Solar Panels？

[fengxg]

Originally Posted by Cryinsham30

if you can do the rack and panel installation and depending on the needs of the panel type as mentioned earlier (single inverter vs micro inverters etc) a standard electrician can make the "grid connection" as far as I know, YMMV. having a generator transfer switch installed would be the equal cost with a little more for inverter to j-box to transfer box/lockout. if all other labor is provided by you 2K would be on the high end.

I have never installed rack. Is it complicated? What kind of skill set do I need to handle it by myself? Thanks.

[Cryinsham30]

basic carpentry, and the budget to get it fixed if you mess up

most roofs here in florida would not need additional bracing I believe, but again yours may be different, so it really boils down tot he ability to lift/cut some shingles for the pinning, zapping the support arms down with the proper screws (roofing screws with built in washers that you also need to seal with weatherproof sealant) then assembling the arms and placing the panels into their clips ( depending on the systems I have seen) most rails will have 6-8 "clips" that hold the panels in place on the frame. Of course you will need to buy/rent/rig a system to ensure proper angle of attack in relation to the sun to maximize efficiency as it will vary depending on roof slope/any shaded areas on your roof/what goal your trying to reach. Down here you could get "decent" efficiency with panels laying flat, but depending on your home's orientation you may need to make adjustments, most racks allow for angle adjustments top to bottom(long ways) but not so much left to right(narrow) individually but as a "per rack" basis.
IF you have ever put/used cleats on a ladder rack in a truck or similar its kind of like that. depending on the system you get each rack may hold 4-8 panels or more so plan accordingly, and of course measure three times, not just the width of the panels added up but of the entire rack system (panels +spacing+hardware+cables) and make sure no other part of your roof structure shades any part of the assembly. One person I know put a nice high dollar system on their roof a perfect fit between 2 (pardon if wrong term) gabled windows, his entire system put out at about 10% rating because the east gable shaded 1/4 the panels in the morning and the west 1/4 in the evening and without micro inverters if even one panel is shade the entire system is reduced to less than the lowest performing panel.

[Cryinsham30]

if I were to do whole home solar here, I think I would (if physically able) do the install myself its fairly easy and you can learn anything from youtube, but also add in the cost of doing my roof with polymer (elastomeric??) coating like my main barn In oklahoma had, that stuff really reflected the summer heat AND sealed up the screw holes (metal roof) perfectly. I brought my 10k generator and a small 3k inverter gen for my RV from Oklahoma so next step for home is getting the transfer switch "legally" installed for that and I will probably add a spare box for future expansion as I really do believe in solar for multiple reasons. I also like the idea of identifying "critical" circuits that could have a battery bank to run during downtime (fridge/freezer/lighting) which would require a box, but my income ain't what it once was and I want a boat first . I say if you have the budget to at least make a dent in your power bill and you understand that its not just for direct financial reasons, go for it.

Buy a ready built "system" from wholesale, ask them to upgrade the controller/inverter for at least 1-2 sizes bigger so you have expansion room and then head over to some electrician/home improvement forums and talk to some licensed electricians.

I'd love to have 10K system with a sep. water heater system and a 5k/100AH battery bank for essentials, but different priorities currently. The wife wants to keep our travel trailer as a "get out of florida a hurricane is coming" vehicle, so i've got a lovely 30ft trailer sitting in storage at $100 a month cost that fits into the "prepared for a hurricane budget" more so than backup power at home.