Hey,

So, I must admit, I'm a bit ashamed that I STILL haven't got solar.
But, it's all making much more sense to me now, and I want to do the install myself.

There are a number of firms online that offer kits. You tell them your address, whether ground or roof mount. They look at the site from aerial and determine if that makes sense (how many panels you can fit).

They send you a site plan, instructions, and all the goodies (wiring and racking on a few pallets on your doorstep.
They have technical people on staff to answer questions, and will connect you with qualified electricians for the finish line, midway if you get stuck, or complete install if desired.
GoGreenSolar out of Anaheim is one of them I've checked out.
Unboundsolar is another.

My dad bought some rural acreage and it has a ranch manager living in a modest house on it. He said the avg monthly bill with PGE is $600. He got a quote by a solar installer to put up 36 panels at 400W (=14.4 kW system) for $46,000 before rebate. The quote was very general. It didn't list the type of inverter or include ANY other information.

So I dove in to compare it to these cheapo DIY guys.
GoGreenSolar gave me a lot of explaining and systems priced 4 ways.

all with 48 panels @ 320W = 15.36 kW system:

A) 1 Sunnyboy string inverter: $23,000
B) 1 Sol-Ark all-in-one inverter: $28,700
C) 48 Enphase IQ8 microinverters on back of each panel: $30,200
D) 2 SolarEdge inverters + 48 optimizers: $30,600

So, I did some research watching videos on YouTube and I learned that Enphase is the dominant solution these days. And it's mostly plug n play. Pre-sized, click wiring harnesses.

1) Pick your panel
2) Buy IQ8s
3) AC Current them comes down thru conduit into a junction box, like the Enphase IQ Combiner 4
4) Connect wires out of that box to your main service panel, (which must be able to accomodate the appropriately sized breaker for the size of the array, or expanded to accomodate), AND THAT'S IT!

Is it really so easy? Appears to be.

Add on following Enphase options:
* IQ System Controller 2 for wholesale $1800 AND their Essential Loads Controller box for $520 and you can generate power for your house during times that PGE goes down (so long as sun is shining).
OR
* Add to that their IQ Battery (3 kW or 10 kW, roughly $3k and $7k, respectively, pre-install charges) and you can also have power at night during "grid-down" moments.

Through end of 2022, 26% Federal Tax Credit.

So, screw my Dad! This is so good I think I'm going to get a huge Enphase system that will wipe out my bill entirely and allow me to even charge a car with the extra (buy the car next after I see how much I'm producing).

$30k - 26% = $22,500, plus all the extras like tax and county paperwork to approve, and that qualified electrician to get me across the finish line with the main panel.

My bill is $500/month on average. Payback in 4 years and then never another PGE bill again.

Who wants to tell me about their story or how silly I'm being with all I'm overlooking?

GGS wants $1750 for delivery from Anaheim. Screw that. I'll pick it up myself for a minimal load fee into my truck/trailer.

I'd love to hear updates about your progress, particularly the permit approval process for an owner-builder PV system. What county? How much prior construction experience do you have?

I have no information for you other than I'm a diyer too and I admire your plan to do this.

WalterSobchak said:

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I'd love to hear updates about your progress, particularly the permit approval process for an owner-builder PV system. What county? How much prior construction experience do you have?

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I'm not in construction at all.

82gradDLSdad said:

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I have no information for you other than I'm a diyer too and I admire your plan to do this.

---

Thx

I spent yesterday learning about the 120% rule that limits the size of the array.

Like, I have 5 acres, but I can't just fill it up with a bunch of panels and connect to my main service panel, else the excessive heat generated would cause a fire.

The panel has a rating (100A in 1960 concord house, 400A in Placer), and the main breaker also must be used to calculate how much solar can be plugged in, and what breaker it needs. Concord breaker is 100A, Placer is 200A.

concordtom said:

---

Hey,

So, I must admit, I'm a bit ashamed that I STILL haven't got solar.
But, it's all making much more sense to me now, and I want to do the install myself.

There are a number of firms online that offer kits. You tell them your address, whether ground or roof mount. They look at the site from aerial and determine if that makes sense (how many panels you can fit).

They send you a site plan, instructions, and all the goodies (wiring and racking on a few pallets on your doorstep.
They have technical people on staff to answer questions, and will connect you with qualified electricians for the finish line, midway if you get stuck, or complete install if desired.
GoGreenSolar out of Anaheim is one of them I've checked out.
Unboundsolar is another.

My dad bought some rural acreage and it has a ranch manager living in a modest house on it. He said the avg monthly bill with PGE is $600. He got a quote by a solar installer to put up 36 panels at 400W (=14.4 kW system) for $46,000 before rebate. The quote was very general. It didn't list the type of inverter or include ANY other information.

So I dove in to compare it to these cheapo DIY guys.
GoGreenSolar gave me a lot of explaining and systems priced 4 ways.

all with 48 panels @ 320W = 15.36 kW system:

A) 1 Sunnyboy string inverter: $23,000
B) 1 Sol-Ark all-in-one inverter: $28,700
C) 48 Enphase IQ8 microinverters on back of each panel: $30,200
D) 2 SolarEdge inverters + 48 optimizers: $30,600

So, I did some research watching videos on YouTube and I learned that Enphase is the dominant solution these days. And it's mostly plug n play. Pre-sized, click wiring harnesses.

1) Pick your panel
2) Buy IQ8s
3) AC Current them comes down thru conduit into a junction box, like the Enphase IQ Combiner 4
4) Connect wires out of that box to your main service panel, (which must be able to accomodate the appropriately sized breaker for the size of the array, or expanded to accomodate), AND THAT'S IT!

Is it really so easy? Appears to be.

Add on following Enphase options:
* IQ System Controller 2 for wholesale $1800 AND their Essential Loads Controller box for $520 and you can generate power for your house during times that PGE goes down (so long as sun is shining).
OR
* Add to that their IQ Battery (3 kW or 10 kW, roughly $3k and $7k, respectively, pre-install charges) and you can also have power at night during "grid-down" moments.

Through end of 2022, 26% Federal Tax Credit.

So, screw my Dad! This is so good I think I'm going to get a huge Enphase system that will wipe out my bill entirely and allow me to even charge a car with the extra (buy the car next after I see how much I'm producing).

$30k - 26% = $22,500, plus all the extras like tax and county paperwork to approve, and that qualified electrician to get me across the finish line with the main panel.

My bill is $500/month on average. Payback in 4 years and then never another PGE bill again.

Who wants to tell me about their story or how silly I'm being with all I'm overlooking?

GGS wants $1750 for delivery from Anaheim. Screw that. I'll pick it up myself for a minimal load fee into my truck/trailer.

---

This is exciting!

So much of the expense of current residential solar systems is in the installation. That said, be safe, learn how to do the wiring right, do everything by the book, consider having a licensed electrician check your work, and enjoy your insanely rapid payback!

You're now PG&E's biggest fear.

I would make sure you have a newer roof so that you don't have to remove and reinstall just to replace the roof. Also not only are people who do this for a living good at walking on roofs but they are good at walking around roofs while transporting large and heavy objects and I don't think they work alone. Maybe you are good at these things also but I would definitely consider that in your analysis.