Solar Installation in CT - DIY and could use some help along the way.

[bryankloos]

Spoke with a PE yesterday, who told me $600 was the number for him to come out here and run the report... Said it was small business for him and that he didn't want to come out for "just your business, and that he would want to wait a week or three, until he had other clients in the area." Then he said I could do all the notations and photos and he could run a report if I was in a rush and didn't want to wait, which I assume would be cheaper as he has no need to come to the house. We will see.

I'll be pulling all the permits, building, electrical, and interconnect. The only trades on the site will be the roofer who has agreed to install the flash feet per my specification at $60/hour concurrent with the roofing job.

Hopefully I hear from another PE or two next week and I can get moving on the plans/permitting...

[JFinch57]

Before you get set on Enphase run the panel specs on their compatibility checker. Enphase M-250s do not support many panels over 280W. Consider a slightly smaller panel with a larger quantity. I personally have installed 40KW of Enphase and love working with AC versus lethal DC voltages. Keep in mind that unless you have a 400A main panel you won't be able to backfeed a system of that size without a line side (pre-main breaker) tap. 20% of the busbar is the limit, thus 200A panel = 40A backfeed, 400A panel = 80A backfeed. If needed, that throws a monkey wrench into the equation since the power will have to be shut off while you reconfigure to a line side tap. Your utility company won't turn the power back on until it's been inspected.

[bryankloos]

Fortunately my POCO allows line side tap, so I am okay with my current 200A main.
I also have a portable gen feeding a manual transfer switch which will be fine as is with the current panel setup.
I'm also contemplating solaredge optimizers, sticking with DC, assuming the losses are not too large on the run from the roof to my basement.
I'm still kicking around the option of breaking the array into east and west facing, going with more affordable panels and increasing the panel number... All TBD.

My big glitch now is finding a PE to get my structural analysis done.

The one I spoke with has gone quiet, and the others I've reached out to have not returned my calls.

May be time to hit the phone book and research some more PEs in the area....

[J.P.M.]

Fortunately my POCO allows line side tap, so I am okay with my current 200A main.
I also have a portable gen feeding a manual transfer switch which will be fine as is with the current panel setup.
I'm also contemplating solaredge optimizers, sticking with DC, assuming the losses are not too large on the run from the roof to my basement.
I'm still kicking around the option of breaking the array into east and west facing, going with more affordable panels and increasing the panel number... All TBD.

My big glitch now is finding a PE to get my structural analysis done.

The one I spoke with has gone quiet, and the others I've reached out to have not returned my calls.

May be time to hit the phone book and research some more PEs in the area....

When you do find one - Caveat Emptor. Don't pay for the engineering services until the plans and design are accepted by the building authority - in writing or signoff. Just sayin'.

[JFinch57]

Your line side tap will have to be between the generator transfer switch and the meter. It will need its own main breaker. I was able to replace my 400A generator transfer switch's dual lugs to triple and that worked great. Installed 3/0 feeds to a 200A solar main with a #4 neutral, sized for 38KW continuous future expansion!

[bryankloos]

Does anyone have a line diagram that shows a portable gen w/ manual transfer switch and line side connection with PV array?
I'll read up on my electrical code, but I'm unsure why a manual transfer switch needs a separate main breaker?

The setup as of know uses a generac manual transfer switch model 6295, which acts as a sub-panel housing the backed up circuits. When the switch is in the generator setting, it is disconnected from the main panel and can not backfeed the system.

[JFinch57]

Do you have MS Visio? That's how I did my line diagram. I can post something tonight or possibly email it to you but don't see how we can share that info.

[JFinch57]

I captured this with the snipping tool:

[bryankloos]

Very Cool, thanks.

Just an update, I've sourced an engineer to do the structural. I'm finalizing the layout so he can crunch the numbers and write the letter.
I spoke with the POCO, and as I'm only 19kW I don't need an EE signature on my line diagram.

I'm thinking about paying MySolarPlans to prep the plans, as their service is relatively affordable and much more professional than what I can produce.

The system as of now with be on my E and W roof. 40 panels on the W, and 21 on the E side. All LG315s with Enphase S280s.

If all goes well, I should be able to start the applications in the next week or two, depending on how busy I am with my day job...

Very exciting!

Bryan

[bryankloos]

Made progress with the PE. I have my letter and also know now that I will need to beef up the roofing rafters a bit. Two of every three rafters will need a sister rafter attached. Not a huge deal, but a bit more work.

I'm working on the financing now and will contact mysolarplans this week to get the plans drafted and ready for the building inspector and for the interconnect application.

Once I have the green light from the POCO and building inspector I will go ahead with the reroofing.

On this topic, assuming I need to reroof as part of the solar install (older roof with 2 layers of crap shingles) can I submit the percentage of cost of the roofing job that is ultimately under the panels as part of the project relative to fed credit? I can make the argument that the roofing is necessary for the solar installation.

Thoughts?

[Amy@altE]

Some solar equipment providers will give you the system schematic for free, or for a low fee, if it does not have to be signed by an EE.

[sensij]

Better talk with an experienced tax professional. Some more recent discussion on the tax credit is in this post, and continuing on in that thread. My (untrained, unqualified) opinion... the cost of adding the rafters could easily be included and defended as "solar electric property"... the re-roofing, not so much.

[rsilvers]

I was checking into that for a friend. What I read was that there has to be something special about the roof specifically for solar and not just that you need a new roof.

[bryankloos]

This begs the question, what would make the roof special (other than the price-tag of a new roof)?

[sensij]

Building integrated photovoltaics, for one.

[bryankloos]

On the Tax Credit question....
If I hire a pro to do the install, the labor charges are appropriate for the credit, correct?
If I do a DIY install, would it be appropriate to charge a fair hourly time for my own labor and submit that for credit?

And another question... What would cause an audit for solar install from IRS?

If I had the system installed, I'd be submitting 65+K for credit.
Doing it myself, I'm submitting 35K for credit.

I wonder what triggers the audit if it is to happen.