[SGVLUG] Off-topic - solar power - city of pasadena

[Emerson, Tom (*IC)]

> -----Original Message----- Of Jeremy Leader
> on 03/09/2007 11:24 AM Emerson, Tom (*IC)  wrote:
> >> -----Original Message----- Of Robert Leyva
> >> http://www.ci.pasadena.ca.us/waterandpower/program_solar.asp
> > 
> > In the "it always pays to read the fine print" section, I noticed a 
> > brief paragraph entitled "Interconnection" that states:
> > 
> >      "... National Electric Code (NEC) standards may prohibit 
> > operation of the customer's system when PWP power is interrupted."
> > 
> > So, I take it that if there is a power failure in the 
> middle of a hot 
> > sunny day ('cause too many A/C units are online), your solar system 
> > would shut down too...
> 
> I suspect that just means that when PWP goes down, you're 
> probably not allowed 
> to send power from your system out into the (otherwise dead) 
> grid.  So you can 
> keep your power on, you just can't try to power the whole 
> neighborhood.

Yes and no -- I did cut out one critical caveat: "...unless your system
is powering a dedicated circuit...", and the part I did copy contains
the weasel-word "may" (as opposed to "must" -- see any RFC on the issue
of wording...)  so yeah, there probably wouldn't be a problem if your
"system" kept powering your own house, but you would have to be
absolutely certain that if the power from the grid goes out that you do
not try and push anything back in...  (this is basically a CYA paragraph
on the part of the power company, especially if during an actual
blackout a lineman comes poking around house-by-house trying to find
downed lines or whatnot)