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

[HX_Guy]

As you guys probably saw in my other thread, my installer seemed to be pretty lazy/cutting corners from the start. It has only gotten much worse and now I'm in the thick of this and not really sure what my options are.

I'm not even sure if what he is doing is correct and or legal. A few things...

He is completely not following what we agreed on for the system design or what was approved on the permit.
We agreed on a layout that was mostly landscape panels in a particular arrangement, and he completely changed it without notice.
In changing this, he did not follow the fire setback code at all (which is 3' from the ridge, and that what is shown on the permit). There are spots where he left 0 setback and others where he left 2'.

He is not using the wire gauge specified on the permit, which calls for 4AWG. He is using 6AWG and 8AWG. Also not using the specified conduit thickness, which affect the fill and that was approved for a certain amount.

The permit calls for 6"x2"x2" posts for the racking with flashing and sealant. He used only lag bolts, directly through the tile and through the paper and caulked both with silicon, no flashing of any kind. The racks feels flimsy, they easily shake if you move them...can just lag bolts hold up hundreds of pounds of panels?

So now what I'm not sure. How he expects this to pass inspection I have no idea, especially the wire thickness which can easily be checked by an inspector or especially the fire setback.

[HX_Guy]

This is how the racking layout was approved on the permit.


This is how it was installed

[Bikerscum]

I wouldn't wait to see if the inspector notices the problems, I would point them out to him. Your final payment no doubt is due on signoff.... no signoff no money. You may have big problems down the road trying to sell a house with an illegal solar system.

Make the contractor follow the plans to the letter. What to then do about all the extra holes in the roof is going to be a real problem. Those mounts look like they're leaking already.

You have the upper hand here, use it.

[Mike90250]

Document it with photos. A 8" long bolt into t he roof, flexing, is going to break all the tile area around it, and then itself, fail. The Panels, Racks and Mounts, are all supposed to be Approved, usually by UL. A rack with non-accepted bolting, will be invalidated I believe.

[sensij]

Oh my, your poor roof. I understand your concern. Are those bolts even hitting rafters? I would not allow the contractor to put any more holes into the roof until you come to an agreement on what is going on. At a minimum, I would start looking for a legit roofer to come and assess the damage. Have you asked him what he is doing? Is he taking your concerns seriously? @#$% like this could lead to a lawsuit, I hope that he is reasonable.

[Alisobob]

As you guys probably saw in my other thread, my installer seemed to be pretty lazy/cutting corners from the start. It has only gotten much worse

When I saw your first post with the conduit ratsnest.... I had a fear it was all going in this direction.



So... what to do now?

Tell him to STOP!!!!

I'm a contractor in California, and have seen plenty of jobs go sideways.... very few ( if any) ever straighten out with the original contractor.

I would find a construction lawyer in AZ who specializes in solar immediately!!!

Better to be proactive on this now... than continue to drag in out over who knows how much time.

Sorry to hear of your situation...

[Alisobob]

detail.JPG

This is my attachment detail. Yours may be different in AZ... But the city plan check people in Orange County Ca really liked this proposal.

Good luck

[sdold]

Is that mount just a piece of all-thread? It also looks like the tile extends an inch past the others, as if the hole was drilled in the wrong spot and he just slid the tile down to make it work. I don't know how those black tie wraps will last. Maybe they are ok but we don't let guys use them on our radio towers because they get brittle and crack after a few years. They are in the sun, though.

[HX_Guy]

Thanks for the replies guys. To answer some of the questions...

Is that mount just a piece of all-thread? It also looks like the tile extends an inch past the others, as if the hole was drilled in the wrong spot and he just slid the tile down to make it work. I don't know how those black tie wraps will last. Maybe they are ok but we don't let guys use them on our radio towers because they get brittle and crack after a few years. They are in the sun, though.

Yes, it looks to just be a long threaded bolt or screw. I'm not exactly how how it is connected to the trusses since it has the silicon around it, but it appears to just be drilled down into it. If I grab on the the racking and move it, there is quite a bit of flex of the bolt within the silicon/tile hole.

So... what to do now?

Tell him to STOP!!!!

I'm a contractor in California, and have seen plenty of jobs go sideways.... very few ( if any) ever straighten out with the original contractor.

I would find a construction lawyer in AZ who specializes in solar immediately!!!

Better to be proactive on this now... than continue to drag in out over who knows how much time.

That's my dilemma now, how to handle it. Im thinking my two choices are to call him up and say "You need to follow the permit plans to the letter and also fix my roof, which needs to be done by a licensed roofer" or tell him to "Never step foot on my property again and he will not be getting a dollar from me." I'm not sure what my rights are there though, am I entitled to keep the parts already in place (racking and disconnects - the inverter and optimizers I purchased on my own not from him)? Who pays to fix my roof now on a brand new house?

Oh my, your poor roof. I understand your concern. Are those bolts even hitting rafters? I would not allow the contractor to put any more holes into the roof until you come to an agreement on what is going on. At a minimum, I would start looking for a legit roofer to come and assess the damage. Have you asked him what he is doing? Is he taking your concerns seriously? @#$% like this could lead to a lawsuit, I hope that he is reasonable.

Everything I ask he says "Oh no, it'll be fine". That's his answer to everything that I bring up as a concern. What's mind boggling to me is how he thinks this will pass inspection, I mean the violations are so clear. Why would he prefer to have to redo it? I mean it's spelled out on the permits what needs to be done and what needs to be used.

Document it with photos. A 8" long bolt into t he roof, flexing, is going to break all the tile area around it, and then itself, fail. The Panels, Racks and Mounts, are all supposed to be Approved, usually by UL. A rack with non-accepted bolting, will be invalidated I believe.

Thats a great point, hadn't even crossed my mind. The fact that my brand new roof now needs repairing is sickening, can it even be repaired to where we are 100% certain we won't have any leaking issues in the future?

I wouldn't wait to see if the inspector notices the problems, I would point them out to him. Your final payment no doubt is due on signoff.... no signoff no money. You may have big problems down the road trying to sell a house with an illegal solar system.

Make the contractor follow the plans to the letter. What to then do about all the extra holes in the roof is going to be a real problem. Those mounts look like they're leaking already.

You have the upper hand here, use it.

Another great point about selling at a later time. This obviously needs to be done right and the more I think about it, the more I think I don't want him to have any part of doing anything additional.

[HX_Guy]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]5329[/ATTACH]

This is my attachment detail. Yours may be different in AZ... But the city plan check people in Orange County Ca really liked this proposal.

Good luck

This was my mounting detail that was submitted to the city for the permit. As you can see, what the installer did looks nothing like this.

[Alisobob]

I think about it, the more I think I don't want him to have any part of doing anything additional.

110% in agreement....

[Mike90250]

GO to the city planning office, and take the photos with you. Ask to speak with the solar inspector, and ask how to stop work on a job in your state, some states (Calif comes to mind) let he contractor sue you for the price of the full job when you boot them off the site, ask how to do it in your state, properly, and hope he is not the inspectors brother.

[silversaver]

I recall OP's post about saving money with a F rating installer with only 4 job completed, AE card trick and using credit to purchase his solar system.......also installer's first time on solaredge...etc

http://www.solarpaneltalk.com/showthread.php?15611-Centro-Solar-panels-and-company

I hope your installation goes smooth and the money you save worth the trouble you might have.....

[HX_Guy]

I recall OP's post about saving money with a F rating installer with only 4 job completed, AE card trick and using credit to purchase his solar system.......also installer's first time on solaredge...etc

http://www.solarpaneltalk.com/showthread.php?15611-Centro-Solar-panels-and-company

I hope your installation goes smooth and the money you save worth the trouble you might have.....

Wow classy man, way to kill ck someone when they are down. You feel better about yourself now? Smh.

[Alisobob]

http://www.houselogic.com/home-advice/contracting/how-fight-back-against-bad-contractor/