200 Amp Center-Fed Service Panel Options?

[71SoCal]

Wow, the SDG&E Renewable Meter Adapter sounds like it might be a good solution! On SDG&E's website, they have a picture of one installed. It's not super attractive, but it sure might solve my problem. $1,400 is a lot more than I could do a service panel upgrade for, but I really don't want to break out my stucco...it never matches correctly. Thanks for all the great info!

[sensij]

The Renewable Meter Adapter is SDG&E's version of a line side tap. For the $1400 another forum member indicated, it doesn't sound like a bad option for you. One thing you might want to ask them about is lead-time on the RMA installation... if you end up doing a service panel upgrade, you should expect it to add at least another month to the project timeline.

[ButchDeal]

Supply side tap.

[71SoCal]

Hello to everyone on this forum. I've been lurking for a while, but finally joined today. I'm planning to add a 8.8kW, grid-tied PV system to my roof here in San Diego hopefully before the summer heat arrives! I've had a few vendors out, but eventually decided to do the system as owner/builder primarily because of cost, but also because I want the job to be really clean without a lot of conduit showing.

My dilemma is my service panel. It's a 200 amp Square D panel, but it's center-fed which is a bummer.

Here are what I understand my options to be:

1) Do a load calc and possibly drop the main to 150 amps. (I believe I'd be adding a 40 amp PV breaker, so I don't think a 175 amp main will work?)

2) New larger service panel. (I've actually done a couple of them, but with the stucco it's not my favorite solution.)

3) The SDG&E gizmo that I don't completely understand, and sounds very expensive.

Have I missed some elegant and easy solution?

Thanks,
Mike