The forum changed a lot since I was absent for about 3 years

solarvic
solarvic Solar Expert Posts: 1,072 ✭✭✭✭
in In the Weeds--Member's Choice #1
I lost interest because of the bickering and banning of some people that had a lot of knowledge to share including a couple monitors that had conflicting personality,s  I see that there are lots of new members and I recognize some of the long term members.  There are a lot of changes to the form that I will have to try to learn. Is there still a way to send private messages to other forum members like before.  
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  • Photowhit
    Photowhit Solar Expert Posts: 6,017 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #2
    Yes, it's kinda' setup as a private chat.

    Click on the person's name who you wish to chat with and there is a message button at the top or  "add a comment" under the Activity heading.

    Welcome back!
    Home system 4000 watt (Evergreen) array standing, with 2 Midnite Classic Lites,  Midnite E-panel, Magnum MS4024, Prosine 1800(now backup) and Exeltech 1100(former backup...lol), 660 ah 24v Forklift battery(now 10 years old). Off grid for 20 years (if I include 8 months on a bicycle).
    - Assorted other systems, pieces and to many panels in the closet to not do more projects.
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  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #3
    welcome back
    Powerfab top of pole PV mount | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
    || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
    || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

    solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
    gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister ,

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  • Dave Angelini
    Dave Angelini Solar Expert Posts: 6,975 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    #4
    So where did you go?  Bill has been doing a great job and has kept the bashing and ego problems that use to be here to a minimum.
    "we go where power lines don't" Sierra Nevada mountain area
       htps://offgridsolar1.com/
    E-mail offgridsolar@sti.net

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  • DanS26
    DanS26 Solar Expert Posts: 269 ✭✭✭
    #5
    In the few years you have been away this site, at least IMHO, has become a mainly off grid, battery help site.  It used to be about 50/50 grid tie to off grid threads, but it seems now that most of the grid tie people have left.

    If you have battery problems.....this is the place to be.
    23.16kW Kyocera panels; 2 Fronius 7.5kW inverters; Nyle hot water; Steffes ETS; Great Lakes RO; Generac 10kW w/ATS, TED Pro & Emporia System monitoring
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  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,685 admin
    #6
    I am still here, and grid tied.

    GT is cheaper and simpler (&just works until something breaks). And the subsidies are slowly going away (Hawaii and Nevada to name a couple).

    The new code that has roof top disconnects, ground fault, fire access set banks, rate plan changes, less than $3 a watt and such... just not as popular now for diy.

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
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  • Mangas
    Mangas Solar Expert Posts: 547 ✭✭✭✭
    edited February 2017 #7
    We off gridders stick together.

    I keep a long extension cord in our tack room for my rural grid neighbors.
    Ranch Off Grid System & Custom Home: 2 x pair stacked Schneider XW 5548+ Plus inverters (4), 2 x Schneider MPPT 80-600 Charge Controllers, 2 Xanbus AGS Generator Start and Air Extraction System Controllers, 64 Trojan L16 REB 6v 375 AH Flooded Cel Batteries w/Water Miser Caps, 44 x 185 Sharp Solar Panels, Cummins Onan RS20 KW Propane Water Cooled Genset, ICF Custom House Construction, all appliances, Central A/C, 2 x High Efficiency Variable Speed three ton Central A/C 220v compressors, 2 x Propane furnaces, 2 x Variable Speed Air Handlers, 2 x HD WiFi HVAC Zoned System Controllers
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  • solarvic
    solarvic Solar Expert Posts: 1,072 ✭✭✭✭
    #8
    I was still living the last 3 years and am grid tied. My system is flawless and my power co is treating me well. Can,t complain. All think everyone in my area now has smart meters and the meter readers finished up at the end of the year. So far this year a regular lineman employee has been reading my meter and they were looking over my solar system the first time they read it. I asked the man where the regular meter reader was and that is when I found the meter readers jobs were eliminated.  He said everything checked out alright. The last couple of years the meter reading was contracted out as the power company already eliminated their employees then.   I kind of wondered why the do not just let the smart meter send power co the results like everyone else. They do,not make much money from me as My solar system makes just a little more power for the year than I use. They set my kwh account to zero at the end of april and I start out a new year building up my account.  They do not give me any money but let the money go toward my monthly account charges. I finally used that up and had to start paying the monthly charge this month. Been that way for the last 3 years. Been retired for 7 years and as long as the gas well don,t go dry and the grid tie system keeps working it helps to make my social security and small pension go a little farther. I have 4 extra solar panels and an extra inverter so I am hoping I wil not need more equipment expenses.
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