DIY system in CA; 8.68kw system

[foo1bar]

I got 260W mono USA made Isophoton panels for $210 each delivered. See my post about purchasing ala carte...good deal on panels.

What post?

[JFinch57]

http://www.solarpaneltalk.com/showthread.php?19968-I-bought-my-systems-ala-carte-Found-great-deal-on-panels

[foo1bar]

Been making progress.
Rails are up. Conduit is all in place. Inverter is mounted and wired to AC.
But...

I checked calculations for conduit fill - and with 3/4 EMT I don't have room for four 10AWG PVwire + a 10AWG THWN-2 for ground.
So, I've had to revise my plan of just running PVWire all the way back to the inverter.

The good news is in another spot I can use the "nipple" rule for 24" or shorter conduit sections - which lets me fit four 6AWG THWN-2 + 3 12AWG into a 3/4" PVC. The 6 gauge is for the inverter, the 12 gauge is for an outlet box.

Another thing I learned (and should have thought of beforehand) is that where the conduit penetrates the roof - it can't be right where you have a foot and flashing for the rail. Fortunately didn't damage the flashing (at least not enough that it's visible from the top)
So didn't have to replace that.

I am working on running all the wires now - and probably will be able to start putting in place the optimizers and panels this weekend.

Anyone have a good suggestion for keeping track of wires so I can remember which is which... Probably going to use pieces of tape and a marker unless I hear a better suggestion.

[bcroe]

Anyone have a good suggestion for keeping track of wires so I can remember which is which... Probably going to use pieces of tape and a marker unless I hear a better suggestion.

Colored electrical tape at ends and perhaps some intermediate boxes works. For fancier
custom labels I make on line bumper stickers and cut them up. Bruce Roe

[JFinch57]

Been making progress.

I checked calculations for conduit fill - and with 3/4 EMT I don't have room for four 10AWG PVwire + a 10AWG THWN-2 for ground.
So, I've had to revise my plan of just running PVWire all the way back to the inverter.

Anyone have a good suggestion for keeping track of wires so I can remember which is which... Probably going to use pieces of tape and a marker unless I hear a better suggestion.

Are you using 600V PV wire? I calculate for that Southwire diameter of 0.231", area=0.0419 sq". If you use a bare ground (area=0.011) then the total is 0.1786, which is below the 0.213 allowed for 3/4" EMT fill. I like this calculator http://www.electrician2.com/calculat...alculator.html but it does not have PV wire.

I prefer using colored wire. Cost a little more since you will have more excess, but looks great!

[foo1bar]

Are you using 600V PV wire?

This is the wire I'm using: http://www.titanwnc.com/wp-content/uploads/PV-Wire.pdf
Diameter .270"; area = 0.0573 sq. in.
So 4 in a 3/4 EMT is not OK.

[foo1bar]

Failed the final inspection

Had my inspection today.

Inspector wants labels on the conduit, and a support block under a conduit that's going across a ~3' section of roof then up a wall.
Hopefully when he (or a coworker of his) comes back there won't be anything else they notice.

My next inspection is Wed.

I think I annoyed him a little because I didn't have my permit and plans handy - had to go searching for it for a while.
I think the conduit labels aren't technically needed per code since they're all external conduits and it's a solaredge system.
The conduit strapping/support is something that I didn't do up to code.
Fixing both is easy enough though.

[J.P.M.]

Had my inspection today.

Inspector wants labels on the conduit, and a support block under a conduit that's going across a ~3' section of roof then up a wall.
Hopefully when he (or a coworker of his) comes back there won't be anything else they notice.

My next inspection is Wed.

I think I annoyed him a little because I didn't have my permit and plans handy - had to go searching for it for a while.
I think the conduit labels aren't technically needed per code since they're all external conduits and it's a solaredge system.
The conduit strapping/support is something that I didn't do up to code.
Fixing both is easy enough though.

One corollary to the inspector is always right: Piss the inspector off too much and you won't have anything right.

[SunEagle]

Had my inspection today.

Inspector wants labels on the conduit, and a support block under a conduit that's going across a ~3' section of roof then up a wall.
Hopefully when he (or a coworker of his) comes back there won't be anything else they notice.

My next inspection is Wed.

I think I annoyed him a little because I didn't have my permit and plans handy - had to go searching for it for a while.
I think the conduit labels aren't technically needed per code since they're all external conduits and it's a solaredge system.
The conduit strapping/support is something that I didn't do up to code.
Fixing both is easy enough though.

I hope the re-inspection goes well for you.

I hate to say it but sometimes sucking up to the inspector makes things go a little easier. But then again you can't make everyone happy.

[foo1bar]

Realized i never updated this thread.
My re-inspection went fine.

I was just looking at the panels the other day, and I see a few wires now have loops hanging down that they touch the roof - probably they looked good before, but with time things sagged.

Now that everything is done, I need to add up all of the receipts and see just how much I spent...

[JFinch57]

Any pictures?

[foo1bar]

Costs for my system

$16600 solar items from renvu (panels, rails, feet, PV wire, etc. etc)
$1000 various materials from HD/Lowes/etc. (wire, bolts, roof sealant, etc. etc etc)
$500 tools (MC4 crimper @$300; sawblades, drill bits, pliers, clamps, shingle ripper, trowel, solder gun, conduit reamer)
$400 city permit
$100 for plumbing supplies to re-route pool hot-water
$300 stucco repair
$1500 materials, backhoe rental, etc. for service upgrade

Total: $20400

31 panels@ 280W = 8680W
==> ~$2.35/W

Not the lowest for a DIY job.
But not terrible since I have more expensive panels, more expensive inverter/optimizer setup (solarege) and some expenses most other people wouldn't like stucco repair and a service upgrade.

[Amy@altE]

That's really helpful, thanks for such detail. I'm actually writing a blog right now on this exact topic, and I was estimating $2 per watt for DIY. Taking out the stucco and pool heating, you've got $2.30 a watt. I think I underestimated the non-solar equipment costs, which quite frankly, I think everyone does. I will adjust my blog.

[bcroe]

$16600 solar items from renvu (panels, rails, feet, PV wire, etc. etc)
$1000 various materials from HD/Lowes/etc. (wire, bolts, roof sealant, etc. etc etc)
$500 tools (MC4 crimper @$300; sawblades, drill bits, pliers, clamps, shingle ripper, trowel, solder gun, conduit reamer)
$400 city permit
$100 for plumbing supplies to re-route pool hot-water
$300 stucco repair
$1500 materials, backhoe rental, etc. for service upgrade

Total: $20400
31 panels@ 280W = 8680W
==> ~$2.35/W

Good list; of course each one will be different. What sort of labels did you and the
inspector settle on? Bruce Roe

[foo1bar]

That's really helpful, thanks for such detail. I'm actually writing a blog right now on this exact topic, and I was estimating $2 per watt for DIY. Taking out the stucco and pool heating, you've got $2.30 a watt. I think I underestimated the non-solar equipment costs, which quite frankly, I think everyone does. I will adjust my blog.

The $1500 for upgrading the electrical panel and electrical service wires also is something that most people wouldn't have.
(Usually even I would have hired that out and it would have been a lot more - Dealing with service entrance wiring makes me a little nervous because there is no fuse/breaker.)

I think under $2/W is quite doable if doing DIY
I have shade issues, so went with Solaredge.
I have 5 different sections on the roof for my 31 panels - so more expenses in feet/attachments and conduit/conduit fittings.
And I did wind up with some extra items from Lowe's/HD/etc - if I had been a little better at returning unused things and not buying stuff that I eventually didn't use, I probably could have saved $200 in that section. (But would have spent $20 more in gas going to the stores and taken longer to get running)


Bruce:
I put labels ("Danger: Photovoltaic power source"; White lettering on red) on all the vertical sections of conduit and the conduit running under the eaves. I didn't put one on the 3' sections going from the panels to the 2nd floor walls (then up the walls). The inspector pointed it out - then said "You know what, anyone up there should be able to figure out that the conduit coming from the array is solar wiring."
I of course had all the labels by the inverter and breaker panel - those I had in place for the first inspection.