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

[inetdog]

Are you kidding me??

I was up on the roof making a change to the DC combiner box and while working on it, by accident I notice...WTF did that wire just move? Oh yea...a freaking wire that's supposed to be crimped tight just slid right out of the connector! A wire that has up to 500V going through it. This is a connector that the genius installer crimped together with a plier, instead of the proper MC4 connector crimper that costs a whopping $35 on Amazon! How the hell is this guy licensed and in business?!?

I hate to say it, but for safety I would say that you either need to recrimp with the correct tool (which may or may not be possible or acceptable now that the connector is deformed) or replace all of the connectors. <sigh>

[HX_Guy]

Absolutely it needs to be redone, and not just this one, but all of them in my opinion.

The bigger issues is the connectors he made that are now under panels throughout the roof!!

[sensij]

Absolutely it needs to be redone, and not just this one, but all of them in my opinion.

The bigger issues is the connectors he made that are now under panels throughout the roof!!

I had been wondering why your system voltage was running so high, when 350 V would be typical. Perhaps there is enough voltage drop in the bad connections that it was compensating to get to 350 V at the inverter. That might be a question for SolarEdge, it seems like they've been responsive to your technical questions.

[Alisobob]

Absolutely it needs to be redone, and not just this one, but all of them in my opinion.

The bigger issues is the connectors he made that are now under panels throughout the roof!!

You might remember me suggesting you never let this guy touch your house again......

This is exactly why...

[HX_Guy]

SolarEdge has actually said that 350-370 is normal operating voltage (without me even mentioning that mine is running at 370).
I then told them that I did notice mine is around 370, and they explained that if the AC voltage is higher than 240V, the DC voltage will also be higher...and my AC voltage is in fact around 243V.

[inetdog]

SolarEdge has actually said that 350-370 is normal operating voltage (without me even mentioning that mine is running at 370).
I then told them that I did notice mine is around 370, and they explained that if the AC voltage is higher than 240V, the DC voltage will also be higher...and my AC voltage is in fact around 243V.

Makes sense. And the idea that the voltage output of the optimizers would be higher than normal to make up for voltage loss in the connectors just does not seem credible to me.
With normal panels, you could be looking at an open circuit voltage on the order of 500V, but when the optimizers are open circuited or isolated from the SE inverter they drop their output to 1V.

PS: If you have high resistance in a long run of AC between inverter and the POCO transformer, then a no load voltage at your service panel of 243V may actually go significantly higher than that at the inverter terminals, and that is what determines the needed DC.
Also, how well do you trust the calibration of your meters? Or is the 370 figure from the readout of the SE inverter?

[HX_Guy]

The 370 is from the inverter LCD display and also the SolarEdge online portal...



And here is the AC voltage at the inverter...

[HX_Guy]

You might remember me suggesting you never let this guy touch your house again......

This is exactly why...

I'm trying to come up with a letter to write this guy and can't even think straight Im so frustrated and pissed.

I don't even know what the hell to threaten him with. An attorney? Canceling all payments??

This is what I've written so far...I don't even know if there's even a reason to send it, do I even want this guy on my property again? Any suggestions?

I am at my wits end with this project. I have never seen such incompetence from any company in my life.
This project has dragged on for months, the permit was submitted 5 months ago and approved 2 months ago and the install is still not complete. I pleaded multiple times to JUST FOLLOW THE PERMIT, both over text and in person and you constantly either ignored me or said “it’ll be fine”. Why was it so difficult to just look at the permit and do what is specified?

I question the complete safety and integrity of the install. Just earlier today I was working on reconfiguring the combiner box (both DC+ and DC- require fusing per the permit) and one of the wires you crimped to the MC4 connector just slid out with almost zero pressure on it. How do I trust that the rest of the connectors are solid?

[Ian S]

At this point, it wouldn't surprise me if he was actively sabotaging the install. Don't let him do anything more.

[Ben25]

I would definitely threaten legal action and cancel payments if possible. Maybe have a lawyer write something up.

[HX_Guy]

Maybe I should threaten him with contacting his previous customers about having their systems throughly checked (am I even allowed to do that..or is that slandering?) Or reporting him to the AZ Registrar of Contractors and having his license revoked?

[Alisobob]

At this point, it wouldn't surprise me if he was actively sabotaging the install. Don't let him do anything more.

I was thinking the same thing..... when the panels were all installed willy-nilly, and the clamps were improperly installed.

Nobody could do such a poor job ....without trying to.

I feel for your situation.

[inetdog]

Maybe I should threaten him with contacting his previous customers about having their systems throughly checked (am I even allowed to do that..or is that slandering?) Or reporting him to the AZ Registrar of Contractors and having his license revoked?

This forum probably does not have the best legal expertise to advise you on that decision, but we will help you rant and rave!

[HX_Guy]

I think Im going to finish it up with this and see wtf happens tomorrow.

"I am done waiting and having everything done and redone incorrectly. Someone needs to come out tomorrow (Tuesday 01/20/15) to correctly fix all the issues specified by the inspector and the inspection passed at first availability from the City of Peoria or I am contacting the Arizona Registrar of Contractors about your license, Value Card about reversing all payments made to you and an attorney if needed."

[Alisobob]

Maybe I should report him to the AZ Registrar of Contractors and having his license revoked?

I suggested this, along with contacting a construction savvy lawyer about 30 pages ago.

Now its to the point , where he really is going to burn your house down.

Tell him he's fired, hire a real electrician to come out and inspect / correct everything, and pay the new electrician with the funds Mr. Jackass was supposed to get.

If the new electrician wants more to correct things than you have left in your budget, sue the original installer for the difference.

I've told you before, once a job starts going sideways, there is a 99% chance it will continue to do so.

To hope it will straighten out is doubtful at best.. foolish at worst.

If anything good is to come out of this... its that no other board member will ever have to go through, what you have gone through.

Man... what a fiasco.