Recent content by PaulMel

I don't build panels anymore. The price has come down so much I just buy them. I can not build them for $1/w. Not after searching and buying glass, cells, frame, glue, solder and connections. I have seen them for sale at $0.85/watt. including shipping.

I have built many panels using cells from ebay. A panel with 36 cells will be around 20v open circuit. That work great with the inverter. I used glass on the front and back. They MUST be water tight and sealed during a time when the air humidity is low or you will get some condensation inside...

The panel will not be putting out a lot of current at the top of its voltage range. The most simple way is just attach a large power resistor on the panel to pull down the max voltage in full sun, but that's wasting power. A small switch mode voltage regulator would be best but expensive if the...

Yes. Thanks to the internet I've read a lot of details of how to "properly" install GTIs directly to the panel using the 220v connections. My three inverters only put out 120v @ 4.5A each for a total of 1620 max. I have only measured a max power of 1400w over a year period. They are connected to...

I'm not producing an excess of power to benifit from a "Netmetering" arrangement. The meter does not turn backwards more than it turns forward. It turns backwards quickly during sunny days but then at night and dark cloudy days it turns more forward . In the summer I almost cut my power bill to...

Does anyone know how the new digital kwh meters react to reactive power? It is nice to be able to turn my meter basckwards but with the new digital ones I don't know how the reverse current flow will be measured.

Thanks very much. I thought it may be the power factor but I expected to increase the power measured not be ignored. My energy monitor does not measure the power factor. That looks like a great informative link you added, I look forward to reading it, thanks.

I have three grid tie inverters connected to my grid thru standard AC plugs. The system pushes about 1kw to the grid during the day but during the night they draw a total of 45 watts from the grid. This has been confirmed by measuring the ac current in the ac cord with a multimeter and with a...