My usage matches what I've been monitoring. I was billed for 2 kwh. That represents noise on the PW's attempt to use no grid energy; every once in a while, it will pull ~100 watts from the grid.
Under the "new" rate structure I expected to receive a credit at the end of each billing period rather than the previous annual credit. Hasn't happened. They added my over production, 1275 kwh, to my "banked" total. Banked total on that meter is now 2169 kwh. The month's over production should be worth about $63 which should have more than covered the "overhead" amount of $22.50 for which I was billed.
With my current configuration, I should be earning a bit more than $1/day from my electric supplier; that is above the $22.50 connection fee. I have hope of getting that up to around $5/day.
3/18/19
The reason for the failure of BlueBonnet to transfer to the new rate structure: The PW installer failed to notify BB that the final bit of work was ready to inspect.
As I understand, the changes to the rate structure:
1) Producers are debited immediately for any power pulled from the grid. Hour by hour. Old rate structure: power pulled is offset at full retail rates by power produced within the billing period.
2) Over production is credited monthly rather than annually.
3) Rates paid are a bit more.
With the PowerWall, I can contrive to almost never be impacted by 1). Without a PW, the average producer's bill will go significantly higher. So, I hope to preserve the old rate structure for my two meters that do not have PowerWalls and sell BB a lot of power from the meter with PW.
Wednesday, April 17, 2019
Tuesday, April 16, 2019
Bless this Mess
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bless_This_Mess_(TV_series)
Premiers on local ABC ch 24 tonight (4/16/19), 8:30 pm.
Though otherwise not enticing, of interest because it features a couple moving from New York to Nebraska in a Leaf. And for the presence of notable EV advocate Ed Begley Jr.
4/17/19
The old Leaf pulled an apparently heavy trailer from New York to Nebraska apparently with no need to charge. I estimate range, even with a rare good battery, to be no more than 50 miles.
Wednesday, April 10, 2019
New roof for "New" garage.
This "New" Garage was built in about 1978 at a cost of about $4k. "New" because it supplemented an older garage circa 1940. Roof was poorly done and leaked at the juncture of the two slopes. Now, it needs a new roof and the rotting wood replaced. Cost? ~$10k. The new roof may be a candidate for a PV install. The building has become of increasing interest to me because it is the electric connection point for all the new PV I've been installing.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/1xMPYMtmaSwvthdw8
https://photos.app.goo.gl/1xMPYMtmaSwvthdw8
Saturday, April 6, 2019
Update on South Field + Guerrilla
I now have the new hitching rail fully populated with 25 producing panels. I have completely used my stock of panels though I have 30 more on the way.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/hUcmfanF8G9Lw7DMA
Photos 1, 3 and 4 show development of the rail while 5 shows the completed rail. But with weed blocking sheet metal installed only on the near half. Photos 2 and 6 show the heavy pipe rail.
Total number of producing panels in the South Field is 48:
1) 5 leaning on the west fence (go be moved)
2) 25 on the chain link fence top rail hitching rail (one to be removed but I see the rail remaining un-moved)
3) 18 on the heavy pipe rail on the east side. (to be increased in length and re-positioned)
In the yard are 29 panels. The 77 ground mount panels are known as the "guerrilla" system. On the roof are 26 panels known as the "roof top" system. Power and energy are independently monitored on the two systems.
In the past, before it grew like Topsy, the guerrilla was a minor contributor compared to the roof top. Now, during low production periods, the guerrilla produces about twice as much as the roof top. As power approaches my service limit, guerrilla power is reduced due to high voltage inverter shut downs. It seems imminent that BlueBonnet is about to fix my service bottle neck.
Right now, total power is limited to about 12kw. After the service fix, I hope to see about 15-18kw peaks from the currently installed panels. Then, ONWARD, THROUGH THE FOG!
I believe I have a good supply of pipe on the way. After it arrives, barring more glitches, I expect to permanently install three pipe rails and leave the chain link rail in place. Each pipe rail holding 28-34 panels and the chain link rail holding 24. AC power connections will be at the mid points of all rails.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/hUcmfanF8G9Lw7DMA
Photos 1, 3 and 4 show development of the rail while 5 shows the completed rail. But with weed blocking sheet metal installed only on the near half. Photos 2 and 6 show the heavy pipe rail.
Total number of producing panels in the South Field is 48:
1) 5 leaning on the west fence (go be moved)
2) 25 on the chain link fence top rail hitching rail (one to be removed but I see the rail remaining un-moved)
3) 18 on the heavy pipe rail on the east side. (to be increased in length and re-positioned)
In the yard are 29 panels. The 77 ground mount panels are known as the "guerrilla" system. On the roof are 26 panels known as the "roof top" system. Power and energy are independently monitored on the two systems.
In the past, before it grew like Topsy, the guerrilla was a minor contributor compared to the roof top. Now, during low production periods, the guerrilla produces about twice as much as the roof top. As power approaches my service limit, guerrilla power is reduced due to high voltage inverter shut downs. It seems imminent that BlueBonnet is about to fix my service bottle neck.
Right now, total power is limited to about 12kw. After the service fix, I hope to see about 15-18kw peaks from the currently installed panels. Then, ONWARD, THROUGH THE FOG!
I believe I have a good supply of pipe on the way. After it arrives, barring more glitches, I expect to permanently install three pipe rails and leave the chain link rail in place. Each pipe rail holding 28-34 panels and the chain link rail holding 24. AC power connections will be at the mid points of all rails.
Tuesday, March 26, 2019
Maximizing production by charging near the point of production
Dark green is the guerrilla system of ~50 panels which starts shutting down during periods of high production. Today, I charged a car at 15 amps (3.6-3.8kw) from about 11 am until about 5pm. The charge demand was from a point near the panels so the power the Curb associates with the guerrilla system was reduced by the 3.6-3.8kw. That demand lowered the voltage enough that I had few to no high voltage shutdowns. The upper light green presents production of the roof top system which pegs out at about 5kw for near 5 hours.The car received about 22 kwh of energy. In the absence of that demand, some of that energy would have been lost to inverter high voltage shutdown.
Sunday, March 24, 2019
South Field PV project update 3/24/19
https://photos.app.goo.gl/y5cUoFRRBPo5umUk7
About 50 panels are fed from the "new garage" through a ~200' run of aluminum wire that was intended, 30 years ago, to carry 50 amps. I'm seeing up to about 7kw from those panels. At those peaks, the voltage rises to 260+v and causes some inverters to shut down. Apparently due to insufficient capacity of that aluminum wire as well, perhaps, due to insufficiency of the supply to my main breaker panel. The 50 panels should be capable of producing about 10kw which should match the 50 amp capacity I expected. As it is, I start having trouble below 7kw or about 30 amps.
I am exploring the possibility of adding another 100 amp wire to the new garage. Maybe a total of about 30kw.
Update 3/27/19:
A BlueBonnet guy came by today to discuss service upgrade. He confirmed my suspicion that, ~30 years ago when I upgraded from 100 amp to 200 amp service, the transformer and supply wire was not likely upgraded. He said my service wire looked like 4 ga. That size aluminum will handle only about 55 amps at reasonable temperatures. He said in a month or so that they would set another pole at my chain link fence to hold a new transformer and support heavier wire. The current transformer is likely 15kva; a new one will probably be 25kva. New aluminum supply will be 2/0 or 4/0; I don't recall which he said. 2/0 should do about 110 amps and 4/0 about 150 amps. In addition, the wire run from the transformer to the service entrance will be only about half what it is now.
Bottom line: most of my trouble IS likely due to insufficient service and the problems will almost certainly disappear when BlueBonnet does the upgrade in a month or two.
If I can only push ~50-60 amps into the grid, that is only ~12kw. VERY close to where I encounter trouble. After upgrade, I hope to do 50+ kw!
I asked about a lower voltage supply but he was non-committal. Lower voltage, say 235-240 v, would give me more head room before inverters shut down. Current static voltage is about 245.
Update 4/2/19
BlueBonnet contractor came out and cut trees to clear a path for the new supply line. I hope the upgrade is only a week or so away.
I've recently added 12 more panels to the South Field. They are near useless to me until the upgrade happens.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/hUcmfanF8G9Lw7DMA
About 50 panels are fed from the "new garage" through a ~200' run of aluminum wire that was intended, 30 years ago, to carry 50 amps. I'm seeing up to about 7kw from those panels. At those peaks, the voltage rises to 260+v and causes some inverters to shut down. Apparently due to insufficient capacity of that aluminum wire as well, perhaps, due to insufficiency of the supply to my main breaker panel. The 50 panels should be capable of producing about 10kw which should match the 50 amp capacity I expected. As it is, I start having trouble below 7kw or about 30 amps.
I am exploring the possibility of adding another 100 amp wire to the new garage. Maybe a total of about 30kw.
Update 3/27/19:
A BlueBonnet guy came by today to discuss service upgrade. He confirmed my suspicion that, ~30 years ago when I upgraded from 100 amp to 200 amp service, the transformer and supply wire was not likely upgraded. He said my service wire looked like 4 ga. That size aluminum will handle only about 55 amps at reasonable temperatures. He said in a month or so that they would set another pole at my chain link fence to hold a new transformer and support heavier wire. The current transformer is likely 15kva; a new one will probably be 25kva. New aluminum supply will be 2/0 or 4/0; I don't recall which he said. 2/0 should do about 110 amps and 4/0 about 150 amps. In addition, the wire run from the transformer to the service entrance will be only about half what it is now.
Bottom line: most of my trouble IS likely due to insufficient service and the problems will almost certainly disappear when BlueBonnet does the upgrade in a month or two.
If I can only push ~50-60 amps into the grid, that is only ~12kw. VERY close to where I encounter trouble. After upgrade, I hope to do 50+ kw!
I asked about a lower voltage supply but he was non-committal. Lower voltage, say 235-240 v, would give me more head room before inverters shut down. Current static voltage is about 245.
Update 4/2/19
BlueBonnet contractor came out and cut trees to clear a path for the new supply line. I hope the upgrade is only a week or so away.
I've recently added 12 more panels to the South Field. They are near useless to me until the upgrade happens.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/hUcmfanF8G9Lw7DMA
Saturday, March 23, 2019
Junction Museum Opening 3/23/19
https://photos.app.goo.gl/C7geDqsSSYFrLzQT9
I met my great uncle Frank only once when I was about 10 and we were passing through Junction returning from a family vacation in Colorado. That would have been about 1953. Though I lacked appreciation at the time, Frank was a well known law man having served as Texas Ranger, possibly Arizona Ranger, Game Warden, and Sheriff of Kimble County. At the time I met him he was retired and doing gun smithing out of his garage. He had a notable gun collection which included a pistol that, as a youth, he was given by John Wesley Hardin. My aunt Alice lived in Junction with her aunt and uncle during the Depression when her family had difficulty maintaining the entire family. Aunt Alice graduated from Junction High School about 1938. My aunt Alice was named for her blood aunt who was married to Frank. The Museum's recognition of him is in photo #9.
Google things like "Frank Patterson Texas Ranger" to learn more of him. I've recently learned that he may have been involved in the Porvenir Massacre in 1918.
Jean and I first visited the Museum in an old location about 1980 (+/-). Head honch at the museum, Frederica Wyatt, displayed a clipping file on uncle Frank and pointed us to the graves of Frank and Alice. Over the years, I've dropped in the museum whenever passing through Junction. With the SuperCharger a couple of years ago, Junction has become even more attractive to me.
Since 2016, Ms Wyatt and The Museum have been working on refurbishing the old hospital as the new museum building; today was the grand opening. Ms Wyatt now spends most of her time in a wheel chair. She is in photo #7; in blue with a walker.
I met my great uncle Frank only once when I was about 10 and we were passing through Junction returning from a family vacation in Colorado. That would have been about 1953. Though I lacked appreciation at the time, Frank was a well known law man having served as Texas Ranger, possibly Arizona Ranger, Game Warden, and Sheriff of Kimble County. At the time I met him he was retired and doing gun smithing out of his garage. He had a notable gun collection which included a pistol that, as a youth, he was given by John Wesley Hardin. My aunt Alice lived in Junction with her aunt and uncle during the Depression when her family had difficulty maintaining the entire family. Aunt Alice graduated from Junction High School about 1938. My aunt Alice was named for her blood aunt who was married to Frank. The Museum's recognition of him is in photo #9.
Google things like "Frank Patterson Texas Ranger" to learn more of him. I've recently learned that he may have been involved in the Porvenir Massacre in 1918.
Jean and I first visited the Museum in an old location about 1980 (+/-). Head honch at the museum, Frederica Wyatt, displayed a clipping file on uncle Frank and pointed us to the graves of Frank and Alice. Over the years, I've dropped in the museum whenever passing through Junction. With the SuperCharger a couple of years ago, Junction has become even more attractive to me.
Since 2016, Ms Wyatt and The Museum have been working on refurbishing the old hospital as the new museum building; today was the grand opening. Ms Wyatt now spends most of her time in a wheel chair. She is in photo #7; in blue with a walker.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)