[RE-wrenches] Solar System Certification

toddcory at finestplanet.com toddcory at finestplanet.com
Mon Dec 21 18:45:05 PST 2009


Who warranties the installation, you or the installer? 
Who carries the liability insurance, you or the installer?
Who sells the materials and gets the materials profits, you or the installer?

The reason why I ask these questions is I see this disturbing model becoming more common... where the wrench in the field becomes nothing more than a glorified "electrician" installing others materials and designs. 

I think the folks ripping their knuckles, sweating in the hot sun on a roof and liable for the installation deserve the profits, rather than the "experts" sitting behind their desks "designing" systems. We have a wholesale to the public biz here in town doing just this. The designs are  laughable,. but the real fools are those who will install other people's materials and designs.

Todd



On Monday, December 21, 2009 2:12pm, "Brian White" <brianw at eagleroofing.com> said:



First of all, I think that our business model comes no where close to the norm of the solar world. Our customers come to us through roofing channels, meaning Eagle's primary focus is manufacturing and selling concrete roof tiles. So as we sell a re-roof or new roof for new construction, we offer the option of incorporating solar.
 
From their, our customers can either use their own contractors, or we suggest one for them. We also offer engineering as a line item option with a solar system. They can either use our provided engineering or produce their own. Although the majority take advantage of our in house engineering.
 


Brian C. White
Design Engineer - PV Systems
 

Eagle Roofing Products
120 North Auburn Street - Suite 212
Grass Valley, CA  95945
Phone: 530-273-2948
Cell: 530-575-5550
e-mail: [mailto:brianw at eagleroofing.com] brianw at eagleroofing.com
 
 

From: re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org on behalf of toddcory at finestplanet.com
Sent: Mon 12/21/2009 1:12 PM
To: RE-wrenches
Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Solar System Certification


So you can get others to install your designs? I would never touch materials I do not sell, or install a system I did not design... and I am amazed anyone would.

Todd



On Monday, December 21, 2009 12:56pm, "Brian White" <brianw at eagleroofing.com> said:

> Thanks to all who have posted.
> 
> To answer a couple of questions that have been posted.
> 
> Eagle Roofing does not have a contractor's license, as we do not perform the
> installation. We work with electrical contractors and roofing contractors in the
> area of a given project. Our services do include the design and documentation of
> the system, and "help" our partners pull the permit.
> 
> We have tried several of the approaches mentioned here, i.e. the system consist of
> certified products, and why do we have to re-test certified products, etc.
> However, this plan checker seems very firm on their position. Pressing further, we
> asked them to provide the criteria for the test they are requesting, and amazingly
> enough they could not produce any. They also said that just a wet stamp of the
> plans would not suffice.
> 
> We have completed previous installations in this local within the last year and
> were not faced with this requirement, even though it was originally adopted in
> 2007.
> 
> The following is a verbal description of what they want done;
> 
> He said that a registered electrical engineer has to be onsite when the
> installation of this system is completed. This engineer has to test the power
> (wattage) and load (amps) to make sure that the output is within the parameters of
> which this system is design for, and finally this person has to write a report
> with his PE stamp to certify that this system is working properly.
> 
> We did get as far as to get him to agree that it did not seem relevant, as he said
> he was going to look into the ordinance a little further and might make some
> revisions to it. However, for now, he won't budge on this ordinance because it's
> been in the city code before he came on board.
> 
> Also, some additional system information. 3 strings of 38 PV Tiles (Suntech 50
> Watt BIPV Roof Tile) with one PV Powered 4800 Watt inverter in a grid tied set up.
> Not exactly a complex system.
> 
> I will provide additional updates as I get them.
> 
> Thanks again,
> Brian C. White
> Design Engineer - PV Systems
> 
> Eagle Roofing Products
> 120 North Auburn Street - Suite 212
> Grass Valley, CA 95945
> Phone: 530-273-2948
> Cell: 530-575-5550
> e-mail: brianw at eagleroofing.com <mailto:brianw at eagleroofing.com>
> 
> 
> 
> ________________________________
> 
> From: re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org on behalf of William Miller
> Sent: Fri 12/18/2009 3:05 PM
> To: RE-wrenches
> Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Solar System Certification
> 
> 
> Brian:
> 
> I looked up the Municipal Codes
> (http://www.ci.yorba-linda.ca.us/~ci26/how-do-i/get/get-city-codes) and this
> requirement is right in there. I hope you have a provision in your contract that
> allows for additional billing for unanticipated engineering fees. Everyone
> should. If you need language, contact me off line.
> 
> Fortunately I have never experienced anything like this. This requirement sounds
> unreasonable. It is sort of like asking an air conditioning contractor to have
> the air conditioning unit tested in the field. Individual solar components are
> listed. The combining of the components is facilitated by the manufacturers
> specifications and on-line sizing tools. Having said that, an amateur can easily
> screw the design and installation of even the most simple grid-tie system. This
> provision is the ultimate consumer protection. It sounds onerous at first but
> does have a benefit.
> 
> Good luck, and give us a hint how much this certification costs.
> 
> William Miller
> 
> 
> 
> 
> At 01:31 PM 12/18/2009, you wrote:
> 
> 
> I am curious if any of you have had to deal with this issue before.
> 
> The following is an item we got back from the City of Yorba Linda for a Plan
> Check correction:
> 
> 
> All electrical solar systems shall be tested and approved by a California
> Registered Electrical Engineer. The engineer shall furnish a report stating
> their name, registration number, its date of expiration, address where the
> testing occurred and the dates of testing and approval. Such report shall be
> presented to the City inspector for approval at the time of final inspection. 
> (YLMC 15.28.020) Note on the plans.
> 
> All experiences and suggestion are appreciated.
> 
> 
> 
> Best Regards,
> Brian C. White
> Design Engineer - PV Systems
> 
> Eagle Roofing Products
> 120 North Auburn Street - Suite 212
> Grass Valley, CA 95945
> Phone: 530-273-2948
> Cell: 530-575-5550
> e-mail: brianw at eagleroofing.com <mailto:brianw at eagleroofing.com>
> 
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