Category Archives: Solar

Solar energy use

Tesla Roof Performance

Posted on November 14, 2021 by ellen

The Tesla roof was up and running for part of the day on August 28th. It has been operating for almost three months. The app does not have a date to date feature so I downloaded performance for each full … Continue reading →

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RV Solar Wiring

Posted on November 6, 2021 by ellen

Once the rack was finished and the panels installed I had to figure out the wiring from the roof to the equipment inside. One benefit of the Solarland panels is that they use thicker wire. They come with the MC4 … Continue reading →

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RV Solar Install

Posted on November 6, 2021 by ellen

I had always wanted to install solar panels on our old RV but instead we used a portable 50 watt panel to boost the batteries when camping. I had the panel strapped behind the storage box we had at the … Continue reading →

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Tesla Starts Early

Posted on August 26, 2021 by ellen

The solar roof was originally scheduled to start on Sept 7th but the manager called and asked if they could start earlier and I said, “Sure!”. The first day another company tore off the old roof. I asked if they … Continue reading →

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Tesla Called

Posted on August 19, 2021 by ellen

Tesla finally called to schedule the solar roof installation. I was very excited. We have been working with Tesla since April of last year and I have been on the waiting list since June 1, 2017, the day President Trump … Continue reading →

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Tesla Solar Roof

Posted on July 15, 2020 by ellen

The Tesla solar roof is made from tempered glass. Advertising mentions quartz glass which is a form of tempered glass, the other form is silica although the terms are used interchangeably. The product is called Solarglass and is textured. Last … Continue reading →

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From Tesla Solar Panels to Solar Roof

Posted on July 12, 2020 by ellen

When the new glass roof tiles from Tesla were in the media, I was intrigued because we eventually needed a new roof and we live in the Hail Alley of Colorado which means hail is frequent and often damages roofs. … Continue reading →

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Solar Pool Set Up

Posted on June 7, 2020 by ellen

The extra parts arrived and all of the piping was finally connected with minimal leaks. Not without several issues however.I had the bypass valve assembly ready to install. Unfortunately the plastic that the reducers were made from did not hold … Continue reading →

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Solar Pool Heat

Posted on May 25, 2020 by ellen

Everything takes time and money. The solar pool heat project is no different. I have put together a system based on the old copper collector and a new stainless steel heat exchanger. This is the system design. I purchased a … Continue reading →

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Stripped Down Solar

Posted on May 19, 2020 by ellen

One of the reasons the repair I tried for the 3′ x 7’ solar panels was a disaster is that the glass broke when I was moving it. The glass in the solar panels seems to be extremely fragile. I … Continue reading →

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Finishing Up the Bathroom

Posted on April 3, 2020 by ellen

There were a few more tasks to finish the bathroom remodel. The contractor and his helper came one more time to complete the job. The largest project was the installation of the solar tube in the ceiling. He finished the … Continue reading →

Posted in Bathrooms, Construction, Design Style, Energy Efficiency, Plumbing, Reduce Reuse Recycle, Solar | Comments Off on Finishing Up the Bathroom

Installing a JuiceBox 220v 40 Pro Charger

Posted on June 11, 2018 by ellen

I decided to upgrade to a Level 2, 220v EV charger in order to charge faster during the highest solar production time of day. After researching various options, it appeared the JuiceBox delivered the most bang for the buck. Some … Continue reading →

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Solar Powered Volt

Posted on June 11, 2018 by ellen

Way back in 2003 we bought the first model of hybrid Honda Civic sold in the US. It was the only car we would ever buy that was featured in a car show! It was a 2003 model but it … Continue reading →

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Tesla Solar First Month Report

Posted on May 15, 2018 by ellen

On the occasion of our first utility bill after adding solar, we found a significant reduction in the cost of the electricity we consumed from the grid. As the Tesla engineers predicted the solar provided about half of our electricity … Continue reading →

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Solar is Up! Day One

Posted on April 18, 2018 by ellen

Yesterday the Xcel technician stopped by about 4 PM to install the solar meter. That completed the setup for our solar system. She gave me a hang tag that said the system was ready to bring online! After she left … Continue reading →

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Solar System Commissioned

Posted on March 24, 2018 by ellen

Commissioning was basically a test of functions. I had the Tesla app open on my phone so I could follow along with the tests. The commissioning was early in the morning so the system was not yet producing full power. … Continue reading →

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Tesla Solar!

Posted on March 21, 2018 by ellen

The solar photovoltaics were installed yesterday and “commissioned” today. I’m thrilled. This seems like another major step in the process of putting together a truly energy efficient home. And it is another case of purchasing a complete system with installation … Continue reading →

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Gleaning More Materials

Posted on March 3, 2018 by ellen

I’ve used most of the building materials that have been stockpiled in the past; although there is more finish work in the house that needs to be completed. I hope to use the log railings for door and window trim … Continue reading →

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Tank Troubles

Posted on February 28, 2018 by ellen

I found an ad on craigslist for six solar panels and two storage tanks. It was another Novan system with a heat exchanger. They had a photo of the panels installed on the roof. There were also photos of the … Continue reading →

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Solar Thermal Plans

Posted on February 1, 2018 by ellen

I have been wanting to install solar thermal panels to help heat the hot tub water since the hot tub is the major draw on our electrical power. We have prime sunshine and solar hot water heaters were very popular … Continue reading →

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