help with CSI application

Dave Angelini

I am helping a friend fill out the calfornia solar inititive so he can get his reservation for the process to get a rebate. I tried searching (a little) and I suppose if I use google to search the forum it might help?

Is there a link to some help here so I can calculate the CEC-AC system rating for a 2.35KW array with a 93% efficient inverter, correctly?

Thank-You!
--Dave

SkiDoo55

Re: help with CSI application

http://www.csi-epbb.com/

This should take you to the CSI Calculator.

I'm finally getting inspection for rebate. Sent paperwork in in August?? It's down to aboout $0.35/Watt. They just dropped from $0.65/watt CEC for PG&E

Good Luck

Dave Angelini

Re: help with CSI application

Thanks skidoo! It almost is not worth it, what a great state we are in right now!

SkiDoo55

Re: help with CSI application

I have almost told them to forget it even at $0.65/watt due to the hassle. You are supposed to have 5 year paid monitoring unlesss you get an exemption to satisify the PUC requirement. That's actually pretty easy if PMRS exceeds 1% of system cost, but you have to get a quote from an approved company and then submit to them. I submitted my final paper work to them in August and have finallly been notified of an inspection to verify the install meets the submitted CSI calculation.
The only good thing is since I commisioned my system it has generated 2,370 KWH. Had some bad day's for production due to heavy clouds and rain lately but I guess that is to be expected in fall/winter. Hoping to get check before end of year but not holding my breath.

BB.

Re: help with CSI application

Five years ago, I got a $2.65 a watt rebate plus a 10% or so fed rebate at $9 a watt.

Now a grid tie System is under $6 per watt (in some installs) and a 30% federal credit 5 years later...

Not too shabby.

-Bill

drees

Re: help with CSI application

SkiDoo55 wrote: »

You are supposed to have 5 year paid monitoring unlesss you get an exemption to satisify the PUC requirement.

You don't need a paid monitoring system, you just need a way of monitoring the output.

Your typical inverter will collect enough information with enough accuracy to satisfy this requirement.

SkiDoo55

Re: help with CSI application

I was required to either provide a contract for Paid monitoring or provide a quote for PMRS Service for 5 years of coverage and request an exemption. My Zantrex inverter's metering meets and is listed but you still need either exemption because of cost exceeding 1% of system or pay for Independant PMRS Monitoring. CPUC requirement. I can look up the document if you need it. If you have Micro Inverters you probably have PMRS monitoring so you can see what your system is doing online, which you pay for. That type of (contract) information fufills the requirement.

This is what They have required of me to provide to get the CSI rebate and if you are fillingout and submitting documents from the CSI - PowerClerk online unless you provide all of the documents and they get approved you won't beable to do the final submission for your rebate.

drees

Re: help with CSI application

This page explains it nicely:

http://www.pge.com/myhome/saveenergymoney/solarenergy/csi/csimeteringperformancemonitoring/

I guess I thought that anyone getting a system would also want some monitoring.

For example, if you have a SMA inverter, you'd get their web-box. I don't think SMA charges extra for monitoring once you have their web box.

Does the Xantrex monitoring box do the same? I guess at ~$260 for the box, you can get it excluded for systems under $26k if you don't want it.

SkiDoo55

Re: help with CSI application

The Zantrex GT Inverter has RS232 data output that I use to record output, performance, Voltages AC & DC, Current, Freq etc. Records to hard drive. Daily Log and every 30 sec. Plus I have the TED system that records all the information also. I definitly monitor my system, just don't want to pay someone to do it for me when it's not benefical. One quote was for $600. It would be nice if someone could interface to Inverter for reports. if cost had been reasonable or just need a web server to interface probably would have done it. I would really like it if Zantrex would update there interface. The feature's of chosen inverter for me was the best for my installation. For most depending on system and experience would be required.

I've built several houses, designed my PV system, and installed it. Comments from City building inspector and PG&E inspector on professional installation. Not one thing to correct from either. I don't build to code, I exceed it. As soon as funding permits will install the second half of my desired system, taking me to 7.6 KWh Inverter output, 9.2 KW of of panels.

If I get my TED set up correctly on a server I will probably set mine up Like Solar Dave has.

drees

Re: help with CSI application

An Arduino could probably be easily programmed to grab data from the RS232 port on the Xantrex and then the data uploaded to either pachube or Google powermeter.

A bit of hacking involved, but shouldn't be too difficult with a bit of time and could be done for very cheap - less than $100 for sure and probably closer to $50.

solar_dave

Re: help with CSI application

SkiDoo55 wrote: »

If I get my TED set up correctly on a server I will probably set mine up Like Solar Dave has.

If you have any issues holler, I can take some pictures of my install and that might help. TED 5000 can be finicky to get going.

SkiDoo55

Re: help with CSI application

I don't have any problems with the TED working, running 4 ea MTU's. Been playing with the MTU calibration. Got the one pretty close to the Solar readings that are coming form the Zantrex GT-View, .98 correction factor. Don't really know which is correct but want them to match fairly close. Looks better on the spread sheet. Then will work on MTU -1 so the net will agree.

Will keep your offer in mind when I try to put it on-line like you have. Had it up on Google-powermeter but not enough information given and with the delay in reporting. Wish Solar Guppy was back to writing for the Zantrex GT inverters. If the ever offer a web server for them would be real nice.

Really like the Inverter, totally silent and working flawlessly. Been running full time since 08/10/10 and I tested it from 06/29/10 until approved. Current 2384 KWh on clock.

solar_dave

Isn't this a blast from the past.  Well my early TED 5000 from way back when, died.  Well not actually dead but it stopped updating the time or accessing the NTP servers which is crucial to power over time functions like graphing. The Energy Detective people were helpful but no updates for the old iron. I suspect the time counter used up the register and is now in overflow.

Refurbished TED 5000 was $119 so I popped for it. 

Dave Angelini

How are the Volts doing Dave? I had one here for a week and really like driving it. 

solar_dave

Dave Angelini said:

How are the Volts doing Dave? I had one here for a week and really like driving it. 

Both Volts still going strong. My red 2012 got T-boned in a shopping center parking lot.  Over 7K in damage but the insurance company decided to fix it.  With over 60K miles on the red 2012 I think I am driving them till the doors fall off.  The batteries on both these cars are still under warranty.  Range is maybe somewhat diminished, maybe 5%.

BTW I love only buying about a tank of fuel a year, they cover about 95% of our driving with no gasoline consumption.  Wife still bitches every time the Fuel Maintenance Mode kicks in because her gasoline is old. LOL

Dave Angelini

Cool ! The one I had here for a week during the ongoing fire was amazing. Perfect range for most of my local stuff and I can buy a used one really cheap. I know the LG battery has a fantastic warranty and we run our home off them. The bigger battery cars are too expensive and this is a nice compromise.

Stay cool!