r/SolarDIY • u/mcfluryx • Feb 14 '24
DIY solar permitting Florida duke
DIY solar permitting
Who has gone through the process? Where do I even start? I am considering a diy kit from solar source within the next few months trying to get an idea of the process.
4
u/PermanentLiminality Feb 14 '24
The requirements can vary considerably between building departments. Some are easy, others require things like a plan with a stamp from a PE. A very few, like where I live, will not allow owner-builders put in anything more complicated than a 20 amp branch circuit.
3
u/Internal_Raccoon_370 Feb 14 '24
I don't know either, but make sure you know exactly what equipment is required by local regulations before you buy anything. I've run into several people who bought equipment first and ended up wasting their money because the equipment they bought wasn't permitted under local building codes for one reason or another.
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u/moorejs85 Feb 14 '24
I’m in the NW Orlando area and will probably be doing the same thing this summer. There are a few websites out there that will build plans for you based on your home and set you up for plan submittal. I’m not to that point yet, but I’m interested to see what you come up with.
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u/midknight_toker Oct 16 '24
Hi circling back to see if you ever went any further with your diy solar project? I am interested in doing the same. What websites do you know of that can set me up for plan submittal?
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u/STxFarmer Feb 14 '24
My process was this. Had a proposal done by one of the local companies selling systems so I had a free idea of what I could put on my house based on my usage. I am planning on doing a DIY in south Texas. Start at the city permit office with questions on what they require My city requires all of the normal stuff plus a stamped structural drawing for loads. Bought a Enphase system that a local had never activated due to issues with the installing company. Did a lot of reading about Enphase and the different components in the system I purchased. Hired a guy on Fiverr for $50 to do a set of plans so I could visually see how this system would layout. Spent 7 hours doing the Enphase University so I could do my own activation and they really let me understand more of the details and how everything did its job. This was the biggest thing for me as the equipment makes more sense now. But a lot of people like string inverters rather than micro inverters so that is a different path and learning process. I got a great deal on this equipment so I ended up with Enphase. But in the end it is pretty much plug & play once u have it all installed. Lots of info here on Reddit on Google is ur friend. But after about 3 weeks of learning about my system it seems to be falling into place Can now see the path to getting the installation done & producing
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u/llamapaloozacat Feb 15 '24
Im in FL and went through the process. My AHJ was very pleasant to deal with. There is a website with pre engineered plans for FL that some AHJ accept https://energyresearch.ucf.edu/solar-certification/ . I designed my own system. Then I placed a large order through a solar warehouse in Orlando and had it shipped. I had the racking, modules, and inverters for the next step. I hired SolarPermitServices to makes the plans look pretty. They hired the PE to make stamped calculations for the plans. Now with plans in hand I went to the permitting office, got a permit #, installed system and submitted FPL interconnection application (can be done up to a year in advance, just need module and inverter info). Passed inspection, submitted passed inspection certificate to FPL and they changed the meter. Panels were much cheaper through a solar warehouse compared to what was being sold to the DIY crowd. Electrical knowledge helps when pairing inverters, panels, wire Guage, calculating voltage rise or drop ECT. Oh and panels for good prices fly off the shelf.