You have questions? We have answers! Well... Some of them at least! Knowledge is power, so we are always striving to learn more and adapt to the current needs.
This section is a more personal take though, so the business owner hat is off. Let's have an honest conversation.
Hi. For those that don't know me yet, my name is Jeff. I started this company for two reasons:
This service is needed because a lot of solar companies, electricians, general contractors, and even architects do not have in house designers or do not have the volume of work that justifies hiring an in house designer. Some of these companies are also not as well versed in the local codes or electrical calculations that are required to be followed and shown on the plan sets that they require.
Quality, experience, attention to detail, and range of services.
Our plans ooze QUALITY. They are well thought out, easy to read, and contain information that is helpful to the contractor rather than just the building department.
With a range of EXPERIENCE in architectural design, mechanical design, civil design, and electrical design, we have the knowledge to take on jobs that are far from "cookie cutter."
We take our ATTENTION TO DETAIL seriously. We do not provide single line electrical diagrams. We provide multi-line electrical diagrams that your electricians will appreciate.
Take a look at the RANGE OF SERVICES that we offer. This is not "normal." We take on and actually understand the different needs for residential and commercial. We also provide basic Bills of Materials (BOM) to save you time and help you out with your purchasing. Have a tricky job coming up and need some on-site advice? Sweet! Field trip time! We're there! Who doesn't like getting out of the office for a while?
You may not and usually do not need an engineering evaluation for your project. There are some cases in which you will or should though, and we trust our preferred engineers to make sure everything is up to par.
You name it, we can design and document it. Typically we will use 1-1/2", 2", or 3" schedule 40 galvanized steel pipe and IronRidge rails depending on the conditions and the contractor's experience and comfort level, but there are other systems out there that we can talk about.
There are also different types of footings that we can use, again depending on the contractor's experience and comfort level, including "no dig" footings. Yes, you read that right. For a ground-mount solar structure, the footings are used to keep the wind from carrying the structure away more than anything, so in rocky and hard to dig areas the concrete can actually all be above ground and there are a few different ways to do this.
Our ground-mount designs are backed up by stamped engineering when required.
With a good plan set, this is not impossible, but it is HIGHLY inadvisable. Think you're pretty handy, huh? Still, please do not attempt it. You are dealing with pretty high voltage that can injure or even kill you. Please leave it to the professionals. Take a look at your local Contractor's Association website and take your time choosing a contractor. Make sure they carry a C10, or at the very least least, a C46 electrical license.
This is a multifaceted question. The short answer is you cannot legally install solar without a permit. If you are tied to the grid (use an electric service provider such as PG&E or SMUD, etc.) there is virtually no reason to not get a permit. This is because to receive the credits generated by your solar when you produce more energy than you use, that service provider must receive a copy of that final permit. If they do not receive a copy of that final permit, not only will you not receive those credits, they may cut your power off and/or report you to the local building department who will fine you and you will have wasted your money. How do they know? Welcome to the era of "smart" meters.
It is illegal for you to hard wire a generator or plug that is specifically for a generator to your home without a permit, even if you are a licensed contractor. If done incorrectly, it can damage your homes wiring, your appliances, and possibly even hurt or kill a line worker that is nowhere near your property trying to get everyone else's power back up and running.
For most things, yes I am. My family has been in our area since the gold rush. My daughter and her cousins are fifth generation residents here. That part of me believes that somebody should be able to do whatever the (BLEEP) they want on their land as long as they aren't hurting anybody. But that's the caveat right there. Possibly hurting somebody. The building department, building codes and electrical codes exist for a reason, and it is not just to take your money. I've worked for a local jurisdiction as an Engineering Tech and Inspector. You would not believe some of the things that I've seen people try to build without permits, that could end up hurting people. The codes exist to keep homeowners and businesses safe. They are standards set in place to protect people that live and work there, or that may in the future after the property has been sold.
Maybe. Depending on where you live, this may actually be possible. It isn't easy and it usually is not inexpensive, but it is possible. Where I live, in Nevada County, California, it was recently approved by our local building department to allow people to sever their connection to the utility provider and go 100% off-grid. I personally know several of the people that participated in getting this passed and I think it's the right direction. It requires a combination of solar, backup batteries, and a generator. It is not feasible for everybody due to shade and the initial monetary expense, but it can be done here and I'm hopeful that other areas will follow suit.
If you are building a new home, you can also go 100% off grid in our area and a few others if the conditions are right.
See our contact information below. Call or email us anytime. Maybe we'll add your question to our website!
We strive to be in constant communication with our customers until the job is done. Please give us a call or email with any suggestions to see how we can help.
We look forward to serving you!
Nevada City, California, United States
Open today | 08:00 am – 12:00 pm |
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