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pauldavidmena
Super Nomad
Posts: 1715
Registered: 5-23-2013
Location: Centerville, MA, USA
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Solar in Baja for Dummies
Living in the cold, dark north, having solar panels seems impractical, so instead we've been keeping various sheiks and sultans fat and wealthy. As
Baja enjoys far more sunny days than New England, it seems not just possible but perhaps preferable to go solar. It also seems that the technology has
improved, and that maintenance has become somewhat less of an issue.
So... is there a good source for Solar purchasing, installation and maintenance specific to the regulations of Mexico, particularly BCS? I've seen a
good deal of info posted to this forum over the years, but rather than ask fundamental questions, I thought I'd at least familiarize myself with the
basic pros and cons, etc.
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monoloco
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6667
Registered: 7-13-2009
Location: Pescadero BCS
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Grid-tied or off grid?
"The future ain't what it used to be"
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pauldavidmena
Super Nomad
Posts: 1715
Registered: 5-23-2013
Location: Centerville, MA, USA
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I like the flexibility of grid-tied, but depending upon where I ultimately hang my sombrero, off-grid might be good to know as well.
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monoloco
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6667
Registered: 7-13-2009
Location: Pescadero BCS
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Grid tied systems are fairly straight forward with little maintenance, install and forget about it. For off-grid, I highly recommend learning all you
can and installing the system yourself so you have an intimate knowledge of how everything works, because you will want to be able to maintain the
system yourself. We love our off-grid system, especially after a hurricane when the power is out for 3 weeks. Here's a good resource for information:
http://forum.solar-electric.com/forum
"The future ain't what it used to be"
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BajaBlanca
Select Nomad
Posts: 13197
Registered: 10-28-2008
Location: La Bocana, BCS
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I agree with monoloco - you'd learn a lot by installing it yourself. Which wasn't our case at first when we bought our home, but Les has improved the
system over the last 2 years. We are completely off grid -come by anytime and ask away!
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bajaguy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9247
Registered: 9-16-2003
Location: Carson City, NV/Ensenada - Baja Country Club
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Mood: must be 5 O'clock somewhere in Baja
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http://www.amazon.com/Solar-Power-Your-Home-Dummies/dp/04705...
http://www.amazon.com/Wind-Power-For-Dummies-Woofenden/dp/04...
[Edited on 3-25-2015 by bajaguy]
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pauldavidmena
Super Nomad
Posts: 1715
Registered: 5-23-2013
Location: Centerville, MA, USA
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Somehow I knew there would be a website with my name on it.
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willardguy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6451
Registered: 9-19-2009
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yup, take your advice from the northern Arizona folks and don't listen to any nomads!
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Fernweh
Nomad
Posts: 444
Registered: 2-24-2011
Location: Centenario, BCS
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Our grid-tied solar system showed a net power production after the first 30 days of 398 kwh. Will have a nice credit when the AC season starts.
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SFandH
Elite Nomad
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Registered: 8-5-2011
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Fernweh, great stuff. Glad to read about it. I noticed on your meter there is the word "bidireccional" with an X preceding it. Does that mean the
meter is capable of keeping track of the power you solar system produces and CFE applies credit for the power to your account?
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Fernweh
Nomad
Posts: 444
Registered: 2-24-2011
Location: Centenario, BCS
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Quote: Originally posted by SFandH  | | Fernweh, great stuff. Glad to read about it. I noticed on your meter there is the word "bidireccional" with an X preceding it. Does that mean the
meter is capable of keeping track of the power you solar system produces and CFE applies credit for the power to your account? |
Yes, I believe so. This meter got installed after CFE had "inspected" the solar system, and made sure, it doesn't produce power when the grid goes
down.
Even I had already an bi-directional meter before, they changed that one out with a new one (programming change, I was told).
I have not received the new CFE bill yet, to see any credit posted on my account. It's all still new and exciting.....
BTW CFE asked for an additional (private) meter to be installed, inline between the solar array and the existing electrical load center. This is a
non-reset-able meter, in case of a dispute.
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4x4abc
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4289
Registered: 4-24-2009
Location: La Paz, BCS
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Mood: happy - always
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do some basic calculations before you invest in solar
in the winter the first 400 kWh are about 400 pesos (60 days)
above that about 3 pesos per kWh
during the summer the first 1700 kWh are about 1700 pesos (60 days)
above that about 3 pesos per kWh
with the above base line rate (3 pesos/kWh plus tax) your break even point is around 4 years
the low rate is not worth eliminating with solar
Harald Pietschmann
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CortezBlue
Super Nomad
Posts: 2213
Registered: 11-14-2006
Location: Fenix/San Phelipe
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Question???
I was wondering what you installed to create your juice?
I am looking at 4x250 with a grid-tie setup.
Tanks
| Quote: Originally posted by Fernweh | Our grid-tied solar system showed a net power production after the first 30 days of 398 kwh. Will have a nice credit when the AC season starts.
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“Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe.”
- Albert Einstein
Follow Cortez Blue
www.cortezblue.com
We put the FUNK in disFUNKtion |
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monoloco
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6667
Registered: 7-13-2009
Location: Pescadero BCS
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| Quote: Originally posted by 4x4abc | do some basic calculations before you invest in solar
in the winter the first 400 kWh are about 400 pesos (60 days)
above that about 3 pesos per kWh
during the summer the first 1700 kWh are about 1700 pesos (60 days)
above that about 3 pesos per kWh
with the above base line rate (3 pesos/kWh plus tax) your break even point is around 4 years
the low rate is not worth eliminating with solar |
It's not always about money, some may want to reduce the
use of carbon based fuels.
"The future ain't what it used to be"
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Fernweh
Nomad
Posts: 444
Registered: 2-24-2011
Location: Centenario, BCS
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I have installed Solarworld, 6 x 275W and 5 x 270W panels, as a grid-tied system with M-125 Enphase micro inverters.
The array is not perfectly aligned, about 18deg off South, and the support rack was sized to the roof/location limitation. I did not want the system
to protrude over the building walls. The last picture shows the required (CFE) private meter.
Support rack with the Enphase cable/inverters installed
Finished solar array installation
120/240V Private Meter
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Fernweh
Nomad
Posts: 444
Registered: 2-24-2011
Location: Centenario, BCS
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And to keep your project lists growing:
Hot Water Solar!
I use two older 4'x8' water solar panels on the roof, connected to a 50Gal LP water heater. A tiny 12V pump, powered by a small solar panel, installed
at the water heater, keeps the hot water circulating from the panels into the water heater/tank.
The water heater does not have a gas line/supply connected to it - pure solar heat.
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SFandH
Elite Nomad
Posts: 7084
Registered: 8-5-2011
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| Quote: Originally posted by Fernweh |
I have not received the new CFE bill yet, to see any credit posted on my account. It's all still new and exciting..... |
It would be interesting to me and probably others if after you get a CFE bill you post the details about the amount of energy your system produced and
the cost savings.
Thanks for all the info.
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4x4abc
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4289
Registered: 4-24-2009
Location: La Paz, BCS
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Mood: happy - always
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to translate 6 x 275W and 5 x 270W panels into real world numbers, it produces about 14 kWh per day at the moment (24 degree N) - and costs roughly
$0.25 per kWh over 4 years.
It would cost you $0.06 per kWh if you had to buy the same amount of energy from CFE.
However, since it will cost you $0.23/kWh once you consume more than 6,300 kWh per year from CFE (and with AC in the house, you'll easily pass that
number), the solar system reduces or eliminates the expensive kWh from CFE
Harald Pietschmann
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4x4abc
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4289
Registered: 4-24-2009
Location: La Paz, BCS
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Mood: happy - always
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here is one of my recent bills
my solar system produces about 11 kWh a day (11 panels)
without the solar input my bill would have been $2,225 Pesos higher (60 days)
each additional kWh per day would be an investment of around $US 500 (one solar panel, inverter, etc. - self installation)
that would translate into a CFE saving of $202 Pesos per 60 days (peak rate)
Harald Pietschmann
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Fernweh
Nomad
Posts: 444
Registered: 2-24-2011
Location: Centenario, BCS
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I have finally received my first CFE bill, with the solar system active.
The solar system produced (per CFE) 711 kWh, from Feb 19th to Apr 7th, as it shows on the new bi-directional meter.
I still had consumed 133kWh on the old meter, before it was changed out, Feb 4th to Feb 19th.
The bill shows a "Cargo Minimo" of 50kWh, which is being charged at $0.809Mex.
However these 50kWh and the 133kWh are being deducted from my power credit of 711 kWh.
I now have a 528 kWh credit towards the next bill........
BTW I am able to pay the charges online, with my Banamex ATM card (from the US or Mex)
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