Update 2012

So far this year started out with a couple of really good jobs. I have been teaming up with some of my competitors on some of their projects.

The first one was a solar project in Grelickville on E. Grandview Rd. It is a 12 panel system mounted on a pole. Here is a picture of that system and how big it is. It is a 2.58kw system with an average monthly production of 309kwh a month. I did not provided the equipment for this system but was the installer only.













The second big project was located out on the Old Mission Peninsula. There is a big windmill out near the end that you can see on Center Rd. out near the lighthouse. but you have to be looking for it.

The interesting thing about this project is that it was off-grid and then they installed the grid onto the property.



So what I had been hired to do is change it over to grid interactive so that the windmill, Bergey, can put the excess power back on the grid. But here is the kicker, there is 3 sources of power to deal with windmill, grid, and generator. Getting them to all interact together was one of the most complicated jobs to date. I used an Outback Radian Inverter . This inverter is what is called a hybrid inverter. It's Outbacks latest inverter. It's a 8000w battery charger and grid interactive inverter. Nice piece of equipment.

Also for this year I have 2 up coming solar projects as a result of Consumers Energy Feed-in tariff. (EARP)

One is a 20 panel system on the roof up in Northport and the other is 22 panel system on the roof on Crystal Lake in Beulah. So be watching for pictures about that soon.

I have been getting lots of calls about off-grid systems. Just quoted a system on an island near here. I will be doing my first international install in Northern Canada next month. Customer here in Traverse City has hired me to come to his place and install solar panels to his house that he has off-grid. So be watching for pictures of that soon too.

The best place to stay informed is on my is, Facebook . I update stuff several times a week on there. So go to that link and like my page.

That's all the fun and exciting things happening here for now. So stay tune.

Do I do off-grid systems?

The other day someone brought to my attention that they were not sure if I do off-grid systems. The answer is yes I do. As a matter of fact I have been getting a lot of requests for just that type of system.

I'm currently working with several people that currently live off- grid or are considering it. Yesterday I started a project that was off-grid and now is being converted over to be grid interactive. So I can go either way on systems.

I have a system that I just finished a few weeks ago that was an AC coupled system with battery backup. The solar panels were grid interactive and the battery charging system interacted with that solar grid- tied system.

There was a man in the area that has over 200+ systems that are off grid and those customers of his have been contacting me to either repair or replace parts of their systems.

I personally will be taking about 60-70% of my house off-grid later this summer. I have been slowly collecting the parts I need to make this happen. I will be using solar at first to power my system. Later the following year I'll be installing a small wind system.

So to answer your questions I am very capable of doing off-grid systems.

Second chance for a possible feed-in Tariff!

Well if you missed out on the first Consumers Energy feed-in tariff. You may have a second chance to get in on it. Granted the tariff cost will be a lot less then the first time but still better then a sharp stick in the eye.

The first time they were paying up to .62¢ a kWh for all the solar systems power that it produced. This time they will be paying up to 26¢ a kWh or low as .20¢ kWh for a solar systems power that it produces.

The Michigan Public Service Commission tells Consumers Energy to expand their solar program.
Here is the article that I first saw about this programs possible expansion.

The last time you had to apply to get into the program, which I am sure will be the same way again. Which it filled up fast, in less then two weeks time.

Once you were approved for the amount of solar you were willing to install you then had a year to install it.

The three customers that I had applied all got approved for the program. But I got their applications in right away.

I know personally I will be installing an array on my Beulah property as soon as the program becomes available to do.

I have a very reliable source that says it could be as soon as July. So if you are interested in having solar this would be a good time to make that happen. I am currently forming a list of people that would like to be contacted if and when this program becomes available.

You can email me at jdstrattonelectric@gmail.com or call me at (231) 715-1170 to get on that list. Don't wait because the program will fill up fast.

Living off the Grid is not right for everybody.

It always seems when I turn around there is always an article in some newspaper about how some guy has been living off the grid for 20 years. I always think to myself that it is so cool. I would like to do that too. But then I get to thinking are you nuts.

Now I am the type of person that could do that but I'll be straight up with you, I am freak-in lazy. Living off the grid takes major dedication. It is not for the average person. For example you need to have some kind of mechanical ability. Batteries have a lot maintenance issues and are very dangerous. They give off toxic gases that are not good for you.

I know that if I lived of the grid and the first time the system failed and my wife couldn't get any water that would be the end of living off the grid. Beside off grid living is not for the poor. The stuff that is used to make this happen is very expensive.

Now the average guy, which I am an average guy, on the other hand can still enjoy the benefits of being close to being off the grid without all that dangerous stuff and monkeying around with batteries.

The first thing is you really need to take a good look at your power usage. You need to figure out how you can reduce to around 500- 600 kWh a month of power usage. That seems to be that magic number for an affordable system. I blogged about this very issue awhile back.

Well how do I know what I use a month? I tell people that then need to get some type of monitoring system for your electricity usage. I really like the TED system

With this monitor you can dial your energy usage right in by the minute. Helping to obtain that desired power usage level.

Next thing I would tell them get an energy audit done. This generally is a cheap way to find out where your energy is going. Once the auditor has come and done a report for you Then you can focus on fixing some of those energy issues.

Once you got your energy usage under control then we can figure out a good renewable energy system size. By reducing it will save you thousands in a new system.

After your new system is installed you can live virtually off the grid without all the hassles of being off grid.

Now back to the guy off the grid, those guys are few and far between and generally are so far back in woods some where it doesn't make sense to be on the grid. If you are that person call me I can help you out with that off the grid system.

I'm not just talking renewable energy. I'M DOING IT!!!

Every since I started doing renewable energy people have asked me, "Jeff what do you have at your house?" For a long time I said nothing. But just this year I decided it was time to do something. Because if you are going to try and sell this stuff to others without doing it yourself, seemed kind of hypocritical. Why should I get you to buy a system from me if I don't do myself. If it such a great idea why not use it yourself. So I decided I was got to pull the trigger on a system for here.

I really wanted a wind turbine at my home but because where I live that does not allow me to have one. So I decided to go with solar. By now I was not sure about this decision to go with solar, because I was like everyone else. Oh that won't work here because it is so cloudy all the time. But my first system in Glen Lake changed my mind. It was working so well that I decided to go for it. Since that project I have done several others.

Well two weeks ago I started with installing the roof mounted racking. This racking is on the West side of the garage, not the South side like typical installations are done. My ridge line runs North and South so I can only place them on the West or East side of the roof.


Once the racking was done I installed all the Enphase micro-inverters.


With the micro-inverters it allow each panel to work independent of the other panels. Which in case of a panel failing, that allows the system to continue to work. I also can monitor each panel individually. Also since I have some shades throughout the day this does not effect the whole system just that one panel. Here is a link to my system that you can see throughout the day.

The next day I installed the solar panels and connected all the panels to the inverters.



Street view




Next Spring I am planning on installing 6 more panels on the East side of the garage roof. This will almost allow us to have a net zero everyday for electricity.

I have been very pleased with the out come of my system so far. We have not recieved an electric bill yet. But since I monitor our house pretty closely with the TED I know how well the system is working. We have actually had some very low days of kilowatt usage since the installation. I hope to have something up on my website soon to show how well the system interacts with my house and solar. So keep checking back from time to time.

If this something you are interested in doing at your home or business feel free to give me a call with your questions or if you would like an estimate to install a system for yourself. We live solar everyday and we love it.