CA NEM2.0 DIY Enphase install

[hypotheticalgiraffe]

Like many others I'm considering a non-export secondary system as I already have a 7.6kW SolarEdge system which doesn't nearly cover our usage at all (two EVs, air conditioning, other things). I got a few quotes from installers but while going through them and looking at Enphase's training material for their NEM2-specifically marketed non-export system I realised it just didn't look that hard - there's even a presentation PDF for installers on the Enphase site that tells you exactly what buttons to press to add the second system, with a link to the anti-islanding document along with example diagrams PG&E (as well as SDGE and SCE) have agreed they will approve. As such I got to thinking I could just DIY it myself. I've done permitted electrical/mechanical/plumbing work before (remodelling a kitchen that only had a single knob and tube outlet when I started) which did also include permitted roofing, and other than the training documents from Enphase I also have examples in the form of the documentation from the installers of my original system, and the kinds of prices if I went for a 14 panel system and a couple of Enphase batteries (we get plenty of power cuts even though it's just the Silicon Valley suburbs) seems like it'd be approaching $20k savings to do it myself based on what I'm seeing for prices of the plain equipment.

However, I was curious if anyone else has actually attempted to DIY this kind of setup yet, since the entire idea is so new? I mostly worry that PG&E might cause a fuss at the homeowner doing the work, on the assumption I can't be trusted to configure the system to behave as specced by Enphase (obviously I would configure it correctly).

 

[Lawrence_SoCal]

I'll be watching this as curious/interested in similar.

 

[hex4def6]

If you look at my history you'll see I've done an Enphase normal system before (also bay area). It was pretty straightforward. I think the extra complexity that results from it being a non-export addition is not that big of a deal. Go for it.
I've been really impressed at the enphase stuff, even though I was a bit salty about the premium I paid for it. I figured that the savings I made DIYing more than offset the extra up-front cost.

I just wish they had a way to segment the extra inverters "virtually", and not require an extra IQ Combiner box. In theory each inverter can measure its output individually and they're all serialized, so I don't see why this couldn't be done.

 

[zanydroid]

The complexity is all legal admin probably, not technical.

 

[400bird]

If you add to your system now, you'll get kicked to NEM 3, there are significant differences that you should probably look into.

As far as DIY, CA allows owners to work on their residence, PGE block that. You just need to do the permits and do all the paperwork. That's no small hurdle.

 

[Lawrence_SoCal]

If you add to your system now, you'll get kicked to NEM 3, there are significant differences that you should probably look into.

No, not necessarily get kicked to NEM3. OP specifically is referring to agreement/program (CPUC? PoCO and CalSSA) as mentioned in
https://diysolarforum.com/threads/sdg-e-ca-expand-pv-production-and-stay-on-old-nem.90522/ and similar related threads.

Short version, typical 10%/1Kw allowed PV production expansion without re-tariff (ie move to NEM3) has a new, larger (unlimited?) allowed exception if new panels are non-exporting... but new agreement this year, details still being worked out, apparently...

So, OP is right, and one can do the Enphase tutorials, and DIY the physical install (to code). The challenge will be the PoCo specific paperwork for non-export system... my local PoCo required permits and local AHJ inspection sign-off for original PV system install, so I'm not assuming same won't be required for new panels being installed.
to me, as this is supposedly an agreement (vs say, CPUC rule/published policy), can change at any time, etc. And PoCo may be incentivized to NOT make it easy for the DIY crowd (ex paperwork only available to CalSSA members? just one thought pulled out of thin air of a possible limiting approach, no idea what the reality is)

I took the point of this thread to be a query as what a DIY person needs to do, and I suspect that may be somewhat CA PoCo dependent

 

[hypotheticalgiraffe]

Thanks for the replies all! And yes - my question was instructional, but it does sound like not many have tried it yet, so I just started trying to figure it out myself anyway. I'll keep the thread updated but I didn't have many updates yet as I've been working on other unrelated, more urgent personal projects.

What I did do was just to follow all the instructions in the Enphase documentation (which is just a PowerPoint deck, but it does tell you what buttons to press on the PG&E site). The PG&E site was a little buggy, it reset one of the options that Enphase specify multiple times, which worried me a little, saying it was an invalid option - but i was able to persevere and get it to save with the required options set, so I've got no idea what that was all about. Also an amusing error popped up when I first loaded the page I didn't initially understand, saying "Wind is an invalid option". Seems like the (defunct) installer of my original system set the solar system's energy type to solar/wind instead of solar/sun.

Either way, I want to do a bit more analysis of my roof (using shademap-type stuff) to figure out exactly the best placement as it's a north roof setup, then I'll pick what panels I want to buy at which point I can put those panels into the application and finalise it with PG&E and see if they're going to be a problem or not (the last step in the Enphase documentation is, after submitting the new plan, to actually e-mail PG&E direct with the plan number and tell them it's specifically a non-export stay-on-NEM2 project).

 

[Lawrence_SoCal]

@hypotheticalgiraffe - thanks for that update... sounds promising (so far) in terms of less obstacles/restrictions than I thought could possibly be put in place.

 

[glandpuck]

I cannot emphasize this enough: If you are in California and you want to add a non-export system after your grid tied system, you are going to want to install a hybrid inverter, batteries and a sub-panel. You can set the hybrid inverter to NO EXPORT. You can set it to charge batteries and an EV at night. You can easily upgrade panels without having to deal with multiple inverters on each panel and their connections which weather over time.

Your sub-panel will contain all of your loads you want to run from your added PV, batteries, generator. In many cases, you can install the sub-panel and if need be, interrupt the existing circuits in the attic or basement and wire them to the sub-panel, disconnecting them from the main panel this way. Any remaining connection to the main panel/grid (which should not be done hint hint) should be set to zero export so no power gets fed back.

Get a Sol-Ark, EG4, an Outback Radian. Remember, California is constantly changing the NEM rules and the hybrid inverters have the firmware space and programmers behind them to make the changes you may need.

Enphase easy to install, but ......