Featured Siemens’ Funky New/Different EV Connector

As a paranoid, electrical devices before any fuses or circuit breakers seems suicidal.

Am I missing a way to turn this off after the transformer on the pole?

 

Of course some power companies will say they own your electric meter and won't let you "tamper" with it. And seeing as the device is proprietary there's going to be lots of conflicts. And I bet if you asked a professional electrician what they think of it they'll have a long list of reason for why its stupid. I mean they aren't solving problems for electricians, they're convincing consumers that their snake oil idea is "easier" but good luck getting an electrician to agree that adding circuits outside the box that's designed for adding circuits is a good thing. Add to that getting a permit from your local planning department to install it is going to be about as easy as pushing a rope.

 

Currently approved for only a handful of utility customers. Not available in my state. Yeah, if available, it will save $10k in my case..

 

In theory it will save you $10K... Catch is, you have to get a building permit/inspection for this kind of install and have you ever asked a planning department for a permit to do something they've never given a permit for? I mean maybe if you're in Houston, the largest city in the the US with no fire code or basic regulations, but not in places that are actually responsible.

 

Not sure if that is going to be a problem. Since DER is not approved for use in our state, I have no first-hand information, but from the way it is explained on their website, DER is installed by the utilities, not by the individual homeowner. My feeling is that just like the meter belongs to the utility, the DER belongs to the utility. For example, the device is free for the installers for ConEd utility customers in NY.

ln any case, it is not available for me. And as far as the permit goes, you are talking about the problem in a big city. I live in a tiny village in a rural area where people build their own houses DIY from scratch all the time. I doubt it will be a big deal. Incidentally, I recently asked a town clerk about a building permit needed to install an additional wood-burning stove and chimney in our home. The answer I got was "You don't need a permit for things like that." LOL

 

Yeah... That would make way more sense... But at the same time, the direct approach of expanding the existing box on the customer's side of the circuit is going to be a hard expectation to eliminate from everyone involved in the bureaucracy of power meters. Makes me wonder if there's a startup business that will do it differently than this meter adapter? The future demand for it is definitely going to be there, that's for sure.

 

i doubt that will fly here, we've got more codes than paper to write them on

 

No wonder we're running out of trees! I'm sure all the tree farmers would have way more trees ready to cut if they didn't have any regulations anymore right?

 

But doesn't it assume you have a specific type of meter? Ours are read remotely so I don't have the type shown.

 

Seems like an interesting way to burn your house down.

I had assumed the utility company would need to come out to install this collar, but the article mentions electricians and EV charger installers too? In Europe, everything on the meter side of the distribution box is the utility company's property so you can't touch it. The same doesn't apply in the US or is it more nuanced? Wild

 

Very interested is this device from an electrical engineering standpoint.

Here is the cut sheet from the manufacturer

Solar_Collar_Smart_Module_Cutsheet.pdf (connectder.com)

"ConnectDER’s Solar Meter Collar + Smart Module is designed to rapidly connect grid-ready solar PV assets. It is a UL-listed, NEC compliant, low-cost alternative to traditional installation methods"

The company that actually makes this is ConnectDER and they are partnering with Siemens to distribute and market

The main advantage is the consumer doesn't need to upgrade their panel to install this. Estimated time to install is 10 to 15 minutes.

Here is the company website for the device

Solar Installer Interconnection Tools (connectder.com)

 

I’m old school. If I:

1) Don’t understand it

2) It’s expensive or dangerous

— I don’t touch it. Lol

 

I can see apartment buildings being able to take advantage of these if they have separate meters outside. Easy way for renters to offer such a service for an additional fee. After all I'm sure the local electrical utility wouldn't mind adding an equipment rental fee.

Yep there are certified electricians who are allowed to interface with the grid and/or electrical providers. If it become popular I'm also sure there would be an explosion of contractors for the electrical utilities spring up just to install and test these.