Overall, what is your opinion of the knowledge level of the company selling the solar system and the installers? I contacted a local company that installs this kind of system and the guy who called is a salesman, not an engineer. I understand that an actual engineer shouldn't be needed for these initial calls, but I'm not thrilled that I was asking questions he couldn't answer.
First of all an update on the first day's production.
Sun up here was 7.35 AM. It was not sunny but cloudy at sunrise, but you could see the sun in the East through the high haze. This pretty much cleared by 11.00 AM but there was some high haze all day. It was never what I would call a clear blue sky. Sunset was 4.31 PM. However the sun was pretty low by 3.30 PM, and the lower row of panels was in shadow and the sun was close to due West already, so shining pretty close to perpendicular to the panels.
Despite that, today's production was very encouraging. As of 3:00 PM we had produced 29.9 KWH. We used about 48 KWH on average daily. So that is 62% of our daily production. The system is specked to replace 75% of our yearly production. So to get 62% close to mid winter's day is encouraging to say the least. The peak output today was 6.7 KW. The max panel production is 7.6 KW per NEC code for a 200 amp service. So those numbers I find very encouraging. It is significantly higher than the chief electrician yesterday predicted, who thought peak would be about 5.5 KW. By EPA data, assuming 30% of electricity in this area comes from renewables, then the CO2 reduction was 47.9 lb. 30% electricity from renewables agrees with information I have seen for Minnesota.
Now to your questions.
First of all the salesman was professional and did not profess to have detailed technical answers. He did know the financial aspects and the tax write offs. These I verified with my accountant. We were up against the deadline though, so I had to push the pace, and hard at times. If this system was not active before January 1 2025 I lost a huge tax write off which pays for at least a third of the project.
I have documented here the false starts. I have to say at first they wanted to ignore everything I had to say. But I verified everything and would not sign the agreement until I had detailed plans and specification of all components and detailed design plans and circuits. I did make changes crucially in terms of grounding and surge protection. Their surge protection was inadequate and did not meet code, which I verified with the local electrical inspector. At first they wanted me to pay this cost, but I argued it was an essential part of the installation. They paid the $2,400 extra cost. At this time I managed to make contact with their senior engineers, and we developed a really good working relationship which was entirely collegial and very productive. Now I also had to deal with Dakota Electric and some but not all were as competent as they needed to be. I had to educate one for a start about phase locked loops and the locking of phase. Anyhow I assured them they need have no concerns on that issue with this installation. So I would give their technical engineering side an A- at least if not A. Once they realized I was not the usual homeowner we got along well and professionally.
On the construction side it was not so smooth. Dakota Electric had an aerial survey done and selected homes that had suitably large south facing roofs. They I think notified the sales staff of Blue Raven Solar.
They had pictures done, of the roof, panels and roof trusses. They just estimated the loading capability of the trusses. However I went to the designers of the trusses and found that I could go at least 100% over the loading of the panels.
The next issue was this ICF home. Here they assured me that they had done this before and knew how to handle it. When they arrived it was immediately clear to me, that did not have the first clue. If they had gone ahead they would have damaged the home, the equipment would have fallen off and it not passed inspection. So I had to call a halt and send them away. So then I set to work and finalized the design at the start of this thread. I was against the clock from the start. So I had the concrete laid within four days of finalising the design and getting the materials, especially what was required to go in the concrete. I had the concrete anchors on hand.
As soon as the concrete was sufficiently set, I constructed my design to mount the equipment. I had carefully made a list of what items would be required and this included the right angle wire pull throughs. The crew arrived with one, and insisted they could bend the conduit and I know darn well they could not. The electrician then claimed a family emergency. So again we halted work. The roofing crew stayed to put in the mountings for the panels. I have nothing but praise and admiration for the crew that installed the panels on the roof.
When the crew returned, they had the right equipment and where ready to work entirely under my direction. I supervised the whole operation to the closest detail. The work proceeded perfectly without a hitch and quickly. When you know what you are doing, and as Field Marshal Montgomery used to say, " have a master plan', then things go quickly and generally well. I can say that the installation proceeded quickly and seamlessly according to my design and plan and was completed promptly.
It was all passed by the electrical and building inspectors promptly. The electrical inspector said it was usual form to fail these installations twice before approval. I have to say, that I would have been highly embarrassed if this one had failed once.
Picture of totally completed system with reverse metering.
