Installation in Progress
The installation has begun. Right now, they’re just unloading the panels and mounting hardware, and we’re all hoping that the rain is done for the day.
This is a single Sharp NT-175U1 panel. We’ll have a total of 39 of them.
Update 3pm: We’re done for the day. They were able to put steppers (to allow them to remain on the roof without falling) up, and assemble most of the mounting hardware. They tried to start installing the mounting rails, but the roof is too wet and wouldn’t even take a chalk line.
Installation will continue tomorrow and probably be complete next Monday. They only work through Thursdays. We have set a preliminary date of May 18 for the electrical work, to be confirmed when the electrician gets home from vacation.
I won’t be working at home for the rest of the physical installation, but weather permitting I’ll try to take a picture every night and summarize the work.
Latest Update
Both of us just got off the phone with the installer.
Basically, some order in Germany just took 50 MW worth of 185W panels – 6 months supply in one order. Since the Green party is now in power in Germany, there are lots of projects.
The 175W panels (NT-175U1) are identical to the 185W panels, except that they tested 175-184W after manufacturing. In this configuration, we actually end up getting closer to the 7000W limit of our two 3500W inverters than we could get with the 185W panels. Instead of 3 rows of 12, we will have 3 rows of 13 panels on the roof. That will make it a little narrow on the edges (something like 8 inches) but then it will protect more roof surface.
My installer also agreed to make adjustments to avoid increasing our out of pocket costs, after prompting. I would have liked to see Sharp make the adjustment rather than my installer, but either way is fine – an error or decision that hurt us a little was made that needs to be handled.
So, April 12 is the new install starting date. He still thinks it will take 3 days, but we can do inside work on any rainy days that might occur.
More Problems
I got an e-mail from my installer over the weekend. He states that the permit should be ready by the week of 4/12, and he wants to schedule the install then.
However (there always has to be a however), Sharp has notified him that all 185-watt panels are being diverted to a large job in Germany, and his shipment won’t arrive until May. He’s offering to change to 175-watt panels and fit an extra three on the roof, for an increase in price of $375 out of pocket and increase in total wattage of 225 watts. He thinks that we can make the technical adjustment in the rebate application later.
Personally, I’m a little cranky about this. Cranky with Sharp for taking equipment away from the little guy to give to the big guy elsewhere. Cranky with my installer for either not ordering promptly when I committed, or for finding out at the last minute. I’m also a little worried that the engineering will have to be redone and the permit might get delayed.
I’ve replied to his e-mail asking him to call me at work this afternoon. We’ll see what he says.
Am I making too much of this? Or is home solar energy really this far from being ready for prime time?
Some of the Components
It’ll be a few weeks before we get the permits. I’ll try to provide interesting information in the meantime to keep you interested.
Sharp’s JH-3500U is the inverter that we are using (we’ll have 2 of them). This inverter has been in use for 8 years in Japan, and was recently introduced to the US. This is a grid-connected inverter with no backup capabilities – if utility power fails it shuts down. Here is the PDF spec sheet.
Sharp’s NT-185U1 is the solar panel that we are using (we’ll have 36 of them). This panel is also new, and is the top of the Sharp line at the moment. This is the PDF spec sheet for the panels.
Web Stuff
