[RE-wrenches] FSEC Approval Required for Permit?

[Jason Szumlanski]

Hi Wrenches,

Has anyone dealt with a jurisdiction that requires FSEC or similar
system approval as a prerequisite for obtaining a PV permit? Although we
have installed many systems in a particular jurisdiction in our area,
they just rejected a permit application because we do not have an FSEC
system certification on this system (24 Enphase microinverters). We are
having a hard time getting them to explain from where the requirement
came. It seems like a nonsense roadblock to me. I can't imagine what
purpose an FSEC certification would serve in the case of microinverters.
As long as you are using a module on Enphase's compatibility list and
the module itself has FSEC certification, can you think of any logical
reason to jump through this hoop?

On that note, I contacted FSEC to see what it would require to certify
Enphase microinverter systems. They are telling me that we would have to
apply for one system, and then apply for "similar" systems if the number
of inverters changes. That doesn't make any sense to me. Are we supposed
to submit applications for 1, 2, 3...50...150 module systems? I doubt
they have time to deal with the paperwork for hundreds of similar system
applications. Imagine dropping 200 similar system applications in their
inbox to cover all quantities of microinverters.

Jason Szumlanski
Fafco Solar
Cape Coral, FL