Solar PV License Requirements In Your State?

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dereckbc

dereckbc

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All recently I have been doing quite a few Solar PV stand-alone design/build for remote Cell sites. I have a couple of EC’s companies I use in NM and TX that are skilled and experienced. I may have to expand to other states and curious about what different states require.

For instance in parts of NM, I am not required to even pull a permit, pass inspection, or used licensed electricians.

I am also a member of a Solar Power Forum and there are a lot of DIY’ers installing their own grid tied systems who have no biz doing so. Stand Alone (battery off-grid) is a very grey area of regulation.

So I guess what I am asking is what is your state requirements, or a website that lines each state out?
 
Here in MA if you install conductors, conduits etc for power and charge money for doing it you must be licensed and pull permits.

Homeowners working on their own home do not fall into that catagory.
 
:-?Bob that is part of the confusion. How would a POCO even connect you to the grid if inspections are not applied for and passed. HO's don't have the skill to pull it off.

I mean a grid tied solar PV system is a 2000 watt solar array and larger, that is more than enough to start a fire.

I can understand an AHJ may let a HO install pre-engineered packages with panels and pull the wire to a controller/inverter, but after that you are putting more than the HO at risk. Insurance, neighbors, rescue personel, etc...

Seems I read on here some states will now require a licensed EC to do all the work.
 
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dereckbc said:
:-?Bob that is part of the confusion. How would a POCO even connect you to the grid if inspections are not applied for and passed. HO's don't have the skill to pull it off.
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Thats a good darn question, some inspetors in MA will refuse to inspect home owner work.

As I have now been doing some grid tied systems and my office has given me the job of dealing with the utility applications I can see how a homeowner might have a problem.

There is a simplified process for systems under 15 single phase, I have not really looked at it. Perhaps the power company is less restritive with the small systems?

I know we have to provide both PE stamped drawings and a certificate of complition form signed by the electrical inspector before the power company will let us go online.
 
iwire said:
I know we have to provide both PE stamped drawings and a certificate of complition form signed by the electrical inspector before the power company will let us go online.
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So where do I get one of those PE stamps at as a home owner? I hear at Walmart? :D
 
Bob and everyone else in all seriousness I mostly install PV systems in very remote areas (lots of Native Indian Reservations, anything goes) with no feasible way to obtain a grid connection. If there were a grid nearby solar is out of the question as it has no ROI term.

However I am considering consult and design/build options and doing research. (Likely I will loose my job again and want to go in biz for myself) Lot of folks with money in the dessert SW willing to spend their and your tax dollars. :mad::grin:
 
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All we are doing is grid tied, so far 6 to 50 KW with some 500 KW jobs signed.

But if it was not for the Govt. incentives none of it would produce a ROI.
 
iwire said:
All we are doing is grid tied, so far 6 to 50 KW with some 500 KW jobs signed.
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Well all my cell site jobs are 12 KW stand-alone off-grid stand alone. But the point is that is some serious SMOKE damage at these power levels. FWIW at each of my sites we use a 12 Kw panel array configured as 24 VDC, 6-day battery reserve at 24 VDC @ 3500 AH capacity. In otherword we generate 18 Kwh per day, about what a house uses with 6 day battery reserve or 84 Kwh of standby in batteries and a 24 KVA LPG generator on site to take over on cloudy days

Guys that is some serious power on the battery buss. Enough to vaporize you hand in a blink of an eye if you are unlucky enough to be holding that tool causing the fault
 
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iwire said:
Luckily we have no battery's and even the short circuit current of a 500 KW system is relatively low.
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Huh? 500 KW at what voltage?:-?

I guess what I am really mystified by is the remote cabin hermits DIYer's. They have rather large battery banks and almost no fault protection, poor connections, etc... Basically a fire waiting to happen. I imagine they don't have any insurance company's to worry about, inspections, and really do not care much for any government.
 
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dereckbc said:
Huh? 500 KW at what voltage?:-?
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Everything we do is at about 400 to 550 VDC.

I have some figures on my PC for a 297 KW system we are doing

1650 - 180 watt panels in 110 strings of 15.

The short circuit current of each panel is 7.78 amps so my total short circuit current is only about 850 amps, which compared to the short circuit current of a 300 Kva transformer is very small. Something to still be treated with respect but I am sure less than your battery stacks.

I guess what I am really mystified by is the remote cabin hermits DIYer's. They have rather large battery banks and almost no fault protection, poor connections, etc... Basically a fire waiting to happen. I imagine they don't have any insurance company's to worry about, inspections, and really do not care much for any government.
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I think you have very valid concerns, have you looked around at some of the companies selling equipment, no listing, non NEC compliant to people with no skills etc.

The company brought in a guy that has been installing solar around here for a few years. He does not own an NEC, he is not licensed and when I point out NEC requirements he looks at me like I am joking. Its the wild west, anything goes. He did a lay out for one of our jobs, 64 - 10 AWGs in a single raceway, no derating for either temp or number of conductors. I reworked it to comply with the NEC.

The NEC has been reworking Article 690 but I don't see it being enforced. I suspect it will take some deaths before the inspection departments take it seriously.
 
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