Being in your neighborhood (95008), I've been thinking alot about your shoehorning problem using the latest & greatest. In thinking smaller, you may have more options. Take the KC-80 panel, for instance. It's 1/2 the geometry and weight of the 167, and less than half the price (http://www.emcpower.org/pricelist.html for 167 wholesale price, vs http://www.etaengineering.com/kyocera.html for 80 retail price). Although the installation effort and materials is a little more, you end up with more choices :

1) You may be able to add more than 24 KC-80s on your roof.
2) You may be able to tilt them up a bit on the lower pitched roof (unless your wife hates the esthetics)
3) A standard 12v panel means you don't have to traverse a string across both rooves.
4) You could elect to use a string inverter (Sunny Boy) or a Suntie, though I would go with the ST if all panels aren't pitched the same.

-- LH

Perhaps you all are wondering what I decided to do. After talking with the installer, I convinced my wife to allow the panels to be installed on a standoff that put the panels on both roofs at the same angle. This should solve the problem!

The installer had a visceral reaction when I mentioned using the Suntie 2500. I told him about the latest version, and he sounded interested. From reading this board, it sounds like the latest 2500 is quite good. Any thoughts to the contrary?

I'm still planning on using the Kyocera KC167G.

Dan

... From reading this board, it sounds like the latest 2500 is quite good. Any thoughts to the contrary?

Dan :

I've been pretty happy with my decision to switch from Trace/Xantrex gear to SMA'a Sunny Boy. The reason was simple : the SB has a good long track record with a higher efficient & performing product than the Suntie (even the latest one), at an even better price.

If you choose to go with the newly redesigned Suntie solution, you have the opportunity of finding out firsthand whether or not this product without a track record can live up to its initial optimism.

I hope your wife doesn't hit you with the 'I didn't think it would look like that' post-install surprise.

-- Larry H

... With your situation of only 12 panels, I think you would be too low in voltage for the Sunny Boy 2500 to operate properly any way.

Ron :

I actually agree with that. If Dan can add one more, I'd lean over to the SB side. But 12 KC-167's @ 23.2v MPP @ ambient is too low an operating range for the SB2500U (by 10v in hottest local weather), so I teeter over to the ST side (unless Dan can use the 110v SB1800U).

-- LH

Hi Dan,

I have used the origional ST, the STXR and now the new upgraded unit. So far the newest version has worked out very well and I prefer the mechanical/electrical hookup configuration of the SunTie over the configuration of the Sunny Boy. Niether is perfect but I slightly prefer the Suntie over the Sunny Boy.

With your situation of only 12 panels, I think you would be too low in voltage for the Sunny Boy 2500 to operate properly any way.