Jim, thank you for your inquiry.  Yes, California now requires a 10 year warranty on all grid tie systems to get rebates.  From our conversation it sounds like your inverter has lost its connection to the grid.  We have scheduled a service call for you; hopefully it is a minor call… Jim, our technician was out and found a blown GFCI fuse in the Sunnyboy 6000 Inverter.  It was probably a grid disturbance or power surge.  Call if you have any additional problems.

Bill, it was good to talk to you.  I am sorry to hear you are having trouble with your contractor.  I read through the contract and your utility bill and your rebate info.  Your system is a 5 KW AC system.  It is supposed to produce about 25 KWH on average per day.  I see the electric bill is about 1500 kwh average in the winter and spring and 2500 average in the summer months for an average of about 1850 KWH.  The 5 KW system will only take care of about one third of your bill.  I see in the contract they sold you a 5 KW roof mount system.  It is slightly less output for being southwest.  If the salesman told you it would eliminate your bill, he did not put it in writing anywhere I could see.  Per our conversation, I will send a technician out and make sure the system is working properly.  I would recommend that we talk after he is out.
    …Bill, my technician was out.  He found that someone had turned the PV disconnect off.  You indicated that you had an HVAC man out a month ago, possibly he shut it off.  I had my tech start the system back up, it is working now.  Keep an eye on the inverter, I would recommend that you have your son write the daily total down and chart it.  Assign him to check it daily.  Let me know when you catch up financially. We can put together a plan for a comprehensive energy analysis.  We can cut the HVAC cost for cooling by 80% and you indicated you have older 7-8 year old non-energy star appliances, we can cut your bill by 50% and get you close to net zero electrically with your 5 KW system.  Give me a call when you want to move forward.  When your Smart meter is installed, you can check you daily production online.  Please note you will not want to have time of use billing.  Maybe  later you could also see a 5 to 10% increase in your bill as your older meter is probably 5 to 10% off due to age.  This is a mechanical meter problem.

Chad, you indicated your Sunnyboy 2500 Inverter from 2002 is buzzing. Does it buzz all day from when it starts up or intermittently?  I understand from your return note it is intermittent.  I recommend for my tech to check it out.
    …Chad, my tech was out, he opened up the inverter.  Someone had left some screws loose.  Moisture and bugs (earwigs) had gotten in.  he cleaned it out and the inverter quieted right down.  It is good now.  Call if you have any other issues.

James, I understand you have two Sunnyboy 2500 Inverters and they are stacked.  In the afternoon, the sun shines on them starting at about 1 o’clock.  The lower unit the fan cycles the top it runs all the time the load is equal about 2200 watts on each.  I dispatched one of my technicians.  He found that the top inverter is getting thermalled from the lower unit.  Both units are being overheated by the western afternoon sun.  My electrician observed them and took readings for one hour.  The electric service panel is also getting a direct hit from the sun.  All the breakers are overheating, especially the AC, solar feed, electric dryer and range.  My technician pulled the deadfront and he could hear the AC breaker arcing and sizzling.  My electrician called me and explained the problem.  He showed your wife and she could hear the arcing, too.  The electrician noticed the line voltage was erratic, varying 5-6 volts per phase.  The inverter output dropped by 300 watts.  I recommend relocating the inverters to a shaded patio area six feet away and install them side by side.  The power production went back up to 2100 after the inverters were relocated and the 200 amp service was repaired.  The aluminum panel bussing was overheated at four 220 breakers including the solar line tie breaker.  The problem was the overheating and the arcing at the electric service.  I recommended for an eyebrow shade overhang to be placed above the electric service to prevent over heating.  I understand you have done this.  Please let me know if I can help further.

Arthur, thank you for the inquiry.  I understand you have two 1800 watt Sunnyboy inverters on East-West arrays respectively.  The system is circa 2002.  You are remote in East San Diego County by Alpine.  You have no power at the inverters.  I dispatched one of my electricians to your home and he met you.  My electrician observed that you have remodeled your house and added two air conditioners and changed from a gas water heater to an electric tankless and an electric dryer.  You did not up-grade your electric service from 125 amps to 200 amps.  Your transformer for your house is by the street 400 feet away, with all the extra energy use and long run; the inverters are dropping out at 108 volts.  You need to upgrade your service to 200 amps with full size breakers and a 200 amp 42 circuit panel.  I will get you a quote.
    …Thanks for the reply back… the utility planner was out today.  We will replace the service Monday……
    …We replaced the service and the utility replaced the overhead wiring from #6 to 2/0 secondary for the run.  My electrician said the voltage is back up to 125 volts… that is great!  You said you were still unclear on exactly what the problem was and if anything was really wrong with the inverters.  Actually your problem was an infrastructure problem.  Your home had a very long secondary extension… your house is 40+ years old.  When you installed your PV system, you were primarily an all gas house.  Your service conductors were barely adequate.  When you added all that load, you severely overloaded your electric service. You indicated that you have gone from no electric bill to 1500 kwh per month.  Your objective was to change to all electric appliances so you could become net zero.  I recommend after you recover financially from your remodel, give me a call and let’s get you on a path to net zero.  We can eliminate 80 to 90% of your AC use and 90% of your electric tankless water heater use.  This will drop your overall annual loads by at least 50%.  Thanks again for the business.

Bob, thanks for the email.  Please give me a call and we can talk about your system.
    …Bob called in and he said his solar PV system was installed a year ago.  His contractor is out of business.  He was at home, so I asked him to go out to the inverter and tell me what he saw.  The inverter is a PV power 6000 watt inverter.  It was dark; I asked if the breaker marked “solar” was on at the electric panel; it was.  I asked if the switches were on to the inverter; they all were.  He said it seemed to be working the first 10 months and then he was looking at his new Smart Meter electric bill and it said 0 solar production.  He called the contractor with no success, and he discovered he was out of business.  I asked Bob to send me his contract so I could know what his system was.  I recommended for us to check it out and see what is wrong.  I scanned the data and saw it has Canadian Solar PV panels and a PV power 6 KW inverter, roof mounted system.  I provided the data to one of my electricians who was dispatched to the site.
    …The electrician called me and said he found a burned board in the PV power inverter.  He called PV power and went over the problem with a tech rep.  He obtained an RGA based on the serial number and date on the inverter.  PV Power will pay us $350.00 to R&R the inverter including the service call.  I will make the process work.  It will take a week to obtain the inverter.  I have to put a credit card up for the cost of the new inverter until we return it.  We have worked with PV Power in the past and they pay within 30 days of receipt of the inverter.  We received the inverter and my electrician installed the new inverter and removed the old unit.  The new inverter is working properly; the output was 5.5 KW at noon, right on spec for the system.  My electrician checked the system over and everything looks OK.  Let us know if you have any other problems.  Thank you for using our services.

Joe:  (Regarding 4KW solar PV system ground faulting).  Thank you for the email.  A ground fault could be a short in a wire or a broken panel with water getting into it.  I understand you saw bare wires under your panels.  Joe, thanks for calling.  It is easier to figure things out by talking rather than ten emails.  You were indicating to me that your have bare wires under your panels.  You tried to reset your inverter.  You said it turned off again.  Fortunately, you have a tilt rack on a flat roof.  I will schedule a service call on Thursday when you are home as you requested.
    …Joe, my electrician was out and found that rats have been chewing on your wires.  Fortunately, they only chewed through eight cables.  My electrician had solar cable and connectors on the truck.  I recommend for you to get some rat bait and to clear away the debris from the tree that has blown under the panels.  The system is now working properly.  Give us a call if you have any other problems.

Stan, you emailed about the PVC conduit on your roof to your PV panels.  You said your system was installed in 2001.  There were a lot of improperly installed systems from 1996 to 2007.  It is definitely not good for water to get into your solar PV system.  I will bring an extension ladder and swing by between 5-5:30.
    …Stan, it was good to meet you.  You have three PVC conduits on your roof.  They are all sun rotted and water has been getting into your combiner box and rusting out the connections.  I recommend replacing the PVC pipes with metal conduit.  I will get you a price tomorrow.  We are supposed to have good weather through Saturday.  I will get an electrician and helper out Friday.
    …Stan, we completed the work before the storm hit and your system is now safe.  Give us a call if we can help further.

Joan, thank you for calling.  I am sorry to hear about your problems at your house.  I heard that the contractor went out of business.  I will stop by and check out the problem.
    …Joan, I met with your boyfriend.  It was much worse than I thought.  The contractor did not use roof jacks; he screwed through your shingles and used L-feet (Lisatype of metal bracket improperly used to connect solar to roofs).  I crawled into your attic and took pictures.  The contractors bond has been taken by other people.  He did really bad work.  I read your contract and I think Unisolar shares responsibility.  Your contract was with Unisolar.  They subbed it to the contractor.
    …Joan, your lawyer called me today.  I will send him my report and discuss the case with him.
    …Joan, I am glad you arrived at a settlement with Unisolar. They have always been decent to their customers.  I will schedule roofer tomorrow for roof jacks.  He will reroof Thursday.  We will reinstall Friday-Saturday.  We will redo the two runs of plastic pipe.  Thanks for the business again.

Wayne, I am sorry to hear about your problem.  I understand from what your email says that your asphalt shingle roof is now about 18 years old and it appears that the contractor installed fast jacks and did a poor job.  I will send someone by to check it out.
    …My solar installer crawled through your attic.  The contractor has fifty percent shiners (the lag missed the rafters).  He did a horrible job.  He missed the rafters and the roof jacks were OK until the wind started picking up the panels and it loosened the roof jacks causing the leaks.  Your modules are also only three inches from the roof and we have had a couple of rainier years.  I can see some moss growing on the shingles and debris is building up from some trees at your neighbors'.  Heat also builds up in your attic and you mentioned your A/C runs longer in the summer.  Heat is trapped in the attic, causing damage to your roof and costing more energy.  I do not see any practical way to fix the problem without removing the modules.  You need a minimum of five inches of clearance.  The south roof has taken a beating from the sun in the past.  It should have been replaced when the PV system was installed.  The north side does not look bad.  I will have my roofer come out.
    …My roofer, Jerry, was out.  My estimate and Jerry's are attached for properly re-roofing the south side of your roof and installing your 5KW Sharp solar modules with proper roof jacks five inches above the roof.  I recommend a bond action to start with.  Your cousin is an attorney in San Diego... have him call me.
    …Wayne, your cousin got the package he said the contractor's bond is still viable and is enough to cover the repairs and his costs.  I agreed to meet at your home on Saturday to review the case.  Fred is a great guy and is very kind to help you out.
    …Wayne, I received your signed contract.  I will schedule my men to remove the modules Monday and schedule with Jerry Tuesday to lay out roof jacks and have Jerry re-roof.  It will take Jerry two days.  We will return Thursday, Friday and Monday we will call for inspection.  The ground was undersized.  We will fix the ground also and put it in a constantly irrigated location.
    …Wayne, we completed our work and I have had my office send the final invoice.  A month later I met Fred, Wayne's attorney cousin at the job with the bond company adjuster and an independent contractor representing the bond company.  We went over the claims and the responsibilities in the contractor's contract.
    …Two months later Wayne emailed me saying Fred got him a settlement that paid for 80% of the costs including the roof and legal fees.  He was happy and said he would refer us.  I thanked him for the business.

Beverly thanks for the email.  I am very sorry to hear of your problem.  I heard from someone else that they have left town with several jobs unfinished.  Fortunately, you did not pay them completely.  You should be sure they paid their suppliers.  Have you received any prelim notices?  I will stop by on the way home.  Show me when I get there.
    …Beverly, I am glad you have received no prelims.  I will do the balance of work for what you have left in the contract.  You have an attorney friend.  Have him check your title and contact your loan officer at Wells Fargo.  I will schedule work Monday.
    …Beverly, I spoke to your attorney.  He found all the lien releases at your fund control.  We will be done by Wednesday.
    …Beverly, we got final inspection and I redid your rebate and warranty forms for you.  You will get the rebates in about 60 days.  Call me if you need anything else.

Charles, thanks for the email.  You mentioned that your PV system is a 2500 watt Kyocera system from 2001.  These modules were subject to recall due to a soldering defect.  I will come by and see your wife tomorrow.
    …Charles, I could not believe the illegal work the contractor has no roof jacks, the modules are laying on the roof, and the inverter is in your attic.  I noticed the inverter is a newer Xantrex high voltage instead of the original 48 volt Suntie.  You explained that a contractor replaced it in the attic and did not tell you it was illegal and unsafe.  Kyocera will not pay to have roof jacks installed.  You have a roofer friend who will do them.  I will lay them out for you tonight.  Kyocera said they will ship on Monday.
    …Charles, we received modules today.  Your roofer is finished.  We will install Thursday and Friday.  We will relocate the inverter into the garage in the Kyocera budget.
    …Charles, work is completed, your system is now working properly.

Joyce called, she had a PV system installed in 2001.  She was just about to leave the house with her daughter when she smelled smoke.  She saw that her inverter was smoking.  She shut off her power.  The inverter continued to smoke.  I asked her if anyone was around.  She said a painter was next door.  She had the painter come over.  He said he could see smoke and a glowing in the inverter.  The electrical fire was burning through the inverter into the siding behind.  They found a fire extinguisher; they knocked the fire down and the fire came back.  It was being fed from the solar panels.  I told them to call the fire department.  I sent an electrician from about 10 minutes away.  The fireman arrived and dumped water on the inverter until my electrician arrived.  He went up to the combiner box on the roof and cut the wires loose.  He could see where water had been siphoning into the combiner box and down to the inverter from broken PVC pipe on the roof.  The panels are masticked onto the roof with L-legs; no roof jacks.  I gave a price to properly fix the system but her husband is in the military.  They inherited the house and are very strapped financially.  We will see if they can get some volunteers. We will try to get Xantrex to replace the inverter.  More follow-up needed.

George, you live in the back country by Ramona and you have a PV roof mount system.  You were in the yard and saw lightning strike your racking.  Your inverters is not working.  We will start with an assessment.  I had my electrician stop by and troubleshoot the PV system is dark.  George, my electrician found that your Xantrex SW4024 inverter was damaged.  You also burned out your Outback MX 60 charge controller.  Your BP modules look OK but all the fuses blew in your combiner box.  Your Rolls batteries are OK.  The electrician checked and found that the resistance to your ground rod is five hundred ohms and it should be less than twenty five ohms.  You water your wife’s flowers and bushes daily; run a drip line today to the ground rod and give it a gallon of water a day.  This will permanently assure a good ground.  You can get a rain sensor for your Rainbird timer so it does not water when the rain is significant.  We do this on all of our solar PV systems. We will send the inverter to the Xantrex service station in San Diego and get an estimate for repair.  You need an AC and DC surge protector.  San Diego County gets lightning strikes often in the spring and summer. Good grounding and bonding and surge protection is essential.
    …George, Pat called and said the power board was burned.  See the estimate attached.
    …George, thanks for the OK and credit card.  I will have Pat proceed at Xantrex right away.  The new Outback MX 60 is in.  We will proceed immediately, as soon as the inverter is in.
    …George, the inverter arrived today, we are scheduled Wednesday a.m.
    …George, work is completed and everything is back online.  Net metering and the batteries are floating.  I am sorry about the delay in getting inverter parts.  Call if I can help you any further.

Kevin, you called this morning about the inverter being damaged when the power pole got hit with lightning.  You live close to Santa Isabel about five miles from Dudley’s Please give a call to SDG&E claims.  They should cover the cost to repair.  I have been working for them for over twenty years and find them to be very fair. 
    …Kevin, I received a call from SDG&E claims, we will get someone out in two to three hours.  I understand you have a Sunnyboy 2500 Grid Tie System.  Your PV system is ground mounted.
    …Kevin, fortunately you had good grounding and your modules were not damaged.  Your Sunnyboy is fried; we ordered a new unit today; it will be in tomorrow.  We checked the wiring from your service to the solar array and barn, and it is damaged underground.  There are four breakers and some wiring to outdoor plugs and lights also destroyed.  We have provided SDG&E with a list and they have given the OK to proceed.  I am sending a man out to complete repairs today.
    …Kevin, all the work is done and you are now connected back to the grid with your PV system.  Call if you have any problems.

John, thanks for the call.  Have you called SDG&E Claims?  Please call them.  We have been referred to service four homes without power in your area.  SDG&E lost an underground cable.  Please check through your home and see if you have anything else out.  John, my dispatcher took your call and you have several other circuits out.  My electrician is three doors down.  He will get to you in an hour.
    …John, the cable fault blew a fuse in your inverter and damaged four breakers.  Your house is circa 1969 and does not have a ground rod, only a cold water line and your copper pipe has been changed to PVC.  Electrical code requires that the cold water piping be bonded in your house and that you have a ground rod or upper ground that is maintained at 25 ohms or less.  San Diego has been suffering from severe drought for over ten years and the soil dries out seasonally.  I strongly recommend that we add a ground in your flower bed that is watered every day.  This will help you maintain a good ground and will protect you from incidents like this one.
    …John, work is completed, please put a rain gauge on your irrigation system and keep it running except when significant rainfall occurs.  This will assure you always have a good ground and save water when you need to in the winter.

Rodney, thanks for contacting me.  You have a solar PV system that is ground mounted and you are located in Del Mar east of I-5.  When we spoke, you explained that your solar modules make noises when they heat up when the sun shines on them.  The 7 KW PV system was installed two years ago.  It is working but has not been producing the rated output.  The contractor has left town and left no one to cover his labor warranty.  We hear this a lot.  It is the rule not the exception.  The modules are Solar World 175 watt.  You said that the contractor left no space between the modules.  I will send my senior electrician and estimator out to get a look at the system.
    …Rodney, as we discussed, your modules were not properly installed.  Please send me your contract.
    …Rodney, Solar World and all solar manufacturers require a minimum of ¼” between modules for thermal expansion.  We will need to add two feet to the end of your array and open up the modules so they can breathe and so they have room for expansion.  I am sorry you have to go through this.  We discussed what recourse you have legally.  The contractor has to have a bond.
    …Rodney, you said the contractor still has money in his bond.  You can do the claim yourself or you can be assisted by an attorney.  It is best to do it yourself, then it will pay al the costs for the work.  We will schedule to start Tuesday with three men. We will be done by Friday.
    … Rodney, your work is completed and I met with the adjustor from the bond company and went over the report at your residence.  He understands the problem and the solution.  Your system is back up to full production.  It is good you did something before the panels were damaged.  Give me a call if I can help further.

Steve, thanks for calling.  It sounds like you have some rodent activity, possibly, or a conduit has come loose.  I will send an electrician out and check it out.
    …Steve, my man was out and the contractor used some non-UV Rated tie wraps.  My electrician retied the wires and installed some wire holders.  Your system is safe.  Give us a call if we can help with anything else.

Sharon, you called about your kids playing below your solar modules.  It is not safe.  Solar PV systems can put out up to 600 volts DC and can electrocute a person.  It is not safe for people or animals.

Dwayne, you called about having some solar panels loose.  You live in Valley Center.  I can schedule an electrician for you to reattach your panels and see why they came loose.
    …Dwayne, my electrician was out and the modules that came loose did not have lock washers on them.  He checked all forty modules and ten needed lock washers.  They were also loose.  He checked your inverter and modules; they are all good.  Give us a call if you need us.

Jerry, you were referred by Fred.  You are located in La Jolla.  Yes, we can help you.  Your system is circa 2003.  I received your original contract.  I see you have 125 watt BP Solar modules.  They are available.  I will send a service man out to see what happened.
    …Jerry, it looks like a pellet gun or malicious mischief… you have three modules damaged.  You said you have a five hundred dollar deductible on your insurance and you added your solar to your insurance when it was installed, so it is covered.  As long as the insurance company does not stick you for the relatively small claim.  I will order the modules.
    …Jerry, the modules came in.  We will be out Tuesday.
    …Jerry, the work was completed.  My electrician looked over your system.  He tightened connections at the electric service and the solar disconnect wires were loose.  I recommend checking the system every three or four years to keep all the connections tight.  You should check your inverter weekly and just see if it is operating and the output is close, as long as it is easy.  Give us a call if we can help further.

Sam, thanks for the email, I understand you have Astro Power modules.  You have been putting up with small leaks since the solar PV system was installed.  I understand the modules are mounted three inches from the roof with L-feet, no roof jacks.  This is a common problem.  A lot of contractors install modules without roof jacks on old roofs.  This is a pernicious problem.  I do not recommend installing modules on roofs older than 7 years and never without roof jacks and a licensed roofer.  I also never install them less than five inches clearance above the roof.  Another issue we always see is blocking roof vents.  Roofs are required to have proper venting or they will not last their rated lifetime.
    …Sam, you have probably one year or less before your original contractor’s liability insurance terms out.  I have a very good roofer and a good attorney.  I think the best strategy would be to only reroof the area the modules are located over which is what is leaking.  I will have Jerry get with you.  You can pay him directly.  Send your contracts over to Ray, the attorney, and see if the liability policy is viable.  I will charge for our inspection and I can site the code violations on the plastic conduit, lack of grounding and other issues.  Jerry can give you a good write-up on the roof and you can pay Ray to give it a shot with the liability insurance.  Sam, good news from Ray; they had decent insurance with Allied.  You have coverage.  Ray is sorting out what we can get out of them.  It sounds like enough to get you a patch, so you can weather the storm until your new job starts.  Let me know when we have the green light to start.
    …Sam, it has been over 30 days… Ray said he got you a settlement that covers him and enough to cover ours and Jerry’s work.  Congratulations.  We will start next week.
    …Sam, work went smoothly.  We pulled the modules and laid out the roof jacks for Jerry. He re-roofed and we will finish with the modules and inspection tomorrow.  A happy ending!  Give us a call if we can help further.

Joseph, I am very sad to hear this… your digital pictures are very clear.  The contractor covered over the O’Hagan style roof vents.  He also does not have thermal gapping.  I can see how heat is being trapped.  I know this contractor was underbidding us constantly.  I make more money fixing badly installed systems than new systems because of the bad workmanship and cutting corners that 80% of the contractors routinely do.  I cannot compete with their bad workmanship and cheap prices.  I recommend to pull the contract and send it to my attorney.  You have to reinstall the system properly.  There is no way but to go back to basics and do it right.  I recommend a comprehensive inspection.  I have a good roofer.  Hopefully there is money in his liability policy.
    …Joseph, I sent the documents to Ray.  Hopefully, he can get you a settlement in 30 days,.  I would keep the PV system running.  Just keep track of your bills and extra costs.
    …Joseph, Ray said they have a viable policy.  He should have something resolved in a few weeks.
    …Joseph, Ray said he is going to be able to get you a settlement including legal fees.  I am happy to hear it is working out.
    …Joseph, great you got everything worked out.  We pulled the modules and laid out the new roof jacks.  Jerry will get the additional roof jacks in.
    …Joseph, Jerry’s work is completed.  We discussed adding extra O’Hagan vents at the bottom below the modules and two solar vents at the top. We will be done Friday.  Joseph, I am happy to hear your solar PV system is working well and your AC bill is back below what it used to be.  Give me a call if I can help further.

Paul, I received your email.  This is a common problem.  The wiring between the modules is not required to be in conduit.  The modules have factory tails that are a heavy rubber coated wire.  Occasionally rats and mice chew them for no good reason.  The damaged wiring will require repairing. Then you will need to keep the area behind the panels free of debris and keep a rat bait box with bait in it so it is more tasty than your solar wiring.  I will schedule an electrician out to make repairs.  We will let you know if it is going to be more than three hours.
    …Paul, it took a service call and two hours… the work is completed.  My man said you had a bait station in the middle of the array.  This should do it!  The PV system is working fine.  Give a call if we can help further.

Robert, thanks for the email.  Yes, there are a number of earth friendly non-lethal methods to eradicate birds from modules.  I like the birdbgone products.  See birdbgone.com.  Try out the bird spikes or the hawk at the very top of your arrays, so it does not shadow.  Robert contacted us later and said he used the spikes successfully – no more birds.

Brad, thanks for the email.  You are located in San Marcos in our service area.  Usually the problem that we see is the gas tube between the east-west gas tanks is not supported and it eventually gets fatigued and the gas leaks out.  If you take a screw driver or a small hammer and tap on the tanks… if they sound hollow you need a new gas tank.
    …Brad, thanks for the feedback, it does sound like a bad gas tank you have a UTRF120.  I keep some in stock.  I will schedule a replacement for you.  We will do a checkup on the tracker and inverter.  My electrician was out, the gas line was not supported at all, and it was broken at the west end.  The tracker is now tracking. I had my electrician install tie wraps and tighten some bolts at the shocks and some modules.  He put Locktite at the shocks.  He greased the bearings, the inverter is OK and the modules 12BP 1.5 KW nominal the 125 watt BPS are in good shape.  You mentioned that when it was tracking it was doing 11-12 KW daily, better than your neighbor’s 2.5 KW roof top unit.  It is important to grease the bearings at the axel once a year and to check the bolts and be sure the gas line for the west gas tank is protected.  Good luck, and let us know if we can help you.

Ted, thanks for your email.  You are located in Escondido, CA.  Shadows and the wakeup bar do not mix.  We are in the land of fog and June gloom in San Diego, which also can delay wakeup by hours, if at all some days.  I have devised a timed thermal electric wakeup that will position the tracker facing west at a predetermined time.  I prefer the passive wakeup, but I am a major efficiency guy sometimes to a fault.  I try not to take it to extremes.  I wake up my trackers at 4 am and they catch the first rays of the sun each day.  On an annual basis, I get an extra 15% output.  In Alpine, California, at Alpine Elementary, we are getting 45% more on average without early wakeup and at latitude.  If you are very anal and change azimuth adjustment seasonally (+7%) and have the early wakeup (+15%) and keep the modules clean (5%), you are actually able to get up to 70%+ additional output over stationary modules.  I apologize for wandering off to answer your question simply. You do not have to cut down your palm trees.  The early wake up unit will work for your early morning shading problem.  I will drop by and look at your five trackers.
    …Ted, it was good to meet you.  I will get you a proposal and we can get you up to full production. 
    …Ted will be scheduled in the next few weeks.

Bert, thanks for the email.  I checked your address.  We installed the trackers for one of the former owners back in 2003.  I checked the records.  They are Zomerworks’ UTRF 168s with Solar world modules.  It sounds like you have a bad gas tank.  It is out of warranty.  I will get you a quote.
    …Bert, thanks for the approval.  I will get a man out.
    …Bert, the electrician was out and checked the gas tank.  It does appear to have a slow leak.  My electrician changed out the tank and it does appear to be tracking OK.  The electrician checked your trackers.  He greased the bearings and he checked your nuts and bolts and the trackers looked good.  He checked your inverter, it looks good.  Give me a call if you have any other issues.

Bob, thanks for the email.  I have a patent-pending electro-thermal early wake up unit that operates on a timer to wake up the tracker on demand early in the morning before sun up, so it is ready for the first sun.  This will work for your application and improve your annual output from 10 to 15%.  I will send you an estimate.  Please send me the pictures and let me know the size of the conduits to the trackers and the distance from the inverter.  I may have to make a visit if it is not clear we have to pull in a pair of #12 wires to run the thermal unit that we place on the wake up canister.
    …Bob, thanks for the pictures and the measurements.  I will get you an estimate. Give a call when you want to schedule.

Rex, I understand that you live in Clairemont and a new part of the freeway sound wall is shading your trackers.  I have a customer in Escondido with similar issues and shading issues.  I recommend an early wakeup to help you pick up more morning power.  You mentioned May and June are very foggy, and the tracker does not wake until mid morning.  This would get you solar radiation through the cloud bank, and it is going to keep going once the sun is up.  I see from your pictures the poles are at about 6’8” to 7’0”.  It looks like you need to lift the trackers about two feet to keep the wall from shading it about 5 pm during the summer, spring and fall.  This will get you sun until 7 pm.  I will get you an estimate.  Give me a call when you get ahead.

Andy, thanks for calling.  I recognized the address.  We installed the tracker in 2004.  That used to be Johnny’s house.  The tracker is at the top of a hill.  They used to be 12 Kyocera 167 watt modules.  All that Kyocera has is 225 watt.  That is close to fit on the UTRF120 tracker.  I contacted Zomeworks and got the original plan.  We worked out the details and ordered 8 new modules to match up.  To help save cost, you will help install the modules and hold the ladder.  My electrician installed the panels and hooked them up.  Everything is working OK.  Let me know if you need anything else.

Jesse, thanks for the email.  You are located in Jamul.  Your two trackers are circa 2002.  they are UTRF120s. You took pictures of the shocks.  You are in a windy area.  The shocks are worn out, probably due to your windy area, or they were weak.  I have replacement shocks in stock.  They require new T-arms as they are larger.  You indicated that you are an automotive mechanic.  I can send you detailed directions.  I don’t think you will have any problems.
    …Jesse, thanks for the note.  I am happy the changeout went smoothly.  Give me a call if we can help further.

Kathryn, thanks for the email.  I know the area.  I checked the wind maps and your area does not show up as a high wind area.  The UTRF120 is a 85 mile an hour tracker.  I have had a similar experience in an area in north San Diego county… Hell Creek, not far from you.  I worked with Dave Harris at Zomeworks and created a high wind version of the Zomeworks tracker.  We also lowered the tracker down and did wind breaks on the north sides and installed eyebolts through the poles.  We also put ¾” rod and bolts through the gimbols.  We replaced six trackers and they have survived over 100 mph winds.  The box canyons get winds that are cyclonic and they compress and build, creating some phenomenal winds.  I would not have believed it if I had not gone to my customers in Hell Creek during the wind storm and been there to see the last tracker blow away.  You could not stand up.  My truck was blown four feet with the brakes on.  It was one of those experiences you never forget.
    …Kathryn, I will come by and visit Saturday.
    …Kathryn, it was good to meet you. My bid is attached.  Your two 5548 inverters and the 24 L16 US Batteries are in good condition in your battery house.
    …Kathryn, thanks for your reply, I will get the order into Zomeworks and Sharp.  I spoke to your agent and sent him the contract.  I explained that the new trackers are designed for high winds up to 100+.  I reviewed our other measures so he will reinstate your insurance on your panels.  I showed him the Hell Creek pictures.  He is convinced we are doing all we can do to get your panels and trackers a long life.  We will complete our work in about a week.
    …Kathryn, we got our final inspection and all the work is completed.  You have a five year warranty on our work.  Give me a call.

Janice, thanks for the email.  I understand that you have a 4000 square foot vacation home off the grid in the San Diego Mountains in Julian.  It was nice to talk.  I recommend for you to take a look at the Johnston residence.  It is a good example of what can be done with a 6KW tracking solar system.  It is grid tied but has an alternative SilentAire air conditioning system instead of standard AC units.  They have two heat pumps but they only use them a week or so a year during Santa Ana time of year.  The house we also designed super efficient to reduce energy use to a minimum.  I would recommend a comprehensive energy analysis of your home.
    …I met Janice at her home in Julian.  She lives in an area off the grid east of Cuyamaca Woods.  The home is two story, terraced.  It has glass on the South and West exposures.  The ceilings are all vaulted with a very small attic.  Unfortunately, the house is an energy nightmare.  The house was designed to take advantage of the view of the forest not for energy efficiency.  The West and South glazing could have easily been regressed behind a patio.  There is not enough room without major remodeling.  It is time for triage.  I discussed with Janice her goals and what aesthetic features could be compromised to a degree.  Janice said I live in the middle of Los Angeles in Westwood, that she really loved getting away with the kids and her husband to Julian but the propane cost too much and the giant 25 KW generator was too noisy and ran even at night.  The solar PV system is a 10 KW ground mount with two SW 5548 Xantrex inverters.  The batteries are about 3 years old and there are 24 L-16 Rolls 450 AH in series.  They need equalizing.  Her husband has a local neighbor who is keeping them up.  The solar was added in 2001.  The appliances are all 10 years old, the same as the home, and are builders’ standard, not energy star.  A large Subzero side-by-side refrigerator freezer energy jog, standard washer and gas dryer, standard dishwasher, three small under-counter bar refrigerators, an icemaker at a wet bar.  The house had five bedrooms, all incandescent lighting recessed R40 150-R-40s. The bathrooms had G-60s in light bars.  The high ceilings combined with the high windows were trapping the heat.  The windows were double paned but many were leaking.  I proposed we get a friend in who could pressure test and do an IR test and weatherization, and work with a window coating contractor who does 3M window coatings that would improve the envelope and get a reduction in the air conditioning cost and winter heating cost.
    …I brought in my HVAC contractor and we took a look at the package HVAC units and they were builders’ standard and were on the South and West sides of the house.  Fortunately, they were package units – gas packs with condensers.  My HVAC contractor who I have licensed to install my SilentAire™ technology provided a bid.  We could do some retrofitting, shade the three heating/cooling units, change them to high seer.  we could retrofit with SilentAire™ and install some motorized vents to provide a night ventilation and cooling cycle.  I calculated the combined savings and looked at the day and night cycles to see if habits could be altered to a degree to synchronize heavy appliance use during the day and balance the loads so all the appliance loads could be used including the AC units in a timed sequence so only one unit worked at a time, but the whole house gets cooling.  All units are equipped with soft starts.  To get better air circulation, we will install ceiling fans in each bedroom due to the vaulted ceilings.  I calculated to balance the loads and flywheel overnight, we needed to add eight more batteries.  We needed to go through the day using our solar energy and keeping the batteries fully charged so the generator did not run at night.  Our biggest challenge is the South and West facing windows.  I took a look at the Generac 25 KW propane generator.  It should be placed in a metal building with sound proofing, then you can run it when you have to.  I assembled all the costing and your current propane cost and we reviewed your goals to see what made the most sense.  I had contacted SDG&E also to see what the cost of a line extension was.  They are over three miles away and the cost would be 140K.  We ruled this out.
    …You are coming to your house in Julian three weekends a month on average and from July until September when the kids go back to school and almost all holidays including Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s.  You have a large garden and use your well a lot.  You have a hill that is about 50 feet above the house.  I spoke with your well man.  Your pump has the ability to pump up the hill, so we can relocate the tank and eliminate the five horsepower booster pump and pressure tank.  This cuts your electric loads significantly.  You have three propane water heaters.  If you install solar thermal, this will eliminate 80% of your hot water heating and gas use.  You are planning as soon as the kids are all graduated from high school in five years and off to college to move to Julian and telecommute both of your jobs.  You are presently spending $24,000 per year in propane for living about 145 days a year in Julian.  This is about $165 per day.  To do all the improvements, appliance replacements, energy efficiency window covers and treatments and AC replacement, SilentAire™, cooling fans, metal sound proof shed and solar thermal, we are at $82,000 cost +/- 10% of unforeseen issues.  I am estimating a reduction to $3,500 per year in propane.  This will give you about a four year to 4 ½ year ROI.
    …We signed a contract in August.  Unfortunately, before we could start their home and the surrounding forest was destroyed by the Cedar Fire.  The family was so frightened and devastated by the fire and the destruction of the forest, they did not rebuild.  The solutions are part of my energy solutions package that we typically approach similar issues at large and small residences.  See some of the examples of homes we have retrofitted and performed energy saving projects, see examples attached.