diy solar

diy solar

Hello from Sunnyvale, CA (near San Jose, CA)

spoe

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Sep 19, 2020
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I've been a watcher/lurker in Will Prowse's Youtube channel the past 4-5 months. I am very grateful for the video lessons. It's helping understand that I can help save the environment and reduce my dependency on the grid. Electricity scares me, I feel limited in what a beginner can/should do. I just order Will's book from Amazon to help my understanding.

I have some solar goals I'd like to get some input on how to approach. Caveat: I live in a mobile home (built 2012) which I believe you cannot treat like a regular home when it comes to solar installation and I cannot seem to find a provider/installer whose willing to take on the project. There are regulations/permits that have to be tackled. But, it's still a dream/goal to have home power by solar. However, I do have a shed (see attached picture) that maybe I can add solar panels/shingles to?

goal #1: solar on 1500 sq.ft. home to power home and future EV (Tesla)
goal #2: solar on the shed to charge future EV

I think practically, it would probably be easier to achieve goal #2 in the next year. I know the state of California is trying to promote solar use, but mobile homes are more complicated due to their structure and governmental/permitting process.

For those curious about home power usage, I have a sense device that says we average during the summer about 725 kWh per month w/o an EV.

Thanks for any input you can offer on my journey forward.

Steve
 

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Hi Steve,
I'm local.

Is your mobile in a park? Do they allow or object to PV?

Everything inside the trailer/prefab/modular (or whatever politically correct term) is probably under that other regulation. Not sure how modifications are handled.
But you will also have a utility feed it is hard wired into, which is probably permitted by the city. It has a meter and a disconnect. Should be able to tap there to make a second circuit.

Roof top installation permits are simplified. If you can do that, it is on-line and the inspector looks at your drawings when he comes for final inspection of finished work. Sloped, shingled roof would make it a conventional installation.
Do you have a porch or carport awning? Perhaps if installed there you won't have to do module-level shutdown.

Is your utility bill from PG&E, or from the park? If the latter, need to see if net-metering is allowed.

Do you want to just offset consumption and bill? Or do battery-backup too?
 
HI @Hedges, thanks for your response. I am at the beginning stages where the larger solar companies likely don't want this business. I have no drawings just ideas of what I'd like to scope out. My roof his sloped & shingled. I do have a carport awning (see attached, maybe 50 ft guessing)

Regarding utility, current we're through the master power of the park. They have a project plan to cut the 920+ homes to PG&E. I have no idea how long this will take nor where we'll fit on the schedule. I hope to talk to the PG&E & HUD reps that we want to cut over to solar. I'd like to add battery too if the cost is within reason. Since you're local, you'd understand that our area lost power with the recent heatwave for several hours each day for half a week with shared responsibility from the park and PG&E. If the present is an indication of the future, the years ahead will likely provide more events as such. That aside, as I mentioned from the beginning, trying to offset my demand for electricity is a good thing to help the environment.
 

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