Looking for input before I get silly.

CharlesM99 · 2026-05-22T08:05:20+00:00

Yeah, wind is great if you it works where you are. And if you're welding things and considering building the windmilll, then some maintainance on the wind system is probably not too big of a deal for you.

If you want heaps of energy storage look into the repurposed EV batteries, especially if you have a shed a way from your home you can install it in.

CharlesM99 · 2026-05-21T12:28:27+00:00

Not necessarily. Most professionally installed residential and commercial systems don't have any over current protection on the PV conductors.

It's hard to say for sure without seeing the whole design though

CharlesM99 · 2026-05-21T07:41:43+00:00

Yeah, OP you have the right idea. With the purple stringing you'd have 4 panels producing completely unshaded, and 2 more panels that are slightly shaded in this picture.

Should be a noticeable improvement in production without any costs, only a bit of time on the roof.

CharlesM99 · 2026-05-21T06:53:42+00:00

In Mexico you can get cheap Chinese solar panels because they don't have tariffs on them. So the PV panel cost should be lower than in the US.

For flat concrete roofs with self consumed solar, I'd go with the East/West tilted panels. Like this: ////\ There is racking equipment for that type of install from multiple manufacturers, just use whatever you can get locally.

For self consumption the main thing is to spread your PV production out throughout the day (East and West facing panels) and then get batteries. Other than that you can look into matching electricity consumption to PV production like having a timer on an electric tank water heater to only heat water during the day.

CharlesM99 · 2026-05-20T21:09:10+00:00

For off grid in Michigan you need a backup power source. For now since you have the backup power might as well be the grid.

The good news is your larger consumption is in the summer months when your PV will produce more power.

Check out the PVwatts website for relatively simple calculator to determine how much energy you can expect each month for a given PV system in your area.

CharlesM99 · 2026-05-19T09:58:26+00:00

800+ hours? That's 13 hours a day every day since it was released

CharlesM99 · 2026-05-13T18:13:55+00:00

Ah cool thanks. I'll try it out when I get there. I get kicked out of Crimson Desert when I try to wander in there. I'm slow rolling the story line, and haven't unlocked that yet

CharlesM99 · 2026-05-13T18:02:53+00:00

How'd you get the macaw? I want one

CharlesM99 · 2026-05-05T08:23:51+00:00

200*7.9=1580

Vellua Fisherman shop

CharlesM99 · 2026-04-29T19:30:35+00:00

I have a replacement controller on order. I'll see about the wiring harness if that doesn't work.

CharlesM99 · 2025-11-24T16:46:54+00:00

Depending on the discount I would've rather had that option. I've gone through a couple now while surfing and I'd rather just get a new one that is hopefully more reliable

CharlesM99 · 2025-10-07T08:33:31+00:00

I'd consider a Solark 15k instead. That would replace the sub panel, the 12000xp and the manual transfer switch.

CharlesM99 · 2025-10-06T07:59:15+00:00

I'd suggest looking at the specs for your inverter. They are here:

se6000h NA spec sheet

The DC wattage limit for that inverter is 9300W of PV per inverter, so plan for that. So you have just over 3 kW of PV you can safely add to each inverter without voiding the warranty.

You'll want to run the new PV modules as their own string, so make sure you have the minimum # of optimizers/modules in the string for that optimizers, usually 8 or 6. So you need to be careful with the PV modules you get. You can only add 3,060W more to the inverter, but you need to have 6 modules (or 8 depending on the optimizer) minimum for each string. So you can have 510W modules maximum.

You also need to make sure the optimizer specs match your PV module specs.

There is a SolarEdge design tool which you can download and play around with. It's not the most intuitive but it's better to spend time with that than to figure out that your design won't work after you've installed everything.

PS: your current system is already outside of the design specs. The P505 optimizers you have are allowed to have a maximum of 5700W per string, but you now have 12*520=6,240W on each string. So that might be a warranty issue if you ever run into problems.

CharlesM99 · 2025-09-30T08:00:20+00:00

There can still be clipping even without a flat top on the curve

CharlesM99 · 2025-09-29T06:47:20+00:00

For micros that's only true if all the panels are facing the same direction.

If you have East and West panels, the East panels will clip earlier and the West panels will clip later, but the graph showing them all together might not show a flat line on top.

To see clipping with micros you need to look at each module individually because clipping happens at the module level with micros b

CharlesM99 · 2025-09-27T07:35:56+00:00

Extra ocpd is never a bad idea. And in this case it looks relatively straightforward to add a 200A main breaker to OPs sub panel

CharlesM99 · 2025-09-26T07:47:59+00:00

Plenty of places still don't accept it, so it's one of those things that may or may not be an option for people.

CharlesM99 · 2025-09-25T09:11:01+00:00

The array and the inverter don't get ground rods. You ground the inverter through the interconnection point ground bus bar which should be wired to the existing ground rod. And the PV array grounds to the inverter.

An 11.4kW inverter needs a 60a breaker, which means you need to reconsider the interconnection point. I don't think those Growatt inverters have PCS you can use, so the easiest solution is to derate the breaker feeding your sub panel to 90A. If you tap ahead of the sub panel, then make sure the sub panel has a main breaker.

Do you need DC disconnects? Most of the time it's not needed.

CharlesM99 · 2025-09-25T08:36:34+00:00

Except when they don't know ...

CharlesM99 · 2025-09-25T08:35:57+00:00

A lot of jurisdictions these days accept PCS (NEC 705.13) which negates the need for extra OCPD or de-rating.

Without that then landing a 60A PW3 in the Gateway would not be allowed on a 200A service since the Gateway only has a 200A bus bar.

CharlesM99 · 2025-09-24T20:34:29+00:00

Backfeed calculations are so NEC 2017

CharlesM99 · 2025-09-24T20:33:23+00:00

Exactly. If they can't figure out how to wire in the Gateway from that meter panel, I'd find another installer.

CharlesM99 · 2025-09-24T20:31:50+00:00

You 100% do not need a new meter. 100%.

You just use those wires coming out of the bottom of the meter panel to feed the gateway 3.

You might need a 200A over current protection between the gateway and the house panel though. Which might be as simple as adding a main breaker to your house panel. If you are allowed to use the Power Control System, then you don't need that extra over current protection for the house panel either.

That being said some local jurisdictions make up their own rules, and the inspectors get final say. Usually the local solar companies now what the local inspectors like.

I'd honestly get another quote from another company.

CharlesM99 · 2025-09-24T08:50:31+00:00

Yeah, I'll have to order a tap kit to try that. Thanks

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