen. I had thought that they were only installing the non screen solar edge inverters now.

As far as weeks until PTO, I’m currently at 9 weeks and I still have as much as 30 days left, according to my utility.