Still waiting for APS

Well, here we are 3 weeks later and still no date from APS, our utility, about when they will commission our system. They have to inspect the installation and allow us to turn it on, then they have to replace our electric meter with new bi-directional unit. They have 2 inspectors for their entire region, though they are (wow) training a third. According to them, in 2005 they had about 200 requests for solar system inspections. Now, they get about 200 a month. Do you think that might tell them something? How about outsourcing the inspections until they can get properly staffed?



And it's not just us as the end user who suffers. The installation company in many cases gets the APS rebate assigned to them as part of their payment. A significant part. Plus, they don't collect the final progress payment until it is complete and online. That can easily represent several hundred thousand dollars to a busy company.

So, here we are with cool, sunny days where we could be over-producing and banking credits for summer. Instead, we watch the trackers do their daily sunwatch, with no benefit.

Stay tuned...

Parker is cast-free

Finally!

After three long months, Parker has the cast off his leg. He ruptured the calcaneus ligament on November 9 and as of January 29, he's finally done with the ongoing visits. He's been such a great guy throughout this ordeal...weekly bandage changes, countless trips to the doctor's office--both local and in Phoenix (90 minutes away).

Now all we need is for that little chicken-leg to grow fur again and get strong. He's supposed to have limited activity for the next month, so no running around yet, except to the couch.

Below is Parker with Dr. Gilson, his orthopedic surgeon in Scottsdale. This is the day of cast removal.

Finalizing the Electrical

The electrical work is now complete. The only things pending are the installation of the monitor console and the final inspection and commissioning by APS (the electric utility). Our request for inspection is placed, and hopefully it happens ASAP! We want to start making power.

The monitor is a wireless display that will be placed inside so that we can see statistics on the system such as kilowatts generated and other parameters. The system is also going to be monitored by the manufacturer through an Internet connection. There will be a web page that shows our production info, and if things are running properly, they will notify the vendor.

All the equipment on the outside wall as needed by APS. From left to right you see our main electrical panel, the kilowatt hour meter showing what we generate and the AC disconnect from the inverter to the utility panel.


Close-up of the PV kilowatt hour meter. We're at zero now...but that will change.


Front view


One of the array disconnects mounted inside the garage, this shuts off the DC power from arrays 1 and 2. There's another for arrays 3 and 4. There's between 380 - 420 volts DC at 29 amps coming in from the arrays...deadly if you contact it!


The back wall showing the 2 disconnects and the inverter. The box at the bottom of the inverter is another DC disconnect. This one cuts off all power from both arrays to the inverter. All the wiring is run in the grey metal box below. I guess I should paint that plywood...

Parker update

For those of you wondering what is going on with our boy Parker...here's the latest. It's been two months since the break. After numerous bandage changes and trips to Phoenix we're still not out of the woods. A recent X-ray (12/31) shows that the bone is shifting. The pin appears solid into the main structural bone, but the piece we are trying to secure is shifting across the pin and the attachment wire appears to be cutting into the bone. We're waiting for a response from the orthopedic surgeon and have a trip to Phoenix planned for Wednesday.

There's still a real chance that he may lose the leg if we can't get this to heal. We hope that he can retain the leg, but we will do whatever is needed. The ultimate goal is a long, pain-free life. If it's on three legs, we can all deal with it. Frankly he gets around on three now, and I'm sure he would adapt quickly.

Keep your fingers crossed and say a prayer for the boy.

Current X-ray, note how the heel bone is turned to the left much as it was in the first X-ray. It should be straight out from the main bone. The calcaneus tendon keeps it under a lot of tension, and the bone appears to be weak.



Original X-ray