PG&E inspected our solar photovoltaic system and installed a bi-directional electric meter so we can be a generator of electricity and send power into the grid.

The following web site shows our electricity production through Enphase’s Envoy reporting system:

 http://enlighten.enphaseenergy.com/public/systems/j8aJ30045

Yippee!

Our 'smart meter' that is calibrated accurately in both directions. PG&E installed the meter thi\s afternoon.

Nothing is easy.  We thought we were there with PG&E and, surprise, we’re not there yet.

We did start to move the control system for our sliding glass doors at the back of the house into the permanent location in the East Storage room.

Yes, it poured rain, starting at ~3:00 am for a couple hours.  Our site handled the rain just fine.

Moving the Door Control System into East Storage Room

When the control system for the three sliding glass doors at the back of the house was set up, we were not ready to mount the control system in its permanent location, which is in the East Storage room.  Now, it is time to do so.

The control system, made by Doors in Motion, requires a dedicated 15 amp circuit and has four wires going from the DC electric motor to the control system, including the switch.  The four wires, which have multiple conductors, are for the power (the transformer to DC and backup battery are housed in the control system), the door switch (open, close, stop, lock, reset), the motion detector, and the encoder unit itself.

We decided to run the wires in a dedicated conduit containing only low-voltage wires.  The conduit is the flexible, orange corregated one-inch conduit by Carlon.  We’ve been obtaining our low voltage products from ADI in Santa Clara.  Hank Malloy and Jordan have been extremely helpful in sourcing the correct products for us.

The conduit included the four wires for the door and the CAT5e wires for the lighting control system (C-bus).  The lighting control system includes a pink CAT5e and a yellow CAT5e.  The pink wire is for the main system and the yellow wire is for a backup (redundant).  All other data CAT6, with a spline, will be blue.

When connecting the wires to the door control system, we found a problem.  Jason Cruz, who installed the door control system, helped Bryan to isolate the problem.  They didn’t solve the problem yet and should complete it tomorrow.

Installing Our Permanent Electric Meter

Although the two-person crew from PG&E installed our permanent electric meter on Monday, October 3, they didn’t have the correct meter for a 400 amp service.  Knowing that the meter would be changed again to a bi-directional meter for our solar photovoltaic generation system, they put in a 200 amp meter.  However, PG&E’s process and internal systems still show our temporary service in place as the correct meter had not been installed.

Thus, PG&E dispatched a meter technician to our job site to install the permanent meter for our 400 amp service.  The meter technician, AJ, smiled as he installed the correct meter saying, ‘I’ll be back in a couple days to install the bi-directional meter that will measure your generation and your electric vehicle consumption.’

We’re just following the process …

Motor for our sliding glass pocket doors at the back of the house. We need to have the wires to connect the control system to the motor in a dedicated conduit.

The path for the flexible conduit will go through the Dining Room, into the soffit and through to the East Storage room.

The one-inch orange conduit will join the two-inch 'smurf' tubes in the soffit going to the East Mechanical room.

The door control system will be located permanently in the wall to the left of the three lighting control system panels.

We're taking the opportunity to install the 1-1/2 inch polyisocyanate insulation against the concrete throughout the lower level (basement). We removed this insulation from the roof and stored it so we could use it again. This insulation will be covered with spray foam, encapsulating it. Note there is two inches of rigid foam insulation outside the concrete wall.

The meter technician from PG&E, AJ, installs the correct Smart Meter for our 400 amp service. This meter replaced the 200 amp meter that was installed on Monday. The next meter that will be installed is the bi-directional smart meter for our solar photovoltaic generation and time-of-use electric vehicle (E-9) rate service.

With our permanent meter in place, we’re a step closer to our rebate.  Every day we seem to get closer …

It rained today and is forecasted to rain through Wednesday.  We are prioritizing our activities to keep our materials dry … bone dry.

Installing Our Permanent Electric Meter

Before we can have an electric meter for our solar generation, we need to have a permanent electric meter in place.  To have a permanent electric meter, we required a ‘meter release’ from the City of Monte Sereno.  The meter release was issued by the City of Monte Sereno on September 29, which was our rebate filing deadline.

Bryan called PG&E several times this morning and learned that our permanent meter was scheduled to be installed on Wednesday, October 5.  Knowing this was delay, Bryan started to call our various contacts at PG&E.  When speaking with the scheduler, Barbara Aker, Bryan explained that if a crew was available at the last minute then we would be ready to have our meter installed.

To our delight, Barbara called and said that a crew came available and they could install our permanent meter today.

Way cool!

Portable Charger for a Nissan LEAF

While getting some parts for Al at Electrical Distributors in San Jose, Bryan noticed a Nissan LEAF in the parking lot.  Bryan spoke with the owner of the LEAF, who explained that he was assembling a portable charging station that could plug into various types of 240 volt circuits.  Further, he explained, the benefit would be to use 240 volt circuits that are available in RV/trailer parks.

Installing charging stations in RV/trailer parks could be done quickly and easily, which would help deploy the infrastructure for electric vehicles across the U.S.

An interesting idea …

The two-person truck arrived at our job site at ~ 11:30 am this morning.

The service entrance panel had to be secured and then sealed before the meter could go in.

Our permanent meter is in! This meter will be replaced with a 'net meter' that will measure the electricity that we generate and send into the grid.

Charging station that can be used in RV/trailer parks for charging a Nissan LEAF.

We made it!  It was a complete team effort by everyone involved and we filed our rebate under the NSHP by September 29, 2011.  Yeah!

Focusing on Our Solar Permit Approval and Meter Release

The first item that we needed was the approval of our solar permit with the City of Monte Sereno.  Then, we needed a ‘meter release’ from the City so PG&E could install a permanent meter to measure the net electricity that we are generating/consuming.  With these two items, our rebate application will be complete and we will meet the deadline of September 29, 2011.

These two items are linked to the indemnification that the City asked us to provide them with regarding the live electric panels in the house.  Bryan agreed to the indemnification yesterday with Brian Loventhal, the City Manager.

When Bryan went to sign the indemnification agreement this morning, Brian explained that we would have to provide a certificate of insurance in with a minimum of $2 million per occurance.  This was a surprise.

Rolling with it, Bryan called our insurance expert, Ed Szylko, at EJMS Insurance Services in Los Gatos.  Ed explained that the first step would be to get the City of Monte Sereno as a named insured on Al’s insurance.  He would investigate our insurance.

After calling Al’s insurance agent, First Service Insurance Inc., Bryan learned that Al’s insurance is limited to $1 million per occurance.  Another issue to resolve.

While Ed worked on the our insurance, Bryan met with Brian Loventhal and explained that we have $1 million per occurance, not $2 million per occurance.  Brian agreed to discuss it with the City Attorney, Kirsten Powell, to see if the lower level would be acceptable.

Then, Ed called Bryan and outlined how he could get insurance for us at $2 million per occurance and, with our approval, could have the certificate of insurance prepared today.  Cool … Bryan agreed to this.

Brian Loventhal called Bryan, who was sitting in the parking lot at City Hall, and said that they had finalized the indemnification agreement, with the $1 million per occurance, and it was ready for signing.

Bryan scootted over to the counter at City Hall and both Brian and Bryan signed the indemnification agreement.  Brian gave Bryan a copy of the signed agreement, then he approved and signed the solar permit, and gave Bryan a copy of the meter release for PG&E (Brian was going to fax it to PG&E directly).

With the documentation in place, Bryan headed over the hill to see Roseanne at the Real Goods Solar office in Santa Cruz.  Roseanne scanned the documents and Bryan returned over the hill, now headed to PG&E’s service planning group in Cupertino.

The PG&E representative that Bryan met with previously, Catherine Only, met with Bryan and reviewed the meter release.  Since we had missed the scheduling deadline for Friday, Catherine set expectations with us that the permanent meter would be installed no later than Tuesday, October 4.  Way cool …

As Bryan drove back to the job site, he spoke with Jo-Anne (who is in Boston as it is the end of the quarter and she has to be available for any and all last minute legal issues that may arise).  Jo-Anne reminded Bryan of his obligations under the indemnification agreement and that he should focus on those items so we are in compliance.  Focus, focus, focus …

Back to the Job Site

At the job site, Bryan reviewed the progress on insulating the ceiling in the Wine Cellar and Wine Dining, and the installation of the siding on the East wall of the house.  Then, he printed the insurance certificates that he had received via e-mail.  Also, Bryan drafted language for the warning signs for the electric panels (required under the indemnification agreement) and then called with his brother, Darryl, in Calgary, Canada who is fluent in Spanish.  Bryan explained to Darryl that we need signage on the electric panels in both English and Spanish, and asked if Darryl could translate into Spanish for us. 

Darryl agreed to do the translation and said he would call back.  Meanwhile, Bryan got Nep to do the initial translation and then went to the City of Monte Sereno.

City of Monte Sereno and Signage

Bryan provided Brian Loventhal with copies of the insurance certification, which named the City of Monte Sereno as an additional insured.  Brian reviewed the certificates and said they were fine.  Then, Brian reviewed the wording for the signage and selected, ‘Warning – Do Not Open.  Live Electric Panel’.  Having fufilled the insurance certification obligation, Bryan headed to Frankie’s Awards to have the signs engraved. 

On the way, Bryan received the Spanish translation from Darryl on his Blackberry.  At Frankie’s Awards, Gloria reviewed the signs and said she would create a draft sign for approval.  Bryan waited and then reviewed the layout and wording.  There was a spelling error, which she caught, and Bryan approved the layout.  The two signs will be available tomorrow morning.

Back to the Job Site, Again

Bryan saw that everything was shut down for the evening and then Kel Marchbank arrived.  Kel hadn’t been to the job site in more than six months so Bryan provided Kel with a quick tour.  Kel loved the siding glass doors at the back.

Oh, Scott and Sue arrive tomorrow …

Al works on the siding on the East wall, by the Kitchen door.

Kitchen window with siding over the Tyvek.

Dan completes the siding on the North corner of the East wall.

Approved solar permit!

Approval and note, referring to indemnification agreement that Bryan signed.

We moved the wine racks into the Conference room so the insulation can be installed in the ceiling of the Wine Cellar and Wine Dining.

The wine racks, looking great, take up a lot of real estate inside the house. It would be great to get the ceiling and cooling panel completed in the Wine Cellar so we could install the wine racks permanently and get them out of the way.

The insulation is attached to the ceiling using sharp spikes, which are attached to the underside of the concrete with no VOC adhesive.

Insulation hangers attached to the underside of the hollow core concrete panels.

The insulation in the ceiling in the Wine Cellar. We will have closed cell polyurethane foam sprayed over the sheets of foam, which will create a moisture barrier inside the Wine Cellar.

Ceiling in the Wine Dining. The central vacuum system is in the dropped ceiling so we will have another layer of insulatin in the ceiling here.

The crew from PG&E arrived on Via Sereno this morning to prepare to run the new wires from the transformer to the underground electrical vault two doors up the street from us.  At the same time, they were prepared to run the three cables from the newly constructed underground electrical vault installed yesterday through the three inch underground conduit to our 400 amp combined service entry device (electrical panel).

Although the temporary electrical service is still in place, pulling the wires from the underground vault to our electrical panel will save time and resources when we need to ‘heat up’ our panel.

So the team from PG&E pulled the three wires through to our panel.  It went quite easily since there are only two 90 degree bends in the 25 ft 3 inch conduit.  Bryan had the 2,500 lb pull tape in the conduit from the mandrel inspection on September 8, 2010.

Also, Bryan met with the City of Monte Serenp’s attorney, Kirsten Powell, regarding changing the City of Monte Sereno’s sign ordinance so we could have a temporary sign on our property and meet the criteria for Awareness and Education.  This has been in progress for almost 18 months now.  Kirsten explained what the issues are and that she will recommend to the City Manager, Brian Loventhal, how to move forward.

The sign ordinance will be interesting …

The cable truck from PG&E arrived on Via Sereno this morning, towing a trailer with the electrical cable.

The new three electical feed cables were pulled from our 400 amp combined service entry device (electrical panel) to the underground concrete vault. The PG&E worker is feeding the cable into the conduit.

The cables emerge at the underground concrete vault, which was installed yesterday, at the front of our property.

View from the underground concrete vault back to the 400 amp panel, where the electrical cables are coming out.

Underground concrete vault, with the new electrical cables going to our combined service entry device. Note the three inch conduit at the left side of the box.

Although the sky is clear, the weather forecast for the upcoming week includes a 10% chance of rain.  We know that the rains are coming and we need to be weather tight.  Today, Bryan confirmed that Statewide Roofing will arrive on Wednesday, 09/15/10, to install our tapered insulation on the flat roofs.  Then, they will install the 60 mil white single-ply roof membrane over the tapered insulation.  This system is our ‘cool roof’.

In order to place the materials on the roof, they need clear access from the street.  The supervisor, Mel, explained that they will have a generator on site for their ‘welding’ equipment that will seal/weld the seams of the white TPO membrane.

Thus, Bryan needed to move some dirt.

Jerry Ditto Drops By and Reviews Our Progress

During the day, Jerry Ditto dropped by for a quick visit.  Jerry wrote the first book on Eichlers — Eichler Homes, Design for Living and has been an advisor to our project since its inception.  Jerry walked around the house, acknowledging the progress and providing encouragement.  He commented positively on the amount of light going through to the lower level (Jerry never refers to it as a ‘basement’) and how one could see the blue, California sky.

Jerry subscribes to Dwell magazine and noted that Sam Grawe, the Editor-in-Chief, wrote in his editorial for the September 2010 issue about the Eichler that he just purchased.  Sam has an Eichler built in 1962 that was designed by Claude Oakland (our Eichler was designed by Claude Oakland and built in 1969).  Jerry believes that Sam should visit our project site in person to see how we have done our remodel and added the lower level.

‘Over the past few weeks I’ve been getting to know my new house, a nicely preserved 1962 Eichler designed by Bay Area architect Claude Oakland.’

Jerry Ditto drops by to review our progress.

Our open trenches to the East, which are still open for our water overflow bypass, irrigation manifold and conduit to Verizon

The sand needs to be moved completely and the pile of soil to the left needs to be moved. This soil is to backfill around the new concrete vault that PG&E will be installing for our underground electric service. Bryan has some work to do.