4.5kW SolarEdge/LG System coming soon to San Diego

[thejq]

subdriver97 and theJQ, I'm in the Carlsbad area and would love to get your installer info if you don't mind. I have gotten a number of quotes from various installers but the numbers have all been above $4/kW with LG 300W or SolarWorld 285 panels and enphase microinverters.

PM sent. Good luck!

[subdriver97]

update: The initial design had 8 panels portrait in two rows but I don't have enough vertical height on my roof so has to be a row of portraits with a row of landscape below it. The following link shows a rendering: http://we.tl/6Ire4sAUlm (gray is summer, color is winter) The vendor is ball parking <10% power generation loss for the 2 or 3 panels that are affected.

Right now I'm slated to install 16 270W panels, I could go to 15 300W panels. Thoughts?

[subdriver97]

update: install day one

I'm doing a re-roof in conjunction with the solar installation involving removal of the existing tiles, removal of existing underlayment, laying new underlayment (2 layers), replace existing tiles.

Here's photos from the 1st day of installation showing the roof stripped to bare plywood, solar racking system stanchions, inverter in garage, conduit run from garage to roof (not painted yet). I'll follow up with pictures of the double flashed stanchions with the tiles replaced.

IMG_5061.jpgIMG_5065.jpgIMG_5077.jpgIMG_5091.jpgIMG_5092.jpgIMG_5123.jpgIMG_5124.jpg

[lkstaack]

update: The initial design had 8 panels portrait in two rows but I don't have enough vertical height on my roof so has to be a row of portraits with a row of landscape below it. The following link shows a rendering: http://we.tl/6Ire4sAUlm (gray is summer, color is winter) The vendor is ball parking <10% power generation loss for the 2 or 3 panels that are affected.

Right now I'm slated to install 16 270W panels, I could go to 15 300W panels. Thoughts?

Why did it take the designer/installer until installation day to figure out you don't have enough vertical height? That is one of my concerns. Being informed after waiting 3 months that the design/cost will deviate from the contract you carefully negotiated.

Other than that, the integration of roof work and PV install is mega-cool solar porn.

[thejq]

Right now I'm slated to install 16 270W panels, I could go to 15 300W panels. Thoughts?

If it's the same price/W, why not go with 15x300W. Less weight on the roof and points of failure, and more expensive panels. I guess they're gonna do 10+6 instead of 8+8? BTW, the installation looks pretty clean and solid.

[sensij]

The roofing work looks really good so far. I can't say I'd be thrilled with the exterior conduit runs... based on what is in the pictures, I would probably have preferred for the vertical section to be tighter to the chimney, and the horizontal section tighter to the existing conduit. When it is painted, hopefully it all blends in.

Edit: The new conduit definitely looks better than the existing stuff, though.

Now is a good time to get a copy of the permit and keep an eye on the details as the installation progresses. Wire size, type, and color, breaker sizer, conduit size, etc. It will probably all be fine, but as the detailed type, you seem like the kind of person that would be able to appreciate the finer points of the installation. Maybe TheJQ's undersized breaker was atypical, but it doesn't hurt to watch for things like that. You've got a service panel upgrade in the pipeline too, right?

[J.P.M.]

The roofing work looks really good so far. I can't say I'd be thrilled with the exterior conduit runs... based on what is in the pictures, I would probably have preferred for the vertical section to be tighter to the chimney, and the horizontal section tighter to the existing conduit. When it is painted, hopefully it all blends in.

Edit: The new conduit definitely looks better than the existing stuff, though.

Now is a good time to get a copy of the permit and keep an eye on the details as the installation progresses. Wire size, type, and color, breaker sizer, conduit size, etc. It will probably all be fine, but as the detailed type, you seem like the kind of person that would be able to appreciate the finer points of the installation. Maybe TheJQ's undersized breaker was atypical, but it doesn't hurt to watch for things like that. You've got a service panel upgrade in the pipeline too, right?

Subdriver: +1 on Sensij's comment about details. As I suggested once, now is when you become a project manager. You've crossed the "T", don't waste the shot(s).

[subdriver97]

If it's the same price/W, why not go with 15x300W. Less weight on the roof and points of failure, and more expensive panels. I guess they're gonna do 10+6 instead of 8+8? BTW, the installation looks pretty clean and solid.

It's not the same price, the 15 x 300W would cost about 5% more.

[subdriver97]

Why did it take the designer/installer until installation day to figure out you don't have enough vertical height? That is one of my concerns. Being informed after waiting 3 months that the design/cost will deviate from the contract you carefully negotiated.

Other than that, the integration of roof work and PV install is mega-cool solar porn.

The excuse they gave me was that they were working off of 16' from ridge to eve while it is actually 160". I'm not too peeved about it because it's not like they can change the physical dimensions of my roof. Whether before or now, this is the design that will fit my roof.

The roofers are some seriously hard workers. I think they break for short lunch but other than that they are huffing it from 7am to dark...

[subdriver97]

The roofing work looks really good so far. I can't say I'd be thrilled with the exterior conduit runs... based on what is in the pictures, I would probably have preferred for the vertical section to be tighter to the chimney, and the horizontal section tighter to the existing conduit. When it is painted, hopefully it all blends in.

Edit: The new conduit definitely looks better than the existing stuff, though.

Now is a good time to get a copy of the permit and keep an eye on the details as the installation progresses. Wire size, type, and color, breaker sizer, conduit size, etc. It will probably all be fine, but as the detailed type, you seem like the kind of person that would be able to appreciate the finer points of the installation. Maybe TheJQ's undersized breaker was atypical, but it doesn't hurt to watch for things like that. You've got a service panel upgrade in the pipeline too, right?

I was actually pretty happy with the conduit runs. That's another example of the different levels of what is acceptable to varying homeowners. What you might not know is that, the wall that the conduit run is on a side of the house that isn't exposed per se (no one ever sees that side unless they are taking out the garbage). If it were on any other wall of my house I would be more strict about it.

[control4userguy]

^I wouldn't worry about the conduit. 10 years from now system look won't even come close to resembling what it is today. Paint it if it bothers. What I find odd are folks who place panels on the street-side of a single story house (or, for example, your neighbor across the street w/skylights)- that's fugly.

[lkstaack]

Does anyone know if high voltage AC or DC will interfere with CAT 5e cable if high voltage conduit is run adjacent to data conduit?

[inetdog]

Does anyone know if high voltage AC or DC will interfere with CAT 5e cable if high voltage conduit is run adjacent to data conduit?

I would not worry about that at all if both wires are in conduit. The power run is a balanced pair of feed and return and so will not produce much EMI, the conduit(s) will block most of that and the twisted pair wiring of the CAT5 will block almost all of what gets through anyway.

I assume by high voltage you do not really mean more than 600 or 1000 volts.

[bcroe]

Interference

Does anyone know if high voltage AC or DC will interfere with
CAT 5e cable if high voltage conduit is run adjacent to data conduit?

The high voltage isn't going to hurt you, unless you have a high resistance arc somewhere.
Current can couple adjacent wires, if they are close and the frequencies are high enough.
If everything is in conduit and shielded cable (differential for Cat 5E), you should be OK,
but I wouldn't ty wrap them together.

The basic source of interference would be the inverter, depending on how well that one is
shielded. I put my inverters on one side of a metal wall, communication cables on the
other side, and it is doing well. You could take an AM portable, tune it to a gap or weak
station, and bring it around the inverter (running some power) to snoop for noise. If you
hear very little noise except close up, you should be fine. Bruce Roe

[subdriver97]

Install Day 2

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