DIY Install in Florida. Need help with Engineering diagrams for Permitting

[ItsFriz]

In Brandon so a few minutes north of Riverview and installing an 11.6 kW system since 11.7 is as big as you can go before you become a tier 2 system and need to carry the insurance.

Seems like there's been certain provisions for the 48" mounting but I'm not really sure what that'll mean as far as what the inspectors will want to see

[CessnaTPA]

Got a rough-in inspection scheduled for tomorrow. Still haven't been asked by the county to provide any documentation regarding the products I'm using or PE stamped drawings. Can someone tell me if this is something I have to worry about? Logic says no, if they wanted it they'd ask for it...but nerves say this should have been done and they're going to be like what the hell, where's your stuff, here's a stop work order, we're never going to pass you

It's going on 2 years since I installed my system and a lot has changed since then. It was a real pain getting my permit but it's super easy now from what i hear. I would just call the county and speak to someone and ask if you need prints wet stamped by a PE. I know when I submitted thats what they required. I would think they would want it approved by an engineer but who knows with them. What size system you installing, what area of Tampa? I'm in Riverview.

[J.P.M.]

Got a rough-in inspection scheduled for tomorrow. Still haven't been asked by the county to provide any documentation regarding the products I'm using or PE stamped drawings. Can someone tell me if this is something I have to worry about? Logic says no, if they wanted it they'd ask for it...but nerves say this should have been done and they're going to be like what the hell, where's your stuff, here's a stop work order, we're never going to pass you

Expect the worst to happen, but know that being proactive can tend toward minimizing the likelihood of a bad outcome.

Ask questions and if you get answers you don't understand or get blown off, climb the chain of command until you get answers that you do understand and that are complete.

[ItsFriz]

Got a rough-in inspection scheduled for tomorrow. Still haven't been asked by the county to provide any documentation regarding the products I'm using or PE stamped drawings. Can someone tell me if this is something I have to worry about? Logic says no, if they wanted it they'd ask for it...but nerves say this should have been done and they're going to be like what the hell, where's your stuff, here's a stop work order, we're never going to pass you

[ItsFriz]

Also, if you don't mind me asking, any idea what the PSF rating you needed for your panels are? Ironridge's documentation says Exposure B @ 150mph (Hillsborough is 140), is 20 PSF uplift...yet I've had a solar installer say you won't get sign off on anything less than 4,000 pa (83.5 PSF) and another person say it needs a 4000 pa rating but that's after a safety factor of 1.5 so the panel requires a 6,000 pa uplift rating...but he could have been referring to places in Key West or Miami. Info I got seems a little overkill

[ItsFriz]

@CessnaTPA I'm just starting a project in Hillsborough and so far the permitting process has been a little...too easy? Received my permit and all clear to start but haven't turned in any drawings or given the building department any documents other than the NOC, application and owner/builder release. Do you know if you need mechanical and electrical drawings prior to starting rough in? Also someone in the forum said prints need to be "wet stamped", do you know if that is a PE stamp, or is the inspector sign off if everything looks good? For reference max span is 48" on my project however the mounts have no documentation that is stamped or contains a Florida product approval, so I'm pretty surprised I got this far without giving anything to the county.

[CessnaTPA]

cessnatpa@aol.com

[TundraLu]

Iron ridge railing, enphase IQ7+ inverters, 39 LG 365watt panels.

Can i email you somehow? I would like your contact info.

[CessnaTPA]

What type of Inverter did you install? Type of Railing? and type of Panels to get 14Kw. I am curious.

Iron ridge railing, enphase IQ7+ inverters, 39 LG 365watt panels.

[TundraLu]

Yeah I installed a 14kw system for $11800 after the tax break as of now it will pay for itself in 4.3 years.
TECO does require you to have 1 million in libility insurance and pay $250 for a tier 2 system (10kw to 100kw). Not many insurance companies will cover that high, mine did and it was less than $50 more a year. Worse case you can get a 1 mil umbrella coverage which will be around $300 a year. You will have to do the math if it would be worth it.

What type of Inverter did you install? Type of Railing? and type of Panels to get 14Kw. I am curious.

[CessnaTPA]

My house is 2000 sq ft one story. I'm at Dana shores so the houses here are 50 years old. I do have new windows, new A/C but maybe the insulation in my attic is not great.
Sorry the average is 1673 per month and we spend around 20,076 Kwh for 2018. I also have LED lights automation and sensors for lights, plus nest for the A/C.

Average

55.3 kwh / day

1673 kwh / mo

CessnaTPA said he spend $15K on his system that was 14KWh so i dont mind paying that along with improve some insulation maybe in the house.

Is it possible to get in touch with you possibly looking at your system?

Yeah I installed a 14kw system for $11800 after the tax break as of now it will pay for itself in 4.3 years.
TECO does require you to have 1 million in libility insurance and pay $250 for a tier 2 system (10kw to 100kw). Not many insurance companies will cover that high, mine did and it was less than $50 more a year. Worse case you can get a 1 mil umbrella coverage which will be around $300 a year. You will have to do the math if it would be worth it.

[Djole]

Here is my email. Will leave it up for 5 mins

Sorry i missed it

[TundraLu]

My house is 2000 sq ft one story. I'm at Dana shores so the houses here are 50 years old. I do have new windows, new A/C but maybe the insulation in my attic is not great.
Sorry the average is 1673 per month and we spend around 20,076 Kwh for 2018. I also have LED lights automation and sensors for lights, plus nest for the A/C.

Average

55.3 kwh / day

1673 kwh / mo

CessnaTPA said he spend $15K on his system that was 14KWh so i dont mind paying that along with improve some insulation maybe in the house.

Is it possible to get in touch with you possibly looking at your system?

Here is my email. Will leave it up for 5 mins

[Djole]

Wow I would suggest making Energy improvements first and then look into solar. I used to use a lot of power and reduced it by 60% over the years and then installed solar. I over engineered my setup as i only need 5Kw to satisfy my 2700 sq ft 2 story house here in Florida. I used to pay 300 in electricity years ago and make alot of improvements like changing out my windows to double pane Argon gas Vinyl, Changed the HVAC myself to a 20 Seer system, blew in 70 bags of Insulation into my attic, and other things.

It is cheaper and better to lower the high usage of electricity than to buy solar to try and foot the bill completely. Also remember it rains a lot here so their will be a lot of days where you will barely make any power. That is where the over engineering of a system comes into play for us Florida folks. I have not paid an ounce of electricity except the monthly connect fee of 27.00 but get it ALL back in January since i am making more power than what i am using. My Electric company pays me back my excess.

How many sq feet is your house to use that much power
How old is your house
Windows
HVAC
Doors

My house is 2000 sq ft one story. I'm at Dana shores so the houses here are 50 years old. I do have new windows, new A/C but maybe the insulation in my attic is not great.
Sorry the average is 1673 per month and we spend around 20,076 Kwh for 2018. I also have LED lights automation and sensors for lights, plus nest for the A/C.

Average

55.3 kwh / day

1673 kwh / mo

CessnaTPA said he spend $15K on his system that was 14KWh so i dont mind paying that along with improve some insulation maybe in the house.

Is it possible to get in touch with you possibly looking at your system?

[TundraLu]

Since you have this system for some time what would you recommend should i go with up to 10Kw or more. I spend on average 2100 Kwh per month

Wow I would suggest making Energy improvements first and then look into solar. I used to use a lot of power and reduced it by 60% over the years and then installed solar. I over engineered my setup as i only need 5Kw to satisfy my 2700 sq ft 2 story house here in Florida. I used to pay 300 in electricity years ago and make alot of improvements like changing out my windows to double pane Argon gas Vinyl, Changed the HVAC myself to a 20 Seer system, blew in 70 bags of Insulation into my attic, and other things.

It is cheaper and better to lower the high usage of electricity than to buy solar to try and foot the bill completely. Also remember it rains a lot here so their will be a lot of days where you will barely make any power. That is where the over engineering of a system comes into play for us Florida folks. I have not paid an ounce of electricity except the monthly connect fee of 27.00 but get it ALL back in January since i am making more power than what i am using. My Electric company pays me back my excess.




How many sq feet is your house to use that much power
How old is your house
Windows
HVAC
Doors