Solar Patio Covers, Looking For a Partner!

[JoeWood]

Greetings all!

I’m a San Diego area General Contractor who specializes in Design – Build of fine custom outdoor structures.

I’m very interested in designing and building solar patio covers and have decided I need a Partner, to handle the marketing and sales, to really make it happen. You need to be based in San Diego County, and would also handle the Solar and electrical design and installation.

I’ve been working at it but so far I haven’t had one Project, yet. A month ago contacted over 50 local solar companies by email. 8 or 10 have responded back with interest saying what a great idea, but no leads from any of them yet.

Here’s my main Solar Page where I show some generic designs and ideas. I made this page before I really knew much about the actual Solar components.


I would design and build the structure and you would handle the solar and electrical. I do some very nice Design and even better Build! I can also make Permit Plans for my structures.

I've designed and made Plans for my first real Solar Patio Cover, designed for
the actual solar panel dimensions and using aluminum solar tracks / rails.

Scroll down on left to see the Plans. This is for a local client in Vista so hopefully I’ll be building this too

Please send me a PM if you’re interested and we'll talk!

Joe Wood

Solar-Patio-Cover.jpg

[Naptown]

Good luck if any portion of the PV is below 8' from the ground. It will also have to be gravel or concrete under it. If it is a parking structure I believe it will have to have a solid roof below the panels. Per NFPA1-2012

[JoeWood]

Concrete or gravel needs to be under a solar patio cover? They need class A surface then? There usually is concrete or some sort of hardscape but not always. Does this apply to Calif?

Rich, where can I see these Regs, especially for my state?

What happens to the structure if you're under that 8' rule?

[Sunking]

Rich, where can I see these Regs, especially for my state?

If you are a licensed contractor you should know the answer to that. CA has Amendments that exceed National Standards. Those requirements will be listed in your county Building Code Departments you work in. All of them are on line.

[joconno4]

Solar Patio covers

Hi Joe -
I like your design. I have a start up solar panel company in Simi Valley, ca and
I used to live in San Diego and would like to start installing our system
in the North County area. Perhaps we can forge an alliance.
Please email me at joconno4@yahoo.com
thanks
John

Greetings all!

I’m a San Diego area General Contractor who specializes in Design – Build of fine custom outdoor structures.

I’m very interested in designing and building solar patio covers and have decided I need a Partner, to handle the marketing and sales, to really make it happen. You need to be based in San Diego County, and would also handle the Solar and electrical design and installation.

I’ve been working at it but so far I haven’t had one Project, yet. A month ago contacted over 50 local solar companies by email. 8 or 10 have responded back with interest saying what a great idea, but no leads from any of them yet.

Here’s my main Solar Page where I show some generic designs and ideas. I made this page before I really knew much about the actual Solar components.


I would design and build the structure and you would handle the solar and electrical. I do some very nice Design and even better Build! I can also make Permit Plans for my structures.

I've designed and made Plans for my first real Solar Patio Cover, designed for
the actual solar panel dimensions and using aluminum solar tracks / rails.

Scroll down on left to see the Plans. This is for a local client in Vista so hopefully I’ll be building this too

Please send me a PM if you’re interested and we'll talk!

Joe Wood

[ATTACH=CONFIG]2804[/ATTACH]

[cogsci]

as someone who has been in the market for something like this, it is crazy that there are no good prefab options already out there.

[JoeWood]

Yeah Cog, crazy, I agree, and that's the reason I'm trying to get this going. Seems like there would be a nice market for solar patio covers, both prefab, and what I'm hoping for, custom ones

even crazier is that no one has contacted me about this, about partnering with me!

my first customer for a solar design and plans, just recently pulled the permit and I've given a price to build it. Keeping my fingers crossed I made up two 3' x 2' plans pages, here's page 1.

My customer said-
Joe,
I finally got the chance to take the plans by the County for the official permit request. It took over 6 hours but I was able to get the permit. I will tell you that the inspector doing the structural review was very impressed with your drawings and detail.

Naptown, the San Diego Bldg Dept didn't say anything about an 8' rule, maybe that's true in your location? You had me worried there for awhile.

[Naptown]

That doesn't fall under the building code.
Next up is electrical where that matters

[JoeWood]

What is the 8' rule you mentioned Rich? For the solar/ electrical part? It got approved is what matters and we have pretty strict codes down here.

sorry, I don't understand "Next up is electrical where that matters"

[Naptown]

What is the 8' rule you mentioned Rich? For the solar/ electrical part? It got approved is what matters and we have pretty strict codes down here.

sorry, I don't understand "Next up is electrical where that matters"

Correct it is for the electrical part.
Next up refers to getting the electrical permit.
That is where the 8' rule will come into play.
If they are enforcing NFPA1-2012 there will be other issues like a non flammable ground cover extending out 10' around the array etc.
But a bigger question is you are in California. Why is the owner getting the permit? That throws all responsibility for design and construction on them and If I remember correctly you could have your license if you have one pulled.

[Naptown]

as someone who has been in the market for something like this, it is crazy that there are no good prefab options already out there.

There are
Schletter makes a number of them and there are other manufacturers also

[cogsci]

There are
Schletter makes a number of them and there are other manufacturers also

Schletter looks interesting, I've since found Phat makes them as well. Are there any others that you can think of?

Thanks!

[cogsci]

There are
Schletter makes a number of them and there are other manufacturers also

Schletter looks interesting, There systems are often cantilevered and built in ways that may be attractive (depending on taste), but it would seem to me that something that had a basic structure like a simple 4 post barn, would be much cheaper/easier to construct and install.

I've since found Phat makes them as well. Are there any others that you can think of?

Thanks!

[SunEagle]

Correct it is for the electrical part.
Next up refers to getting the electrical permit.
That is where the 8' rule will come into play.
If they are enforcing NFPA1-2012 there will be other issues like a non flammable ground cover extending out 10' around the array etc.
But a bigger question is you are in California. Why is the owner getting the permit? That throws all responsibility for design and construction on them and If I remember correctly you could have your license if you have one pulled.

I don't currently own a copy of the NFPA1-2012 code. Why is there an 8' rule required for a solar pv system mounted on a patio cover as opposed to a pole or ground mounted system? Does it have to do with proximity of people?

[inetdog]

I don't currently own a copy of the NFPA1-2012 code. Why is there an 8' rule required for a solar pv system mounted on a patio cover as opposed to a pole or ground mounted system? Does it have to do with proximity of people?

Yes. The panels themselves and the DC or AC wiring needs to be out of reach. You can mount them lower only if you fence off the area and keep people out. This would be problem for a patio.
I suppose you could just enclose all of the wiring, but the inspector may not approve that.