Solar panels Up and running

Man. You beat me.

I'm still waiting for SDG&E to give me "permission" to turn it on. I finally called them on Friday but haven't heard back.

I'm still sitting on the bill from Borrego Solar because my system isn't on yet and I don't pay until it's on. They're the ones that should be after SDG&E to get my permission.

I guess you beat me because of the delays in my having to upgrade my electrical system to 125 AMPS.

Congrats.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tadashi @ Sep 9 2007, 11:08 AM) [snapback]509550[/snapback]</div>

There's the rub.

It was 60. And no one told me. Borrego Solar knew it was 60 (probably from the start) but they certainly knew after SDG&E came out to review the project and faxed THEM a paper saying it needed to be upgraded to 125. They didn't tell me and kept working until the final inspection....which failed.

I made them pay half of the upgrade the inspector demanded. He demanded 125 because of the size of my inverter, not how many panels I had on the roof. So even if I had 110 I still would have had to upgrade.

Morons.

Well, they paid $900 for keeping their mouths shut. If they had told me upfront I either would have paid the entire thing, or I never would have started the project. I guess they were afraid they would lose a sale. So their deception cost them $900.

And a project that was supposed to take 3 days has now passed the 5th week and is going on 6. And it still isn't ON.

BTW I didn't get the webthing for my inverter. If I want to see what it's doing, I just walk outside and look. Of course....it isn't doing ANYTHING right now.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(efusco @ Sep 9 2007, 11:30 AM) [snapback]509565[/snapback]</div>

Yes. Amps. I keep getting the volts and amps mixed up. Please don't review the water analogy. Just accpet that I'm never going to remember and keep getting them switched. Just watch the numbers and ignore everything else.

I had 60. Now I have 125. And my PV system still isn't on. And don't hire Borrego Solar. There's the highpoints.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tadashi @ Sep 9 2007, 02:22 PM) [snapback]509659[/snapback]</div>

Ah. Well, then it makes sense if you want to keep track long distance. I rarely go anywhere so I can just go outside and look.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tadashi @ Sep 9 2007, 09:58 AM) [snapback]509516[/snapback]</div>

WOW! That's a lot of watts. I'm jealous.May I ask what you paid?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tadashi @ Sep 9 2007, 08:58 AM) [snapback]509516[/snapback]</div>

Not to be picky, mate, but both of those values are above 20. Did you mean that your best overcast day netted 21 kWh?

 

So far my system is generating.....0 kwh.

But I know what the hangup is.

SDG&E has been out twice...to my fenced yard with the locked gate and the dog running loose.

Uh....DUH.

So they're coming out tomorrow at 3:30pm and a representative from Borrego Solar is going to be there to explain exactly how Borrego Solar is going to relocate the shutoff box so SDG&E has 24/7 access without getting bit. Should be very entertaining.

 

Very cool stuff. Thx for putting up the links to see power generated. Really good to see actual results for these panels.

How many square meters of solar panels do you have?

 

Very cool stuff. Thx for putting up the links to see power generated. Really good to see actual results for these panels.

How many square meters of solar panels do you have?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tadashi @ Sep 11 2007, 08:04 PM) [snapback]510938[/snapback]</div>

Well, apparently Borrego Solar is NOT SDG&E Ken's favorite solar company. They've apparently done this before. But they are also not the only solar company that does this. Ken is their net metering guy and has the final approval before the system can be turned on. He did not approve.

He gave them a polite butt reaming. The shaking of the head and "you guys know the rules, we've been through this before." He presented several scenarios. All involve SDG&E having 24/7 access to my meter and shutoff. Basically I have to give them an easement.

#1. Put a fence across the middle of my back yard to keep the dog away from the current location. Probably 300 sq ft or more of easement involved and a butt ugly division in the middle of my landscaping and brick patio. Not to mention no dog to ensure security against breakins for that area. A window in that area was the break in entry point for a robbery before I got my first dog. Cheapest solution. Borrego Solar really likes this and doesn't understand why I object. Detracts from property values.

#2. Relocate meter and shut off to where the current gas meter is. This would involve an easement of about 100-150 sq feet and cut off the back corner of my back yard and a substantial corner of a second brick patio and a corner where I have a fountain set up. SDG&E likes this best because they can read the gas and electric together. Again, I object. Plus starting next year they're converting all of the gas and electric meters to radio controled reading so I find this unnecessary too. Detracts from property values.

#3. Relocate meter and shut off to the northwest corner of my garage next to a back gate to the alley. Replace lock in gate to SDG&E approved lock for access. I build a second gate at the next fencepost in to isolate the area and keep the dog out. Only about 40 sq ft and can't be seen from the yard so has no impact on my landscaping or views. This is the only option I will approve. No impact on property values.

I also won't pay one penny for any work done.

I also will not allow Borrego Solar or any of their representatives to work on my property without my direct supervision.

They left yesterday saying they were going to go back to the office and "talk over the options". They said they'd get back to me. Today? No message on the answering machine. No e-mail. When SDG&E Ken left he said to me "would you like to be cc'd on every e-mail?" I said "yes, and I want to have the number of every permit that is pulled."

If they do not contact me I'll be contacting them. They have until tomorrow because they don't work on Fridays. I will inform them their services are no longer required. I will be hiring an independent contractor to provide option #3 and after it is approved and my system is up and running, I will deduct all expenses from the final payment they are owed.

If I get any grief, they can take me to court. My first two witnesses will be SDG&E netmetering guy Ken and City Inspector Dale. Then I'll call Michael Turko, our local news "bad business fraud investigator". I really think the practices of the solar market need to make the evening news.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tadashi @ Sep 11 2007, 08:04 PM) [snapback]510938[/snapback]</div>

Well, apparently Borrego Solar is NOT SDG&E Ken's favorite solar company. They've apparently done this before. But they are also not the only solar company that does this. Ken is their net metering guy and has the final approval before the system can be turned on. He did not approve.

He gave them a polite butt reaming. The shaking of the head and "you guys know the rules, we've been through this before." He presented several scenarios. All involve SDG&E having 24/7 access to my meter and shutoff. Basically I have to give them an easement.

#1. Put a fence across the middle of my back yard to keep the dog away from the current location. Probably 300 sq ft or more of easement involved and a butt ugly division in the middle of my landscaping and brick patio. Not to mention no dog to ensure security against breakins for that area. A window in that area was the break in entry point for a robbery before I got my first dog. Cheapest solution. Borrego Solar really likes this and doesn't understand why I object. Detracts from property values.

#2. Relocate meter and shut off to where the current gas meter is. This would involve an easement of about 100-150 sq feet and cut off the back corner of my back yard and a substantial corner of a second brick patio and a corner where I have a fountain set up. SDG&E likes this best because they can read the gas and electric together. Again, I object. Plus starting next year they're converting all of the gas and electric meters to radio controled reading so I find this unnecessary too. Detracts from property values.

#3. Relocate meter and shut off to the northwest corner of my garage next to a back gate to the alley. Replace lock in gate to SDG&E approved lock for access. I build a second gate at the next fencepost in to isolate the area and keep the dog out. Only about 40 sq ft and can't be seen from the yard so has no impact on my landscaping or views. This is the only option I will approve. No impact on property values.

I also won't pay one penny for any work done.

I also will not allow Borrego Solar or any of their representatives to work on my property without my direct supervision.

They left yesterday saying they were going to go back to the office and "talk over the options". They said they'd get back to me. Today? No message on the answering machine. No e-mail. When SDG&E Ken left he said to me "would you like to be cc'd on every e-mail?" I said "yes, and I want to have the number of every permit that is pulled."

If they do not contact me I'll be contacting them. They have until tomorrow because they don't work on Fridays. I will inform them their services are no longer required. I will be hiring an independent contractor to provide option #3 and after it is approved and my system is up and running, I will deduct all expenses from the final payment they are owed.

If I get any grief, they can take me to court. My first two witnesses will be SDG&E netmetering guy Ken and City Inspector Dale. Then I'll call Michael Turko, our local news "bad business fraud investigator". I really think the practices of the solar market need to make the evening news.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tadashi @ Sep 12 2007, 09:30 PM) [snapback]511691[/snapback]</div>

Well if it isn't the original location when the house was built in 1922 it's the location when the house was remodeled in 1949. The reader goes on the balcony of the apartment next door and reads both the electrical meter on the house and the gas meter on the garage will a little telescope. Mine is not the only house in San Diego which SDG&E does this. They've been doing it for the 20 years I've lived there. Even when I didn't have dogs. But now with the PV they are a lot fussier. The SDG&E guy told a story about drug dealers in Clairemont who had PV installed and grew marijuana with hydroponics and grow lights at night. No one had a clue because no one knew how much electricity they were using.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tadashi @ Sep 12 2007, 09:30 PM) [snapback]511691[/snapback]</div>

Well I have a detached garage. And the original circuit breaker box is in a closet in the kitchen. So they'll have to run conduit from the attic of the house to the garage and then to the northwest corner of the garage. While the side of the kitchen where the meter and shutoff currently are will be cleaner to look at with all of that removed, I'll have many holes drilled in my siding that will have to be patched and painted over, plus a hole straight up in the soffit through the roof. I just had the roof done in 2001 with 50 year rated architectural shingles. So the roof is going to have to be patched. Patched all over. I am pissed because if the meter had been corrected relocated when the service was switched from 60 to 125 NONE of it would have happened.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tadashi @ Sep 12 2007, 09:30 PM) [snapback]511691[/snapback]</div>

I would advise anyone thinking of doing this to yes, contact the net metering guy to get any info. I would also get him and the City Inspector out to look at your project before any work is done at all. They can say up front what they want and you can make sure that that is what they get when the work is done. None of this trying to fix it after it's WRONG.

Found out from my Chiropractor today that she has friends that had grief from Borrego Solar too. And she says NEVER buy Pella Windows. She went through hell with them.