Whatcha gonna do with all that juice, Jeff?

The install includes updating the feed in to 3 phase, who knows a Tesla in the driveway?

For now though, the power company is also the water company. The excess power generated gives us a credit that goes towards the water bill. The in and out tariffs are the same, so at the moment I'm expecting to pay no utility bills for the next 25years. :D

Or more accurately, I've prepaid our utility bills for the next 25 years.

The install should pay for itself in about 3 years.

That’s great! I imagine water is a bit more precious than electricity in Alice Springs. It’s hot/dry there, right?

Haha, it’s a ‘dryyyyyyy heat’

Mertnin

Jeff, you have 3 phase electricity at home? Is that common for houses in OZ?

Around here 3 phase is for big equipment and really high electrical demand. The last building I worked in was originally built as a photographers studio. He had a ton of lights, and he could pull a city bus into his studio, and light it in a way to make it look like it was day or night or at sunset. He had enough AC to keep the place cool, even with all the lights pumping out heat.

When the company I used to work for bought the building, the just put in a drop ceiling, and demolished the infinity wall. We had 2 darkrooms and several processors and the large space to air condition.

I would be very few if any normal residences have 3 phase.

It's not that common, but it's not unusual either - usually tradies working from home though.

My issue was that on single phase, I was limited to a maximum of a 5kVA solar inverter feeding the grid and thus a maximum of 6.5kW of PVs. While this would of satisfied my daily power usage of 32-35kWh, it won't pay much towards the water bill. The 3 phase upgrade eliminates this issue, future proofs the install and pays for itself over a shorter period.

OK, that makes sense. Back in the 1980s the local electrical company was really happy to come install a 3 phase setup for a business at no extra cost if it was a new build and they were starting from fresh scratch. Then they realized they could charge a bundle to bring in 3 phase to a business.

In my neighborhood we have all underground electrical service. A few weeks ago I noticed the electric company truck removing the meter for the neighborhood association's sprinkler system. I asked about that and the underground cable had gone bad. At first they were going to kill the power for several houses for few hours while they replaced it. The guy that is lucky enough to have the big box for the connections in his back yard is also the guy that pretty much runs the association. He told them to just kill the power for the sprinkler, and we can wait a few weeks for the second crew to fix it with a new line and it is no big deal. Normally people want the juice back on ASAP. We did not care about the sprinkler. They came back with some other way to fix the issue and we did not have to have a power outrage for the houses.

Moring all. I spent most of the weekend either inside or playing at yardwork. Such is life right now.

Yea, I made a short beer run, and other than a test drive of under a mile total in the 911 to test the new brake bleeding and hoses, I did not leave the house all weekend.

For some reason Mrs Carrera did not see the humor in this joke:

We are 13 days into self-isolation and it’s really upsetting me to witness my wife standing at the living room window gazing aimlessly into space with tears running down her cheeks.
Don’t get me wrong, I empathize with her...

I’ve considered letting her in many times, but rules are rules.

I'm betting she hides your beer after that one.

oh sure I found a 2017 Macan gts for 50k in blue and I'm stuck at home. LOL

You can get in a car and drive to see another car, just don't shake hands with the seller.

The test drive might be tough with the 6 foot rule.

True but its not local. So its not happening.

Everyone is doing delivery now so...

site says shipping not available.

Well in that case I would stay away too! Irresponsible jerks!

Its on nation wide car site and they usually offer to transfer for a fee but I think they have stopped that for now.

David, is your college kid still in college, or home for the lock-down?

I bet college campuses are pretty different than normal now, like everything else.

One is home. Got kicked out of the dorm during spring break. We had to put him on a plane down and back on a Monday, two weeks ago I think. He got everything he wanted out of the dorm and left a few things that can be replaced. He attends online classed 2 days a week from home now.

The other lives off campus and is just working on classes from there. Should be graduating in a few months but we are betting there will not be a grad walk.