Magic Shade Tree Update

[Mikey]

We just added an additional 2.6 kW of PV capacity (eight new panels on the right side of the roof, the others to the left are the pool heater) to the existing 5 kW system (23 panels on the shade structure). This side of the roof faces due west, which is ideal for this additional capacity. Completed construction on Monday last, inspection scheduled for Tuesday and we should be able to energize a few days after that.



I'm happy to report ('sup 'holic) that there's still a 30% tax credit for residential PV systems (reducing to 26%, I believe, on January 1).

Next steps:

Replace Model A level HVAC residential split system (13 SEER with propane furnace), with a new Model S level ultra high efficiency (25 SEER) heat pump system with three zones. This should save us about 50% on cooling and up to 80% on heating. Installation scheduled to begin a week from tomorrow.

Replace propane water heater with a hybrid electric heat pump water heater. Should save us about 80% on our water heating cost.

Call AmeriGas and tell them to come take their propane tank and GFY.

Add 8 kWh capacity to the 8 kWh storage battery and reconfigure to allow both load management and emergency backup modes. Currently it's set up only for load management. We will have to add a sub-panel with critical loads so that the battery can disconnect from the grid and switch to powering critical loads during power outages.

At that point we should have a self-sustaining residential micro-grid, including EV charging, that could support us indefinitely should the power get cut off or if we just want to tell SDG&E to fuck the fuck off.

[Shlomart Ben Yisrael]

Absolutely riveting...

[Mikey]

You're snoring, Marty. You should get a CPAP.

[Shlomart Ben Yisrael]

You should just PM this stuff directly to 88. He always feigns interest in this sort of drivel.

"Smackie! I heard your show tonight was a smash! Sorry I missed it...I raced home...almost got into THREE accidents, but I missed it! You know I'd rather saw my leg off than miss one of your shows...Keep on rockin', Smackie! I WILL NOT miss the next one."

[Shlomart Ben Yisrael]

That was unnecessary.


:|

[Mikey]

You are unnecessary.

But we put up with you because...a board needs its Canadians.

[Dinsdale]

Awesome. Not really a good option at Casa de Dins, due to several 80'+ trees. And it wouldn't do a whole lot at this latitude in winter, but would crank in summer.

[Mikey]

You guys get pretty cheap electricity anyway, and prolly a lot more dependable than hereabouts.

[Dinsdale]

First 1000 kWh is $.065. Beyond that, .07572. There's set fees every month on top of that. I live in a fairly urban area. Unlike Derron's PGE experience, the more urban, the more redundancy, and the quicker the outage response during mass outages.

Cheap... because we killed off the salmon for it.

[Derron]

The hebe can go fuck himself. I am trying to learn a bit more about this, since I now live in the sunnier part of Oregon, unlike that gloom, fog and rain that Dins still has to put up with. Solar is gaining over here, I just have to see where it lands on the cost effective and return scale before I drop major capital jack on the installation.

I do get a good afternoon down slope wind off the Cascades that can really crank a windmill at times. Got to research that a bit more. Talked to some guy who was completely full of shit about everything when we were walking last night and this jack off just spewed on and on about his solar system and his $ 50 a month electric bills, and how my electricity was going to be $ 800 a month and on and on and on.

[Mikey]

Solar is getting cheaper and cheaper. The new system cost me a little less than $4.00 per watt. The first one was more like $9.00/watt seven years ago, but that included the engineered ground mount system. I’m thinking the payback on the new system will be five or six years. With your low electric rates it would probably be double that.

So the payback isn’t that great but you need to consider the added value of supply and price security, and some people put a value on just being renewable. For me there’s a strong energy geek component as well.

[smackaholic]

If I lived in Cali, I’d probably invest in a decent diesel generator to deal with your 3rd world power reliability.

How many watts hours of storage are you now away from being able to go full off grid? Sounds like you are close.


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[Mikey]

If I lived in Cali, I’d probably invest in a decent diesel generator to deal with your 3rd world power reliability.

How many watts hours of storage are you now away from being able to go full off grid? Sounds like you are close.


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I could go full off grid now, once I get the system set up to disconnect from the grid, but prolly only for critical loads in an emergency - fridge, some lights and a few other circuits for plug loads. If I double the battery capacity I could prolly go full off the grid, including A/C, EV charging and pool pump. There are a lot of complicating factors, including the time of day your loads occur, the capacity of your storage, and the hourly and seasonal production profile of your PV system.

[Innocent Bystander]

I could go full off grid now, once I get the system set up to disconnect from the grid,

And that is why Mikey is the shit.

Much respect and envy.