Enphase Utility permission needed?

gqroot

I have two 205watt panels hooked to an off-grid setup. I wanted to hook the panels up to an Enphase M215. Since the max I will be generating is ~ 400 watts, do I still need to get permission from the power company to hook it up to the grid? I wasn't looking into getting any rebates because it doesn't meet their prerequisites.

mike95490

Re: Enphase Utility permission needed?

You only need permission if you get caught

Of course, when caught, you

a) get a big fine

b) disconnected from the grid and all your beer gets warm

c) have to pay a BIG deposit, and meet code, to get connected to the grid again.

Cariboocoot

Re: Enphase Utility permission needed?

gqroot wrote: »

I have two 205watt panels hooked to an off-grid setup. I wanted to hook the panels up to an Enphase M215. Since the max I will be generating is ~ 400 watts, do I still need to get permission from the power company to hook it up to the grid? I wasn't looking into getting any rebates because it doesn't meet their prerequisites.

Yes.
Utilities tend to be very picky about people potentially back-feeding power into their system. So are inspectors and insurance companies. They don't differentiate between a few hundred Watts and a few thousand. The whole thing has to be done to code, regardless of size. One of the reasons why grid-tie systems tend not to be economically feasible unless they're 3kW or more; the install cost per Watt goes down as the system size goes up.

Now, would they actually notice 200 Watts coming off your use? Probably not; the total production of the Enphase would no doubt be swallowed by your household loads without so much as a blip on the meter. But in case it does, you should know that some meters don't read back-fed power; instead they will add it on to your usage. All the more reason for doing it right.

Yeah; 'Coot's a killjoy. :roll:

gqroot

Re: Enphase Utility permission needed?

Thanks for the info!

I think there is a service fee of $800 just to even look at my setup from the utility. So maybe an off-grid will workout?

Cariboocoot

Re: Enphase Utility permission needed?

gqroot wrote: »

Thanks for the info!

I think there is a service fee of $800 just to even look at my setup from the utility. So maybe an off-grid will workout?

Do you have a purpose that your looking for a plan?
If it's to save money on your electric bill, forget it; solar generated power is nearly always more expensive than grid power. In the case of battery-based off-grid it's about 10X the price. You're better off putting the money into conservation.
If it's to supply emergency back-up power, forget it; solar generated power is still more expensive than a good little generator and some safely stored fuel.

If, on the other hand, you want to do something with solar to see how it all comes together and you know this is going to be money spent on education, then you're looking at it realistically.

You could, for experimental purposes, build a very small AC system that might run the TV or a couple of lights. You could build a DC only system and run some lights or DC appliances. It all depends on what you have in mind as an end goal.

waynefromnscanada

Re: Enphase Utility permission needed?

gqroot wrote: »

So maybe an off-grid will workout?

It might, but be extremely careful, as it can become very addictive! :p
I started out many years ago with a single 125 watt panel just for fun and to see what it would do. Ran a few very small items off it and gradually, addiction sneaked up on me, and long before realizing it, the addiction had taken a full, complete and overpowering hold! Now the only thing not run off grid is the garage door opener in the shop across the driveway, but as soon as the wires are hooked up, that too will be off grid. What all am I running off grid? Far, far more than I ever dreamed would be possible for me. Two chest freezers, fridge (converter upright freezer) water pump, this computer, TV and sat receiver, cooking appliances, power tools including 14 inch bandsaw, skill saw, grinders etc, and of course lights and chargers for cordless drills, cell phone and the like. OH, and since it's Summer, almost forgot, the oil-fired hot water furnace during Winter when I'm not burning wood! Will it ever pay for itself before I leave this world? Who knows, but it very well may if rates keep going up like they have been and are planned to in the near future with no end in sight! Am I happy and well satisfied with the whole thing? You want to believe I am!!!!! Did I make mistakes along the way? Sure did! Were the well informed and experienced folk on this form a help to me? Again, you want to believe it! If I had listened more to their advice, suggestions and what they were trying to tell me early on, I would have been a lot better off. But you know the story about hind-sight. My excuse is that never ever did I expect to be this far advanced with being, for all intents and purposes, totally off grid! So, like I said, be careful, VERY careful, because you too can be overcome by that same sneaky, silent addiction! :p
My biggest regret at the moment? Considering the size to which my system has grown, I should have started out with a 24 volt system, as now, I'm really pushing the limits for 12 volts. Good luck in whatever you do!

System2

Re: Enphase Utility permission needed?

Well, I am the type of guy that would not pay for insurance and inspectors for inspectors and still wanted money back from the power company until someone set me strait.
Of course the power company adds too much money onto a back-feed but what if the power were down in the neighborhood and your have a serious amount of power going into the system? You would be endangering the power worker with unexpected jolt or serious jolt and I don't have the right to do that.
So I will stay off grid.

Cariboocoot

Re: Enphase Utility permission needed?

Book-Fellow wrote: »

Well, I am the type of guy that would not pay for insurance and inspectors for inspectors and still wanted money back from the power company until someone set me strait.
Of course the power company adds too much money onto a back-feed but what if the power were down in the neighborhood and your have a serious amount of power going into the system? You would be endangering the power worker with unexpected jolt or serious jolt and I don't have the right to do that.
So I will stay off grid.

This is why all approved GT inverters have anti-islanding circuitry; no grid power to synch to, no output from the inverter.