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.
Showing posts with label site inspection. Show all posts
Showing posts with label site inspection. Show all posts
Thursday, September 24, 2009
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.
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.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Slowly better...I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.
I got a 72.5 on my first pre-test to 4th degree black belt. It's nice because it's a passing score, but I"m more happy about feeling good about what I did on the test. Certainly not perfect, but I did pretty well. In December I'll be taking the 2nd of 3 pre-tests, but that one will be much much easier to manage.
I got a 90% on my security certification exam with an hour left over. Pretty damned happy about that.
The inspector came by and checked my shed and said it has to be changed because the contractors didn't follow the plans. So the contractor talked to the inspector and verified that they just have to change out the pillars to be treated wood instead of untreated then I should be set to go. Hopefully the fix will happen today and the inspection tomorrow.
The tile guy put in the subfloor for the tiling yesterday and then was nice enough to whip up two window covers with vents in them to satisfy the other thing the inspector found wrong with my shed. now I just need to figure out a way to make them look less tacky than they are now since it's just two pieces of plywood attached over the window casing with vents in the middle.
So it looks like everything is going to work out to be perfect, if perfect means "forced to store the hot tub for 1.5 weeks before installation". But that's not a huge problem.
I still don't have the new plans/cost of the solar project. I wish they'd hurry up.
I got a 90% on my security certification exam with an hour left over. Pretty damned happy about that.
The inspector came by and checked my shed and said it has to be changed because the contractors didn't follow the plans. So the contractor talked to the inspector and verified that they just have to change out the pillars to be treated wood instead of untreated then I should be set to go. Hopefully the fix will happen today and the inspection tomorrow.
The tile guy put in the subfloor for the tiling yesterday and then was nice enough to whip up two window covers with vents in them to satisfy the other thing the inspector found wrong with my shed. now I just need to figure out a way to make them look less tacky than they are now since it's just two pieces of plywood attached over the window casing with vents in the middle.
So it looks like everything is going to work out to be perfect, if perfect means "forced to store the hot tub for 1.5 weeks before installation". But that's not a huge problem.
I still don't have the new plans/cost of the solar project. I wish they'd hurry up.
Friday, August 21, 2009
Todays fun.
I'm pretty burnt out on studying both for the kung fu pre-test and for the security certification. Very difficult to focus. 2 more days until the pre-test then another 2 to the certification test.
Last night after I got home from work the construction guys showed up and installed the rest of the structural support. At one point while talking to them I got the response "Oh...I thought you had that inspected today." *sigh* So today I called for the inspection and happily it's supposed to happen today. I just hope they won't be too pissed that the contractor didn't get the inspections done at the appropriate times. They could be really strict about it which would mean that all of it would have to be torn out and re-done. That would pretty much ruin the entire thing since I don't have enough money to do that.
I've given up on doing the book indexing for the cert test that I wanted to do. Instead I'm doing a much more basic index and just hoping it's sufficient. I really need to pass this test the first time.
On the positive side...if I fail the cert I can retake. If I somehow fail the pre-test I can retake, I'll just be very very embarrassed.
I wish they'd send me the new version of my solar project...I want to see how bad it's going to be and how much it's going to save me. Still pissed about that being portrayed falsely to me, I have two full mock ups that were 8.4kwh systems and yet now they can't get it to work. Likely I'll be stuck with a 6.8kwh system.
Last night after I got home from work the construction guys showed up and installed the rest of the structural support. At one point while talking to them I got the response "Oh...I thought you had that inspected today." *sigh* So today I called for the inspection and happily it's supposed to happen today. I just hope they won't be too pissed that the contractor didn't get the inspections done at the appropriate times. They could be really strict about it which would mean that all of it would have to be torn out and re-done. That would pretty much ruin the entire thing since I don't have enough money to do that.
I've given up on doing the book indexing for the cert test that I wanted to do. Instead I'm doing a much more basic index and just hoping it's sufficient. I really need to pass this test the first time.
On the positive side...if I fail the cert I can retake. If I somehow fail the pre-test I can retake, I'll just be very very embarrassed.
I wish they'd send me the new version of my solar project...I want to see how bad it's going to be and how much it's going to save me. Still pissed about that being portrayed falsely to me, I have two full mock ups that were 8.4kwh systems and yet now they can't get it to work. Likely I'll be stuck with a 6.8kwh system.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Solar home visits
All 5 of the companies I've contacted have been out to my house now to do the initial site inspection.
REC Solar
Standard Renewable Energy
Cool Solar
Solar Independent Power Systems
Namaste Solar
I've talked to each company about the house, they've taken measurements of the roof and we've talked about how much of the roof I want to use, which parts are the most efficient to use, etc. Some of them did Solmetric readings and pictures to use in a computer program to put together a pretty accurate estimate of how much the shading around my house will affect my energy production at various times of the year and times of the day.
The Solmetric camera and the device that goes with it are very cool. The old style was pretty inaccurate and involved sort of getting on the roof and making some measurements and guesses about shading. Then a device with a big domed top was invented and you basically set it down in the right orientation and used a piece of chalk to mark out where there was shade at the moment, then did some correlation with the date and time to figure out what the effects on different dates and times would be. This is a very very clever little device. Then someone said "Hey...why don't we just take a picture of that, and build a computer program that takes all that data and does the projection? That would be radically faster and more accurate." So that's what they do. And what you get, with this great piece of software from NREL is a very accurate estimate using actual shading data from your actually situation to tell you with a high accuracy exactly how much solar energy every part of your useable roof will get through out the year.
So...one of the companies needs to come back out and do that, one didn't really even bother to offer and just sort of said "I can't see getting more than a 2kw system out of your roof" and the others have already done the pictures. So I'm waiting for the 4 final estimates then I'll write up all of the information I have about all of the options.
It'll be quite a bit of data...I'm hoping to organize it a bit better than what I've been doing so far.
Oh...and there's a chance that I'm a bit confused about the devices for the shading thing. I think the Solmetric is merely one brand of shading calculation equipment and that the camera used isn't special, just the device set up with the bubble on top and then the camera is a normal camera used in just the right way. I never remembered to get that clarified and the short research I did into it online hasn't been conclusive yet.
I'm likely going to have to cut my black walnut tree back quite a bit. I'm ok with that, I just hope it's not too bad. It doesn't seem to shade the roof that much to me except for 2 branches, but I'm certainly not an expert and will wait for the results of the magic shade calculation device.
REC Solar
Standard Renewable Energy
Cool Solar
Solar Independent Power Systems
Namaste Solar
I've talked to each company about the house, they've taken measurements of the roof and we've talked about how much of the roof I want to use, which parts are the most efficient to use, etc. Some of them did Solmetric readings and pictures to use in a computer program to put together a pretty accurate estimate of how much the shading around my house will affect my energy production at various times of the year and times of the day.
The Solmetric camera and the device that goes with it are very cool. The old style was pretty inaccurate and involved sort of getting on the roof and making some measurements and guesses about shading. Then a device with a big domed top was invented and you basically set it down in the right orientation and used a piece of chalk to mark out where there was shade at the moment, then did some correlation with the date and time to figure out what the effects on different dates and times would be. This is a very very clever little device. Then someone said "Hey...why don't we just take a picture of that, and build a computer program that takes all that data and does the projection? That would be radically faster and more accurate." So that's what they do. And what you get, with this great piece of software from NREL is a very accurate estimate using actual shading data from your actually situation to tell you with a high accuracy exactly how much solar energy every part of your useable roof will get through out the year.
So...one of the companies needs to come back out and do that, one didn't really even bother to offer and just sort of said "I can't see getting more than a 2kw system out of your roof" and the others have already done the pictures. So I'm waiting for the 4 final estimates then I'll write up all of the information I have about all of the options.
It'll be quite a bit of data...I'm hoping to organize it a bit better than what I've been doing so far.
Oh...and there's a chance that I'm a bit confused about the devices for the shading thing. I think the Solmetric is merely one brand of shading calculation equipment and that the camera used isn't special, just the device set up with the bubble on top and then the camera is a normal camera used in just the right way. I never remembered to get that clarified and the short research I did into it online hasn't been conclusive yet.
I'm likely going to have to cut my black walnut tree back quite a bit. I'm ok with that, I just hope it's not too bad. It doesn't seem to shade the roof that much to me except for 2 branches, but I'm certainly not an expert and will wait for the results of the magic shade calculation device.
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