Here Comes the Sun

My husband uses the current administration as the full moon off of which to sight his sextant of life choices. And this administration is headed by as full a moon as you're ever likely to find in a car full of adolescent passengers. All this is to say, as soon as King Coal was adopted as the energy source of choice, hubby decided to finally embrace solar power.

Having wanted to go solar for years now, I was thrilled when he finally came on board. It may also have been a matter of timing--I'm not sure the company we went with had enough cachet in our area until now. But they're aligned with Elon Musk, the John Galt of our times, so we're happy.

I came home (after 5 weeks in Oregon helping my parents) in time for the install. In preparation, hubby had moved everything from the left side of the overstuffed, chaotic garage to the right side (also overstuffed and chaotic) in anticipation of the battery wall being installed inside the garage. He also moved things off the back wall. Not particularly well or well thought out (as in: move the entire 7' cabinet, but don't empty any of the shelves?!?), but moved nonetheless.

First step on The Day: slow the 50 mph traffic (of kids being driven to the three "within walking distance" schools on our street) to an acceptable 30 mph, by parking a fleet of vans and a truck in front of the house.

Win.

Second step on The Day: cordon off the house and yard as though the crime of the century has just taken place.

It goes well with the 5 large undefinable bales of "mail" hubby had been holding for a neighbor until he got back in town.

Step 3: indulge in some "yard art". Talent optional.

Makes it look as though we have an actual Autumn, doesn't it? "Look honey: the grass is turning!"




Then the staging and actual Stuff Getting Done started happening. Panels were placed along the side of the house where they'd be installed, and the installers started clambering onto the roof.









Actually, "clambering" isn't very accurate, as that includes "clumsy" in its description, although one of these guys did almost fall off at one point. In his stead, one of the panels plummeted to the ground. We've been assured it still works fine.



By the end of the first hour of work we sent out the word: "Just walk in and use the facilities! No need to stand on formalities (and make us get up and open the door for you every time)." By early afternoon we had a new thermostat installed inside (a Nest that lights up every time someone walks by, and is readable to the naked, non-glasses-assisted eye) and 17 panels installed upside:

Why 17? Why not 18, or 24 for that matter? Well, Solar City is only allowed to install as many panels as would produce as much energy as our consumption history indicated we needed. We can't go into this with an eye toward making too much energy and selling all the excess to the electric company (Oncor). Them's the rules.

We also invested in a battery wall (as mentioned in the 3rd paragraph)--because what's the point if you can't store then use the energy when it's 'lights out' for whatever reason?--and that took the whole day and part of the next to get it installed, hooked up correctly, and finally passing muster. Here it is on the clean, clear left wall of the garage:

No... wait... Here it is on the left wall of the garage:

It has passed the City inspection, and now we're sitting out the 4-10 week wait time until it can finally be connected to The Grid and we can start producing and using our own energy. This oughta be fun!

Critter not included in standard installation. Nor is it sold separately.