Source for DIY Residential Components?

[keaton85]

I just bought my panels and inverter from signaturesolar.com which has been really taking off lately. Bought my cable from nassaunationalcable.com and will probably get my mounting hardware from altestore.com

all the other small things just wherever I find that has good prices. I forget where I got my rapid disconnects but I might not even need them anyway.

[sdold]

I installed my own home grid tie system and helped a friend install another, everything came from Renvu. They were easy to work with and good about returns via shipping. My friend had to drive to their warehouse and exchange and return some stuff, he said it was hassle-free. I'd use them again.

[reader2580]

So, I've kept up with pricing and the best overall pricing for a system or components is renvu.com. It's not close. I've contacted companies in China and their prices with delivery are not much better AND you have to wait for shipping. All the companies mentioned in this thread are 10-30% more expensive. I checked. If someone has a better price, please list it. EG, 450kw panels for $.59 per watt.

How big of a panel is that 450,000 watt panel? I want to see the size of the transporter that shows up for the delivery! (Just being silly here.)

I have purchased panels through Craigslist back before FB Marketplace became big. FB Marketplace in my area often has deals for solar panels.

[fraser]

So, I've kept up with pricing and the best overall pricing for a system or components is renvu.com. It's not close. I've contacted companies in China and their prices with delivery are not much better AND you have to wait for shipping. All the companies mentioned in this thread are 10-30% more expensive. I checked. If someone has a better price, please list it. EG, 450kw panels for $.59 per watt.

[peakbagger]

Arizona Wind and Sun is also a good source

[Mike 134]

Thanks for the suggestion,I want a good deal but I want legitimate established manufacturers that are going to stand behind their product. I'm not looking for direct from China. I want a reputable distributor in the US.

Not sure what prices you'd get but CED Greentech has brick and mortar locations all over USA.

[sappstter]

try alibaba, straight from the source most solar panels are made in china. so makes sense to go there. i got a couple couriered over, shipping wasnt too bad also

Thanks for the suggestion,I want a good deal but I want legitimate established manufacturers that are going to stand behind their product. I'm not looking for direct from China. I want a reputable distributor in the US.

[ukwindowcleaner]

try alibaba, straight from the source most solar panels are made in china. so makes sense to go there. i got a couple couriered over, shipping wasnt too bad also

[ukwindowcleaner]

could go direct to china on alibaba

[foggysail]

I did have PE letter for structural support that is really easy to get without in-person visit by accredited PE. I think it was around $200 to get. Unirac design software created some other PE approved document for racking calculations for my area wind speed design load.

My installation is in CT, one of the states serviced by EverSource. I have 72 panels with IQ7 microinverters. I did make a mistake in my prior post. Rating of my system is 22.4KW DC, not AC. The rating on AC side is 17.4KW. I could have installed a bigger system. There was no limit by my prior history of electricity consumption. I sized the system by modeling house heating source change from heating oil to heat pumps and using 2 electric cars. I do get net metering with full credit for exported electricity. Sometimes aggregate exported power by 3 PowerWalls and PV system reaches 27KW, 110+ Amps.

My town building department told me that I was the first person who submitted for PV installation permit with self design and installation. The fact that I am EE by education probably helped but since I am not a practicing EE I did not have any relevant certifications, OSHA tests and so on. Overall town building department did not add much friction in the process. Most of the trouble came from state agency that denied my request for variance to 36” clearance space from serviceable electric equipment rule. My house AC compressors were installed in front of electric meter when the house was built and since I was changing electrical system it became a problem. I was somewhat naive in thinking that something that was in place for 40 years can stay as is. After my variance request was denied I had to remove original AC compressors in order to restore my building permit for PV installation. Fortunately I was already planning installation of new heat pumps so it was not a huge deal but it did affect my schedule by 6 weeks.

Good job Will! I also have a EE from URI and have decades of a mix between circuit design and management. Now sort of retired after making life changes from engineering to some new construction and old building gut and reconstruction. Now enjoy life as a landlord. The heaviest thing I want to pick up now is my receipt book.

[foo1bar]

I am a happy customer of Renvu.

And I would add Soligent as another option.

[foo1bar]

Where do you live? Are you allowed to ''do your own grid tie install?''

Many places (maybe most?) allow you to do your own work on your own home.
In CA if you are the owner and are applying for the permit you are an "owner-builder".
Other states/locations may have other names for it, but many many locations you can get a permit and do your own work.
Some places may have you sign some additional thing so that you know that it's not OK for a "contractor" to have you pull the permit and they do the work. (Apparently some "contractors" will have homeowners get the permit - so they can avoid the requirements to be a legitimate contractor like insurance and such.)

Heck, I even had in mind huge panels rated at 450W,

Most residential installations use 60-cell (~1.6m x ~1m) panels. I don't believe those are up to 450W yet.
So you were probably looking at 72-cell (~2m x ~1m) panels.
I think that'd be unusual for a residential installation. And personally I'd avoid doing something unusual like that for my home.

And then I learned those ''huge'' panels were only 350W!!! What if I managed to get halfway up my second floor roof with nobody to take it from me but just maybe a strong wind might? I even tried to hire some of those guys to do my installation, got nowhere.

I think a second person is very useful for getting panels up onto the roof when you get to that point.
If you setup scaffolding I think you could get them to the roof single-handed - but it'd be a lot slower than working with a second person.
And yes, they are a large enough surface area that I wouldn't want to handle them when there is much wind.
Fortunately they're not that heavy - so even someone without a lot of upper body strength can help lift panels up.

[Will792]

Good for you! Did your town require a PE stamp? My panels are Canadian CS3N-400MS, 132 cells weighing 49.8#. You may be a lot younger than me but this much for sure, I had zero desire to lug those panels using a ladder onto my 2nd floor roof.

Was your installation in Massachusetts? Somewhere I remember reading that one is limited to 10KW AC being backfed to the grid for NetGrid. Above that limit I believe the solar system is treated as a commercial system with a much lower buy back from the utility. But you most likely know more about that with an almost 23KW system

I did have PE letter for structural support that is really easy to get without in-person visit by accredited PE. I think it was around $200 to get. Unirac design software created some other PE approved document for racking calculations for my area wind speed design load.

My installation is in CT, one of the states serviced by EverSource. I have 72 panels with IQ7 microinverters. I did make a mistake in my prior post. Rating of my system is 22.4KW DC, not AC. The rating on AC side is 17.4KW. I could have installed a bigger system. There was no limit by my prior history of electricity consumption. I sized the system by modeling house heating source change from heating oil to heat pumps and using 2 electric cars. I do get net metering with full credit for exported electricity. Sometimes aggregate exported power by 3 PowerWalls and PV system reaches 27KW, 110+ Amps.

My town building department told me that I was the first person who submitted for PV installation permit with self design and installation. The fact that I am EE by education probably helped but since I am not a practicing EE I did not have any relevant certifications, OSHA tests and so on. Overall town building department did not add much friction in the process. Most of the trouble came from state agency that denied my request for variance to 36” clearance space from serviceable electric equipment rule. My house AC compressors were installed in front of electric meter when the house was built and since I was changing electrical system it became a problem. I was somewhat naive in thinking that something that was in place for 40 years can stay as is. After my variance request was denied I had to remove original AC compressors in order to restore my building permit for PV installation. Fortunately I was already planning installation of new heat pumps so it was not a huge deal but it did affect my schedule by 6 weeks.

[foggysail]

I installed 22.4KW AC system in EverSource territory by myself and did not have a single problem with them. They did send an engineer to witness system commissioning and see me going through my checklist. He only cared about verifying that the system does not produce power for 5 minutes after interruption.

Also did not have much trouble carrying 60 cell panels to the roof, as long as there is no wind. Most 60 cell panels are around 40 lbs , which was doable with a regular ladder.

Good for you! Did your town require a PE stamp? My panels are Canadian CS3N-400MS, 132 cells weighing 49.8#. You may be a lot younger than me but this much for sure, I had zero desire to lug those panels using a ladder onto my 2nd floor roof.

Was your installation in Massachusetts? Somewhere I remember reading that one is limited to 10KW AC being backfed to the grid for NetGrid. Above that limit I believe the solar system is treated as a commercial system with a much lower buy back from the utility. But you most likely know more about that with an almost 23KW system

[Will792]

So I ended up contracting with a local solar company to install 28 400W panels using IQ8A inverters. Had I decided to go ahead anyway on my own, the thing I overlooked was our power company, Eversource here in Massachusetts. Even if the local inspectors would have given me permits, noway would Eversource allowed a grid connection without a licensed electrician doing the work. And no way have I any intentions to revive my old licenses.

My system is installed with a final town inspection (electrical) schedule for this coming Tuesday and then I have to wait for Eversource to make the grid tie. And NO, I do NOT recommend going with leased or PPA panels. Just my humble opinion.

I installed 22.4KW AC system in EverSource territory by myself and did not have a single problem with them. They did send an engineer to witness system commissioning and see me going through my checklist. He only cared about verifying that the system does not produce power for 5 minutes after interruption.

Also did not have much trouble carrying 60 cell panels to the roof, as long as there is no wind. Most 60 cell panels are around 40 lbs , which was doable with a regular ladder.