Wednesday, September 30, 2009

So close!

The hole in the wall is fixed, everything is installed. My understanding is that now I just have to wait for the paperwork to get to Xcel, then I have to start pushing them to install my bi-directional meter. Once that is done, I can start actually using all this equipment I paid so much for.

Friday, September 25, 2009

Woohoo! Solar officiall completely installed!

I have fully inspected and approved solar panels! Assuming they patch the hole in my wall on Monday like they said, I am done with REC Solar. Once all the paperwork is turned in, I start the push to get Xcel to come install the bi-directional meter. I was told "it can take as long as 30 days" up until today when the project manager said "6 weeks, but lately they've been a little faster about it". UGH! So it may be 6 weeks before I get to turn my system on...meanwhile it sits there slowly losing efficiency.

I still can't get Tree Pros to even call me back about taking care of my tree. If they don't contact me today or answer the phone when I call, I'm calling their biggest competitor.

Thursday, September 24, 2009

This may yet happen!

The inverter is installed, all the wiring is done. The inspection is supposed to be tomorrow. So...assuming the inspection goes well tomorrow then all I have left to do is get Xcel out here to install the bi-directional meter and give me the go ahead to power on, and I'm hot.

Of course...I still have to get someone to look at my tree...I'm having real problems getting these guys out here and that's getting annoying.

Nearing the end!

The person that is going to install my inverter is supposed to be on the way to my house right now. All he's got to do is install the inverter, hook it up, connect the last connection on the panels and then test to make sure it works. Then tomorrow the inspection is supposed to happen. Assuming that goes well, they are supposed to close up my wall and be finished. Then it's a matter of getting Xcel out to inspect everything and put in the new bi-directional meter and then I'm producing electricity from sun light! If my calculations are right, I should be producing about twice to three times what I use. Especially once I've got my new efficient refrigerator and dishwasher and gone through the house with a power meter and switched out all the vampiric electronics.

At least, that's what I have planned...by the end of all this I'll be pretty close to entirely out of money so we'll see.

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

The solar electric installation is done!


Well, not really. All the panels are in place, almost all of the wiring is done. Just the converter and the wiring that attaches to that and the actually panel interconnections need to be done. Three Days! That's damned quick.

End of Day One:











End of Day Two


End of Day Three:

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Solar electric installation underway!

The REC installation crew showed up yesterday morning and started my solar installation. I had a quick walk-through with the foreman and then left for work. I got home about 4pm so that they could leave on time without leaving my house unlocked, and they'd put in all the conduit for the main power, and had all of the adjustable mounting brackets attached to the roof.

Today they arrived just as I was leaving for work, in a hurry because I had to go to an All-Staff required meeting...yes, one of THOSE. I expect they'll have all the wiring and a good deal of the racking structure in place today. Tomorrow they are supposed to be finished, then the final inspection will happen either tomorrow or Thursday.

Nows the bad news...then I have to wait UP TO 30 DAYS for Xcel to sign off on it and allow me to actually turn the system on. That is...phenomenally annoying.

Next step, once everything is in place, is to get someone out to take care of my black walnut tree. I really don't want to cut it down, but I just don't see any choice. So...I'll get an expert out to try to help me save the tree, and if we can't then I'll plant other trees to make up for it. Or maybe just trellis with vines on it so I don't have to worry about the height of the trees, then plan trees further from the house.

Oh, speaking of which, another nice piece of news...the guy who is going to do my fence for me told me that he thinks it'll be fine to put clinging vines on the fence. He says pretty much all of the fencing he's dealt with, even the really old stuff, shows surface damage from weather and plants but is almost always solid underneath. So my plans for the house/yard are moving right along!

The hot tub is full functional and working great. I'm waiting for the hot tub company to finish the configuration of the electronic controls and bring me my top lifter, but those are minor things now that the hot tub is installed and working. Still lots to do to make the shed a more hot tub friendly place, and in fact I may have to get another 2 rows or so of tile put in, but it's coming along nicely.

Thursday, September 10, 2009

More progress!

The handyman that did my tile stopped by last night and we decided that he would make the installation look prettier and reseal it a bit which he did this morning. The hot tub install is supposed to happen either tonight or tomorrow night, I'm guessing tomorrow night since I haven't heard from them yet. The electrician is scheduled for tomorrow night. So with any luck, I'll have a useable hot tub on Saturday. Woohoo!

More big news...I finally bitched to REC about how little movement was happening on my installation and how the install time kept getting pushed out against my will, etc etc. I got a response from the sales guy within 30 minutes, then the reworked plan and numbers later that evening, and a call from the project manager just now offering to start the installation next Monday morning. So! I'm getting a 6.7kw installation instead of an 8.4kw, I'm getting about $3000 less back from taxes, but it's costing me about $4000 less for the installation. So that all works out fine, and I should still be generating about twice as much power as the max I ever pull.

Once this is all done and the money has all settled down, etc, I think I'll get a new efficient refrigerator and dishwasher with the difference in the cost of the solar.

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Some progress!

Ok, I was on a great relaxing vacation for 10 days. One of the funny things about that was that 2.5 months after ordering my hot tub and getting to work on preparing to install it, the last step that had to be done before hot tub installation was being finished while I was driving the first leg of my vacation. 2.5 months. I got an engineer to evaluate the structure of the shed, then design a plan to reinforce it. I got a construction company to build the structural reinforcement, then fix it when it didn't pass inspection. I got the permit (City of Edgewater was very cooperative and helpful). Got the flooring and the tiling and the plastic sheeting to cover the walls. That was the part being finished the day I took off for vacation, coincidentally the same day the hot tub arrived at the store. Happily they held the hot tub for me and it looks like it'll be installed Thursday or Friday. I'm working with the tiling guy tonight to clear up some details and the excellent electrician I work with will likely be able to make it over when they deliver the hot tub to hook it up. So it's reasonably likely I'll have a functional hot tub installed in my shed by this weekend. YAY! 10 years I've been wanting a hot tub. 2.5 months I've been waiting since I paid for it. Then of course I'll have a bunch of details to work through with getting everything in the shed working the way I want, but those won't be a problem and I'll be doing them myself.

I'm also having the tiling guy (who is the handyman I work with) give me a quote on putting in my fence so I know how much money I'm looking at paying. It's going to be expensive.

In solar news....REC solar is pissing me off. My install was scheduled for this week. They had to change the project plan because they told me incorrectly how many panels they could install on my house. That was 3 weeks ago. They still don't have a new project plan for me and I have to ask a couple of times each time to get any sort of response, which still hasn't included either a new project plan nor a new price. And now they're saying late October for the installation. Man this is getting annoying as fuck. Sure, I unintentionally played the "Hey! I want solar installed as soon as possible! [pause] *PSYCH!*" game on them twice, but that wasn't my fault. I've paid my deposit, I agreed to the original project plan, they should be getting their fucking shit in gear and getting it installed. I'm really quite pissed that I had not one but two full engineering work ups of my roof to make sure the system I wanted would fit and then when it comes down to it they couldn't actually make it work even when I paid the extra money for the smaller more efficient panels. My experience with this company so far is not making me happy. I guess that's what happens when you have to go with the least expensive install.