Grid-tied solar

[houstonscott]

So you post an article from 2012!!! Please don't ruin this thread. Let people peacefully discus some of the possibilities. Many of us know you are anti anything renewable. Loren

The only reason I post Tesla stuff is because every thread involving green energy references Tesla as some "church" like a clearing house of success and point of of all electrical engineering. They seem to be the holy grail of the battery break through that everyone has been waiting for and know is coming it's just a matter of time, but never comes. I just don't hold them in such regard. You couldn't give me a Tesla. Musk spends his time right down the street from me testing engines for SpaceX, he has moved on from Tesla a few years ago now. Battery technology has matured now, and further break throughs enough to make an electric car attractive (ranges 600+ miles, charges under 5minutes, weight under 80lbs) is not something likely to ever happen. The science is well understood. There's lots of cool new engineering in automobiles, just tesla is not making them. VW, BMW, and Bosch are the breakthrough companies right now. A VW Jetta TDi has a smaller lifetime carbon footprint than any hybrid or electric car. Lol. HS

 

[Jim Nelson]

Word in the Valley and confirmed on tonight's news cast is Apple is considering acquiring Tesla...

Also....

Apple Looking To Acquire Tesla Motors [Report] - uInterview

I can see Apple getting into the battery end of it but not the cars.

 

[Loren49]

The only reason I post Tesla stuff is because every thread involving green energy references Tesla as some "church" like a clearing house of success and point of of all electrical engineering. They seem to be the holy grail of the battery break through that everyone has been waiting for and know is coming it's just a matter of time, but never comes. I just don't hold them in such regard. You couldn't give me a Tesla. Musk spends his time right down the street from me testing engines for SpaceX, he has moved on from Tesla a few years ago now. Battery technology has matured now, and further break throughs enough to make an electric car attractive (ranges 600+ miles, charges under 5minutes, weight under 80lbs) is not something likely to ever happen. The science is well understood. There's lots of cool new engineering in automobiles, just tesla is not making them. VW, BMW, and Bosch are the breakthrough companies right now. A VW Jetta TDi has a smaller lifetime carbon footprint than any hybrid or electric car. Lol. HS

HS,
I think you miss my point. Please take your passion against Tesla and electric vehicles to a new thread and see if it survives outside of the Porch. This is a thread about grid tied and some standalone solar systems. Its a good thread with lots of positives and good information. Don't ruin it please.

Thank you,
Loren

 

[houstonscott]

HS, I think you miss my point. Please take your passion against Tesla and electric vehicles to a new thread and see if it survives outside of the Porch. This is a thread about grid tied and some standalone solar systems. Its a good thread with lots of positives and good information. Don't ruin it please. Thank you, Loren

I think as long as everyone is civil to each other here there is no chance of being removed. I have no agenda against electric cars or Tesla, I'm as interested as grid tie solar as anyone else, including yourself. Battery improvements are defiantly on the table, and Tesla is often mentioned in those discussions. Bringing people up to date on Tesla's murky future is of interest to many. It's touted as the company many believe a battery break through will come from. Ok. HS

 

[SirReal63]

I would hate to see it removed, moved or taken too far off track. To those of us just getting started in our solar adventure this thread has been very informative.

 

[houstonscott]

I would hate to see it removed, moved or taken too far off track. To those of us just getting started in our solar adventure this thread has been very informative.

Along those lines, is there a preferred roof mount attachment system that doesn't leak, and is trouble free. Has anyone had roof leaks with a roof mounted array. HS

 

[SirReal63]

I haven't mounted ours yet, I have the Ironridge XR1000 system and it should go right into the holes for the existing roof panels and into the metal framework. I do not expect any leaks as there will be no new holes and the existing ones do not leak. I will just need longer screws.

 

[dave1949]

I haven't mounted ours yet, I have the Ironridge XR1000 system and it should go right into the holes for the existing roof panels and into the metal framework. I do not expect any leaks as there will be no new holes and the existing ones do not leak. I will just need longer screws.

Some nice things about a pole mounted system:
The panel angle can be easily adjusted seasonally. There are three useful settings that are a good balance between simplicity and output: spring&fall, winter, summer.
The system can be installed and maintained without going up on a roof.
The panels don't cause leaks or have to be removed to do roof repair.

I would have preferred a pole mount but I couldn't find a location that co-existed with other things--like where the snow gets blown to.

 

[Redneck in training]

Some nice things about a pole mounted system:
The panel angle can be easily adjusted seasonally. There are three useful settings that are a good balance between simplicity and output: spring&fall, winter, summer.
The system can be installed and maintained without going up on a roof.
The panels don't cause leaks or have to be removed to do roof repair.

I would have preferred a pole mount but I couldn't find a location that co-existed with other things--like where the snow gets blown to.

It can be modeled that three axis tracker will increase production by about 30% (at 40th parallel). Also the distribution of the energy generation is better with sharp rise in the morning and longer peak afternoon. But there are trade offs.
1.) Mechanical complexity requiring maintenance. Specifically wind load will be array size limiting factor. Larger systems will require multiple trackers.
2.) Increased cost. The tracking mechanism and controls cost more than adding panels to get the production.
3.) Ground based trackers will have long cable feeding the point of connection adding additional cost for the cable and installation.

The roof mounted systems are, in general, cheapest to build. I figured that underlying structure for my panels added about $8000 ($0.33/W) to the cost of the system not counting cost of our own labor.

 

[SirReal63]

I had injtially wanted a pole mounted tracker but after dealing with the pole mounted panels for the solar well, I decided against that. They are not attractive and The Boss does care about aesthetics and it is also too easy to hit with vehicles, no one hits a roof mounted system except Santa Clause. The other and more reasonable reason is a pole mount tracker for 12 panels cost as much as the panels. Fortunately I have no shortage of South facing roof, once the guest house is filled, I still have a 20x70' space for panels.