book on solar installations

[littleboss]

I am looking for a good book on solar installation. I am mainly interested in how the solar ties into the grid. I have a Generac on order and when I install it I want to install the necessary electrical equipment so a grid tied solar system can be added later.

[SunEagle]

Depending on where you live you may be required to have a certified set of drawings to get a permit for that type of electrical installation. Performing a DIY of that equipment also requires a little more then just reading a book. It sometimes takes a licensed electrician to make the connections proper per the NEC in your area.

[littleboss]

Depending on where you live you may be required to have a certified set of drawings to get a permit for that type of electrical installation. Performing a DIY of that equipment also requires a little more then just reading a book. It sometimes takes a licensed electrician to make the connections proper per the NEC in your area.

No permits required out in the country. As far as qualifications go, how does a BSEET, 10 years of experience and 10 years of teaching grab you?

[foo1bar]

Is the solar going to be just for grid-tie and be paperweights when you're running off a generator?
(probably easiest to plan for and most straightforward - likely cheapest too)

Or are you going to have an AC coupled battery system along with your solar and generator?
(in which case, I think you need to go with a plan the manufacturer recommends)

If the former, then what size system do you think you'll have?
What do you have for service size? 200A?
Are you going to be replacing the main panel as part of your generator install, and you're just looking at "How do I future-proof this for a potential solar system"?

FWIW, I think a main panel change that is part of a solar installation *is* eligible for the tax credit.
But if you do it years before the actual solar installation, I don't think it's very believable that it was for the solar installation.

[littleboss]

Is the solar going to be just for grid-tie and be paperweights when you're running off a generator?
(probably easiest to plan for and most straightforward - likely cheapest too)

Or are you going to have an AC coupled battery system along with your solar and generator?
(in which case, I think you need to go with a plan the manufacturer recommends)

If the former, then what size system do you think you'll have?
What do you have for service size? 200A?
Are you going to be replacing the main panel as part of your generator install, and you're just looking at "How do I future-proof this for a potential solar system"?

FWIW, I think a main panel change that is part of a solar installation *is* eligible for the tax credit.
But if you do it years before the actual solar installation, I don't think it's very believable that it was for the solar installation.

Solar will be just for grid tie, I will only run the generator when the commercial power is out.
Probably 7kw solar system.
My service is a 200A panel.
The Generac comes with a 200A automatic transfer switch so my disconnect will move from my 200A panel to there.
I am looking for a schematic to see where and how the solar ties into the system.
Thanks

[SunEagle]

No permits required out in the country. As far as qualifications go, how does a BSEET, 10 years of experience and 10 years of teaching grab you?

Sounds like you have a good idea of what you are getting into. But again a single book on solar installations may not be enough.

[foo1bar]

Solar will be just for grid tie, I will only run the generator when the commercial power is out.
Probably 7kw solar system.
My service is a 200A panel.
The Generac comes with a 200A automatic transfer switch so my disconnect will move from my 200A panel to there.
I am looking for a schematic to see where and how the solar ties into the system.
Thanks

Based on what you're saying, between the meter and the automatic transfer switch is where I would expect you to have the solar connected.

https://floridasolardesigngroup.com/install-generator-existing-solar-panels/

has some discussion of what I think you're looking at doing.
And at about 1 minute into the video, they show a diagram with what I think is a line-side tap configuration, connecting the solar to the wire between the meter and the transfer switch.
I'm not an electrician, but I believe that would be a valid way to do what you want.
There may be a version of the transfer switch that has a breaker for solar feed-in, which could be another option.
Another option might be to have a main panel with the solar and a breaker going to the "new" sub-panel which has the transfer switch. If you go that route, you also have a natural place for the non-generator-powered circuits to be.

Line side taps have specific rules to them - so if you want to plan on that option, you will need to learn more about them.

[littleboss]

Based on what you're saying, between the meter and the automatic transfer switch is where I would expect you to have the solar connected.

https://floridasolardesigngroup.com/install-generator-existing-solar-panels/

has some discussion of what I think you're looking at doing.
And at about 1 minute into the video, they show a diagram with what I think is a line-side tap configuration, connecting the solar to the wire between the meter and the transfer switch.
I'm not an electrician, but I believe that would be a valid way to do what you want.
There may be a version of the transfer switch that has a breaker for solar feed-in, which could be another option.
Another option might be to have a main panel with the solar and a breaker going to the "new" sub-panel which has the transfer switch. If you go that route, you also have a natural place for the non-generator-powered circuits to be.

Line side taps have specific rules to them - so if you want to plan on that option, you will need to learn more about them.

Thanks very much

[oregon_phil]

I have a similar situation with a Kohler generator (yet to be installed). The electrician was going to do something similar to what foo1bar suggested, but I have a Siemens MC0816B1200EFN meter breaker panel that feeds two electrical panels.

Conveniently, the Siemens meter breaker panel can be wired with the inverter going through the M1 service disconnect while the generator routes to the ats then to the M2 service disconnect. It's the same as a line side tap without the line side insulation piecing taps.