I will not grid tie it and will not notify pge nor get permits. I want offset too much where it will alarm them.
Be aware of risks
1. potential implications for homeowners insurance if significant unpermitted electrical work (which this would be)
2. see these forums for EG4 18kpv firmware 'glitches' (or user 'misunderstandings due to documentation issues or simple PEBCAK)... real risk of something happening and 'oops, exporting more than possible with old system'...
3. Staying off PG&E radar means no new panels visible by satellite and NEVER export more than 1kW above existing permit/peak.
definition/rules around off-grid. As far as I can tell
- For a true off-grid (ie pass audit/inspection), recognize battery can't be connected to new solar panels as well as ANY circuit(s) also powered by grid. And you mentioned charging EV via battery and grid if need be? Now, you you come up with some one-way devices (transfer switch)? Yes.. but realize at that point you could easily have to PROVE (in a legal manner) that you can't (not 'aren't at the moment', or 'don't intend to') easily change that setup.
Are you planning 2 EV chargers... 1 new off-grid/new PV panel & battery connected, and your 2nd (existing) EVSE that is grid-powered? Or a transfer switch to change EVSE from PoCo grid to your new off-grid environment? if not, I can't see how your described system is off-grid (software controls don't count, as far as I'm aware). A true off-grid system has NO electrical connection to anything connected to grid. If there is ANY chance your setup could allow extra solar production (including via battery) to get back onto grid, then PoCo could easily justify (with CPUC blessing) in kicking you off older NEM tariff.
(blame CPUC for consumer unfriendly rules/being stupid, not PoCo for meeting fiduciary responsibility to shareholders).
I recall a thread where an inspector refused to pass an off-grid circuits had a generator or similar port as did the grid-tie circuits, which were that far apart.... way too easy to bridge that (with 50A cable) and voilà everything now grid-tied. An example where you could easily pushback... meter/main load center vs off-grid circuit panel located in different parts/sides of the house, without existing 240V grid-fed connection in the vicinity of off-grid panel.
Now, what would be against the rules, but much harder to detect, [mentioning obviously, only for educational purposes]
- PV panel upgrade (ie satellite photos would show same number of panels in same location... I suspect you could get away with new panels physically slightly larger than old panels) capable of greater output, combined with a battery and export limits set up... presuming greater than 10%/1kW increase in system PC production capacity, then justified to force into new NEM tariff... but, difficult to detect in this scenario... easy to go under the radar... and keeps things simple... I'd strongly advise on getting a hybrid inverter with a longer track record than EG4 (despite what I love what they are doing for the market) with more mature firmware and better support.
Even if new panels noticed by PoCo, you are allowed maintenance... so if you aren't exporting more and obviously have a battery allowing consumption time shifting (explaining different grid export 'profile' for your location), then very difficult for PoCo to justify NEM tariff change
Or, do some research on PG&E rules on
- new PV panels to new battery, which ONLY is connected to an Auto-transfer type switch, which would then also connects to grid-tied main load center, feeding EVSE. The transfer switch uses power from battery while available (until battery 'depleted' to configured SOC stop point) then goes back to grid power. No chance to feed grid from battery with this wiring setup. downside - no powering anything else in grid-down situation, no time of use arbitrage/time-shifting usage (without also connecting a battery to grid-tied system. doable with planned 2 battery setup?).
- if this looks doable, I'd try to get 'approval' in writing from PG&E before proceeding (no guarantee they can't say' oops, sorry, our mistake, but rules are the rules' but at least they'd have to think twice before publicly admitting to mis-leading a customer)
sorry ... above could use some editing/condensing, but just got called for an assist ... so posting without good re-read..
