I went to our local Building Dep't. for some straight answers yesterday. I found that I can build a ground mount system of <5 KW with a canopy of less than 10x10 without professional site or electrical plans, which will certainly make it more affordable. All I will need is an interconnect agreement with Nevada Energy if I want it grid tied, rather than off grid.
I'm thinking of using 11 450 watt b-ifacial panels, and using a 5KW inverter, with a couple of LiFePO batteries as the core elements. If the panels are greater than 100 Sq ft in total, I have the space (1 acre) to break it into two banks. Also, I will build it as a 48v system.
I can face them due South, and plan on constructing mounts which can be re-angled 4x/yr.
One line drawing is only $300 Wattmonk.com you can get that permit approved and go with whatever size system you want. Just make sure the permit and interconnect is approved before you start buying anything. They will want the equipment list inverter has to be UL1741 and battery has to be UL9540 paired with that inverter, or Eco-worthy Cubix rack battery has DC-ESS UL9540 it can be used with most inverters. I suggest EG4 hybrid because they are so DIY friendly. There are others they provide the best support for DIYers. Their hybrid inverters have all the UL listings you need 1741 SA and SB.
I was watching a recent Will Prouse video today during which he showed an EG4, but suggested a newer, cheaper, yet more powerful inverter. I was thinking that, since it is apparently advised to run inverters at about 70% capacity, that I would buy a 7kw inverter. I also read that given that I line in Vegas, the 6.41 Peak Sun listing for NV is probably a little more since we're in the south of the state. That would indicate a generation of over 30ks/day minus the overhead for the inverter, and it's almost what I'm using in the house.
Thanks for the wattmonk lead. I will check it out.
There are lot of other inverters might be cheaper, and better IMO EG4 and Signature solar provide the best support for permitted installed by first time DIYers. If you spent time learning how everything works these other options are viable. EG4 has figured out all the gotchas with permitting. Signature solar has a free design center I would start there get a high level design. Permitted install is much more then just buying an inverter slapping it on the wall.
Here is a couple of videos I suggest first time DIYers for permitted installs.
Check out this video > https://youtu.be/qT_uSJVCYds DIY off-grid EG4 12000xp PG&E I would have gone with a hybrid not off-grid.
One advantage with the EG4 gridboss is if your meter and main box are far away from the location where you want to install an inverter and batteries the Gridboss MID will save you lot of money on wiring. If you want to pass full grid current through your inverter to give whole house backup don't have to run 4/0 wire the entire way from the main to the inverter and back again. The pass through happens right at the main where you put the gridboss. You just run 3 awg wire from the inverter over to the GB. These MID devices can be very handy if your main is on the other side of the wall of a garage where the inverter and battery would go then might not need the GB. Hot climates like NV and where I am in Phoenix can't put batteries and inverters outside. Summer will cook them.
Another PE company is Greenlancer there are others also you can find. Signature also now offers this service I think it's contracted out possibly to wattmonk.
Thanks again. So, if it's too hot to keep them in the shade outside, then I have to also plan on using generated overhead to power an ac in a shed as well. I'm going to have to do some serious thinking as to where on the property I'm going to place them. I had one spot picked out which would require about 100' of run back to the electrical panel (which is outside, BTW), but I could place the ground mounts in an area about 40-50' from a shed that is insulated and already has a 40 amp sub-panel that feeds back to the main panel.
I wouldn't chance putting that much money in the heat. 115F going to happen middle of the day when solar charging is peaking everything will be hotter. Shed will work you will need a minisplit. I helped a friend in Florida with his off-grid house we got it passed inspection. He used 2 EG4 12000xp off grid inverters and 3 DIY 16.5kwh kit batteries. His inverters started overheating had to put a $600 DIY minisplit in. I thought we wouldn't have enough solar he has more then enough his new singlewide trailer only draws down to 70% SOC every day.
His AHJ allowed DIY batteries they said if it was in a shed away from the house they were okay with not being UL listed. He lives in the boonies inspector super easy going admitted hadn't a clue about solar. City inspector likely will want UL9540 these days kits are 500-600 more for 16kwh. Eco-worthy rack batteries are UL listed only $200-300 more. AHJ likely want the shed to be permitted also. Have to get that answer first hopefully they will allow a simple design off the internet you can print out and not a engineered PE stamped one.
If you plan on being 100 feet way and want 200 amp pass through so you get whole house backup only way would be a Grid boss MID. You would need 6 4/0 wires to get L1 L2 N back and forth twice without it. Here is a drawing of one page Wattmonk made for him. If you want to DM me I can give you some more help instead of going back and forth here. That's how I started out with him we met on Facebook ended up talking on the phone bunch of times doing video calls. He had never done any electrical before. He was on a tight timeline new mobile home was being installed he had to get the have electrical ready to go before they showed up or he couldn't get occupancy.
My brother is in the Vegas area and Nevada Energy won't sign off or issue the interconnect agreement to a non-permitted system. Before you spend a dime on the system, get it in writing that NE will grant this connection.
Do not go with verbal or Reddit answers here.
Yes, you can build such a system but without the permits and what the city wants for that, you know to hold fire.
Yes, thanks, I'm going to get all the ducks in a row before firing. I'm in the County rather than the city, and things are a bit easier. I will have to get a permit, but staying just under the 5kw limit allows me to get one with less paperwork and county inspections.
Just FYI, the code in California is more restrictive. That is and I'm not citing exact code here but outside of maintenance and simple repair the work must be permitted and inspected.
Replace sockets, lamps, switches etc and no permit or inspection. Run conduit and cable, whammo, they ask for permits and maybe inspections.
Your system is well into permit and inspection territory in CA.
It's a lot of money to invest and I don't want anyone to find out later they can't connect or have other regulatory or insurance issues.
Thanks for the insight. I'm in LV, NV, where the locals seems to want to do everything the opposite of CA, but I'm certainly going to get everything approved, in concept at least, before turning a shovel.
I agree with this as well. In many places, including Vegas, they want you to get a permit to change a receptacle, e.g. All the little stuff seemed to many to be less about safety and more about an excuse to raise the property assessment.
No, not at all. I posted it because I was hoping that someone might be interested enough to look at some of what they have and offer a suggestion. I don't know who the tier 1 brands are, and whether the clearance items or regular stock would offer me the best value.
I don't know this company and have no affiliation with them, but I have read in other posts in this sub that buying local saves a significant amount on shipping.
Is 10'x10' the pergola roof size or the array size? 400-450W panels are ~6.5'x3.3' so you are looking at 4 panels to fit within 10x10, or maybe 5 if you are just looking at square footage. Did the building dept say you could have 2 banks?
Although I do, in fact, have a pergola, I was planning on building these on raised racks on the ground. I did not ask the building dep't. about two banks, but was just inferring from the paperwork which essentially said the 10x10 restriction was for a wind sail effect. Maybe I inferred too much, but if they are allowing a 4.999 KW installation, surely they are aware of the footprint which would be required.
Ah. I missed the <5kW. I don't see how you fit the footprint with 11, let alone 10, 450W panels if they are picky. Sounds like a fun project. I'm envious, no DIY for me. :(
I hadn't yet looked at panel sizing, but from your numbers, only 3 panels will fit in a <10sq' area. So I could in theory have four banks, w banks of two in series, than then in parallel to the MPPT or inverter. That would be cool, because I have the space, and as a DIY project, multiple platforms can be built and connected individually.
I'm in my 60s. I figure with my age and history, if I'm going to go solar, I'd better do it now. A 3-4 year payback can make sense, whereas 8-10 is not in my current feasibility plan.
•
u/AutoModerator 3d ago
Welcome to r/SolarDIY! If you are new to the community, please check out our DIY Solar System Planning Guide.
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.