Cali Electicity w/Grid tie Solar

JRHill
JRHill Registered Users Posts: 353 ✭✭✭
in In the Weeds--Member's Choice #1
This AM the wife and I were talking about recent news from one of her sons who lives in CA. In the last year he purchased and moved to a different location to reduce his commute to work. The house has 5k of solar and no batteries. Other than the standard electrical stuff in his residence there is a pool with it's associated pumps, etc. The stove, water heater and house heat is gas.

She said that his last two power bills were $1400 and next $2000 for the monthly service. Oh. My. Gosh! I don't know the details but I would love to see one of these monthly bills. Apparently, he has a 6 year 'contract' for whoever his providing his power so he can't get out of it? The grid tied solar is one of those installations that are a rental contract so that is in addition to the power bills he is getting. I am sure he is contractually prohibited from doing anything to the solar like adding batteries.

I wish I knew more detail but I won't stick my nose into the subject unless he opens the conversation. He's technically pretty sharp but he sure got into this situation discovering why the previous owner was selling.
Off Grid. Two systems: 1) 2925w panels, OB VFXR3648, FM80, FNDC, Victron BMV-712, Mate3s, 240 xformer, four SimpliPHI 3.8; 2) 780w, Morningstar 30a, Grundfos switch, controller and AC/DC pump, 8 T105. Honda EU7000is w/AGS. Champion 3100. HF 4550, Miller Bobcat.
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Comments

  • littleharbor2
    littleharbor2 Solar Expert Posts: 2,101 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #2
    Wow! Sounds like he didn't understand what he was buying into . Sellers must be relieved to have gotten out of that contract.

    2.1 Kw Suntech 175 mono, Classic 200, Trace SW 4024 ( 15 years old  but brand new out of sealed factory box Jan. 2015), Bogart Tri-metric,  460 Ah. 24 volt LiFePo4 battery bank. Plenty of Baja Sea of Cortez sunshine.

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  • Dave Angelini
    Dave Angelini Solar Expert Posts: 6,889 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    edited July 8 #3
    Been real hot !  Not that hot though.  You can always add batteries as long as it is safely installed. I do this all of the time.

     Where, how big a house, how old of a house, how many people, pools, firing pottery....

    Air conditioned batteries below

    "we go where power lines don't" Sierra Nevada mountain area
       htps://offgridsolar1.com/
    E-mail offgridsolar@sti.net

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  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,613 admin
    #4
    He may also need to talk with his utility... The prior owner should have had a GT Solar compatible meter (I.e., logs the Watts, direction of power flow, time of day, etc.). When he purchased the house, the utility may have switched him to a standard residential plan--Which (it is possible) that the utility is charging him $0.40-$0.50 per kWH for using power (at night) and generating power (during sunny day). Standard meters only "add power", they never "run backwards".

    The whole idea of charging for energy flowing "either direction" was intended to to protect utility revenue.... A (somewhat?) common practice was for people to unplug the meter and install it upside down for part of the month (run the meter backwards) and reduce their bill.

    That evolved into electronic utility meters with "Revenue Guard" that both recorded power used and power generated as power used (no flipping the meter) and flagging when meters "lost utility power" (being unplugged and plugged back in).

    Not sure if that is what happened with your son's place--But it sounds like a possibility.

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
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  • Dave Angelini
    Dave Angelini Solar Expert Posts: 6,889 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    #5
    So a KWH does vary in different parts.
    Electric rates in California
    The average residential electricity rate in California is 34 ¢/kWh, which is 99% higher than the national average rate of 17 ¢/kWh.

    I think central valley is close Bill to your 50 cents? Or is that the higher tiers?
    "we go where power lines don't" Sierra Nevada mountain area
       htps://offgridsolar1.com/
    E-mail offgridsolar@sti.net

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  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,613 admin
    #6
    Here is a graphic of the July 2024 and beyond rates... Typically around $0.39 to $0.49 per kWH for residential, depending on season and how much energy you use. Get the Time of Use plan, it can run $0.31 to $0.69 per kWH (charge your car during summer afternoons, it can reach $0.69 per kWH).

    https://www.pge.com/content/dam/pge/docs/account/rate-plans/residential-electric-rate-plan-pricing.pdf

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
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  • Dave Angelini
    Dave Angelini Solar Expert Posts: 6,889 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    edited July 12 #7
    Thanks for that Bill ! 

    Probably still needs to go higher for Gavi to be OK with the price.

    Still holding a place for you to see Rod Stewart next month at Harvey's. Lowered rates down to  $0.115 per KWH this year. Cheers!
    "we go where power lines don't" Sierra Nevada mountain area
       htps://offgridsolar1.com/
    E-mail offgridsolar@sti.net

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  • JRHill
    JRHill Registered Users Posts: 353 ✭✭✭
    #8
    I haven't said much further out of respect for the SIL's privacy. And I just don't know the details. But the impression I'm getting is there is a major rip in place. The consumer is made to believe there is a pending disaster so they are compelled to invest in a way to help with the problem and get some gain at the same time. Gee, that sounds familiar. Then they get raped on several levels.

    I have read where some respond "Just go off grid!" Yeah, right. He knows how we live our off grid existence. He is in the peak of his earning years and they live the life with two small kids and a long road to go. It's a new view of a problem for me.
    Off Grid. Two systems: 1) 2925w panels, OB VFXR3648, FM80, FNDC, Victron BMV-712, Mate3s, 240 xformer, four SimpliPHI 3.8; 2) 780w, Morningstar 30a, Grundfos switch, controller and AC/DC pump, 8 T105. Honda EU7000is w/AGS. Champion 3100. HF 4550, Miller Bobcat.
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