This is one of the best made instructional videos I've ever seen. It's perfectly paced. He has a very succinct speaking style. The information is always relevant. He answered about a gazillion questions I'd had. He is thorough and meticulous. He tells you how to get through the permit process on some important points like grounding and warning labels. If this guy had a TV show, I'd watch it. He is sharp as hell. Thank you marqlin. I subscribed to your channel.
Very nice video. It does a great job of putting all the steps together. Information is all available from vendors, NEC, and permitting agencies, but no one else has done such a good job of putting the entire end to end overview for DIYers. To bad you weren't able to use the newer, integrated ground Enphase. Eliminates all that grounding on the roof. Also, there are some engineered penetrations that are quite nice and waterproof.
Informative video! It's amazing how the cost of the panels and micro-inverters has dropped over the past few years. We have an 18 (panel+Enphase) system up in the Sierra and the parts were so much more just 5 years ago! Also, from some of the comments here, it might not be clear to some that the two main advantages of using a micro-inverter are: (1) one panel or inverter going out does not impact the rest of the system, unlike a typical series-wired panels and common inverter system. (2) Enphase micro-inverters are rated to connect directly to utility power. This means in areas like ours in CA, the utility is required to buy or credit you back if your solar output exceeds your usage. In the mountains, we use PG&E like a bank to store the excess power we generate in the summer to help heat the house in the winter (when snow covers our hot water panels) Also, one viewer commented on the seemingly low power output of your panels and that it might be due to the temperature. In my experience, there is very little degradation in power due to high temperatures, and anyway your video clearly showed the panels putting out 215+ watts (out of 235) in the middle of the afternoon - not bad! Again, great video and thanks!
Thanks for making this video. Athough I'm in the UK and expect to have a 10 panel system installed for me (roof is high!), I found this video very helpful and informative.
Great vid! I'm also planning a self install in a place with no shortage of permitting and rules... Thanks for shedding a little light onto the process.
Great video.Yes I did mine solar ground mount array by myself too.In florida,you can pull permits as owner-builder and basically do everything by yourself and after inspectiones sighn interconnection agreement with power company,but you have to be knowledgable how to properly install solar,which can be learned.Let me tell you it will be 3x cheaper than solar company and sooner return !!!
I installed my own 1.5 Kw system and your video was a great help...well organised and a good guide for getting through the permit process... thanks. My solar array is a top-of-pole mounted system and so I also made a TH-cam video -Top-of-Pole mount solar array installation - to help those out there who want to do-it-yourself.
Everytime a see a video like this from a person in California, I thank my lucky stars that I don't live in California. Tiered rates up to $.30 per kw??? Permits?? $300 permits???? lol.
Excellent. We had our 8-panel system installed by an independent company here in Hawaii with 255W panels, but it was three times what your paid. Nice going as your detailed approach and doing it yourself saved you a bundle.
That was an excellent and very informative video! Thank you for posting it. I'm a master electrician, but my concern has always been dealing with the city building department, and you illustrated very nicely how to handle that aspect most effectively. Very nice work too :)
super install! I am having a 4KW enphase system installed in 2 weeks time, looking forward to using it to power my Nissan Leaf electric car, free motoring for me as I will be getting about £1000 UK a year from the system whether I use the electricity or not.
+Ahmad Alshamsi In Brazil (my city is a state capitol so it may vary for more or less in other regions ) is around US$ 0,26/Kwh in aug-2015 which is relatively expensive for brazilian standards nowdays. 6 months ago I was paying 60% of the value above. Goverment raised the electric bill due to lack of planning and lack of rain.
CSI production estimates are very low, so your real world production being bigger makes sense. Good timing for this project, since CSI rebates are gone now.
Excellent video. I was recommend to you by a fellow DIY solar guy- I am about to put in a 6kw system and found many helpful tips. Still trying to figure out..DC Optimizer or Micro inverter
If you are using solar panel approved racking, like SnapNRack, and are following their instruction manual... then in the SnapNRack website they have stamps for I think every state. This should be enough, unless you have a unique situation or a petty inspection dept.
I applaud you. I very well done and articulate installation demo. After your system has been in operation now for a while, what would you advise differently?
Nothing differently. There is a new model of the Enphase inverter that doesn't require the 8AWG ground wire attached. I would probably use those if cost was similar.
Very good video ! Are you using all you solar generation during the day ? Otherwise storage could be interesting. I did the same with Uni Solar PVL on a building zinc roof and using a DIY ESS for storage and reuse at night
Great video. Nice to see all of the great panning you put into it. I am putting up a solar system that is similar and am going with micro grid ties to avoid line loss from long DC runs. Curious on how well they have performed over time and if you have seen issues with the micro inverters wattage wise.
Excellent work. Did you pay an electrician for the final connection or did you do it yourself? Test of manhood, it is! Payback in 4 years..IF prices stay the same (and less time if prices go up, which we know they will)
Great video!!!! I'll be installing a similar system this fall at my home here in Alameda county. Questions: 1. Did your jurisdiction have any issue with your 6' spacing of roof mounts? The solar rail company i'm buying from is recommending 48" spacing. Not sure if they are just trying to sell me more product. The rails i'm using are rated for 96" span. 2. I'm having trouble finding an appropriate strain relief for my bare copper EGC, what did you use. Again thanks for the very detailed video.
Glad you enjoyed the video. To answer your questions. 1. For SnapNRack racking/mounts they have information in the installation manual, available online, on what spacing is required for your roof type/angle/wind speeds/height etc. The manual is stamped by a P.E. from most states including California, so if you follow the manual in this case your local jurisdiction should be satisfied. 2. I believe I used Arlington LPCG503 for ground strain relief (off the shelf at Home Depot IIRC). This along with my complete parts list and cost is at the end of the video. Switch to HD for proper viewing resolution.
nice job. i did almost the exact same instal on my roof, and my neighbors for fun, except we went with the Iron Ridge mounting system. fortunately, my city was pretty lax on permitting, and waived both electrical and building permits as part of solar initiative program. couldn't be happier though... however i did add a 2nd array (little smaller) that can be both gridtied and offgrid in case power outage. any thoughts in exploring AC Coupling with the Enphase? I know it's a pretty penny for the inverter, and work to move all the critical loads to separate/isolated panel, etc.. i'm still on fence on doing..probably only get couple brief outages a year
I have completed detailed plans for a 500W system with two 1350Whr T105RE's connected to a TriStar MPPT-45. This would be a completely separate emergency system that would still bring 12V power into one room of my home, which would run my cable modem, WiFi routers, phone, under normal conditions. This would lightly cycle the batteries to keep them fresh and verify everything is always operating normally. During extended power outages, (i.e. massive earthquake), there would be enough power to keep laptops charged, run a small lamp at night, etc. for emergency reasons for our family. I have no current motivation to install yet, but if I do I will produce a video.
verry nice just what i need a true DIY thank you one question i'm in the process of pulling my permits but building and safety required my plans to be stamped by and engineer or license contractor . i am in LA county . so did you had to get them sign off . or stamped
Great , how do you installed anti islanding? , i like pv systems i want to install here in mexico but I want to know the correct procedure, great video
Great video. Question: are those micro-inverters "grid-tie" thus eliminating an inverter at or near the electrical panel? And do they make the electrical system on the roof carrying the energy to the panel 110v?
They are grid-tied, and don't require an inverter at the panel. They make the system 220V 60Hz on the roof, that is tied directly into a 220V breaker on the main panel.
Very good video. You very organized man. But I think you never hear about Edison batteries. It is the best batteries ever created they can run 80 years never get damaged by overcharging or over discharging.
wiboater4 I wanted to minimize the number of penetrations into the roof. This is a clean install that is completely exterior to the house for easy long term maintenance.
Since your solar generation is across your house load just like the power company, 2 sources in parallel in essence, how is it determined that the power from you solar is the first to be used and that the power company electricity is only tapped once your load exceeds your panels? Seems to me that, up to the capacity of your solar, your load splits the power from your panels and the electric company and therefore you can never have less than half your power from the electric company.
Did the city mention any setbacks you needed to comply with? Like a setback from the peak of roof? I see as silly, because you have backside firemen can cut through if needed...
Luckily I installed a year before they added the onerous setback requirements. This installation wouldn't be approved in it's current layout under the latest rules.
great video. I have been considering doing this myself and with the microinverters, it seems very DIYable. Would you be willing to share your excel spreadsheet?
Are they demanding two accounts, ingoing/outgoing, and refusing to use 'one meter' so they can charge you for full distribution cost going into your house?
I have been looking into doing this my self I'm in AZ but I found my permit is $600 in Phoenix, and APS my power utility charges $200 or something I guess to discourage solar installs. Contractors are about double what the cost of the system is I'm thinking a small system like yours would help with the bill.
I'm doing another install at my cabin (all off-grid though) and using pvc conduit throughout including my pvc j-box on roof like yours. Is it required to bond the #6 to the equip/ground lug in pvc j-box, if it's plastic like yours? I thought was only required if j-box was metal, but want to be code compliant on mine so appreciate your input. Thanks.
Is there any chance that you could somehow post the parts list and websites for the product you used. I would love to take a close look at that parts list.
View in HD and go to the end of video. There is the complete parts list with cost for each item. Internet stores change all the time, so not as valuable.
Im curious about the connection to the electrical panel. Does your wiring from you disconnect box connect directly to a double pole breaker in the panel. I did not see you do that.
So, no batteries or charge controller necessary? Does this mean you are basically selling all the power made to the power company and still paying the same rate for the power you use? Or are you using some power from the system in the day, and sending the rest to the power company? I do understand it is lowering the cost in some way, but I'm not sure how the power company handles all that. Do you need a smart meter, or a second meter for the power company to calculate it?
Correct, no batteries or charge controller. There is a smart meter. The power generated by the panels goes into my house so I pull less power from the grid. If my house is consuming less than the panels provide then the meter spins backwards. I think I'll do a video showing all this data, from Enphase and from the power company, it's pretty nifty.
as you have seen, he's using micro-inverters linked to every PV panel. but there are batteries inverters solutions too, that works well with that. It's like he's storing that energy on the grid, and get it back in the night, avoid the extra expenses of a battery pack, battery storage doubles the whole expenses of the system and double the payback time. Battery storage is a must if you're living off-grid, have frequent blackouts, unreliable grid, or just want to be fully independent. In Germany the solar system incentives are being lowered because of the solar peak production strains. there is a move toward minimum storage, (1~3kwh) to smooth out peak productions and peak consumptions, so some are expecting incentives for energy storage too.
Hi, Thanks you for sharing this excellent video. Do you have a soft copy of the documentation (plans, BOM) somewhere like github? It will be nice to share them to make it easier for others.
Hi, could help me out identifying the name of the black square separator between the roof and your counduit? im trying to layout some counduit also on rooftop. Thanks
How did you get this approved for net metering since the enphase micro inverter is not UL 1741 certified, per the California "List of Eligible Inverters?"
Only 6 to 7 kwh per day? That's a failure given what it should produce. I assure you much higher production if you moved those to the ground. The heat given off those asphalt shingles is a detriment to those panel's production. Mine are on the ground and I see a big difference between winter and summer, almost night and day.
brad mack Heat is a factor in production, but maybe about 5-10% max over putting on the ground. To test, one can spray water on them and the roof to cool and see how much of an instantaneous increase. Of course on the ground can lead to more shade and loss in overall production. It's a balance.
5 to 10% power loss due to heat? Not a chance, I would estimate a 50% drop in capacity. Putting them on roof tops for looks is a big mistake. People simply do not under stand how electricity is generated. Do you have any idea how hot an asphalt roof is? If you don't believe me, google it.
brad mack Well I hit my panels with water today to see what the cooling effect is on an 85F day, and production increased by 11% dousing them and the roof with cool water from the garden hose for 5+ minutes. So putting them on the ground would increase some production, perhaps 5%, but then I would have to deal with extra shade, and double the installation cost. There are very likely some panels that are affected greatly by temp, but any modern day 60-cell solar panel will see much less fluctuations.
brad mack Actually Brad, 5-10% loss due to excessive heat is typically what majority of Solar Panel manufactures rate them at. Sun Power, Kyocera, LG, Solar World, etc... Sure, roof top mounts might have draw backs. But so do ground mounts! Not sure how you came up with a 50% efficiency drop due to roof heat? Working in the Solar distribution industry, I have NEVER seen that. I have the privilege to view Enphase, Solar Edge, and SMA readings constantly, and yet to that type of losses you are claiming.... Great DIY Solar Project marqlin. Thank you for sharing!
marqlin My solar installers used block of woods too conduit sitting on, but am not comportable coz wood will rot over time bcoz of sun and rain. They applied white substance though not sure if paint but I will wait until the city inspector come then I will ask them my concern. Thanks
No. 4 year payback means that if he produces $600/year of electricity through solar power and the solar system he installed cost $2,400, the system will pay for itself in 4 years. After that it's all FREE ELECTRICITY for 35+ more years!! Yipee.
Yes it can. THHN is usually rated as THWN-2. I recently passed inspection with THWN-2 on 1-line diagram, and could only find THHN in stores. It passed.
Stephen Ho Yes, in my community one must fill out paperwork with PG&E and they will install a meter that will run backwards. Otherwise, during the middle of the day your meter will just stop moving forward, but not go in reverse. There is no charge for this application from PG&E.
How will ENPHASE warranty your inverters since this was a DIY system? To my knowledge, they will refuse to help anyone unless they are a certified installer/electrician. Not much point in buying this cutting edge technology if the warranty is no good. Correct me if I am wrong.
SkyCNG warranties are overated.if you want to pay a ton for a warranty go ahead.i stay away from buying warrenties.if you are not a dyi person ,have someone install it for you and hopefully your not bent over after
This is one of the best made instructional videos I've ever seen. It's perfectly paced. He has a very succinct speaking style. The information is always relevant. He answered about a gazillion questions I'd had. He is thorough and meticulous. He tells you how to get through the permit process on some important points like grounding and warning labels. If this guy had a TV show, I'd watch it. He is sharp as hell. Thank you marqlin. I subscribed to your channel.
Very nice video. It does a great job of putting all the steps together. Information is all available from vendors, NEC, and permitting agencies, but no one else has done such a good job of putting the entire end to end overview for DIYers. To bad you weren't able to use the newer, integrated ground Enphase. Eliminates all that grounding on the roof. Also, there are some engineered penetrations that are quite nice and waterproof.
Informative video! It's amazing how the cost of the panels and micro-inverters has dropped over the past few years. We have an 18 (panel+Enphase) system up in the Sierra and the parts were so much more just 5 years ago! Also, from some of the comments here, it might not be clear to some that the two main advantages of using a micro-inverter are:
(1) one panel or inverter going out does not impact the rest of the system, unlike a typical series-wired panels and common inverter system.
(2) Enphase micro-inverters are rated to connect directly to utility power. This means in areas like ours in CA, the utility is required to buy or credit you back if your solar output exceeds your usage. In the mountains, we use PG&E like a bank to store the excess power we generate in the summer to help heat the house in the winter (when snow covers our hot water panels)
Also, one viewer commented on the seemingly low power output of your panels and that it might be due to the temperature. In my experience, there is very little degradation in power due to high temperatures, and anyway your video clearly showed the panels putting out 215+ watts (out of 235) in the middle of the afternoon - not bad!
Again, great video and thanks!
Thanks for making this video. Athough I'm in the UK and expect to have a 10 panel system installed for me (roof is high!), I found this video very helpful and informative.
Great vid! I'm also planning a self install in a place with no shortage of permitting and rules... Thanks for shedding a little light onto the process.
Great video.Yes I did mine solar ground mount array by myself too.In florida,you can pull permits as owner-builder and basically do everything by yourself and after inspectiones sighn interconnection agreement with power company,but you have to be knowledgable how to properly install solar,which can be learned.Let me tell you it will be 3x cheaper than solar company and sooner return !!!
I installed my own 1.5 Kw system and your video was a great help...well organised and a good guide for getting through the permit process... thanks. My solar array is a top-of-pole mounted system and so I also made a TH-cam video -Top-of-Pole mount solar array installation - to help those out there who want to do-it-yourself.
Someone's been to a good school or two. Great video, brother--brilliant!
Everytime a see a video like this from a person in California, I thank my lucky stars that I don't live in California. Tiered rates up to $.30 per kw??? Permits?? $300 permits???? lol.
Excellent. We had our 8-panel system installed by an independent company here in Hawaii with 255W panels, but it was three times what your paid. Nice going as your detailed approach and doing it yourself saved you a bundle.
I loved what you did. I live in Baltimore and the prices the solar companies are asking is crazy. If you where close I'd pay you to do it
That was an excellent and very informative video! Thank you for posting it. I'm a master electrician, but my concern has always been dealing with the city building department, and you illustrated very nicely how to handle that aspect most effectively. Very nice work too :)
Awesome video, very organized and professional.
super install! I am having a 4KW enphase system installed in 2 weeks time, looking forward to using it to power my Nissan Leaf electric car, free motoring for me as I will be getting about £1000 UK a year from the system whether I use the electricity or not.
Awesome video! Great work!
Really good video job. Fluid and fluent!!
you sir are amazing!! thanks for the video.
Gud planning & set up/installations you have there boss, for the moment i do have 350w(100w&250w)panels with a 400ah batteries(2e200ah batts)
Good Video explaining the basics.
I pay $0.02 per Kwh in DUBAI, power is very expensive in California
.40cents in Illinois....
I pay US$ 1,6 / KwH, in Brazil $$$$$$$$$
+Ahmad Alshamsi In Brazil (my city is a state capitol so it may vary for more or less in other regions ) is around US$ 0,26/Kwh in aug-2015 which is relatively expensive for brazilian standards nowdays. 6 months ago I was paying 60% of the value above. Goverment raised the electric bill due to lack of planning and lack of rain.
Quebec canada $0.08 per kwh
thanks for your excelent video about pv array with microinversor enphase-
CSI production estimates are very low, so your real world production being bigger makes sense. Good timing for this project, since CSI rebates are gone now.
Excellent video. I was recommend to you by a fellow DIY solar guy- I am about to put in a 6kw system and found many helpful tips. Still trying to figure out..DC Optimizer or Micro inverter
Excellent job.
If you are using solar panel approved racking, like SnapNRack, and are following their instruction manual... then in the SnapNRack website they have stamps for I think every state. This should be enough, unless you have a unique situation or a petty inspection dept.
Great work!
I applaud you. I very well done and articulate installation demo. After your system has been in operation now for a while, what would you advise differently?
Nothing differently. There is a new model of the Enphase inverter that doesn't require the 8AWG ground wire attached. I would probably use those if cost was similar.
Great vide. Now make us one with what you are doing to reduce consumption.
Very good video !
Are you using all you solar generation during the day ?
Otherwise storage could be interesting. I did the same with Uni Solar PVL on a building zinc roof and using a DIY ESS for storage and reuse at night
Great Job.
Very nice - thank you ! I am also in SJ, was wondering if you'd be open to share your XL sheet ...
Great video. Nice to see all of the great panning you put into it. I am putting up a solar system that is similar and am going with micro grid ties to avoid line loss from long DC runs. Curious on how well they have performed over time and if you have seen issues with the micro inverters wattage wise.
No issues with the 6 on my roof. Wattage output appears equivalent to May of last year.
Awesome job Buddy. You did a fantastic job and that's the way to go.
Woo Haa
nice Install there
I might have missed it, but what kind of system did you buy, or where?
Excellent work. Did you pay an electrician for the final connection or did you do it yourself? Test of manhood, it is! Payback in 4 years..IF prices stay the same (and less time if prices go up, which we know they will)
Great video!!!! I'll be installing a similar system this fall at my home here in Alameda county. Questions:
1. Did your jurisdiction have any issue with your 6' spacing of roof mounts? The solar rail company i'm buying from is recommending 48" spacing. Not sure if they are just trying to sell me more product. The rails i'm using are rated for 96" span.
2. I'm having trouble finding an appropriate strain relief for my bare copper EGC, what did you use.
Again thanks for the very detailed video.
Glad you enjoyed the video. To answer your questions.
1. For SnapNRack racking/mounts they have information in the installation manual, available online, on what spacing is required for your roof type/angle/wind speeds/height etc. The manual is stamped by a P.E. from most states including California, so if you follow the manual in this case your local jurisdiction should be satisfied.
2. I believe I used Arlington LPCG503 for ground strain relief (off the shelf at Home Depot IIRC). This along with my complete parts list and cost is at the end of the video. Switch to HD for proper viewing resolution.
nice job. i did almost the exact same instal on my roof, and my neighbors for fun, except we went with the Iron Ridge mounting system. fortunately, my city was pretty lax on permitting, and waived both electrical and building permits as part of solar initiative program. couldn't be happier though... however i did add a 2nd array (little smaller) that can be both gridtied and offgrid in case power outage. any thoughts in exploring AC Coupling with the Enphase? I know it's a pretty penny for the inverter, and work to move all the critical loads to separate/isolated panel, etc.. i'm still on fence on doing..probably only get couple brief outages a year
I have completed detailed plans for a 500W system with two 1350Whr T105RE's connected to a TriStar MPPT-45. This would be a completely separate emergency system that would still bring 12V power into one room of my home, which would run my cable modem, WiFi routers, phone, under normal conditions. This would lightly cycle the batteries to keep them fresh and verify everything is always operating normally. During extended power outages, (i.e. massive earthquake), there would be enough power to keep laptops charged, run a small lamp at night, etc. for emergency reasons for our family. I have no current motivation to install yet, but if I do I will produce a video.
sounds great.
verry nice just what i need a true DIY thank you
one question i'm in the process of pulling my permits but building and safety required my plans to be stamped by and engineer or license contractor . i am in LA county . so did you had to get them sign off . or stamped
Good job on the install. What brand panels did you use?
Great job. I'm also interested in the BOM. The link is still not active.
+Sa47 Link finally updated. Switched providers.
Great , how do you installed anti islanding? , i like pv systems i want to install here in mexico but I want to know the correct procedure, great video
Great video. Question: are those micro-inverters "grid-tie" thus eliminating an inverter at or near the electrical panel? And do they make the electrical system on the roof carrying the energy to the panel 110v?
They are grid-tied, and don't require an inverter at the panel. They make the system 220V 60Hz on the roof, that is tied directly into a 220V breaker on the main panel.
Very good video. You very organized man.
But I think you never hear about Edison batteries. It is the best batteries ever created they can run 80 years never get damaged by overcharging or over discharging.
Would they have allowed you to go through the roof to inside the attic? Then you wouldn't need to use conduit inside the house.
wiboater4 I wanted to minimize the number of penetrations into the roof. This is a clean install that is completely exterior to the house for easy long term maintenance.
marqlin This is why I like the idea of dedicated sun-shade awnings
Nice job thanks.
Since your solar generation is across your house load just like the power company, 2 sources in parallel in essence, how is it determined that the power from you solar is the first to be used and that the power company electricity is only tapped once your load exceeds your panels? Seems to me that, up to the capacity of your solar, your load splits the power from your panels and the electric company and therefore you can never have less than half your power from the electric company.
Did the city mention any setbacks you needed to comply with? Like a setback from the peak of roof? I see as silly, because you have backside firemen can cut through if needed...
Luckily I installed a year before they added the onerous setback requirements. This installation wouldn't be approved in it's current layout under the latest rules.
great video. I have been considering doing this myself and with the microinverters, it seems very DIYable. Would you be willing to share your excel spreadsheet?
Are they demanding two accounts, ingoing/outgoing, and refusing to use 'one meter' so they can charge you for full distribution cost going into your house?
I have been looking into doing this my self I'm in AZ but I found my permit is $600 in Phoenix, and APS my power utility charges $200 or something I guess to discourage solar installs. Contractors are about double what the cost of the system is I'm thinking a small system like yours would help with the bill.
weird how you weren't required to have a clearance from the roof ridge to the panels.
The roof ridge setback requirements were started in 2014. I installed before they were required.
What's that noisy white thing he keeps tapping loudly to show his diagrams? It looks like a series of ipads but super thin.
by #6 and meant your #8 cooper ground
Nice clean install.
I'm doing another install at my cabin (all off-grid though) and using pvc conduit throughout including my pvc j-box on roof like yours. Is it required to bond the #6 to the equip/ground lug in pvc j-box, if it's plastic like yours? I thought was only required if j-box was metal, but want to be code compliant on mine so appreciate your input. Thanks.
sunsensational If PVC throughout then bonding as I did is not needed. Bonding was needed because I decided to run metal conduit on the roof.
that's what i was hoping you would say. thanks
Is there any chance that you could somehow post the parts list and websites for the product you used. I would love to take a close look at that parts list.
View in HD and go to the end of video. There is the complete parts list with cost for each item. Internet stores change all the time, so not as valuable.
i think this guy should be sponsored by starbucks. just sayin,lol
Im curious about the connection to the electrical panel. Does your wiring from you disconnect box connect directly to a double pole breaker in the panel. I did not see you do that.
Yes, just wire directly to the breaker like any 240V branch circuit.
So, no batteries or charge controller necessary? Does this mean you are basically selling all the power made to the power company and still paying the same rate for the power you use? Or are you using some power from the system in the day, and sending the rest to the power company? I do understand it is lowering the cost in some way, but I'm not sure how the power company handles all that. Do you need a smart meter, or a second meter for the power company to calculate it?
Correct, no batteries or charge controller. There is a smart meter. The power generated by the panels goes into my house so I pull less power from the grid. If my house is consuming less than the panels provide then the meter spins backwards. I think I'll do a video showing all this data, from Enphase and from the power company, it's pretty nifty.
as you have seen, he's using micro-inverters linked to every PV panel. but there are batteries inverters solutions too, that works well with that.
It's like he's storing that energy on the grid, and get it back in the night, avoid the extra expenses of a battery pack, battery storage doubles the whole expenses of the system and double the payback time.
Battery storage is a must if you're living off-grid, have frequent blackouts, unreliable grid, or just want to be fully independent.
In Germany the solar system incentives are being lowered because of the solar peak production strains.
there is a move toward minimum storage, (1~3kwh) to smooth out peak productions and peak consumptions, so some are expecting incentives for energy storage too.
Ted Bundy Thats why you dont over produce. That only occurs at the end of the year if you have a true up bill. This keeps your tiers down.
Hi, Thanks you for sharing this excellent video. Do you have a soft copy of the documentation (plans, BOM) somewhere like github? It will be nice to share them to make it easier for others.
Hi, could help me out identifying the name of the black square separator between the roof and your counduit? im trying to layout some counduit also on rooftop. Thanks
The black separator is just a piece of 4x4 wood that I painted black. It is just resting on the roof. Put on an angle so rain diverts around it.
How did you get this approved for net metering since the enphase micro inverter is not UL 1741 certified, per the California "List of Eligible Inverters?"
Yes, the Enphase M215 micro inverter is UL1741 certified, and also on the California list of inverters, so no problem getting it approved.
Only 6 to 7 kwh per day? That's a failure given what it should produce. I assure you much higher production if you moved those to the ground. The heat given off those asphalt shingles is a detriment to those panel's production. Mine are on the ground and I see a big difference between winter and summer, almost night and day.
brad mack Heat is a factor in production, but maybe about 5-10% max over putting on the ground. To test, one can spray water on them and the roof to cool and see how much of an instantaneous increase. Of course on the ground can lead to more shade and loss in overall production. It's a balance.
5 to 10% power loss due to heat? Not a chance, I would estimate a 50% drop in capacity. Putting them on roof tops for looks is a big mistake. People simply do not under stand how electricity is generated. Do you have any idea how hot an asphalt roof is?
If you don't believe me, google it.
brad mack
Well I hit my panels with water today to see what the cooling effect is on an 85F day, and production increased by 11% dousing them and the roof with cool water from the garden hose for 5+ minutes. So putting them on the ground would increase some production, perhaps 5%, but then I would have to deal with extra shade, and double the installation cost. There are very likely some panels that are affected greatly by temp, but any modern day 60-cell solar panel will see much less fluctuations.
brad mack Actually Brad, 5-10% loss due to excessive heat is typically what majority of Solar Panel manufactures rate them at. Sun Power, Kyocera, LG, Solar World, etc... Sure, roof top mounts might have draw backs. But so do ground mounts! Not sure how you came up with a 50% efficiency drop due to roof heat? Working in the Solar distribution industry, I have NEVER seen that. I have the privilege to view Enphase, Solar Edge, and SMA readings constantly, and yet to that type of losses you are claiming.... Great DIY Solar Project marqlin. Thank you for sharing!
Thanks for the video! I went to go buy the BOM from the link but it says it's not available at this time. Will it be available again soon?
+evplasmaman2 Updated the link. Sorry it was down so long.
+marqlin Great! Worth every penny!
In most places, licensing is not required.
Any way you can fix the link to buy the example permit plans?
OMG! You SCARED the DIY out of me.
What is that couple black materials did you used that the conduit sitting on?
+marjomjom Blocks of wood painted black. They are just resting on the roof surface.
marqlin My solar installers used block of woods too conduit sitting on, but am not comportable coz wood will rot over time bcoz of sun and rain. They applied white substance though not sure if paint but I will wait until the city inspector come then I will ask them my concern. Thanks
What happens after the 4yrs?
Do they cut you and actual check?
No. 4 year payback means that if he produces $600/year of electricity through solar power and the solar system he installed cost $2,400, the system will pay for itself in 4 years. After that it's all FREE ELECTRICITY for 35+ more years!! Yipee.
we have a service 100am.how panel solar we need to instaler.
Can THHN rather than THWN wire be used to pass the city inspection?
+David Wang No The W in THWN stands for weather resistant.
Yes it can. THHN is usually rated as THWN-2. I recently passed inspection with THWN-2 on 1-line diagram, and could only find THHN in stores. It passed.
How long was your unspliced ground conductor?
Les Miller About 30 feet
Do you need PG&E permit in additional to the city?
Stephen Ho Yes, in my community one must fill out paperwork with PG&E and they will install a meter that will run backwards. Otherwise, during the middle of the day your meter will just stop moving forward, but not go in reverse. There is no charge for this application from PG&E.
You had tall racks, why not run wire in the rack to the panels, that way they would never lay on roof or be steel tied to rack, done...
Would need peep holes, especially if ends are blocked...
How will ENPHASE warranty your inverters since this was a DIY system? To my knowledge, they will refuse to help anyone unless they are a certified installer/electrician. Not much point in buying this cutting edge technology if the warranty is no good. Correct me if I am wrong.
SkyCNG warranties are overated.if you want to pay a ton for a warranty go ahead.i stay away from buying warrenties.if you are not a dyi person ,have someone install it for you and hopefully your not bent over after
The drawings in your examples, what software did you use to make those? Specifically the home drawings and elevation?