My 1st Solar install with pictures

[samotlietuvis]

Guys,

Got my first solar system finished. Using 8x E20 327 + SMA SunnyBoy 3000TL-US, 2.62kw with SnapNRack racking system. Took a few months, but it is done – inspected and permitted, still waiting for PTO from SCE. Drew my own permit, performed roof penetrations, install racking system, mounted inverter and performed conduit bending with wire installation. Good learning curve, a few lessons learned when I do this next time. Thanks for the help I received from the forum regarding drawing the permit.

[thastinger]

Curious on your PV disconnect breaker, the inspector was ok with AC rated breakers to disconnect a DC source? And aren't they oversized?

Serious questions, my system is not grid tied.

[sdold]

The breakers shown in the panel are on the AC side of the inverter, did you mean those?.
I think that looks like a nice neat simple install. Have you fired it up to see if it works? We won't tell anyone

[samotlietuvis]

The breakers shown in the panel are on the AC side of the inverter, did you mean those?.
I think that looks like a nice neat simple install. Have you fired it up to see if it works? We won't tell anyone

Yep, I did turn the system on and got 8hwh for today with 2kw peak - in line with expectations. I got shading that will disappear ~March; the sun is way too low and my neighbors tall but thin tree is casting a shadow that almost reaches the top.


thastinger, the solar AC circuit breaker is 20A and it is sized well; The inverter is rated for 15A at 240V and my C/B needs to be 20% larger than the 15A, or at least 18A. The circuit breaker needs to be smaller or equal to 120% of the busbar; in my case 120% of my 100A main equals 20A. Given that the circuit breakers come in sizes of 5A increments, and I need to be more than 18A but less or equal 20A, the 20A breaker fits just right.

[CA_Tom]

a few lessons learned when I do this next time.

Please share.
I'm a few months behind you - so whatever you have learned, I'm interested in hearing.

[SunEagle]

Guys,

Got my first solar system finished. Using 8x E20 327 + SMA SunnyBoy 3000TL-US, 2.62kw with SnapNRack racking system. Took a few months, but it is done – inspected and permitted, still waiting for PTO from SCE. Drew my own permit, performed roof penetrations, install racking system, mounted inverter and performed conduit bending with wire installation. Good learning curve, a few lessons learned when I do this next time. Thanks for the help I received from the forum regarding drawing the permit.

Impressive. Looks like you did a nice clean job.

Were you able to perform the final connection to that 20A CB in the main panel or did you need a license electrician to do it?

Also what type of drawings did you need to submit to get your permit and how detailed were they concerning the racking attachment hardware and circuit wiring?

[samotlietuvis]

Impressive. Looks like you did a nice clean job.

Were you able to perform the final connection to that 20A CB in the main panel or did you need a license electrician to do it?

Also what type of drawings did you need to submit to get your permit and how detailed were they concerning the racking attachment hardware and circuit wiring?

I did final connection to the 20A C/B. You do not need any license. My friend electrician was standing by, but there is nothing to it - make sure the C/B is OFF, pop it in on the very bottom of the C/B rail (solar requirement), connect the two 240V wires to it, and connect white and ground wires to the neutral bus bar (white required only if your inverter uses 120VAC); in my case I ran another ground wires from DC side to the grounding rod (overkill, but why not). All of this can be done with the main 100A C/B ON (house has power), but I chose to shut it off because it was tight routing the neutral bus bar, and I viewed the work safer with power off.

Look up expedited permitting process, search for "Expermitprocess.pdf". That has everything you need including templates and how to do everything.

For the racking, it need to be UL approved, meet maximum Weight per Attachment Point requirement, meet Distributed Weight of PV Module on Roof requirement, and meet your max wind criteria, and max snow requirement. The SnapNRack has a very nice configurator tool that show you given the spacing of attachment what max wind it will handle. I live in the desert where snow is not an issue; There are places where you need to account for snow as static load.

3-line electrical diagram is what permit guys are inspectors are the most interested in because it affect safety of the house. The electrical diagram will need to have all the details they are looking for. For the racking all I did is perform the two calculations mentioned above and through in SnapNRack brochure with their configurator printout.

[SunEagle]

I did final connection to the 20A C/B. You do not need any license. My friend electrician was standing by, but there is nothing to it - make sure the C/B is OFF, pop it in on the very bottom of the C/B rail (solar requirement), connect the two 240V wires to it, and connect white and ground wires to the neutral bus bar (white required only if your inverter uses 120VAC); in my case I ran another ground wires from DC side to the grounding rod (overkill, but why not). All of this can be done with the main 100A C/B ON (house has power), but I chose to shut it off because it was tight routing the neutral bus bar, and I viewed the work safer with power off.

Look up expedited permitting process, search for "Expermitprocess.pdf". That has everything you need including templates and how to do everything.

For the racking, it need to be UL approved, meet maximum Weight per Attachment Point requirement, meet Distributed Weight of PV Module on Roof requirement, and meet your max wind criteria, and max snow requirement. The SnapNRack has a very nice configurator tool that show you given the spacing of attachment what max wind it will handle. I live in the desert where snow is not an issue; There are places where you need to account for snow as static load.

3-line electrical diagram is what permit guys are inspectors are the most interested in because it affect safety of the house. The electrical diagram will need to have all the details they are looking for. For the racking all I did is perform the two calculations mentioned above and through in SnapNRack brochure with their configurator printout.

Thanks for the information.

I have years of "hands on" electrical wiring experience so I am not afraid of making the final connection to a panel. Unfortunately the laws here in Florida require someone to not only have an Electricians license but also a Solar PV Installation license. While I like the idea of not having someone inexperienced doing this type of work it does hamstring some of us that can do the work themselves but aren't allowed to by code.

[samotlietuvis]

Thanks for the information.

I have years of "hands on" electrical wiring experience so I am not afraid of making the final connection to a panel. Unfortunately the laws here in Florida require someone to not only have an Electricians license but also a Solar PV Installation license. While I like the idea of not having someone inexperienced doing this type of work it does hamstring some of us that can do the work themselves but aren't allowed to by code.

Interesting. Never heard of "Solar PV Installation license". My electrician friend said you can get solar certificate in Southern California. Each state is different. In Southern California I am allowed to do this type of work on my home. I went to the city hall where permit guys are and asked them if I need to be PE to make the permit and if I need any type of certifications to do the work. After they asked me why I do not hire professionals and I explained to them that I am engineer and I am one of those people who take pride in doing things myself, the answer I got from the permit guys is that I do not need anything - they will check the permit and the inspector will check the work.
My brother works as an engineer for one of the states and he told me that is his state I would not be allowed to do everything myself.
On a bright side you do not need to worry about snow in Florida...

[SunEagle]

Interesting. Never heard of "Solar PV Installation license". My electrician friend said you can get solar certificate in Southern California. Each state is different. In Southern California I am allowed to do this type of work on my home. I went to the city hall where permit guys are and asked them if I need to be PE to make the permit and if I need any type of certifications to do the work. After they asked me why I do not hire professionals and I explained to them that I am engineer and I am one of those people who take pride in doing things myself, the answer I got from the permit guys is that I do not need anything - they will check the permit and the inspector will check the work.
My brother works as an engineer for one of the states and he told me that is his state I would not be allowed to do everything myself.
On a bright side you do not need to worry about snow in Florida...

+1 on the Snow not being a problem in Florida. Now lets not talk about them hurricanes.

[Griz]

nice