Is this system placed properly?

[MatthewRM]

Please take a look at the image below and let me know if you would do something different or if I have not thought of something.

Apparently, my PoCo requires a disconnect between the inverter and the meter, which has to be mounted within 6' of the meter on the outside of the house.

 

[12VoltInstalls]

PoCo requires a disconnect between the inverter and the meter, which has to be mounted within 6' of the meter on the outside of the house

Isn’t that NEC?

take a look at the image below and let me know if you would do something different or if I have not thought of something

Hard to say without knowing which way is south.

 

[TomC4306]

I don't know where you are in the world but are you planning to heat and cool the shed?
For Poco, look at maybe using a remote trip circuit breaker. Put the CB with the equipment and run small wire to simple switch near meter.

 

[MisterSandals]

Maybe I missed a different discussion but shouldn’t your inverter connect to your main panel instead of the meter? You’ll need a breaker to connect your inverter to.

 

[timselectric]

Hard to say without knowing which way is south.

Be a better detective, and look at the shadows. lol

 

[12VoltInstalls]

Be a better detective, and look at the shadows. lol

I am a great detective but unless I missed it I see no mention of the time of day or a reference where south is.
I ‘could’ guess I suppose but with the long shadows I don’t know if that’s morning, evening, or it’s a high latitude or whatever.

 

[timselectric]

I am a great detective but unless I missed it I see no mention of the time of day or a reference where south is.
I ‘could’ guess I suppose but with the long shadows I don’t know if that’s morning, evening, or it’s a high latitude or whatever.

I'm guessing that it's shortly after high noon. But that's just my inner shadow whisperer. That solar has brought out of me. lol

 

[TechRider]

I had the same requirement from the POCO. I had an ATS in place and just installed a large (stupid expensive) knife switch between the 2. The knife switch was specified in their documentation.



It was very nice of siemens to put the sticker on so straight as well.

The switch feeds my ATS which then feeds my inverter's grid feed that connects to my main panel.

 

[MatthewRM]

Isn’t that NEC?

Hard to say without knowing which way is south.

South is the bottom of the picture, north is at the top.

 

[740GLE]

Why do houses have main panel so far away from the meter? It’s almost like the electrician tried to make it as far away as possible.

 

[timselectric]

Why do houses have main panel so far away from the meter? It’s almost like the electrician tried to make it as far away as possible.

Because the architect is in charge of the layout. And the power company is in charge of the meter location.

 

[chrisski]

If you look at the shadow today or tomorrow at noon and see how close it comes to your planned array, and plan for the trees to grow about 1 foot per year. December 21 was the shortest day of the year so that will make the worst shading on those panels.

Out of curiosity, once the line touches the power meter from the inverter shed, how does it get to the 200 amp service panel? Locally, I see PV conduit all over the roofs, but the 200 amp panel is always located on the breaker box. I'm wondering if it will be trenched, ran through the house, or over the roof.

 

[crossy]

I'm not in NEC land but ...

I would put the inverters and batteries near the array, run from the inverters to your 200A panel / transfer switch etc.

And put an overall 200A disconnect next to the meter as required by the POCO.

 

[740GLE]

Because the architect is in charge of the layout. And the power company is in charge of the meter location.

I feel spoiled, our meter is only 3ft from our panel.

 

[timselectric]

I feel spoiled, our meter is only 3ft from our panel.

6 ft for me, because my panel is in the basement.

 

[Q-Dog]

I feel spoiled, our meter is only 3ft from our panel.

Our panel is on the other side of the wall from the meter base. Do I win?

 

[740GLE]

Our panel is on the other side of the wall from the meter base. Do I win?

Yes you do! Think of off those losses you didn’t have to pay for

 

[MatthewRM]

If you look at the shadow today or tomorrow at noon and see how close it comes to your planned array, and plan for the trees to grow about 1 foot per year. December 21 was the shortest day of the year so that will make the worst shading on those panels.

Out of curiosity, once the line touches the power meter from the inverter shed, how does it get to the 200 amp service panel? Locally, I see PV conduit all over the roofs, but the 200 amp panel is always located on the breaker box. I'm wondering if it will be trenched, ran through the house, or over the roof.

I don’t know exactly. I’m just making this all up and hopefully someone is able to walk me through the best kind of placement for my situation…

 

[740GLE]

I’m guessing you don’t want the array on the front lawn closest to the shed?

Of what you pictured, the longer run from the array to the shed/inverter will just cost a little more in conductor sizing to minimize losses, so make sure the voltages are high enough to minimize current and there’s nothing technically wrong with the layout.

 

[12VoltInstalls]

would put the inverters and batteries near the array, run from the inverters to your 200A panel

Depending on latitude and regional weather factors the batteries might not want to be outside, though

 

[timselectric]

I would incorporate the shed into the array, if it hasn't already been built.
If I couldn't put it in the house.

Edit: never mind, the meter location just screws it all up.

 

[MatthewRM]

It’s the meter and power panel locations that are messing me up. Specifically what to run where and in what order…

Like should I expect that there is conduit from the meter to the power panel that I can also piggyback on?

 

[12VoltInstalls]

should I expect that there is conduit from the meter to the power panel that I can also piggyback on

If by piggyback on you mean run other cables in the same conduit…i would suspect there won’t be additional room in there.
So the disconnect would be near the exterior junction box at 9-o’clock with the meter?? That’s what they want? I’m assuming there is underground that feeds up into what looks like an exterior panel.
Because if you have the first incoming power at that meter / box, and that box has no disconnect then you can add one in it if it’s the kind of box I think it is. I’d expect there already is a disconnect/breaker in there? @timselectric ?

So the disconnect is job#1- if there’s already a disconnect there, then if you connect behind that breaker or switch eith the solar then that’s solved.

Since you haven’t mentioned your latitude I cannot for sure say your batteries in a detached outbuilding will not be subject to <32*F but I’m assuming you are far enough south to not be at risk. That’s job #2.

Job #3 is simplification, but you may be past alternative location?

guessing you don’t want the array on the front lawn closest to the shed

don't know where you are in the world but are you planning to heat and cool the shed

The brown-roofed building that appears to be either a gambrel- or shed-roof-flanked garage at 2-o’clock would be the best use, most efficient, and least expensive location for SCC/inverter unit and batteries. Then you could conduit directly to whatever box or junction that is at the right end of red line with 78.91 notation.

Job #3 would be to assure / install the breaker/feed from inverter to household entrance panel. And assure the panel is adequate for the combined inverter+grid (unless you are interrupting the ‘grid’ for 100% management of the grid by whatever the ‘inverter’ device you are installing is).

So there’s too many things we do not know. One of the actual electricians or EE’s should be able to verify if the disconnect near utility meter is allowed to either 1) isolate the structure completely or 2) needs to actually disconnect the solar regardless of the meter disconnect with a huge circuitous u-turn of the solar (which might be why you drew the batts/‘inverter’ at 10-o’clock?)

I maybe don’t understand all that you used for information in drawing it that way. Let us know

Either way, merry christmas

 

[timselectric]

I have no idea, either. As to the actual design of the system and what it's supposed to do.
If it's just line side tap, you just need to go to the disconnect.
Same goes, if you want to put the inverter between the meter and the main panel.