Passed electrical inspection today. Still working with Utility to accept and enroll the batterybackup(no solar yet). Then I can toss the breaker on relax! Until then working on my 18kw E10 and it‘s backed up with my long range Ford Lightning.
In Wa state, and made a big leap with the E10 from a year of adhoc peripheral.
A tree fell on the utility (PSE) line between the pole my transformer is on and the one prior 2 years ago. Ripped the service off my house and snapped the 2nd service I had for my EV and barn. No support from PSE, in fact the restored power without checking that my service was laying on the ground and the pole had a 6 inch split you could see through. Fast forward 8 days, electrician to the rescue, L&i virtual inspection and service restored.
Invested in 1600w solar panels and 10kw modular solar generators, and changing a generator connection that was in bad shape for 1 I can plug my EV in to power small parts of the house. Then E10, some chats with “bot” on the site, and a referral to a contractor and I’m all in. Power dock and 24kw in b6000.
Now the Dumb luck. Refund on install because no contractor wanted to work in my area or with my old main service. Anker was amazing! stayed in contact offers support to whoever I hired and regular checked in. PD on the wall and now I’m trying to figure out not getting turned into insurance for tie in without proper review.
Utility harassed me for a survey (2nd in 3 years) that they aggressively questioned me about my actions after the last survey where they said I had no capacity. Then repeated my questions about the process to do things right as accusations I had already done it.
my batteries are not on the PD still because they now want an interconnect even though there is no solar. they also suggested full construction permits including fire marshal since 24 is almost 25 and 25 requires engineering surveys. this was followed by a lot more aggress “outcomes” if I dared to hook solar up to the batteries.
i got a call today apologizing for some bad info they gave. notice that can call in my disconnect and as long as I get state inspection they can reconnect.
I have to replace my meter base, utility connect is almost $700 for normal hours if we slip it goes up to 9 and tops out over 1k!
electricians agreed that the ATS PD appear to meet everything they need to get inspection. batteries will be my concern after.
utility today passed me to “savings and programs” who then sent me back to the utility since I don’t have it installed yet, where they could not tell me what or who to contact to start the required paperwork for a interconnect agreement that is required regardless of the PD not being grid tie for sell back.
so I’m still trying to figure out what I need to do to make it ok to connect the batteries, with full transparency that I intend to install DC solar to the inverter.
they sent me a server form that I thought would be helpful and at the end it just says Thanks, this will help us in the future with engineering a better service for our customers. There was no info on next steps, or who to contact to review or discuss the agreement.
feeling a bit disgruntled that for a program I get emails monthly that I should consider, flyers in my bill, and no help from when they spilled hydraulic fluid in my pasture and excavated soil after 8 days in the dark and arguing over the integrity of a power pole around animals and children with a 6”split you could see through.
But after all of this, Anker still checks in at least 1 time a week, has been seemingly open to my thoughts on product improvement, and across multiple email signature blocks and personal phone calls continually shows quality support.
In hope to see my real savings start in mid May.
i have my 2 E10 setups in offline mode now running fridge, washer/dryer, and any other peripheral chargers and silly little things. No solar, but I keep swapping my mini solar generators in at night, and every couple days use my EV to top everything up.
totally could be off grid till September, but I’m about 70kw daily short November-March.
Update in a couple weeks!
