Post Solar Install - Expected Time Frame?

geekcohen on 11/03/2021 - 08:13

Hi all,

I had my solar installed in Warragul VIC finalised on the 22nd of Feb when it was turned on. The install had to do it over two days which was fine.

I paid the final invoice on the 25th as soon as it was issued to avoid delay. They acknowledged the payment within hours of payment. They said:

Once we receive the balance of payment we will submit the Electrical Work Request and a technician from the Retailer/Distributor will be out to fit/reprogram the new bi-directional digital meter.

How long should I expect for the inspector to be around to complete his part? and then how long should I expect for my Smart Meter to be reconfigured so I can start getting the feed-in credits?

Just want to see what others have experienced and to see if I am getting the run around.

Thanks.

Home & Garden

Comments

  • MrHyde on 11/03/2021 - 08:18

    We recently went through the same process. It took about 2 weeks all up for us from the point the installer said they raised the request with the distributor; who then invoiced the retailer; who then asked for our confirmation and then distributor scheduled the work and then we got email confirming everything was done

    • geekcohen on 11/03/2021 - 08:21

      2 weeks!? I must be getting the run around then. It's been 2 weeks since I paid the installer and 2.5 weeks since the system was turned on and I would assume the paperwork for everything else was processed the next day.

      • MrHyde on 11/03/2021 - 08:32

        Has your installation been certified by an independent electrician. In Vic; all installations have to be certified before they can be connected to the grid. For us; it took about a week to get that done and only after that payment was made and rest of the process started.

        • geekcohen on 11/03/2021 - 08:55

          Well this is what I am waiting on, the certification/inspection I assume!

          • MrHyde on 11/03/2021 - 09:26

            @geekcohen: That is out of the installers hands now. They submit a request for certification and the certifier makes direct contact with you to arrange date and time. The installers are not provided with any information of when that will take place. They just get the certificate once its done.

            Once certified; the work request to the distributor can be raised as the distributor requires that certificate to ensure everything is good before they connect your system to the grid.

  • Quantumcat on 11/03/2021 - 08:29
    +3

    It is good to not have a smart meter as long as possible!!! Don't hassle them!

    While you don't have a smart meter you are essentially getting feed in rates equal to what you are paying to pull from the grid, as excess power makes the dial on your analogue meter run backwards.

    • MS Paint on 11/03/2021 - 08:32

      I expect for my Smart Meter to be reconfigured

      Huh!

      • Quantumcat on 11/03/2021 - 08:42

        Oh I missed that

      • Quantumcat on 11/03/2021 - 22:50

        Don't know why you got negged as you are right so gave a +

    • avoidfullprice on 11/03/2021 - 08:34

      Not the case for digital meters which aren't smart (i.e. no record of feedin and readings don't go backwards)

    • lgacb08 on 11/03/2021 - 21:45
      +2

      you probably live in outdated grid, all of us Victorian got upgraded to 'smart' digital meter ages ago and quarterly bill and backward spining meter are things of the past.

  • MS Paint on 11/03/2021 - 08:48
    +1

    My in-laws in Metro Melbourne had a 6 week wait.

    I'm not sure why the delays are so big but the process seems unnecessarily convoluted.

    • geekcohen on 11/03/2021 - 08:56

      Okay, so maybe it just isn't me then.

  • theHMASfriendship on 11/03/2021 - 08:49
    +2

    3 weeks for inspector. Another week for meter reconfig. Metro Melbourne

    • geekcohen on 11/03/2021 - 08:56

      Okay, maybe it is about normal then and I am over reacting on the current wait.

    • spal on 11/03/2021 - 14:00

      Same for us too, in Metro Melbourne too. Although, the inspector turned up sooner.

  • stirlo on 11/03/2021 - 09:46

    I didn't need a meter refit but it took nearly 2 months to get things sorted with the distributor. For those 2 months I was able to use my solar power but I wasn't getting paid for any of he excess I was producing.

    • geekcohen on 11/03/2021 - 09:50
      +1

      2 months? Jesus! I am using what I am generating, but any excess is going to waste. Some times I am generating 30kWh and I am only using like 6kWh. I know I only get 10c per kWh but 20 kWh is still $2!

      • stirlo on 11/03/2021 - 09:53
        +2

        Yeah I lost nearly $100 worth of export. Was a bit frustrating especially as it was in late spring which in other years was my best months of generation.

        • Archi on 11/03/2021 - 10:06

          did you have a digital meter or an old disk type?

          • stirlo on 11/03/2021 - 10:07
            +1

            @Archi: Digital. Just they were all slow with the paperwork and mandatory inspection.

            • Archi on 11/03/2021 - 14:09

              @stirlo: if you had it on at the time, and your usage didn't exceed production. well technically you didn't pay to use any electricity at the time.

              • stirlo on 11/03/2021 - 14:22
                +2

                @Archi: Although I saved money during the day when I used power that didn't need to come from the grid, at night I still had to buy it.

                Until they activated it I didn't receive any credit on my bill for feed-in. Once they'd activated it I got paid for the feed-in during the day which offset the nighttime usage.

      • singlemalt72 on 11/03/2021 - 10:04

        MINE BITCOIN!
        :P

  • spal on 11/03/2021 - 13:59

    Apologies for going off topic. In Victoria, you can only turn on the system, after a compliance inspection has been done by the inspector. Looks like that your system has been up since the date of installation. If the inspector finds out that the system is switched on prior to the inspection, the installer will be fined $5000 (which is what our installer told us). Unless, on the second day the inspector inspected and turned the system on. I would recommend that you check with your installer.

    We were told 3 week delay for the inspection. But the inspector called within the week. But due to the snap lock down it was pushed back. The inspector switched on our system, then the paper work was forwarded to the installer, who then forwarded to the distributor. Distributor remotely changed the set up of our meter to account of the feed in. Finally, the retailer changed the plan to show feed in credit. Our installation was on 18 Feb.

    • lgacb08 on 11/03/2021 - 21:55
      -1

      that's a bit over the top, inspectors are just glorified electrician that got paid by installers to complete the bureaucracy red tape and all they do is spending 5 minutes on your property and get paid. Most of them won't even bother to get the ladder up to check properly. I know lots of new install (mine included) with system turned on since day 1.
      It's like jaywalking, tell me the last time you saw someone got fined for that.

      • spal on 12/03/2021 - 22:58

        This was certainly not my experience. My inspector checked every panel, all connections. Tightened all screws on the sub board and the inverter. Checked all the labels and put more label which were missed by the installer.

  • roonie on 11/03/2021 - 14:32

    Ours was done 2 years ago. Inspection 2 days later and meter reconfigured/FIT 2w later
    FiL had his installation in January. Inspected same day and reconfigured 3w later.
    Both in melbourne
    (BTW, the reconfiguration is done remotely)

  • Isla Brown on 30/03/2021 - 00:27

    This usually takes 1-2 weeks. After that the utility has to install the bi directional meter and have it come on line to track how much energy you're producing.

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