Our Solar Panel Installation Experience

[tomcat]

Our Solar Panel Installation Experience

We had done some research on installing solar panels a few years ago and the cost at that time was more than we could afford.

We decided to test the waters again and got a quote from SolarWorks of Sebastopol and Real Goods Solar from Hopland.

The quotes were now more affordable and the two were nearly the same, except that Real Goods also offered a $500. gift card if we signed up before Christmas.

We signed a contract with Real Goods to install a system that will provide 70% of our electric needs while being easily expandable to 100% later on.

When we were ready, they set an installation date (January 12) and they then performed the 14 panel installation on time and all in one day. They did a very nice job and it really looks great.

A few days later, we found out that a new county wide ordinance had gone into effect on the day of our installation and the uninformed Real Goods rep was denied a permit to install the system based on the plans not conforming to the new ordinance.

Now, why he waited until the day of the installation to try and get a permit is beyond me, but I guess they’d never had a problem doing that before.

The new ordinance requires a three foot setback from the roof’s ridgeline and edges I believe (for cutting a hole to vent the attic in case of fire), and ours was installed all the way to the top to deliver the best performance due to some shadows down lower on the roof.

Real Goods could not get the permit department to budge and so they said that they would have to reinstall the array in a different configuration (at their cost).

I did not want more holes in my roof or a new configuration, so I called Efren Carrillo’s office and spoke with a very helpful aid there named Susan Upchurch. She took my information and got back to me very quickly and told me the name of the Fire Marshall that I would need to talk to in order to request an ordinance exception and that he did have some leeway to approve the project. (Thanks Susan !)

I sent the Fire Marshall photos of my Solar panel installation and when he realized that I had gable vent doors on each side of the house that could be opened to vent heat and smoke in case of fire, he approved the plans and we got the permit.

The county rep then came and did an inspection and gave us her stamp of approval.
Now we must wait for PG&E to come and install a bi-directional meter so that we can start producing our own power from the sun. WAY COOL !


In my opinion, Real Goods Solar did a very nice installation, but on the management side they are a little too bureaucratic and disorganized.
I hope that some part of my story may be of help in your solar panel Installation.

[2Bwacco]

hey!

Thank you for a wonderfully-worded, well-laid out time line of your experience. Anyone who has done work (or had work done) on their home can see there is a lot of frustration and effort between each line and paragraph!

Remember, the solar array will make it possible to be exempted from a SmartMeter; evidently the meters are not smart enough to understand the concept of power generation at your site and no monies being charged.

[Barry]

hey!

Thank you for a wonderfully-worded, well-laid out time line of your experience. Anyone who has done work (or had work done) on their home can see there is a lot of frustration and effort between each line and paragraph!

Ditto!

Remember, the solar array will make it possible to be exempted from a SmartMeter; evidently the meters are not smart enough to understand the concept of power generation at your site and no monies being charged.

I got a FREE solar system through a post I happened to catch on WaccoBB.net (Amazing! Thanks Shandi!) Anywho, I believe they put in a SmartMeter that runs both ways. Being a wi-fi kind of guy, it's fine with me....

[tomcat]

I believe they put in a SmartMeter that runs both ways. Being a wi-fi kind of guy, it's fine with me....

I was under the impression that the smart meter can not handle the bi-directional necessity for Solar. I'll let you all know for sure when PG&E gets around to changing out my meter.

[tomcat]

Yesterday I got my new bi-directional solar NETMTR installed. I asked the installer when they would have smart meters for solar systems and he said that they are about two years away from having them.

I was under the impression that the smart meter can not handle the bi-directional necessity for Solar. I'll let you all know for sure when PG&E gets around to changing out my meter.

[Tecumseh525]

Our solar was installed a few years ago with a NETMTR. PGE installed a smart meter on our gas meter at the end of last year. Our house is a modular, very tiny, and the smart meter is located at the corner of the house just outside our living room, within 15 ft or so of our couch and recliners.

Yesterday I got my new bi-directional solar NETMTR installed. I asked the installer when they would have smart meters for solar systems and he said that they are about two years away from having them.

[Barry]

Apparently my new 2-way electric meter for my solar system is NOT a smart meter:


HOWEVER, my gas meter is! That's fine with me, but I notice there has been hardly any discussion about Gas SmartMeters.
Do all the same concerns apply?

[tomcat]

What about water meters? A few years ago, they installed a device on our water meter so a city truck can just drive by and read it electronically. It must be "sending" all the time for that to work? Meter reader never needs to get out of their vehicle... boy are they going to gain weight.

Apparently my new 2-way electric meter for my solar system is NOT a smart meter:

HOWEVER, my gas meter is! That's fine with me, but I notice there has been hardly any discussion about Gas SmartMeters Do all the same concerns apply?

[BobHeisler]

The issue really isn't whether the SmartMeter is on an electric or gas meter. It's the method of transmission that's a concern. The meters use radio frequency signals to transmit consumers' consumption for billing and energy management purposes. Some people, such as my sister, are very sensitive to SmartMeters and have contracted radiation sickness from acute exposure. More and more communities throughout the country are becoming aware of the safety hazards they pose. Some towns and cities have issued moritoria or outright bans on their installation.

[Tecumseh525]

Pardon the off topic tilt here, but is it just me, or do the words "energy management purposes" create a visual of management being expanded from what's being controlled at the moment to *them* being able to control how much energy is delivered to us in the event of a situation of extreme demand, or limited availability. It's one thing to request via the media that we conserve more at particular times, but what if in the future we're advised via the media that we'll only be given X amount. Control of our households at their discretion at any time.

Perhaps though that would work to the advantage of all, so that distribution can be triaged as necessary, ensuring our hospitals and emergency services would be prioritized, along with senior care centers or households with known medical needs.

The issue really isn't whether the SmartMeter is on an electric or gas meter. It's the method of transmission that's a concern. The meters use radio frequency signals to transmit consumers' consumption for billing and energy management purposes. Some people, such as my sister, are very sensitive to SmartMeters and have contracted radiation sickness from acute exposure. More and more communities throughout the country are becoming aware of the safety hazards they pose. Some towns and cities have issued moritoria or outright bans on their installation.