Homeowner installed grid-tie system in Santa Cruz County?

[ravra]

I have a small solar setup (6 380W PV panels, microinverters, combiner box, cables, etc.) and ideally, I'd like to mostly install it myself as a grid-tie system (though I'd be happy to have an electrician do the work in the panel). I'm good with stuff like this and understand the electronics parts (MSEE). I live in Santa Cruz County and have looked over the county submission docs and I'm wondering if this is a non-starter because I'm not a qualified solar installer. Also, I'm doubtful a solar installer would want to divvy up the work.

Does anyone have experience with this here?

Thx,
-r

 

[sunshine_eggo]

First, grab a hammer.

Second, grab a propane torch.

Third, set your head on fire.

Fourth, put it out with the hammer.

DIY solar in California will make the above feel like a relaxing scalp massage.

Seriously though... I just love using that analogy.

@Ampster might have some meaningful input...

 

[400bird]

I'm in California and did 2 diy installs on my house. Process was fine. PGE's paperwork for the battery was dumb. But the solar portion was straightforward enough.

Edit: just to clarify, I'm not in Santa Cruz county, so no direct help to the OP. I'm just posting to provide some actual experience in California vs what others have said.

 

[zanydroid]

I don't know why people love to dump on solar in California, it's a very solar friendly state. I guess everybody who is left in the state has accepted regulations/nanny state so are less likely to have a libertarian rabid hatred of permitting and code compliance ?

DIY solar is pretty easy in California unless you're in the small handful of annoying cities/AHJs. I just finished my first one a few hours ago.

In California there are very few turnkey installers (as of the last time I asked, 6 months ago) that will be happy to split the project with you. So you either all-in on DIY, or figure out how to make yourself an official owner-builder business and hire the workers directly.

What do you mean by grid-tie? How recent are the articles you're reading on the cost-benefit analysis? Because a pure grid-tie with no batteries is a terrible idea under NEM3 export compensation terms. You need a battery with self-consume mode to minimize your exports. Now orthogonal to that is that the battery might only works grid-tie or can also grid-form for backup power.

 

[Hedges]

Consider yourself qualified.

 

[zanydroid]

A six solar panel system is going to have god awful fixed soft costs btw. You have $145 interconnection fee cost with PG&E, probably $400 in AHJ permit costs and $600 to have plans prepared by someone unless you want to slowly grind through the CAD software for racking and SLD yourself. If your AHJ wants stamps that's like $200-300.

(depends on how lenient your AHJ is with accepting simplified paperwork, also California was supposed to release some state website to facilitate this, I finished my permit set before this came out so I have no clue other than knowing that the legislation for this was passed last year)

 

[zanydroid]

Did you call AHJ yet or get in touch with your local solar/electrification/DIY enthusiasts forum? My city AHJ is super helpful (provided I can get their attention that week, ?). They sort of lost my emails and messages my first try ever at asking, but then the local Nextdoor forum told me that they’re actually very helpful so I tried again (plus one of my neighbors pinged the department head to let them know I was trying to get in touch).

Anyway, if your AHJ is helpful they can be much more useful than a general forum like this for local practices. Actually your local forum or finding someone here in your AHJ to DM would be more effective than a general message.

 

[ravra]

Hi all and thanks for all your replies. Just responding to various comments...

I haven't contacted the Santa Cruz County Planning department but their PV permit makes this very specific comment:

Photovoltaic permit applications and installations shall be completed by “Qualified Personnel” ... This includes the following personnel as stated by the California State Licensing Board, a General contractor, Electrical contractor and Solar Photovoltaic contractor.

This is what gave me pause and the reason I posted to the forum but, you're right, I should simply call them to see if this is even worth starting.

I own the equipment I mentioned and I'm willing to pay for fees and some contractor help to make this happen. I know under the NEM3 rules, it won't be nearly as beneficial as NEM2 and I might never make back the investment. Maybe someday I'll add batteries.

I don't know of a good local forum to Santa Cruz County. Does anyone have have a link?

Thx again.

 

[zanydroid]

That list is not exhaustive. I think it’s more to tell homeowners who they should hire (ie not a handyman).

NEC also says qualified personnel all over the place but owner-builder and owner occupant DIY is accepted as qualifying to be qualified in most jurisdictions.

I don't know of a good local forum to Santa Cruz County. Does anyone have have a link?

I would start with Nextdoor and maybe r/Bayarea to ask for pointers. There is a solar nextdoor group in San Mateo county, maybe those folks know people in Santa Cruz county.

 

[ravra]

Ah, I see your point about the list; I hadn't thought to read it that way. That gives me hope to talk to SCC Planning!

And good tip on Nextdoor and reddit. I don't do much on those forums but I suspect someone there will have a pointer.

Thanks!

 

[zanydroid]

Another suggestion is to just directly e-mail some of the local activists to see if they know someone in Santa Cruz County. For instance Sherry Listgarden who is a local blogger probably knows something https://www.paloaltoonline.com/blogs/b/a-new-shade-of-green?i=44

 

[ravra]

Will do