Share Your Home Electrification/Efficiency Improvements

[SageBrush]

I have my solar system in the garage and I've re-done my roof in preparation for installation. BUT I'm not still quite using enough power to have my utility allow it due to the 120% rule (can only install 120% PV of last 12 months use). I just finished the sauna in the basement I'm crushing last winter's numbers so once I get my next bill I think I'll be good to go. I'm about 125% now and last Feb was 500kWh. That should be easy to top and I think it will be enough for me to get my permit. Otherwise, I'll be charging a lot at home in March.

My Colorado Co-op waived the 120% over 12 months rule for me when I showed them new loads -- in my case, an EV

[goldbrick]

Well, it turns out after unpacking everything that one of the panels is ruined so I'm going to re-submit my application for 11 panels instead of 12 (385W). I need to contact the shipping company but I'm not optimistic since it's been almost a week since delivery. I waited until the weekend to unpack the panels so I could have a helper during the day so that's on me. What really burns my britches though is that they damaged it and then tried to hide it. Something fell across the top panel and must have bent the side rails a bit. Then this panel was restacked on the pile upside down to hide the damage the side rails were straightened out. I saw and photo-graphed the damage to the rails underneath (on top after the flip) but didn't think it would cause an issue. It wouldn't but that damage was actually from the rails buckling under the load to the other side. Someone was careful to get the sides straight again since I sighted down them when looking for damage. What I didn't do is lift the panel off the pile to see if the glass was cracked (it's a mess).

Hopefully others can learn from this in the future and I will certainly be less trusting in the future.

The good news is that 11 panels will fit better than 12, I'll be under 120% so can continue with permitting while giving the shipper hell, and I'm planning more panels in the future anyway.

[LeftieBiker]

My "Mr. Cool" mini split has been performing above my expectations this Winter. I installed the 240 volt, 20k BTU (?) version despite only needing the 120 volt, 12k BTU unit for cooling for just this reason: to have adequate heat almost all of the time in Winter. I don't need to supplement the unit with separate resistance heat until the temps fall into the single digits, and I don't need to turn it off because it's providing virtually no heat until the temp drops to below 5F. I welcome the winds that come with Nor'easters, because they provide the outdoor half with more heat to extract. I've made my own washable pre-filters to extend the filter cleaning time to 6 months from one, because that job is a PITA. Now if only it had a decent thermostat...

[dmacarthur]

Mini-splits are rated for their output relative to temperature- we have a Fujitsu 18KBTU mini-split in a rental aprtment which claims to be able to provide its rated output at 13 below and this has proven true- it provides all the heat necessary for the last 2 years, even at below zero temps. Our region has not recently seen 20 below, not sure even this unit would work.... keep small electric heaters on hand as well.

[LeftieBiker]

Mine is rated for something like 10,000 btu at 13F. It cost $1800.

[goldbrick]

Mini-splits are rated for their output relative to temperature- we have a Fujitsu 18KBTU mini-split in a rental aprtment which claims to be able to provide its rated output at 13 below and this has proven true- it provides all the heat necessary for the last 2 years, even at below zero temps. Our region has not recently seen 20 below, not sure even this unit would work.... keep small electric heaters on hand as well.

What manufacturer and model? This sounds exactly like what I'm looking for.

[SageBrush]

Mini-splits are rated for their output relative to temperature- we have a Fujitsu 18KBTU mini-split in a rental aprtment which claims to be able to provide its rated output at 13 below and this has proven true- it provides all the heat necessary for the last 2 years, even at below zero temps. Our region has not recently seen 20 below, not sure even this unit would work.... keep small electric heaters on hand as well.

What manufacturer and model? This sounds exactly like what I'm looking for.

You may wish to x-reference the capacity data with COP, or you may be just looking at a big resistance element.

The blue-blood winter heat pumps use CO2 as the refrigerant. They are considerably more expensive and the installation cost can be sobering.

[LeftieBiker]

I went for the cheap Mr Cool unit because it was the only one that came pre-charged for home installation by the purchaser. All the rest had to be charged by a certified HVAC tech - or at least someone with those tools. That was a job I'd never take on again. I did come up with a technique for cutting a large hole through a lathe & plaster wall without filling the house with dust, though.

[danrjones]

Well, it turns out after unpacking everything that one of the panels is ruined so I'm going to re-submit my application for 11 panels instead of 12 (385W). I need to contact the shipping company but I'm not optimistic since it's been almost a week since delivery. I waited until the weekend to unpack the panels so I could have a helper during the day so that's on me. What really burns my britches though is that they damaged it and then tried to hide it. Something fell across the top panel and must have bent the side rails a bit. Then this panel was restacked on the pile upside down to hide the damage the side rails were straightened out. I saw and photo-graphed the damage to the rails underneath (on top after the flip) but didn't think it would cause an issue. It wouldn't but that damage was actually from the rails buckling under the load to the other side. Someone was careful to get the sides straight again since I sighted down them when looking for damage. What I didn't do is lift the panel off the pile to see if the glass was cracked (it's a mess).

Hopefully others can learn from this in the future and I will certainly be less trusting in the future.

The good news is that 11 panels will fit better than 12, I'll be under 120% so can continue with permitting while giving the shipper hell, and I'm planning more panels in the future anyway.

I added a new solar system over the summer / fall, and when I my equipment arrived via XPO, it looked fine.
Luckily my son and I decided to unpack it anyway. Sure enough, the bottom panel of the stack of 20 was shattered.
So just a few hours after XPO had come and gone, I was on the phone with the company that I had bought the package from.
I paid a bit more than doing the system piecemeal by getting it from a well known solar warehouse here in CA.
The next day they had a replacement panel on its way to me.

Funny thing is, I later tested the damaged panel and it worked fine. My guess would be even shattered it was putting out 90% or more.
I have it stowed in my shed to use for something later, maybe some off grid stuff, for a greenhouse, or the shed.

ALWAYS, ALWYAS check all the equipment. I think the company I worked with said I had 2 days to report shipping damages.

[dmacarthur]

Mini-splits are rated for their output relative to temperature- we have a Fujitsu 18KBTU mini-split in a rental aprtment which claims to be able to provide its rated output at 13 below and this has proven true- it provides all the heat necessary for the last 2 years, even at below zero temps. Our region has not recently seen 20 below, not sure even this unit would work.... keep small electric heaters on hand as well.

What manufacturer and model? This sounds exactly like what I'm looking for.

You may wish to x-reference the capacity data with COP, or you may be just looking at a big resistance element.

The blue-blood winter heat pumps use CO2 as the refrigerant. They are considerably more expensive and the installation cost can be sobering.

The Fujitsu XLTH - has the lowest temperature rating at which it can still provide heat that I have heard of- and it does not have a resistance element but it DOES have a resistance unit to keep the tray from freezing up with condensate. There are independent reviews of cold-weather mini-splits.....