Need electrician in Tampa Florida area for DIY solar permit.
- Thread starter dbmankow
- Start date
Then you should challenge your AHJ to justify their position of illegally ceding authority to the utility.
It works that way on your county only because no has done that yet.
It is often not very hard to challenge this. Sometimes a simple letter to the AHJ asking them to justify their position in writing will put them in a position where they realize they can't and they will relent. If that doesn't work, then proceed with a permit application defying the utility mandate. If it gets rejected, again ask for the justification. Next step is a request on letterhead from a lawyer asking for the same thing. You don't have to do very much to start making the AHJ uncomfortable with its position when they realize they don't have a legal basis for it.
It is an obligation on the citizenry to keep government from exceeding its bounds.
Mike C.
Actually, I have the power company that allows homeowner to pull the permit, so that’s what I did.
"It is an obligation on the citizenry to keep government from exceeding its bounds."
I would, but once I get started I don't back down. So I will have to leave that to the younger generation.
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Quattrohead
Solar Wizard
I am in a similar situation now, except I have plans for 100% off grid, permits pulled, equipment installed and passed inspection.
Now, the town have decided I cannot get a CO because of no grid connection, even though my solar system is up and running 100%
They think FPL forbids them to issue a permit, and I am challenging that assumption.
Now, the town have decided I cannot get a CO because of no grid connection, even though my solar system is up and running 100%
They think FPL forbids them to issue a permit, and I am challenging that assumption.
ArthurEld
Solar Wizard
I did a homeowner permit in Clearwater. It went pretty smooth. They made me change some conduit because I mismatch types and they made me put in a 2nd ground rod. I got the required engineering drawings from AltE when I bought my equipment. I paid a solar installer put my panels up.
What equipment did you use?
I'd be interested in knowing who they are if you are willing to share.
What kind of roof do you have?
Mike C.
ArthurEld
Solar Wizard
I have a Solark 12K and thirty 330 Watt panels
I'll send you his #
My roof is regular shingles but I think solar panels can go on most roofs.
My AHJ says I need a structural engineer to design my structural plans. The house has concrete tiles that are several tons on the roof and the solar system is basically nothing compared to that, so that defies common sense.
I went to Ironridge and used their design tools. The tool said, with XR-100 rails, I needed an anchor every 2 ft on every rafter. That's just bonkers, particularly since installing anchors on a tile roof is painful. That resulted in 116 tile anchors and a BOM adding up to $4,200. That's more than the panels cost. There must be something wrong with the tool.
I have a very simple array, 2 rows, nothing weird, no gaps, as simple as it comes. Where can I find an engineer who can make plans acceptable to the AHJ? Do they need a PE stamp, or just be engineered plans?
I looked at Greenlancer They offer a "permit plans set" service for $425. Fantastic, that would help me out. So I contact them and say I need plans. They send a quote back to me for $1325. Apparently, the plan set they make isn't done by engineers and it has to be stamped by outside PEs, one for electrical and one for structural, and those add up to an extra $900. Well, gee, that's not helpful if their plans set isn't good enough for my AHJ out of the box.
This solar thing is just one barrier after another to get anything done. It is very frustrating. If you talk to anybody in the "solar industry", all they see is money they can extract from you.
My project may end up dead just from the mental anguish. I'm depressed about it. Can't find plan service, can't find contractor, seemingly can't get anything done.
Mike C.
I went to Ironridge and used their design tools. The tool said, with XR-100 rails, I needed an anchor every 2 ft on every rafter. That's just bonkers, particularly since installing anchors on a tile roof is painful. That resulted in 116 tile anchors and a BOM adding up to $4,200. That's more than the panels cost. There must be something wrong with the tool.
I have a very simple array, 2 rows, nothing weird, no gaps, as simple as it comes. Where can I find an engineer who can make plans acceptable to the AHJ? Do they need a PE stamp, or just be engineered plans?
I looked at Greenlancer They offer a "permit plans set" service for $425. Fantastic, that would help me out. So I contact them and say I need plans. They send a quote back to me for $1325. Apparently, the plan set they make isn't done by engineers and it has to be stamped by outside PEs, one for electrical and one for structural, and those add up to an extra $900. Well, gee, that's not helpful if their plans set isn't good enough for my AHJ out of the box.
This solar thing is just one barrier after another to get anything done. It is very frustrating. If you talk to anybody in the "solar industry", all they see is money they can extract from you.
My project may end up dead just from the mental anguish. I'm depressed about it. Can't find plan service, can't find contractor, seemingly can't get anything done.
Mike C.
B-ManFX4
Solar Enthusiast
- Joined
- Jan 17, 2022
- Messages
- 143
I thought the same thing when my friend was going through the permitting process. After talking with the structural engineer, I had to agree the rules are there for valid reasons. In this case Florida is a hurricane target. It is also very common for severe thunderstorms to roll through almost daily from April to October.
Solar panels are potential wind sails when installed on a roof. The entire concern from the structural engineering perspective was what type (and how many) attachment points to the structure were required to prevent a panel from becoming a flying death frisbee in a storm or hurricane. It had absolutely zero to do with the roofs ability to support the weight of the panels.
ArthurEld
Solar Wizard
If you buy your panels and racking from a reputable company, they will help you get the stamped engineering plans for a reasonable price.
This is why I went to the Ironridge online configurator app and put in my parameters. My hope was if I put in the data, they can somehow spit out the structural plan set for low or no cost and I'd be set.
First issue is that the Ironridge system required 2 ft mount spacing (every rafter), which is totally ridiculous, so something is wrong with the configuration.
Second issue is that when you get to the end and hit the "Permit Pack" button, it takes you to Greenlancer. So I ended up back where I started.
Who else besides Ironridge makes racking systems with tile hooks? I can try others.
Mike C.
ArthurEld
Solar Wizard
If you call the number I sent you, he will probably recommend that you buy your panels and racking from CE Greentech.
And they can help you get the stamped permit plan.
And they can help you get the stamped permit plan.
Quattrohead
Solar Wizard
Just because you don't like the data, does not mean it is wrong.
Look at all the tornadoes this week, over a wide area of the middle of the country. No one wants thousands of panels raining down, hail is bad enough.
Having to anchor rails to every rafter is wrong. It just is. Maybe that's needed at the start or end of the array, but not every rafter in the middle.
The span tables Ironridge provide say XR100 should be good to 6 ft, and XR1000 to 10 ft for the wind rating needed in my area. Their tables don't even list 2 ft as an option.
No building code is written to survive a direct hit of a tornado, that is a completely unrealistic expectation.
Mike C.
Quattrohead
Solar Wizard
I was going to login to Ironridge and check my install and put your area in to see if it made a difference and try to understand why it would want 2' rafter attachments.....but they got bought out and now it insists on making a new login, nope.
Quattrohead
Solar Wizard
Ours is 160MPH in this part of Florida, equivalent to an EF3. Your local codes could be written with this in mind.
Do I want to test the theory in real life, not really.
XR100 is 6 ft span, XR1000 is 10 ft, per the chart for 160 MPH wind rating.
Not 2 ft span.
Something is messed up with the Ironridge online configurator.
Mike C.
Quattrohead
Solar Wizard
Maybe, see if they will tell you what's up. It does seem wrong.
Actually mine are 48" span, 2 trusses worth.
Quattrohead
Solar Wizard
BTW, my town seem to be backing down on the grid connection requirement. Just waiting on official notice.