• Welcome to F150Lightningforum.com everyone!

    If you're joining us from F150gen14.com, then you may already have an account here!

    If you were registered on F150gen14.com as of April 16, 2022 or earlier, then you can simply login here with the same username and password!

Sponsored

Talk me out of a HIS by Sunrun

ExCivilian

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 28, 2021
Threads
3
Messages
628
Reaction score
424
Location
SoCal
Vehicles
'05 RAM 2500 5.9L Cummins; '22 Lariat ER
So if you are using say 50% of your solar output, and the sun comes along an blocks 50% of the sun, your panels increase output so you are using all the available solar energy in the house.
This implies the IQ8s are capable of shedding excess power. Am I understanding you correctly that they are able to do that?

The current system that is being installed on my home doesn't have a battery in the plans. My installer texted me that in order to use the IQ8 grid forming tech I'd need to add the "empower smart switch, load controller, and critical load panel" for roughly $7,500. He followed that by saying the battery he was recommending wouldn't need any of it, which I believe was his earlier point of choosing a battery over the IQ8 grid-forming tech for the cost a few months ago during the design stage.
Sponsored

 

PiMatrix

Well-known member
First Name
Phil
Joined
Apr 22, 2022
Threads
10
Messages
311
Reaction score
289
Location
New York
Vehicles
F-150 Lightning
Occupation
Electrical Engineer
This implies the IQ8s are capable of shedding excess power. Am I understanding you correctly that they are able to do that?

The current system that is being installed on my home doesn't have a battery in the plans. My installer texted me that in order to use the IQ8 grid forming tech I'd need to add the "empower smart switch, load controller, and critical load panel" for roughly $7,500. He followed that by saying the battery he was recommending wouldn't need any of it, which I believe was his earlier point of choosing a battery over the IQ8 grid-forming tech for the cost a few months ago during the design stage.
 

VTbuckeye

Well-known member
First Name
Joseph
Joined
Jan 15, 2022
Threads
3
Messages
837
Reaction score
808
Location
Vermont
Vehicles
19 Bolt, 16 XC90T8, 22 XC40 P8 Recharge, 17 Tacoma
In lots of Texas, basements are rare (houses are either sitting on Limestone, or in a swamp)

And in central Texas (or at least Austin) in particular, they have to be installed outdoors by code
In vermont everything freezes if it is not in the basement. There are some houses built with crawl spaces, but I have no idea how they keep the water lines and sewage lines from freezing when it is -20 degrees and the incoming water is maybe 38 degrees and the top foot of ground is frozen. Upon further thought the middle of the house plus copious insulation may offer enough protection, but basements around here make sense.
 

PiMatrix

Well-known member
First Name
Phil
Joined
Apr 22, 2022
Threads
10
Messages
311
Reaction score
289
Location
New York
Vehicles
F-150 Lightning
Occupation
Electrical Engineer
There are some other systems out there compatible with Enphase, Outback GD4048 and SMA sunny island that can also do this islanding. I have not looked into them all but I hear they work well. Perhaps that is what your installer initially referred to. I was looking from tech all from one company just for any warranty issues so no pointing fingers.

I think the generation shedding is done by simply turning off panels. For example, if you have a 16kW system with 40 panels it means you have 2.5% granular control of power generated. I assume you would see this real time in a maps of the individual microinverters. The smart switch is the system controller 2.
Here is what you need for sunlight backup. The IQ load controllers can be replace with a Lumin panel and do whole home backup and just pick the loads you want up to 16 circuits. Enphase has a 16 circuit upgrade coming early next year. Of course adding one small battery expandable with an EV battery at some point gives more flexibility while you drive to get a fast charge. The nice thing is with the system controller 2, a Distributed Energy Resourced (DER)/MID panel, you can add solar, batter, generator to the supplied inputs at any later time. All the power sources are additive, not either/or, a unique feature of the system since either the batter or the PV can form a grid and match phase and frequency to the utility grid or a attached generator. The only thing you can't do is run a generator and utility at same time ;)

Ford F-150 Lightning Talk me out of a HIS by Sunrun 1663027706145


Ford F-150 Lightning Talk me out of a HIS by Sunrun 1663027755023
 
Last edited:

ExCivilian

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 28, 2021
Threads
3
Messages
628
Reaction score
424
Location
SoCal
Vehicles
'05 RAM 2500 5.9L Cummins; '22 Lariat ER
There are some other systems out there compatible with Enphase, Outback GD4048 and SMA sunny island that can also do this islanding. I have not looked into them all but I hear they work well. Perhaps that is what your installer initially referred to.
His position is that installing all of the equipment necessary for the IQ8 grid-forming feature is an unnecessary expense compared to installing a battery that can power the house during inclement weather and darkness.
Ford F-150 Lightning Talk me out of a HIS by Sunrun Screen Shot 2022-09-12 at 5.29.07 PM
 

Sponsored

PiMatrix

Well-known member
First Name
Phil
Joined
Apr 22, 2022
Threads
10
Messages
311
Reaction score
289
Location
New York
Vehicles
F-150 Lightning
Occupation
Electrical Engineer
His position is that installing all of the equipment necessary for the IQ8 grid-forming feature is an unnecessary expense compared to installing a battery that can power the house during inclement weather and darkness.
Screen Shot 2022-09-12 at 5.29.07 PM.png
Don't know on the prices, but I agree that having 24 hour coverage is better than only sunlight hours with no battery. That's why I'll have a small Enphase battery for day time to handle clouds, and the EV additional capacity for overnight while it's in garage or extended outages. There are many many ways to accomplish the same thing. Devil is in the detail.
 

smax64

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 16, 2022
Threads
4
Messages
168
Reaction score
126
Location
New york
Vehicles
09 F250 FX4
Occupation
Firefighter
Finally got info back from the town of eastern long island and here is the issue for the HIS in NY at least

Ford F-150 Lightning Talk me out of a HIS by Sunrun 1663597640909


NY so far does not have a provision in their electrical code to allow for ER battery
 

adoublee

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 30, 2021
Threads
11
Messages
707
Reaction score
618
Location
Midwest
Vehicles
2 EVs
Finally got info back from the town of eastern long island and here is the issue for the HIS in NY at least

1663597640909.png


NY so far does not have a provision in their electrical code to allow for ER battery
Your Ford F150 lightning is an energy storage system, and is apparently banned where you live. Welcome to America.
 

smax64

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 16, 2022
Threads
4
Messages
168
Reaction score
126
Location
New york
Vehicles
09 F250 FX4
Occupation
Firefighter
Your Ford F150 lightning is an energy storage system, and is apparently banned where you live. Welcome to America.
Your Ford F150 lightning is an energy storage system, and is apparently banned where you live. Welcome to America.
only to put power back into the house, i can still charge it
 

Sponsored

Maquis

Well-known member
First Name
Dave
Joined
May 20, 2021
Threads
8
Messages
2,869
Reaction score
3,479
Location
Illinois
Vehicles
2021 Mach-E E4-X; 2023 Lightning Lariat ER
Finally got info back from the town of eastern long island and here is the issue for the HIS in NY at least

1663597640909.png


NY so far does not have a provision in their electrical code to allow for ER battery
That’s really funny…..if you have an LP backup generator, having 5 gallons of propane on your property to run it violates those numbers. 😂
 

Firestop

Well-known member
First Name
Firestop
Joined
May 6, 2022
Threads
13
Messages
1,031
Reaction score
994
Location
Oregon
Vehicles
2022 F-150 L Lariat ER; Honda Accord Touring
Finally got info back from the town of eastern long island and here is the issue for the HIS in NY at least

1663597640909.png


NY so far does not have a provision in their electrical code to allow for ER battery
Curious, what hazardous condition are they attempting to prevent……?
 

tls

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 29, 2022
Threads
16
Messages
264
Reaction score
217
Location
New York
Vehicles
2022 Lightning
Finally got info back from the town of eastern long island and here is the issue for the HIS in NY at least

1663597640909.png


NY so far does not have a provision in their electrical code to allow for ER battery
I believe they are misreading the code. Or, actually, almost deceptively quoting it. Here is the preamble to R327, which exempts vehicles from 327.2 thru 327.11.

[NY]R327.1General.​
Energy storage systems installed in buildings or structures that are subject to the provisions of this code shall be installed and maintained in accordance with Sections R327.2 through R327.11. The temporary use of an owner’s or occupant's electric powered vehicle as an energy storage system shall be in accordance with Section R327.12.​
Sponsored

 


 


Top