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Easy-to-use solar panels are coming, but utilities are trying to delay them (www.npr.org)
submitted 8 months ago by to c/technology@lemmy.world
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[–] 5 points 8 months ago (29 children)

Easy check, grab a voltmeter and do it yourself.
Pull the plug, set voltmeter to AC, and read the voltage across the prongs. If you get anything over the usual float voltage you get from just holding the probes ungrounded, then you have a problem.

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  • [+] -15 points 8 months ago (28 children)

    By "you" I did not mean your personal solar system. I mean how does the utility know that other users that have systems connected are doing so safely?

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  • [–] 13 points 8 months ago* (27 children)

    The PRODUCT is designed to stop feeding OUT the plug if it doesn't detect CURRENT from the socket. AC is alternating current so it pulses on and off so the solar system is doing the same. It's turning on and off quickly and seeing if it gets power back and if it detects no power incoming it shuts off the power from the solar. It's quite simple and ingenious.

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  • [–] 8 points 8 months ago (8 children)

    ok I have to believe the guy replying is a shil at this point. Use of approved products is as old as the electric stystem. Its why the electric company does not have to come and inspect everything you have plugged into the grid and does not come out every time you get a new appliance. The standards are with the product as you correctly point out and the state does not allow on compliant products to be sold just like with refrigerators.

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  • [–] -2 points 8 months ago* (7 children)

    I have to believe the guy replying is a shil at this point

    A shill for what, exactly? Linemen safety? The horror.

    Its why the electric company...does not come out every time you get a new appliance.

    That's because your appliances aren't backfeeding to the grid. Anything that does requires inspections and permits, to make sure they don't kill people , or delay getting the power back on, which can kill people.

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  • [–] 3 points 8 months ago (6 children)

    but the edge case you give has nothing to do with feeding back to the grid given it was already pointed out they auto shut off which regulated by whats allowed to be sold because anyone could put a non legal thing that feeds energy into the grid even if they jury rigged it themself.

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  • [–] -1 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) (5 children)

    it was already pointed out they auto shut off

    And I already pointed out that that's not a given.

    which regulated by whats allowed to be sold

    And I already pointed out that that's not correct. In fact most equipment that's sold does not do that.

    anyone could put a non legal thing that feeds energy into the grid even if they jury rigged it themself.

    Yes, people can do all kinds of things that are illegal. That doesn't mean we stop trying to prevent it.

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  • [–] 3 points 7 months ago (4 children)

    exactly. So people could put power into the grid now and the laws would allow it with approved equipment that meet the requirements like auto shutoff whichi legally would certainly be a given. Could something else be plugged in that did not have it. sure. but that would be illegal same as doing it before its allowed. I really don't understand how you do not understand this.

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  • [–] 0 points 7 months ago (3 children)

    I really don't understand how you're not getting this.

     So people could put power into the grid now and the laws would allow it with approved equipment that meet the requirements

    Once again, no one is verifying the equipment is approved.

    like auto shutoff whichi legally would certainly be a given.

    Once again, no it's not.

    Could something else be plugged in that did not have it. sure. but that would be illegal

    Yes and the proposed legislation seeks to take away the utility provider's ability to ensure the equipment is legal and safe for use.

    If your strategy is just to repeat the same nonsense over and over then I'm not going to continue engaging with you.

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  • [–] 2 points 7 months ago (2 children)

    Where are you getting that no one is verifying the equipment is approved and no it does not need to be the utility provider any more than, as I said, they need to sign of on fridges and stoves.

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  • [+] -13 points 8 months ago (17 children)

    I am not asking how the technology works. I am asking how the utility verifies that people are using compliant products.

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  • [–] 17 points 8 months ago (9 children)

    The same way they do now.

    You realize generators exist right?

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  • [+] -10 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) (8 children)

    Permanently connected generators typically require permits.

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  • [–] 10 points 8 months ago (5 children)

    yup and if you install it wrong it's you in trouble but you still can buy them and diy without a permit. They should just be regulated so only the certified ones can be sold.

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  • [+] -9 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) (4 children)

    yup and if you install it wrong it's you in trouble

    No, it's the linemen who are in trouble.

    They should just be regulated so only the certified ones can be sold.

    So you want to ban the sale of raw solar panels and inverters?

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  • [–] 7 points 8 months ago (3 children)

    No, because we're talking about all in one systems that plug into the outlet, why are you bringing up raw components?

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  • [–] -3 points 8 months ago* (2 children)

    ...because one can also connect those? If I was to buy them, I sure would, because they're less expensive, more readily available, and more serviceable. Why don't you want to talk about them?

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  • [–] 10 points 8 months ago (6 children)

    "The utility" has never had a way to prevent you from doing something dangerous with your wiring or with the electricity they send you. The best we've managed has been to encourage appliance manufacturers to design their products with safety in mind, through the UL program (which is voluntary). This is why the writer talked to the "vice president of engineering at UL Solutions."

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  • [+] -10 points 8 months ago (5 children)

    "The utility" has never had a way to prevent you from doing something dangerous with your wiring

    Yes they have. It's called permitting.

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  • [–] 3 points 8 months ago (4 children)

    And what's stopping you from doing it anyway?

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  • [–] -5 points 8 months ago (3 children)

    If you're gonna break the law, you're gonna break the law and we can just ignore any discussion of legality. But that's not what we're doing.

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