This is a sure sign I need more solar panels (and PowerWalls). Good sunlight today, but PowerWalls + Solar aren't enough to serve our needs:
It looks like my original estimates are correct: we need about twice the solar generation and almost twice the PowerWalls. It will be a while before I can line up an appropriate addition to the existing roof array that already takes prime location, in agreement with other household members. When the cost of Tesla Solar Roof comes down, we could incrementally install it in less prime areas but use an uncharacteristic ~96% coverage rather than their "optimum coverage only" intent, leaving the existing optimum solar panel locations up for now. I wonder if Tesla Solar Roof could be done DIY for cheaper.
I'm not sure how many people would be interested in what I just thought of:
I wonder if a HomeStead act for solar installations would work (could call it SolarStead): allow open fields to get 20% Solar Panel coverage by DIY installers with appropriate fire suppression and prevention, and allow those DIY installers to install inverters, batteries, utility interconnects (or as an alternative, cheap upstep transformers with regulated proven cables that can bring those installations through power poles directly into your own home if not too far away, with appropriate downstep transformers at your home). "Open fields" would be a combination of government owned land and private owners (speculators, holding companies, developers, etc.) that allow to be included; the latter non-government owners could be enticed by small lease payments from you and a "buyout cost" that is practical for the DIYer to uninstall and move the setups to yet other SolarStead. This would allow you to economically expand your solar infrastructure without having to go through myriad housing issues. If your home needs changed, your field solar array would still be pumping, and you could offset your use elsewhere, to a degree. A special tariff from the utility could be used that gives them a small profit margin for transporting solar and battery electricity to your location that allows you to spread your use to yourself through the grid without a huge depletion of benefit by onerous tariffs. I could see a system like this working in some commie governments that have ample land (California).
===
BTW, yesterday went better:
(Red going down is using utility sources; green going down is using solar production; blue going up is charging batteries, and if it was going down would be using batteries (what I prefer instead of red); black going up is household using electricity. Orange line is battery charge %, and is currently hovering at my winter "minimum besides for backup" level, since I don't want a depleted battery pack for lithium battery longevity issues, and as discussed, I am having trouble getting it to save that much energy given our solar production and use ratio.)
It looks like my original estimates are correct: we need about twice the solar generation and almost twice the PowerWalls. It will be a while before I can line up an appropriate addition to the existing roof array that already takes prime location, in agreement with other household members. When the cost of Tesla Solar Roof comes down, we could incrementally install it in less prime areas but use an uncharacteristic ~96% coverage rather than their "optimum coverage only" intent, leaving the existing optimum solar panel locations up for now. I wonder if Tesla Solar Roof could be done DIY for cheaper.
I'm not sure how many people would be interested in what I just thought of:
I wonder if a HomeStead act for solar installations would work (could call it SolarStead): allow open fields to get 20% Solar Panel coverage by DIY installers with appropriate fire suppression and prevention, and allow those DIY installers to install inverters, batteries, utility interconnects (or as an alternative, cheap upstep transformers with regulated proven cables that can bring those installations through power poles directly into your own home if not too far away, with appropriate downstep transformers at your home). "Open fields" would be a combination of government owned land and private owners (speculators, holding companies, developers, etc.) that allow to be included; the latter non-government owners could be enticed by small lease payments from you and a "buyout cost" that is practical for the DIYer to uninstall and move the setups to yet other SolarStead. This would allow you to economically expand your solar infrastructure without having to go through myriad housing issues. If your home needs changed, your field solar array would still be pumping, and you could offset your use elsewhere, to a degree. A special tariff from the utility could be used that gives them a small profit margin for transporting solar and battery electricity to your location that allows you to spread your use to yourself through the grid without a huge depletion of benefit by onerous tariffs. I could see a system like this working in some commie governments that have ample land (California).
===
BTW, yesterday went better:
Yesterday was the first day in many months we had anything like good solar input (@realdonaldtrump even mentioned it). As you can see, we charged up our batteries somewhat, then used them well into the night. Green, blue or red down are power being taken from those things (green solar, blue batteries, red utility), and up means power going to those things (blue batteries, black house, and red utility but that won't happen until a month or two maybe once the batteries are fully charged by solar and there's more solar left in excess of home use.)
Last edited:
