After years of getting quote after quote for solar, our local utility company, SRP, finally had in the plans to release new plan options that did not include a demand charge. There was talk about these proposed plans from management for nearly 6 months before the board voted them in on March 25, 2019. As the day got closer, I got some additional quotes and they came in at roughly $38k for a 12.5kW system. Given the cost I then decided if I was going to do it, it was going to have to be fully done and installed by myself, so I began making plans. I’ll take this moment to say plan as best you can, but be prepared for surprises along the way.
As I decided to do the install myself, there was a LOT of research needed, and planning to be done. This broke into a few major areas:
- Decide what I was going to install
- Layout a plan for where and how to install
- Get permitting/utility sign-off completed for project
- Procure all materials needed for the project
- De-rate main panel breaker
- Perform actual installation
- Get final project commissioned from electric utility to turn system on
Decide What to Install
In my research I came across Wholesale Solar and decided I would purchase my grid-tied complete package from there. So once the new plans were voted in, I ordered the electrical diagram part of the package I was purchasing that same day. I then began working on the city permit and structural engineer sign-off on the roof. In the end I decided to do 36 x 72-cell panels (375w/panel) for a total of a 13.5kW solar array with a single 11.4kW Solar Edge inverter.
Designing the Layout and Plan For Install
For the utility sign-off and the permit process, you are required to submit a site plan and I also included more detailed, scale drawings I made in Excel to help me assess where everything was going to go. For the excel files, I made them to scale with each cell being 3″ in real life. So it is a spreadsheet with a TON of rows and columns of small squares in which I drew the layout in. These plans were immensely useful, and were the plans I actually did the install by.
Timeline for Permitting and SRP (utility) Sign-off
March 25 – Ordered electrical diagram from Wholesale Solar for $500 to begin getting required elements for SRP sign-off and permitting process.
April 2 – I got the electrical diagram and it was the first of many revisions.
April 2 – I submitted the SRP application
April 3 – Got a response back that I needed to submit a site plan that was to their spec, there was a lot of learning through this process.
April 5 – I had my application approved by SRP, but I still had to get the design signed off, which took a while longer.
April 11 – I got my completed structural review and sign-off, which I needed for the city permit.
April 12 – I submitted for the city permit.
April 22 – SRP finally approved my solar design plans, so I was then cleared to build (4th or 5th try).
April 22 – I submitted my final order to Wholesale Solar
April 23 – Wholesale Solar counter-signed final order.
April 24 – My city permit was approved.
May 6 – Wholesale Solar shipment was sent out via freight vendor XPOLogistics, with some coaxing to get it to go out on this day.
May 9 – Wholesale Solar shipment delayed – with a lot of pain calling and scheduling with the XPOLogistics, as they didn’t call to inform it was in their lot and the delivery truck was filled already.
May 10th – XPOLogistics delivery arrived in evening
Procurement of Materials
As the rest of my planning and research was under way, I was also ordering all of the parts and materials I knew I would need. Having never done a project like this, it involved a lot of tools, electrical boxes and wiring, conduit and tons of bolts, screws and other misc hardware. I tried to get everything needed in advance, but I made a number of Home Depot trips during the install week, hitting a high of 4 times in a single day. There was always some small thing that I forgot, or something that broke and I needed a replacement, something always was needed. But when it was all installed and completed, I finished the project for a total of $21,481.20 not counting my labor.
I sourced most of it from Home Depot and Wholesale Solar, those were the bulk of the equipment. But there were a number of other more specialized items I got from various online electrical supply vendors and Amazon.com of course.
For more, continue on to: Part II – Install Begins
Pysan 