OFF GRID PERMIT?

[Nobodybusiness]

That system does send energy back to the grid so there is no way that PG&E needs to be involved

They will claim” they need to check to make sure”..

 

[Nobodybusiness]

Lawns are stupid.

Get no argument from me on that..

 

[Nobodybusiness]

That's just ridiculous, guns are centuries old inventions steel tube, fuel oxidizer and some lead. Not going away.

Meanwhile have fun buy a gun that can hurt someone a mile away but want to put some panels on your roof to make some electric out of sunshine the permit gestapo up your rear end.

Maybe we need a new constitutional amendment that the right to bear solar shall not be infringed

Wouldn’t matter they infringe on 2A all the time.

 

[Ampster]

They will claim” they need to check to make sure”..

PG&E has bigger problems than my few extra panels. I am allowed 1 kW increase in size per my contract. They have no contract rights to search my home.They did not have a need to "make sure" when they gave me the Permission To Operate.

 

[Nobodybusiness]

PG&E has bigger problems than my few extra panels. I am allowed 1 kW increase in size per my contract. They have no contract rights to search my home.They did not have a need to "make sure" when they gave me the Permission To Operate.

You would be surprised what flimsy excuses they have to waltz right on to your property and start looking around.
Not necessarily PGE but county inspector or anyone else that feels nosy.

 

[Sticky1]

Maybe in your jurisdiction
Clearcutting around here is cutting all trees. It wouldn’t be very clear land if trees remained.
Selective cutting or thinning leaves trees behind

Check your zoning laws

 

[12VoltInstalls]

Check your zoning laws

???
This is Vermont where I live.
Very few zoning jurisdictions to violate property owners rights outside of citified places.
Pretty hard to build a house if 25% of the trees were left behind…

 

[OffGridInTheCity]

You would be surprised what flimsy excuses they have to waltz right on to your property and start looking around.
Not necessarily PGE but county inspector or anyone else that feels nosy.

A couple of years ago I wanted to locate where my sewer line ran under my back yard. I did an online inter-agency request for a locator - but then found it myself and canceled the request. I had a contractor over and the fence gate was open. A few days later, a guy just walked onto my property and started looking all around (with me + contractor right there) at my project and I said I cancelled it and he said agressively "I just wanted to see what was going on". He had internet company logo clothing (no equipment for sewer pipe location)!

In San Jose in the 90s, we had a fence but wasn't locked. On 2 occasions over a few years we found people just walked thru the gate and looked around the back yard.

This is why we keep a secured, locked fence with water/gas/power meters just outside the fence - some of these folks feel entitled to flat-out trespass and snoop. Of course I'm in the city and can reasonably fence the whole property.

 

[12VoltInstalls]

Of course I'm in the city and can reasonably fence the whole property

And buy a couple ‘game cameras’ that text out the photos when they gets a-triggered.

It would never cross my mind to wander onto property and scope out what was there. That seems so wrong.

 

[Rednecktek]

I would expect no less with a username I like that.

Sadly, I've spent soooo much time UN-cluster-frakking wiring at my camp and various places I've worked.

 

[tomy2]

Putting lag screws into rafters would be far stronger, but have fun locating them from outside unless you marked location while re-roofing.

To locate the rafters, I go in the attic and drill a small holes alongside of the rafters and stick a long wood toothpick up thru the roof. Two holes six feet apart per rafter so you can use them to snap a line along the full length of the rafter. Once everything is laid out, just cut off the excess toothpick and squeeze a dab of caulk over it. Works great on asphalt roofs and no leaks.

 

[OffGridInTheCity]

To locate the rafters, I go in the attic and drill a small holes alongside of the rafters and stick a long wood toothpick up thru the roof. Two holes six feet apart per rafter so you can use them to snap a line along the full length of the rafter. Once everything is laid out, just cut off the excess toothpick and squeeze a dab of caulk over it. Works great on asphalt roofs and no leaks.

Another tip.... When installing solar panel rail mounts - from the outside - my contractor banged the roof to get approximate location of the rafters and then screwed in (pretty long construction screws) at 30deg'ish angles (instead of straight) to increase the chances of sinking into the rafter.

 

[12VoltInstalls]

stick a long wood toothpick up thru the roof

or just drive a nail​

 

[tomy2]

or just drive a nail​

the wood toothpick will expand and fill the hole if any moisture gets there....

 

[Daddy Tanuki]

the wood toothpick will expand and fill the hole if any moisture gets there....

if thats the concern why not drill the hole so small that the toothpick ends up as an interference fit and then coat it with wood glue when you stuff it in the hole? this would guarantee the sealing especially with the caulk on the top from the outside.

 

[12VoltInstalls]

if thats the concern why not drill the hole so small that the toothpick ends up as an interference fit and then coat it with wood glue when you stuff it in the hole? this would guarantee the sealing especially with the caulk on the top from the outside.

I have more faith in polyurethane sealant. Or lexel in a pinch.
Toothpicks won’t work below the waterline in a boat (maybe a wooden boat though I’d still install it wet) but polyurethane does. And it won’t rot or dry out and break down in the sun.

 

[chadjones99]

One thing to consider. If they are NOT affixed to your property then no permit or inspection would be required. Think of it as plugging in a off-grid portable generator ... they don't inspect that. now, how would you mount them where they are not considered affixed? 1) mount on the roof of a Sea Container 2) mount on their own ( metal ) racks on the ground, etc , etc Just saying just food for thought . I did this at my old house in AZ and sold it with no issues too

 

[Ampster]

If they are NOT affixed to your property then no permit or inspection would be required

That is an interesting concept. If they are not affixed, how does one prevent them from blowing away in a breeze? On the other hand adding a circuit does require a building permit in most jurisdictions. I do not know of a way to install an off grid system without adding a circuit?

 

[chadjones99]

That is an interesting concept. If they are not affixed, how does one prevent them from blowing away in a breeze? On the other hand adding a circuit does require a building permit in most jurisdictions. I do not know of a way to connect an inverter without the inverter being considered a circuit.

WOW, are you kidding me you don't understand what I said? having something affixed to your property means attached to your house OR permit affixture to your land like cemented into the ground. The ground mount system that I posted a picture of in my post above showing an example was attached with short rebar so it would NOT blow away. Also, another example I used was attached to the roof of a shipping container box which weight is about 8000 lbs but not a permit building cause it just sits on your land ( like a car does and they don't blow away )
And your comment about code .. well you don't have to have a code inspection for NONE affixed components just like I said using the example of a generator ... Also the O.P. said he did not want to have code people come out... I did a large solar install in colorado for an off-grid cabin while it was being built and the code inspector was out a few times during the build, he said if it's not affixed and plugs into the house like a generator does then he doesn't care about it. IF all this was above your head you probably don't need to be doing any solar work yourself ...

 

[chadjones99]

also, check this out, its a trailer so its consider a vehicle no code inspection... plugs in just like a generator ( this is just another example ) see picture. oh and it has a pass-through generator

Ampster look a circuit connected to our house without adding it as affixed​