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Coming Soon to NJ - 12.35 kW Hanwha DUO-G5 + SolarEdge Inverter/Optimizers by GPE

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  • macaddict
    replied
    Originally posted by sunpoweredev View Post
    NJturtlePower Are you planning on having the conduits on your roof or inside your attic?

    I think the crew will be running the conduits today. He told me their preferred way is inside the attic, to which I was a bit surprised since it seems to me more work is involved. I did tell him that I didn't mind having it outside since it's in the back of the house and not visible from the front anyway. My attic has horrible access, one has to be quite a contortionist to get around up there and I just didn't want the crew tortured too much. I'm too nice lol.

    Other than aesthetics, what are the pros and cons of running the conduits on the roof vs inside the attic?
    I requested to have all my conduits in the attic and GPE had no issues with it. Even though my system is in the back of the house (south facing), you don't see a single conduit. 100% cleaner than my neighbor down the street that has metal conduits running across his roof (installed by another installer). There is also a DC junction box in the attic that I'm sure is a lot easier to tap into if any testing needs to be done than going up on my roof.

    Leave a comment:


  • sunpoweredev
    replied
    Originally posted by NJturtlePower View Post
    Yes, interested to see how that mystery meter ends up haha.... Maybe it'll be a make me a deal kinda thing being it's already onsite.
    Not promising. The crew says they haven't seen that box before.

    Leave a comment:


  • NJturtlePower
    replied
    Originally posted by sunpoweredev View Post

    Four arrays. Array C will have some shading in late afternoon. All others zero shade.

    In Tesla's design, my entire roof is covered with something like 48 panels.

    Crew is mounting the inverter in the garage right now. I hope they set me up with that consumption meter

    arrays.JPG
    Oh Wow! That install looks a little tricky...panels here, and there, and at different orientations (landscape/portrait) on different roof faces. A lot more labor I'm sure for the racking and wire runs around all those vents. Mine would be a day at the playground compared to that with only my Southern array broken up between the skylight/vents.

    GPE Solar String Layout ABC.jpg

    Yes, interested to see how that mystery meter ends up haha.... Maybe it'll be a make me a deal kinda thing being it's already onsite.

    Leave a comment:


  • sunpoweredev
    replied
    Originally posted by NJturtlePower View Post

    Looking good!

    So how many panels/arrays will you have facing different directions and count on each?

    Mine is 20 X South / 12 X West / 6 X East - ZERO shade during usable hours.

    It will be interesting comparing our output once we're up and running being our system size is nearly identical and the only measurable variable will be panel brand.
    Four arrays. Array C will have some shading in late afternoon. All others zero shade.

    In Tesla's design, my entire roof is covered with something like 48 panels.

    Crew is mounting the inverter in the garage right now. I hope they set me up with that consumption meter

    arrays.JPG

    Leave a comment:


  • J.P.M.
    replied
    Originally posted by NJturtlePower View Post

    Looking good!

    So how many panels/arrays will you have facing different directions and count on each?

    Mine is 20 X South / 12 X West / 6 X East - ZERO shade during usable hours.

    It will be interesting comparing our output once we're up and running being our system size is nearly identical and the only measurable variable will be panel brand.
    If you are close to one another, compare PVWatts runs and then see how the outputs compare. The PVWatts way will not consider shading but with input that reflects reality, it'll probably give a reasonable approx. of the ratio of annual outputs due to different orientations. For one array with two or more orientations, do a run for each orientation and sum the results.

    Or, another/additional option: Check out something called PVOutput.org. Sign up and your output will be online for the world to see.

    Leave a comment:


  • NJturtlePower
    replied
    Originally posted by sunpoweredev View Post
    Crew is just about done with the racking and mounting the optimizers. They'll be running the conduits and the panels should be going up today. Tuesday they will come tie the whole thing together and do the line tap.

    2.JPG1.jpg3.JPG
    Looking good!

    So how many panels/arrays will you have facing different directions and count on each?

    Mine is 20 X South / 12 X West / 6 X East - ZERO shade during usable hours.

    It will be interesting comparing our output once we're up and running being our system size is nearly identical and the only measurable variable will be panel brand.

    Leave a comment:


  • sunpoweredev
    replied
    Crew is just about done with the racking and mounting the optimizers. They'll be running the conduits and the panels should be going up today. Tuesday they will come tie the whole thing together and do the line tap.

    2.JPG1.jpg3.JPG

    Leave a comment:


  • J.P.M.
    replied
    Originally posted by nwdiver View Post

    Hmmm.... flash feet have been around since ~2012? They were fairly standard by ~2017. I wouldn't even consider not using them today. I didn't mean IronRidge specifically... there are several different brands and from I've seen they're all great. The feet just need to be flashed...
    For my money, I'll stick with double flashing. I'd also be concerned about how only one lag bolt would handle the cyclic moment loading from wind if I needed a reasonable standoff like >= 6" or so.

    Leave a comment:


  • nwdiver
    replied
    Originally posted by JSchnee21 View Post
    Yeah, I don't think mine were flashed like that (GPE in May 2017). I'm not sure which rail system my install used. Seems like GPE has upped their game.
    Hmmm.... flash feet have been around since ~2012? They were fairly standard by ~2017. I wouldn't even consider not using them today. I didn't mean IronRidge specifically... there are several different brands and from what I've seen they're all great. The feet just need to be flashed...
    Last edited by nwdiver; 06-20-2019, 01:42 PM.

    Leave a comment:


  • JSchnee21
    replied
    Yeah, I don't think mine were flashed like that (GPE in May 2017). I'm not sure which rail system my install used. Seems like GPE has upped their game.

    Attached Files

    Leave a comment:


  • sunpoweredev
    replied
    Originally posted by NJturtlePower View Post

    I mentioned to GPE that I would like to keep my runs internal wherever possible, and they said it shouldn't be an issue...to be discussed with crew the day of install.

    My feeling is that any component you can keep out of the elements (sunlight/animals/water) the better, and in my case my attic spaces are easily accessible and completely empty, so on top of it being more aesthetic from the outside that's the route I'll be leaning.

    Cons might be an extra coupe roof penetrations and possibly harder to troubleshoot IF anything were to go down due to everything not being "on deck" and visible at one level.
    My attic access sucks horribly. Just climbed up there to cleanup a bit after the Costello crew (huge mess up there from them cutting for the ridge vent), got muscle cramp twisting my body getting up there. If you haven't cleaned up after them already, you might want to. Huge mess falls onto my floor each time I open the attic access.

    The Tesla dude (tall!) was up there for an hour when he came to do my site survey. I don't know how he survived up there for so long lol.

    Edit: yep same rail and mounting hardware.

    Edit: a shot of the mount:
    mount.JPG
    Last edited by sunpoweredev; 06-20-2019, 10:03 AM.

    Leave a comment:


  • NJturtlePower
    replied
    Originally posted by sunpoweredev View Post
    My installer did use this Ironridge mounting system, per the spec sheet my rep sent me when he presented my design. So I guess they're at least 10% competent lol.
    The racking is spec'd as IronRidge XR10 Rail, the mounting hardware/flashing is spec'd as Quick Mount PV shown in the GPE engineering diagrams...one of the last pages.

    ***Post with mounting hardware/flashing details pending Moderation in response to nwdiver 's post #96 above ***

    Leave a comment:


  • NJturtlePower
    replied
    Originally posted by sunpoweredev View Post
    NJturtlePower Are you planning on having the conduits on your roof or inside your attic?

    I think the crew will be running the conduits today. He told me their preferred way is inside the attic, to which I was a bit surprised since it seems to me more work is involved. I did tell him that I didn't mind having it outside since it's in the back of the house and not visible from the front anyway. My attic has horrible access, one has to be quite a contortionist to get around up there and I just didn't want the crew tortured too much. I'm too nice lol.

    Other than aesthetics, what are the pros and cons of running the conduits on the roof vs inside the attic?
    I mentioned to GPE that I would like to keep my runs internal wherever possible, and they said it shouldn't be an issue...to be discussed with crew the day of install.

    My feeling is that any component you can keep out of the elements (sunlight/animals/water) the better, and in my case my attic spaces are easily accessible and completely empty, so on top of it being more aesthetic from the outside that's the route I'll be leaning.

    Cons might be an extra coupe roof penetrations and possibly harder to troubleshoot IF anything were to go down due to everything not being "on deck" and visible at one level.

    Leave a comment:


  • sunpoweredev
    replied
    NJturtlePower Are you planning on having the conduits on your roof or inside your attic?

    I think the crew will be running the conduits today. He told me their preferred way is inside the attic, to which I was a bit surprised since it seems to me more work is involved. I did tell him that I didn't mind having it outside since it's in the back of the house and not visible from the front anyway. My attic has horrible access, one has to be quite a contortionist to get around up there and I just didn't want the crew tortured too much. I'm too nice lol.

    Other than aesthetics, what are the pros and cons of running the conduits on the roof vs inside the attic?

    Leave a comment:


  • sunpoweredev
    replied
    Originally posted by nwdiver View Post

    If the installers are even ~10% competent they're using flashfeet. The flashing is ~12" wide so even if they miss the rafter by a few inches and have to drill another hole all the holes are covered. You could probably cut a hole under the flashing and it still wouldn't leak. The bolt penetration is raised AND sealed. The solar anchor may actually be LESS likely to leak than the rest of the roof since it's somewhat reinforced.

    I've mounted >300 solar feet... no leaks. Several extra holes...


    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qN5dwEumCM
    My installer did use this Ironridge mounting system, per the spec sheet my rep sent me when he presented my design. So I guess they're at least 10% competent lol.

    iron.JPG

    Leave a comment:

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