diy solar grid tie

[billy1]

Ok, thanks for all the info guys. It seems more I learn more the rabbit hole gets bigger.

Renvu has a sale right now Solarworld 285 watt silver panel for $210.90 (0.74 cents watt) 6760 kWh year and Aleo 310 watt black panel for $269.70 (0.87 cents watt) 7353 kWh year. Either would be mated with Enphase m250. Both would work for me for my 15 panel setup and I my house uses 6700 kWh year, but the Aleo would "potentially" produce 593 kWh more per year on average which I thought would be nice to have if look at panel degradation for the future, but not sure if it's worth it. I used PVwatts with system losses 10%, inverter efficiency 96%, and DC to AC size ratio 1.1

What do you think?

[J.P.M.]

Ok, thanks for all the info guys. It seems more I learn more the rabbit hole gets bigger.

Renvu has a sale right now Solarworld 285 watt silver panel for $210.90 (0.74 cents watt) 6760 kWh year and Aleo 310 watt black panel for $269.70 (0.87 cents watt) 7353 kWh year. Either would be mated with Enphase m250. Both would work for me for my 15 panel setup and I my house uses 6700 kWh year, but the Aleo would "potentially" produce 593 kWh more per year on average which I thought would be nice to have if look at panel degradation for the future, but not sure if it's worth it. I used PVwatts with system losses 10%, inverter efficiency 96%, and DC to AC size ratio 1.1

What do you think?

On the PVWatts: As long as you get the orientations/shading right and remember that PVWatts is a model that only estimates long term average output good to maybe +/- 10 % or so for any actual yearly output, good to go. Also, it may be looking like panel degradation may be a less than the spec sheets say. How much ? I wouldn't oversize a lot based on panel degradation.

[billy1]

Ok I think I'll go with the cheaper lower wattage panel.

IMG_20160929_142128.jpg IMG_20160929_142105.jpg



I just found out my main panel is top fed which I figured since my attic had the romex wire running all along it. So should I put my 30 amp breaker for my PV system on the right side? And and put my green ground and white neutral both on the same bus bar on the far right hand side?

[sdold]

I don't think the side matters. Your panel looks like its fed from the bottom. NEC and CEC Article 705 has the info on the interconnect, and signage too. Some of that varies by code though so you'd better find out which version Vacaville uses. In the 2016 CEC it's 705.12(D). I just thought of something, they might require an Arc Fault Interrupt breaker. And if you use one, the Enphase communication from the inverters might trip it. File that away in your memory for later if the breaker seems to trip for no reason.

[foo1bar]

I just found out my main panel is top fed which I figured since my attic had the romex wire running all along it. So should I put my 30 amp breaker for my PV system on the right side? And and put my green ground and white neutral both on the same bus bar on the far right hand side?

First - is this your main panel?
Second - is this a combination meter+main panel?
Third - Is this picture upside down? "top fed" implies the feed (the wires electrically closer to the power pole) are connected at the top of the bus bar - this looks like the main breaker is connected at the bottom (but maybe you have the picture upside down)
4th - Where do you think the breaker for your PV system should be placed? Since you are asking that question I don't think you've done sufficient research to be able to do this as a DIY job and do it correctly.
5th - I'm drawing the same conclusion from your ground wire question - you appear to need to do some more learning about neutral/ground wires and main panels.

I STRONGLY recommend that you go do some research into your questions and then come back and say "I think I need to do X because of reason A, B and C. I was looking at webpage Y and Z that I came to this conclusion. " Or at least come back with "Y says to do this, Z says to do that. Which is right?"

[billy1]

All of the romex wires is coming from the top of the panel through the 3 separate knockout holes. Is that considered a "bottom fed" service panel?

[billy1]

Yes this is my main panel.

Yes it's a combination meter+main panel

No the picture is not upside down, I misunderstood what top/bottom feed refers to. Ok I understand now my panel is bottom feed (breakers at bottom of panel).

Yes I'm still a noob, but faking it till I make it.

I'm going to use solar permit services site since it's only $295.

[billy1]

What do you guys think of mounting a 4" X 4" X 2" PVC junction box directly on top of Quick Mount, roof mount flat tile penetration flashing, and connect about a 10" length of 3/4" EMT conduit to the back of the box and secure to the rafter in the attic?

[foo1bar]

What do you guys think of mounting a 4" X 4" X 2" PVC junction box directly on top of Quick Mount, roof mount flat tile penetration flashing, and connect about a 10" length of 3/4" EMT conduit to the back of the box and secure to the rafter in the attic?

Is your roof flat tile?

I'm not quite picturing what you're planning - but I haven't done flat tile.
I'm not sure if there's a soladeck for flat tile - if there is, I'd probably use that.

Whatever you do, look at how water is going to flow - figure out what is going to keep water out of your attic.

[foo1bar]

What do you guys think of mounting a 4" X 4" X 2" PVC junction box directly on top of Quick Mount, roof mount flat tile penetration flashing, and connect about a 10" length of 3/4" EMT conduit to the back of the box and secure to the rafter in the attic?

Also - 10" of EMT to PVC junction box? Seems kludgy. (if you can even find fittings to do that)
(Again - I haven't done flat tile so don't know what's "normal")

[billy1]

Yes I have flat tile and the quickmount penetration flashing is double flashed(2 pieces). Ya the tile soladeck mount is nice but it's $225 at Renvu, that's why I went with quickmount and separate J-box.

[billy1]

IMG_20161006_071304.jpg IMG_20161006_071408.jpg

IMG_20161006_073135.jpg Just went to the hardware store for supplies, I would like an opinion on my wire setup on the roof with evering thing hidden underneath the panels.

I would secure the pvc junction box to the bottom of rail with the box's 1 mounting ear on it's side, connect enphase trunk cable and #6 ground wire to left side of J-box and then connect about 1-2 feet of liquid tight flexible conduit (non metal LFC) to front of J-box, to a PVC line break right to roof penetration hole , right before roof penetration it transitions to EMT only for 1 foot which is just enough EMT to penetrate roof and secure to rafter in attic ceiling, then all romex the rest of way.

I plan on removing the about 3 feet of the romex outer sheathing when running wire in conduit so it's one continuous wire.

now looking at my setup I realized the plastic to metal transitions at the line break makes everything too tall to be underneath panels, I think I'll use all EMT set up so it's lower profile.
If I got a metal J-box as well, what to you think I get a small bracket 1/2' X 2" and glue the bracket to bottom side of metal J-box with liquid nails and screw the other side of the bracket to bottom of rail so it has a mounting ear just like the PVC J-box?

[foo1bar]

I plan on removing the about 3 feet of the romex outer sheathing when running wire in conduit so it's one continuous wire.

I don't believe that will be up to code. I don' t think romex without sheathing is supposed to be inside conduit. Nor is romex supposed to be in a wet location (ex. outside conduit and j-box)
But I'm not an electrician by trade.

[billy1]

So installers would use a J-box on roof and then a another J-box in attic to run romex?

[sdold]

You should get the plans approved before buying anything and especially before installing anything, because you might have to change something and it could cost a lot of time and money.