Solar install turning out really bad - looking for some help/advice please.

[Volusiano]

Spoke too soon. Permit was denied.

Sorry to hear. Did they say why? So next option would be to rerun the wires to meet the old permit specs?

[HX_Guy]

Spoke too soon. Permit was denied.

[HX_Guy]

Still waiting on the city with the permit review but in the mean time I went on the roof to check on the connectors and there are a lot of them loose, about 1/2 it seems. Some looser than others, and required a bit of pulling to see if they would move...other's required pretty light effort...but the factory made ones do not budge at all, no matter how hard you try and pull. A couple of panels will need to be removed to be able to easily replace the connectors and crimp them right. Probably best to just redo all the connections that the installer did to be on the safe side.

[HX_Guy]

There isn't much to check workmanship wise aside from the connectors, which I'll make sure are fixed prior to the inspection. Luckily there aren't many that he had to assemble and they are all easy to access without having to remove any panels.

[Volusiano]

And if it passes the inspection, you'll perform the final workmanship check yourself for loose connectors and anything else? Does it involve removing some panels to get to connectors underneath them? How much work do you think this entails? A few hours of your time?

Or will you do the workmanship check before the final inspection?

And I assume you won't cancel the complaint with the ROC before he also passes YOUR final workmanship inspection?

[HX_Guy]

So what's left to do now is to hope for the city to approve the new changes on the permit so that the installer can come back out and finish up the corrections to hopefully pass the final inspection? And if that happens within a certain period of time, then your formal complaint against him with automatically cancel itself out or you'll officially withdraw the complaint or something?

Correct. The installer submitted a revision to the permit with the city to specify #6 wire instead of the original #4 between the inverter and SES and #6 wire instead of #2 between the combiner and inverter since that is what he installed. I believe it should get approved by the city.
Also left out of the original permit was the exact model number of the PV meter socket, so that needed to be added to the permit as well.

Once the city approved the revised permit, he said he will pick it up in the morning and schedule the inspection for the same day (you have to pick up the permit from the city and deliver it to the job site, the inspector doesn't bring it themselves). The installer said that between the time that he comes over with the permit and the time that the inspector shows up, he will work on fixing the other small items that need fixed (secure PV wires off roof under some modules, run a few PV wires through conduit on the roof, add a grounding bushing inside the DC disconnect). Then he figures the inspector will show up and pass the install. Who knows though, I wouldn't be surprised for the inspector to now be even more critical and look over everything again and find who knows what else...I'm surprised they missed the panel over the plumbing vent the first time.

And yes, if it passes, then I will call the ROC and see about canceling the formal complaint.

[Volusiano]

This thread is a progress thread of the project...for some reason people like silversaver decide to chime in every now and then laughing at the situation, like that will help anything. Im hoping in the next few days Ill be able to post "IT"S FINALLY OVER!"

So what's left to do now is to hope for the city to approve the new changes on the permit so that the installer can come back out and finish up the corrections to hopefully pass the final inspection? And if that happens within a certain period of time, then your formal complaint against him with automatically cancel itself out or you'll officially withdraw the complaint or something?

[HX_Guy]

I thought you said earlier you were going to take the barter payment back by contacting he barter company. Maybe I read it wrong so much in this thread a lot to keep track off.

I did say that but only if he didn't finish the job and it doesn't pass inspection. I have not taken that payment back but it's still an option if this doesn't finish up soon here.

[alienwulf]

I thought you said earlier you were going to take the barter payment back by contacting he barter company. Maybe I read it wrong so much in this thread a lot to keep track off.

[HX_Guy]

He will most likely not agree with you about the pay. I have a feeling your saga is far from over.

Agree to which part about the pay?

[alienwulf]

I am waiting for the next part to kick in, after all your time and work is worth money all so. Let alone this guy will probably go after his time even though he messed it all up.
He will most likely not agree with you about the pay. I have a feeling your saga is far from over.

[Living Large]

I think it's safe to say that nobody would choose to go the route that you did, regardless of cost. Rationalizing after the fact is a method of mitigating the feeling of loss. Many jack-of-all-trades DIYers will find themselves in this situation at least once. I can remember the way I felt after installing my own hardwood floors. I said I would never do it again and should have hired a professional. And that was just the nailing. Just one example. With age comes wisdom.

I also admire the extent to which you rose to the occasion to make up for the installer's deficiencies. It isn't often that would happen.

[HX_Guy]

This thread is a progress thread of the project...for some reason people like silversaver decide to chime in every now and then laughing at the situation, like that will help anything. Im hoping in the next few days Ill be able to post "IT"S FINALLY OVER!"

[control4userguy]

I actually didn't have a problem with a 7 year payback... I did applaud you for the attention to detail but if this comes down to bucks or daily production "happy posts" every other day I guess I'll unsubscribe from this thread.

[SunEagle]

$12/watt would be almost $150,000...I dont think I have quite that much emotional grief.

But in all seriousness, if I would have went with another installer at a price of $3.54/watt all cash, my net cost would have been $29,730 or $2.40/watt.

With how it ended up, figuring it will eventually work out, I'm looking at $8,550 net cash ($0.69/watt) so we're talking about a $21,000 difference...at $3,000/yr in electric costs, that changes my pay back period from about 10 years to about 3 years.

Of course I would have prefered to get the same end price I did and have a quality installation which I what I was expecting and was led to believe I was getting (from the permit).

Heck with the amount of research and physical work you have put into your system I can imagine you could provide "consulting services" to neighbors that want to install a system.