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My local permits department is giving me a hard time about some documents which may end up scrubbing the installation if I can't figure out a good remedy to appease them. Here is what they recently sent:
1. The design letter submitted references the 2009 IBC. These are not the adopted building codes for NC. We currently can accept the 2012 NCBC or the 2018 NCBC.
2. Documents submitted are required to be site specific (NCAC 21.56.0701(b) per David Tuttle, Board of Examiners for Engineers and Surveyors).
3. Letter required is for the homes existing roof being capable of the additional load of the solar equipment.
On my end, to address Problem 1 I would think requires the manufacture of the non-rail design I bought to provide this but I may be wrong. I am using Eco-X mounts. Here is the website of the technical documents support page:
I did email the field support agent with the message the permitting department sent today but I do not expect a fast answer and I could use some advice if I am going about this correctly.
Problem 2 is very vague. It took a bit but I found the NCAC documentation and it seems that 21.56.0701(b) is only about engineering ethics but maybe I am wrong. It states:
"(b) A licensee shall conduct the practice in order to protect the public health, safety and welfare. The licensee shall at all times recognize the primary obligation to protect the public in the performance of the professional duties. If the licensee's engineering or land surveying judgment is overruled under circumstances where the safety, health and welfare of the public are endangered, the licensee shall inform the employer, the client, the contractor, other affected parties and any appropriate regulatory agency of the possible consequences of the situation."
So is this a problem or a expectation of what they want me to make sure the engineer is qualified and in the right frame of mind to do his job?
Problem 3 really sucks. The home was built in 1993 and I purchased it in 1994. The original builder said he would give me the blue prints but he forgot and passed away. He was a real corner cutter. Once he was building a home here and the sanitation inspector came to check the septic fields and as soon as he left he ordered the guy on the front end loader to grab the dirt from the septic field and put it back into the foundation for the concrete. In retrospect... his karma got him as his mother in law ended up buying the home. But I digress ... so I called the county about the plans as they are supposed to have them on file somewhere but they said it was too old of a home and they didn't keep the plans so how am I supposed to get proof that the roof is capable of holding the solar array? I can't afford to spend hundreds and hundreds of dollars just for someone to stamp a paper and say it's fine when I know it is anyways. This is a prebuilt roof truss system.
Any help would be gratefully appreciated. I have everything ready to go except the wire, connectors and permission to go ahead.
UPDATE: I got a fast response from the good people at Ecolibrium Solar in regards to Problem 1 and what a great response:
"Ken,
We are reaching out to CBC to get the letter updated as well as the Leland, NC, building dept. to verify that this will satisfy the NCBC standard.
We will have this turned around and back to you hopefully by Monday or Tuesday.
Best,
Jason"
The telephone and email support has been of the highest quality from this company. Real caring people from what I can see even if I am a small customer (thought not physical size).
I have to also mention that Industrial Control Direct out of Atlanta, Ga offered some of the best advice, service and prices for my AC and DC safety disconnects. I haven't seen any other products of this quality, NEMA 4r and rating for such a good price. Good looking IMO outdoor disconnects made specifically for DC and AC use. The DC disconnect is spring loaded so there is no arcing. 800VDC and 690VAC ratings for each type and $43 and $29 respectively. So 3 PV strings with 3 disconnects and 1 grid tie disconnect for $158 is not bad considering what else I have found. I just don't know if you really need Arc Fault, Lightning Arrestor and fuses for this or not in the future?
1. The design letter submitted references the 2009 IBC. These are not the adopted building codes for NC. We currently can accept the 2012 NCBC or the 2018 NCBC.
2. Documents submitted are required to be site specific (NCAC 21.56.0701(b) per David Tuttle, Board of Examiners for Engineers and Surveyors).
3. Letter required is for the homes existing roof being capable of the additional load of the solar equipment.
On my end, to address Problem 1 I would think requires the manufacture of the non-rail design I bought to provide this but I may be wrong. I am using Eco-X mounts. Here is the website of the technical documents support page:
I did email the field support agent with the message the permitting department sent today but I do not expect a fast answer and I could use some advice if I am going about this correctly.
Problem 2 is very vague. It took a bit but I found the NCAC documentation and it seems that 21.56.0701(b) is only about engineering ethics but maybe I am wrong. It states:
"(b) A licensee shall conduct the practice in order to protect the public health, safety and welfare. The licensee shall at all times recognize the primary obligation to protect the public in the performance of the professional duties. If the licensee's engineering or land surveying judgment is overruled under circumstances where the safety, health and welfare of the public are endangered, the licensee shall inform the employer, the client, the contractor, other affected parties and any appropriate regulatory agency of the possible consequences of the situation."
So is this a problem or a expectation of what they want me to make sure the engineer is qualified and in the right frame of mind to do his job?
Problem 3 really sucks. The home was built in 1993 and I purchased it in 1994. The original builder said he would give me the blue prints but he forgot and passed away. He was a real corner cutter. Once he was building a home here and the sanitation inspector came to check the septic fields and as soon as he left he ordered the guy on the front end loader to grab the dirt from the septic field and put it back into the foundation for the concrete. In retrospect... his karma got him as his mother in law ended up buying the home. But I digress ... so I called the county about the plans as they are supposed to have them on file somewhere but they said it was too old of a home and they didn't keep the plans so how am I supposed to get proof that the roof is capable of holding the solar array? I can't afford to spend hundreds and hundreds of dollars just for someone to stamp a paper and say it's fine when I know it is anyways. This is a prebuilt roof truss system.
Any help would be gratefully appreciated. I have everything ready to go except the wire, connectors and permission to go ahead.
UPDATE: I got a fast response from the good people at Ecolibrium Solar in regards to Problem 1 and what a great response:
"Ken,
We are reaching out to CBC to get the letter updated as well as the Leland, NC, building dept. to verify that this will satisfy the NCBC standard.
We will have this turned around and back to you hopefully by Monday or Tuesday.
Best,
Jason"
The telephone and email support has been of the highest quality from this company. Real caring people from what I can see even if I am a small customer (thought not physical size).
I have to also mention that Industrial Control Direct out of Atlanta, Ga offered some of the best advice, service and prices for my AC and DC safety disconnects. I haven't seen any other products of this quality, NEMA 4r and rating for such a good price. Good looking IMO outdoor disconnects made specifically for DC and AC use. The DC disconnect is spring loaded so there is no arcing. 800VDC and 690VAC ratings for each type and $43 and $29 respectively. So 3 PV strings with 3 disconnects and 1 grid tie disconnect for $158 is not bad considering what else I have found. I just don't know if you really need Arc Fault, Lightning Arrestor and fuses for this or not in the future?
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