The ugly truth behind grid-tie solar systems. Part 1, FarmCraft101 solar. Watch before you buy!

In Part 1, I go through the pros and cons of a grid-tied solar system in detail. We recently had a 9.1kw solar system installed, and even though I am not a solar expert, I learned a lot in the process! Hopefully other can benefit from my experience.

The ugly truth: With a grid-tie system, you cannot use your solar panels in a power outage!

I will break even on my cost in about 8.5 years. The panels have a 25 year warranty. The grid tied inverter ($1200) has a 10 year warranty. Of course the inverter may last 15 or 20 years. Either way, excepting for possibly replacing the inverter, after 8.5 years this system will be earning almost $2000 per year.

MERCH STORE!:

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[JonHeckendorf]

Excellent presentation. I am a retired electrical engineer who has been dabbling in solar and wind power generation for many decades. My non-grid-tie systems have been small due to the usual high costs and lack of technology. To give a point of reference, I power my garage (mechanical, welding, metal and woodworking shop equipment), outbuildings with refrigerator and freezer, and all outside electrical needs. Basically everything but the house. Now that solar grid-tie equipment is legal, feasible and cheaper by the watt than in the past, I am going to take the plunge and put a system together for my entire property. You have done exactly the same system I want for mine. I subscribed to your channel for more solar videos. Thank you.

[richardhead]

I have been debating solar power for a while now and have been watching hundreds of videos for research.
This has been HANDS DOWN the most informative video series I have seen to date.
I appreciate you sharing your info with me.

[stevebrannon]

We have a 3.5 kw system that I installed almost 5 years ago. This system cost about $15, 000. I saved about $3500 by installing it myself. After the Federal rebate it cost about $8, 500. In talking to a property appraiser, solar systems are somewhat like swimming pools and you get about 50% return if you sell. Our system produces almost all the power we need. We saved approximately $900 the first year. Instead of having $8, 000 in the bank making 1% ours is on the roof making about 11% tax free. Our electric rates are increasing almost 6% per year. So is solar a good technology? I think it is.

[nwinblad]

I was listening the whole video for the "ugly truth" and didn't hear it. Maybe you need to re-title this video to Solar Basics or something like that. And thank you for doing this.

[fungames]

The most important thing to me that makes the cost worth it is you learn how to provide power on your own. The cost for power will continue to rise even when power companies have surplus. In my area we were informed there will be brown outs implying shortage and going to raise the bill but then against people installing solar. If you are interested in doing solar but worry about cost then start with a smaller project it is rewarding and it is a good skill to learn. It is also a fun project.

[MiltunaMusic]

The 'newish' SMA SB5.0-US or SMA 6.0-US are grid tie string inverters that will output 2kW emergency power direct from your array during daylight hours if the grid fails without any storage. I bought the 6kW for around $1320 2016-17. I have installed 3 units and they are very solid and well engineered with 3 MPPT channels each. BTW excellent video...one of the best I've seen...
I run a small home/hotel and reduced my cost from $13000/yr to $3200/yr with a DIY 10kW system with tracking for $23000 Actual estimated return of cost <3yrs. Now adding 6 kW fixed array.

[rogerpearson]

Good to see actual outputs from the system and not just the advertising spiel. You can set up the inverter to supply the house during an outage but it adds a lot of cost to put the isolater and changeover switches in. The most cost effective way is to just live with the odd outage and buy a generator so you have backup power even at night. If you hook it up to your house supply, you will still need a grid isolator anyway.

[robertdoell]

Absolutely BY FAR the best explanation of the system without extraneous information.

[armedmariner]

2022 when I’m writing this. I want to thank you for this video. I’m designing a grid tie only system for my house and I needed to see this video. Fabulous description of how solar panel energy can overcome grid impedance and flow backwards through the meter. Nice job explaining that. Thank you. I was the student 5 years after you first published this!!! Smile.

[barry]

So nice to hear someone who actually knows what he's talking about. Interesting vid

[thomaswalz]

Thank you for the clear explanation. Electricity overwhelms me at times, and most other don't explain the process sequentially like you just did, explaining each step on the way.

Now, to find funding...

[pbaluyut]

This is one of the best videos I've watch in explaining a solar system. Great job.

[persistentone]

You did an excellent job of explaining technical aspects of a solar installation.

[marshallgray]

Better explained than my college professor. This fella is smart and articulate

[gilbertgauger]

Well done video. As a master electrician with a background in physics and engineering I have however chosen to not become involved with any system that does not include on site storage. Having been involved with co-generation in various forms from small rural windmills to industrial heat reclamation projects since the early eighties I have seen the mandated beginnings of ‘net metering’ all the way to the current phase out of that model. That mandate occurred during the era of mechanical metering and the added cost of dual metering made most small installations unfeasible at that time. I disagree, as a matter of principle, that taking advantage of modern electronic metering which makes possible grid ties feasible, and thus using the grid as ‘storage’ is not a fair and equitable system under net metering. Obviously the courts and regulators agree with my position as net metering is now on the way out. The proper analysis in my position is always grid tied for reliability, net zero draw from the grid under normal operations, and on site storage for management of the differential between electrical generation and load times. This of course comes at a significantly higher initial investment and longer payback. As examples of my rational I offer disagreement about your statement regarding selling excess production to your neighbor. If that is your goal then you should route your own cables to your neighbor’s property. Using the grid instead takes unfair advantage of the utility company’s infrastructure and is also an unfair usurpation of the company’s business model of producing electricity at wholesale and selling at retail like all other free market capitalized businesses. Plus utilities may be monopolies, but they are very much regulated monopolies. They, like all other businesses, are entitled to charge for their services and make a profit for the shareholders albeit regulated under government oversight. One very big fallacy of solar is hidden in that need to store that energy. We are making it when it is not needed. Dumping it to the grid is actually a very poor choice for a myriad of reasons besides the unfairness of the net metering issue. It is a logistical night mare for grid operations on a system that was engineered and constructed to transport power from a centralized source to distributed loads. Things were ok when only a handful of installations were involved and thus net metering made some sense. But with more widespread adoption of the technology these points I am raising have become critical issues. In addition your description regarding the inverter’s ability to manage the direction of power flow is a very good analog of what is occurring but not technically accurate. I suggest you familiarize yourself with the concept of power factor in electrical circuits. You very clearly have the basic understanding of electricity to grasp and add this concept to your tool kit. Once so you will realize that the electronics management utilizes phase angle to perform its management of power flow. Again, we’ll done and thank you for consideration of my position.

[DIYTechRepairs]

Perhaps not Ugly truth more of this is how it works :) good video!

I have 17kW on my roof with 100kWh battery bank and can work all year now. I cover 100% 10/12 months if power goes out. Last 2 months i will survive but not without lowering consumption. Its worth mentioning that we have not changed our useage and during winter we only get 10% compare to

Solar is very interesting but there are so many systems out there so its easy to get fooled if you dont know what you are working with.

[Bob_Adkins]

Great video, thanks! Awesome setup, just what I would have if I ever decided take the plunge. It appears you have a water tank under your panels to rinse them. Many people don't realize that even a light haze of dust can rob you of 10-20% of your panel's output, so they must be cleaned often and endlessly.

[JoeyRodz]

Wait a minute. Geeky solar panels? Perfectly describing parallel/series? Cheesy cutaway attempts at jokes? Masterfully using water flow to describe voltage and current??? You are a fellow EE, aren't you? :-)

Excellent video. I particularly enjoyed that you showed the structural components of your array. Nice in-focus, steady and clear shots of the undercarriage stuff. Great job at describing the complex setup in easy to understand terms.

[gm]

Finally, someone who knows what they are talking about. In New York, my neighbor just had a "free" roof-top solar system installed by a company who claimed the government was offering this amazing deal. They even did her roof over before installing the panels. I suspect she's in for a rude awakening when she starts looking at her Con Edison and solar energy invoices.

[HighTechLab]

I like the ironridge racking quite a bit! It's super easy to use.