Will the power company inquire?

[Heatpumpman]

Getting close to where I want to be on my offgrid pv system and knocking the socks off of my regular grid power consumption. Has anyone had the power company come personally to their place to make sure some shenanigans aren't occuring? Or contact of any kind? I would think they might suspect a couple of large gator clips are in play!

 

[timselectric]

If they notice a dramatic decrease in usage, they will send someone out to investigate. But as long as you aren't grid-tied, they won't have a problem.

 

[nc73]

in my case they sent 2 people to test the meter thinking i'm stealing power

 

[Supervstech]

Getting close to where I want to be on my offgrid pv system and knocking the socks off of my regular grid power consumption. Has anyone had the power company come personally to their place to make sure some shenanigans aren't occuring? Or contact of any kind? I would think they might suspect a couple of large gator clips are in play!

Yup, i went off grid for the winter one year, and they came out checked my panel, my line drop, and saw the panels, and realized i wasnt pulling their power.
Said have a nice day and went on their way.

 

[42OhmsPA]

I haven't had any interactions yet.

 

[nc73]

Yup, i went off grid for the winter one year, and they came out checked my panel, my line drop, and saw the panels, and realized i wasnt pulling their power.
Said have a nice day and went on their way.

I pointed out the panels that was right near them, they didn't even look at it. Went straight to testing the meter.

 

[Supervstech]

I pointed out the panels that was right near them, they didn't even look at it. Went straight to testing the meter.

Yeah, my house is 125 years old, and only had a 60A drop from the poco...

The meter was gone from nonpayment for months when they investigated.

They tested the line usage, and connections, verified i wasnt getting power from them and asked where i was getting power from.

I showed them.

 

[aussiesam]

I pointed out the panels that was right near them, they didn't even look at it. Went straight to testing the meter.

can't trust your decoy panels while you're stealing their power

 

[nc73]

Yeah, my house is 125 years old, and only had a 60A drop from the poco...

The meter was gone from nonpayment for months when they investigated.

They tested the line usage, and connections, verified i wasnt getting power from them and asked where i was getting power from.

I showed them.

you shoulda said your neighbors lol

 

[AshleyL]

in my case they sent 2 people to test the meter thinking i'm stealing power

Oh, same here.
They even checked the wiring at the distribution board.
They said after the meter, the remaining wiring to the property is not their business.

 

[Rmart30]

It's going to depend on where you're at how nosy they get. My power bill went from averaging $200 a month down to 40 and as far as I know no one ever came out to check as to why. I was never contacted about it.

 

[Mattb4]

This month will be my first time with zero kWh usage. The previous month was 2kWh. So far I have not received a visit from the CO-OP but last year a neighbors place that is a hunting cabin (now little used) did get a visit from them based on zero usage. In the past there was always some from a refrigerator they kept running but it had failed and been unplugged. The fellow they sent out to check on it had stopped me on my walk to inquire where the place was and during conversation the reasons for and how for zero usage where explained.

So it should prove interesting. My setup now has a 200A transfer switch after the Meter breaker (which I leave off) so no possibility exists for export.

 

[DougfromdaUP]

I have heard that in my area, when the power company discovers a new solar install, they contact the electrical inspectors to make sure that it's UL1741 compliant.

I don't know if they did that to me when my power usage dropped 98% because I pulled permits.

I also had spoken to them before the install.

 

[timselectric]

I've never heard of them calling the inspector. They don't care what you do after the meter. (It's none of their business)
They just want to make sure that you aren't stealing power, or exporting without permission. That's all that matters to them.

 

[nc73]

I've never heard of them calling the inspector. They don't care what you do after the meter. (It's none of their business)
They just want to make sure that you aren't stealing power, or exporting without permission. That's all that matters to them.

Yeah I doubt they care one bit unless they're mad since you aren't paying them lots of money any longer.

 

[Heatpumpman]

Thanks all, for the confidence builders. The things that I never thought I'd be thinking about!?

 

[jorby]

I have not been "contacted" but they would have seen the reason for reduced consumption if they could see well enough to drive to my place! If they get upset, they can pull the meter and I will quit paying $38/month for the connection that I am not using. That $456/year can go into the fuel fund for the generator.

EDIT: I was wrong, it is "only" $28/month and $336/year....but still.....

 

[nc73]

I have not been "contacted" but they would have seen the reason for reduced consumption if they could see well enough to drive to my place! If they get upset, they can pull the meter and I will quit paying $38/month for the connection that I am not using. That $456/year can go into the fuel fund for the generator.

I'm paying 25 a month, use to be 12. I wonder if having grid as backup is drawing power somehow. I can't figure out how with my victron.

 

[42OhmsPA]

I'm paying 25 a month, use to be 12. I wonder if having grid as backup is drawing power somehow. I can't figure out how with my victron.

Clamp the AC input line.

 

[onokai]

Been a solar pirate for about 5 years now. Grid tied and using ajust a little bit every month. I never signed a contarct with power com. I have limiters on the main feed at roof peak where power comes in. We are in a area that has a separate conglomerate of power that niot direct withg the power company-many citys in Cal have this and it's a bit cheaper than the power company (about 5-10$ a month). Never had anyone that I have seen come out . Still using power just not as much. It costs more for delivery charges than the power itself.

 

[fatjay]

What's the worst they can say? As long as you're not breaking any laws and not stealing power from them, there's not much they can do. Other than add random non-usage based line items and fee's on your bill.

 

[Osmethne]

I haven't. At the same time I installed everything I also switched from a standard plan to time of use.

Something to consider if you're paranoid. Switching plans might reset their metrics of your account.

 

[fatjay]

I also switched to ToU. That alone has saved me a bundle.

 

[Tragic80]

Now, I gotta ask. I'm in Michigan and was told by the building inspector that once you pull power, you can't disconnect. So because it was going to cost almost 35,000 to bring electricity onto the property to house, I said screw it, we are going off-grid. I don't want the bill, and I want to be able to know if it's an Outage or zombie apocalypse. I will be able to listen to my Hendrix as I drop Zombies.
So, this fear of electric companies coming and checking what they can actually do if you're not drawing power?

 

[Mattb4]

...
So, this fear of electric companies coming and checking what they can actually do if you're not drawing power?

You get put on the Official list of "People to be concerned about." That can lead to raids by local police checking if you are growing your own food or other proscribed activities. Might also come to the attention of one or another Federal 3 letter Agencies as being a possible subversive.

For those folks that are stuck with having to get permits for all things they could expect to have questions raised as to if they are operating an unlicensed hydrogen fusion power plant in their back yard or if adequate Wet Lands (hey roofs get wet also) mitigation studies were done.

But mostly it is being forced to decide if the minimum grid connection is worth the cost.