# New to solar



## jkw7676 (May 22, 2015)

I just purchased a home with grid tied solar panels on it already, but I don't know that much about them. Is there anything I need to do to get things setup and working other than finding an electric plan with solar buy back? Also any electric company recommendations for the buy back?
Thanks, Justin


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## djlandkpl (Jan 29, 2013)

Best bet is to call the utility that services your house. You need to find out 1) if you have a net meter on your house 2) how they handle net metering. With net metering, your meter will go backwards when you are producing more than you are using.

How you get credit will differ from utility to utility. Where I am, I just build a credit on my bill that will grow forever. In some some areas, the utility will send a check.


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## jkw7676 (May 22, 2015)

Ok great thank you I'll contact my power company


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## LeakyHawaiiRoof (Oct 21, 2014)

The set-up should have been taken care of by the previous owner. Best case scenario, everything is taken care of and the password to access your online monitoring system is already somewhere in your home. https://enlighten.enphaseenergy.com/ Maybe you already have electricity credits built up. If this is the case, you don't need to do anything other than make sure your electricity bill is under your name.

Worst case scenario is that the panels were installed without a permit and now you need to get all the paperwork ironed out. What type of meter do you have? Is your meter moving backward? Usually, installation of new solar system is followed by installation of a new meter by the electricity company. Call your electric company

The actual super worst worst worst care scenario is that your system is installed under some buy-back/lease program and now you're committee to buying electricity at a certain rate for the next 20 years. If this is true, you don't own the system.

If the system is yours, you definitely want to contact the previous owner (or your real estate agent) to get the warranty documents on your solar system. 

All of this should have been ironed out during the sale.


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## jkw7676 (May 22, 2015)

I have two separate meters on the house, they're not leased fortunately. I contacted the company who installed them and they emailed me earlier and said they contacted the seller and got the enphase monitoring system from them and will come set it up for me. I'm now looking for the best electric company to use with them. Reliant says they only buy back if they are leased from them. Txu only buys back for 10 kw systems and less.


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## djlandkpl (Jan 29, 2013)

jkw7676 said:


> I have two separate meters on the house, they're not leased fortunately. I contacted the company who installed them and they emailed me earlier and said they contacted the seller and got the enphase monitoring system from them and will come set it up for me. I'm now looking for the best electric company to use with them. Reliant says they only buy back if they are leased from them. Txu only buys back for 10 kw systems and less.


I found this article on net metering. TX is one a few states that have no policy for net metering which stinks.

http://www.seia.org/research-resources/net-metering-state


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## soap94 (Sep 25, 2015)

I am new on this forum. Sorry for offtop,but does it make any sense if i live in flat?


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## Ben25 (Jun 14, 2014)

soap94 said:


> I am new on this forum. Sorry for offtop,but does it make any sense if i live in flat?



A house with a flat roof? May be slightly higher cost, but still worth it if your poco had good net metering.


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## jkw7676 (May 22, 2015)

Half of my panels are on a flat roof, the brackets under them are slightly angled. Works great


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## LeakyHawaiiRoof (Oct 21, 2014)

soap94 said:


> I am new on this forum. Sorry for offtop,but does it make any sense if i live in flat?


Do you mean "flat" as in the British word for apartment, aka a building with multiple units?

If so, the answer is "it depends." Can you tell us what city you live in? Solar policies vary by location so its really hard to say whether installing a photo voltaic system is cost effective. Also, your building probably has some sort of policy about using the roof along with a governing board of what is allowed.


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## melving.crane (Dec 28, 2015)

I think before purchase you should have check that solar grid system, that you're totally unaware how to maintain. However, in this case now you need to call the utility expert who has been fixing electrical issues of your house.


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