# Can I go slow...



## FCLady (Jan 23, 2011)

DH and I are talking about going solar a little at a time.
First getting the net metering system set up with only a few panels.
Each year adding a few more panels until we get up to our usage.
Our idea is to pay cash as we go to stay out of debt and as we get older
our electric bill will be going down.

Anything we we're missing - does that sound practical to you guys who understand this stuff?


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## TnAndy (Sep 15, 2005)

I did something similar....started with 12-175w panels, and expanded 3 more times to 11,000w total that takes our bill to zero.

The problem I had was the local utility....they didn't like my expanded version, but they had given me a residential contract that allowed me to expand to 50kw if I wanted. When I said "Your contract, your language in it, see ya in court", they backed down. In our case, it's not net metering....they actually pay for overage. But I wasn't trying to make money on the deal, just negate my bill.

IF you do what you're thinking, allow in the initial planning for expansion....buy a big enough inverter, for example, to handle more down the road, or go with micro-inverters, assuming this is a grid tie only system. One micro inverter and one panel make additions fairly easy...and if you go with Enphase units, you can easily monitor your production, and know how much more to add.


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## Solar Geek (Mar 14, 2014)

We did the same here; we now have 17.5Kw. But as TnAndy says, plan accordingly.

My only red flag for you is that the 30% TAX CREDIT which allowed us to slowly have built this really big system, is supposed to sunset this Dec. 31, 2017 unless they extend it again. (And it could be they did and I just didn't hear about it). 30% made it all possible for us as our State rebates topped of each year at $2400 (and now much less!!!) So we did it by 4-5Kw units to get the max $$ from our state. 

Good luck - we love our battery backup system.


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## wy_white_wolf (Oct 14, 2004)

Need to check your local permitting and the PoCo. Some locals will require you to repermit with each upgrade. With minimum permit fees that could run thousands of extra fees. 

The PoCo will also want a new net metering/interconnection agreement with each upgrade. They will also require each upgrade to be to any new rules that may come along. With the push towards fees for solar system to pay there share of the grid maintenance that could put you under the new rules instead of being grandfathered in.

The only system that is really upgradable like you want would be a micro inverter system. 

WWW


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## Solar Geek (Mar 14, 2014)

wy_white_wolf said:


> Need to check your local permitting and the PoCo. Some locals will require you to repermit with each upgrade. With minimum permit fees that could run thousands of extra fees.
> 
> The PoCo will also want a new net metering/interconnection agreement with each upgrade. They will also require each upgrade to be to any new rules that may come along. With the push towards fees for solar system to pay there share of the grid maintenance that could put you under the new rules instead of being grandfathered in.
> 
> ...


Well, *none *of this was true in WI SO CHECK WITH YOUR STATE AND YOUR POWER COMPANY. We are on a power coop as we live in the middle of nowhere, but we had a large rooftop system we kept adding to in Milwaukee and none of this was true there either. As I said above, we have added 3x to our system in 4 years as money permitted.

We are charged a 'facility services rate/daily' but so are ALL power customers. The only way to get rid of that is to go totally OFF GRID and since we just got 7" of icy snow yesterday that covered our 17.5Kw system despite my best efforts, we are happy to pay the $35/mo for the charge (and our system pays it back so really not a problem).

We have both microinverters (5Kw) and battery backup. Our only restriction was to stay under 20Kw or else they classify you as a business and charge you more!


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## Ellendra (Jul 31, 2013)

In addition to everything mentioned above, I couldn't help but notice that you didn't mention batteries anywhere. If all the excess power is going to the grid, then if the grid goes down, so does your power. You may want to add some batteries into the mix, and have it set so that excess power goes first to charging the batteries, and then once they're full the rest goes to the grid. That way you have a backup in place.

This does complicate things a bit more, but the added security might be worth it. you can expand the battery bank a little at a time, the same way you're planning to do with the rest of it.


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## FCLady (Jan 23, 2011)

Ellendra - we have a generator wired in - when the power goes out, we go to the basement and flip a switch. We lose power at least once a year with storms or high water issues. It would be nice tho to have a battery bank but hopefully they get better batteries when we're ready to add that on.


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## wy_white_wolf (Oct 14, 2004)

Solar Geek said:


> Well, *none *of this was true in WI SO CHECK WITH YOUR STATE AND YOUR POWER COMPANY. We are on a power coop as we live in the middle of nowhere, but we had a large rooftop system we kept adding to in Milwaukee and none of this was true there either. As I said above, we have added 3x to our system in 4 years as money permitted.
> 
> We are charged a 'facility services rate/daily' but so are ALL power customers. The only way to get rid of that is to go totally OFF GRID and since we just got 7" of icy snow yesterday that covered our 17.5Kw system despite my best efforts, we are happy to pay the $35/mo for the charge (and our system pays it back so really not a problem).
> 
> We have both microinverters (5Kw) and battery backup. Our only restriction was to stay under 20Kw or else they classify you as a business and charge you more!


 Yes, Times they are a changing. 

Chatting with installers in California, 5 years ago there was no permit fees in LA county. Today they average about $1500 per install. Fees are almost as high for system expansions as new installs since you have to show the existing equipment can handle the increase. Plus they have to bring older systems up to code when they expand. The biggest one there is the 3' offset from eves/ridges for fire access. 

Arizona just last year added a grid access fee for all new/expanded installs. Some are claiming that is adding $50 a month to the bill. I did see where one proposal was to no longer give you full retail for the power you send back to the grid. They only allow avoided cost on what you send to them and have to buy it at full retail when you need it. Saw another one that required people to go to time of day metering and it only allowed for the power to be offset in the same time rate it was produced in. That meant no longer offsetting you evening power when everyone is home with power produced during the day when no one is there to use it.

So check with you county/city. They usually handle the permitting process instead of the state. If you do go with the plan to upgrade every so often pay attention to the proposed changes.

WWW


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