zeroping

Don't get me wrong, there are still issues here, like snow or back-to-back-to-back cloudy days. But the rate of a price change for solar has been pretty dramatic.

FPrime has some rough edges, and it takes a bit to get used to, but the team's interest in continually improving the core for a wide range of users is the differentiator.

The most expensive tooling was the two floor jacks I purchased to make the process easier. The software needed was available from the manufacturer for a reasonable fee. The battery pack itself was surprisingly modular and simple to dismantle for repair.

I don't many things GM has done, but (at least back in 2010) they did a good job of letting owners do their own work.

I can't fathom not plugging my car in to charge when I park in my normal spot. It doesn't seem like much effort.

But my comment isn't to ridicule you - it's to point out how diverse and different our home charging experiences are, without awareness of others. I had no idea that anyone charged differently than I do.

Meanwhile, I have a motion-activated light switch in the garage. So I guess I don't want the hassle of flipping light switches, yet I plug/unplug daily.

The solar hitting the roof of this thing over the course of a day is enough to make my average commute in that thing. That's what batteries are for. I'm not driving from sun-up to sun-down. (And you can plug it in anytime you want.)

Yes there are some huge trade-offs to make it work: It's not a 3-row minivan, it's not a 4-door sedan, it's a bizzare-looking car-like thing that moves only two people, but does so in the comfort that I desire for my daily use. And the solar part is only going to work out in a sunny place, if you park it in the sun. That happens to be exactly what I'm looking for.

Even if it didn't have solar, it's a ridiculously efficient EV, which I'd prefer over a ridiculously fast car or very large SUV.

I would understand "That seems like a small market" or "that's too many trade-offs for me", but "It's just not a good idea" seems like harsh judgement for a vehicle because it doesn't appeal to your visual preferences or usage.

If your goal is to full-charge a multi-hundred-mile EV in 8 hours, then, yes, you're looking at a significant installation with a new circuit, maybe a new panel, and maybe a new main feed from your utility. This could cost as much as the car!

If your goal is to charge enough overnight to make up for 2x your average daily commute, then you're talking about a much smaller installation. It could potentially even be done with through an existing 120V, 12A wall outlet. Many plug-in hybrids and EVs come with a dinky wall charger like this, and they are enough 99% of the time. External DC fast charging can make up for the rest.

Everyone's needs are different, but I think too many people rush in and go too far with electrical upgrades.

(It could also be contention between thickness of the display vs enterprise customer sensitivity to cameras)

Still, don't hold your breath. We have this awesome geothermal temperature gradient, with hot rocks underneath us if we just dig down a few kilometers, occasionally less. Unfortunately, it's only cost effective to use in a rare few places.

The data recording setup they are typically using only works for air-to-water heat pumps, like you might use to heat water for radiators. They rely on a 'heat meter' that measures the water flow rate and temperature.

Typical setup: https://shop.openenergymonitor.com/level-3-heat-pump-monitor...

If your system is a typical US air-to-air 'split' system, you probably have a long loop of refrigerant in a pressurized tube to carry the heat. To measure efficiency, I think you either need to measure air flow accurately inside or outside, or measure refrigerant flow rate. Either one harder than the commercial meter for hot water.

So, no easy drop-in COP measurement for me.

A collection of device configurations for commercially-available hardware: https://devices.esphome.io/

A collection of Tasmota configurations for devices, many of which can also run ESPHome: https://templates.blakadder.com/

I do understand that the loss of rotating interia in the grid generation mix is a concern long-term. (See concerns from a report like https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1854457 ), but I hadn't seen any charts showing that we were less frequency stable than in decades past.

I don't get how the latest inverter from Enphase is a specific solution. What does the IQ8 do to help grid stability? I'm legitimately curious. I know many inverters do some kind of frequency -control for curtailing power output, is that what you mean?

There's a lot that can go wrong when a car is in any kind of collision. EV have 'scary' high voltage cables that many repair shops don't want to deal with, but they make up for it with simplicity. Plug-in hybrids have almost all the complexity of both, combined.

My Volt ate some road debris, and it punctured an oil intercooler and two of the three glycol water loops, partly because the radiators sit quite low in a very full engine bay. I suspect many EVs would have been simpler to repair.

The complexity also just makes the product harder for potential customers to understand.

Now, I still like the car, and it has paid for the price premium in saved gasoline. Plug-in hybrids are a great middle ground between ICE and EV. I just wish the concept had sold better.