[RE-wrenches] AC lock-out

Chris Worcester chris at solarwindworks.com
Wed May 3 20:59:29 PDT 2017


Hi Bill, 

I have forwarded this NREL report on the Rationale of the AC Lockable Disco
to all the utility companies in our area. It was back when this came out,
and every one of their engineering departments refused to acknowledge its
validity or adapt it. It is worth re-addressing. 

Good luck!

 

Chris Worcester

Solar Wind Works

NABCEP Certified PV Installer

Office 530-582-4503

Cell 530-448-9692

Fax 530-582-4603

www.solarwindworks.com

chris at solarwindworks.com

 

From: RE-wrenches [mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org] On
Behalf Of frenergy
Sent: Tuesday, May 02, 2017 9:17 PM
To: RE-wrenches
Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] AC lock-out

 

I appreciate the input.  The whole house disco could be an option.

This utility also sends out a letter as soon as I request potential customer
interest and their most recent 12 month's power history.  The letter states:
"When analyzing the potential payback of solar power, assume that the future
cost for energy from PSREC will be its wholesale cost of power, currently
about $0.05 per kWh, and not the current retail rate of $0.1478 per kWh.
This may affect the payback of your investment in a solar system."

Gotta love it.

Bill

 

On 5/2/2017 4:00 PM, jay wrote:

What got the PG&E lockout lifted was no-one knew who had the list, how it
was to be implemented/locked or when how to be un locked, or who kept the
keys, just to name a few. 

 

Its all based on the faulty thinking that its stupid power ( generator ) and
not smart power IEEE/UL 1741.

 

You might try if an inverter engineer might talk with the utility engineer.


 

 

And I've actually got one on my house.  Its one of the first installs in
northern California, and not only is the a lockable disco, its locked ON.  

 

jay

peltz power

 

 

On May 2, 2017, at 9:50 AM, Mac Lewis <maclewis1 at gmail.com> wrote:

 

Here in CO, a lot of rural utilities have this requirement. Its very
unnecessary as we all know.  I would shoot for a directional placarding
solution. Indicate where the main service is from the solar disconnect and
where the solar disconnect is from the main. Worth a try, it always works
here.

 

On May 2, 2017 10:46 AM, "James Jefferson Jarvis" <jj at aprsworld.com> wrote:

Rather than trench, you could install a whole house disconnect. I doubt it
would ever be opened.


Here in my part of Minnesota the utilities won't allow you to do a whole
premise disconnect. The lockable solar disconnect must serve the solar only
and must be located within 6' of the meter.

So I've had a few occasions where the customer has had to spend thousands of
extra dollars to meet that requirement.

It's a pretty crazy (read: anti-renewables) requirement in this day and age.

-James Jarvis
APRS World, LLC




William

On May 2, 2017, at 7:18 AM, frenergy <frenergy at psln.com> wrote:

Especially CA wrenches,

           Anybody had any of their GT systems locked-out by their utility
with the AC disco?  I'm dealing with a utility that still insists in
installing an AC disco no matter what the conditions are and in this very
rural area this can mean running an extra line out to the meter/main 100+ ft
from the house (distribution panel back at the house).  So backhoe, labor,
materials and Oops the backhoe hit a propane line.  Do they actually have a
box of hundreds of locks to be able to lock-out PV systems?  I doubt it.
Would appreciate knowing for a discussion with their engineer.

Bill

Feather River Solar Electric
Bill Battagin, Owner
4291 Nelson St.
Taylorsville, CA 95983
530.284.7849
CA Lic 874049
www.frenergy.net <http://www.frenergy.net/> 


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