Santa Clara County retroactively Changing ESS Rules

[heather5551212]

I have an update. I managed to get a full rebate check in the mail for $26.4K from the SGIP program from PG&E yesterday. So that happened and it’s real. The vendor I used had absolutely zero communication with me regarding when they made appointments, when they needed something from me, when they had issues with the building dept, and when the needed paperwork for the SGIP program. Fortunately, I had learned by then to call them weekly. So glad this is over.

Ironically, I stopped by my parent’s house and admired their batteries (town of Los Gatos) and noticed they didn’t have to be 3 feet off the ground in their garage. Totally different requirements. No bizarre heat detector requirements (they don’t have wired fire detectors). End of story.

 

[BGbreeder]

I have an update. I managed to get a full rebate check in the mail for $26.4K from the SGIP program from PG&E yesterday. So that happened and it’s real. The vendor I used had absolutely zero communication with me regarding when they made appointments, when they needed something from me, when they had issues with the building dept, and when the needed paperwork for the SGIP program. Fortunately, I had learned by then to call them weekly. So glad this is over.

Ironically, I stopped by my parent’s house and admired their batteries (town of Los Gatos) and noticed they didn’t have to be 3 feet off the ground in their garage. Totally different requirements. No bizarre heat detector requirements (they don’t have wired fire detectors). End of story.

Congratulations on a successful completion and rebate! I hope that they helped in the winter storms.

It would be nice to have a more uniform building code. I read recently that three states are still on the 2007 NEC, so due to the conflicting interests involved in getting a uniform building code, I am not going to hold my breath.

All the best,

BG

 

[Vines]

Does the "3 feet from anything" rule apply to AC condenser units?

Depends, what is the clearance stated in the installation manual of your AC unit?

Very often they require 36" clear around them, but sometimes only 18" I do not think there is a code requirement otherwise, except perhaps if there is an access panel or door on the AC, which should be left accessible.

 

[heather5551212]

Congratulations on a successful completion and rebate! I hope that they helped in the winter storms.

It would be nice to have a more uniform building code. I read recently that three states are still on the 2007 NEC, so due to the conflicting interests involved in getting a uniform building code, I am not going to hold my breath.

All the best,

BG

Yes, they have already logged 16 days of outages! Thanks PG&E. I’d rather have reliable, safe power as you advertise, but the batteries are definitely a step up from a portable generator. However, they only last about 2.5-3 days before they’re depleted and we’re back on generator power (in the winter). So there’s that. But this is still a massive upgrade and I’m not scrambling in the middle of the night, etc. to get a generator going. Now, if only the Santa Clara County building dept would make obtaining a permit slightly easier…..

 

[holeydonut]

Depends, what is the clearance stated in the installation manual of your AC unit?

Very often they require 36" clear around them, but sometimes only 18" I do not think there is a code requirement otherwise, except perhaps if there is an access panel or door on the AC, which should be left accessible.

You know the absolute worst part of the 36" is if your AC condensers are too close to your fence line. My home's original condensing units were super tiny. But newer high-SEER units take an extra foot of space. And what's worse is my AC condensers are line of sight to my main service panel.

I didn't know this, but my original HVAC contractor did their furnace + condensers overhaul without pulling a mechanical permit; nobody ever inspected after they put in the new condensing units.

But PV+ESS definitely need a permit. And since the CoCoCo inspector could see that my AC condensers while doing the PV+ESS inspection, he could easily see they were now "too close to the fence". He said I had to remedy this "non code compliance safety issue" with the air conditioners.

Since he didn't initially pass my PV+ESS install anyway (stupid line of sight breaker/LOTO/whatever)... he also added that I needed to add a gate (edit and add a paved walkwaly) on the other side of my house to allow EMT's and Firefighters the 3' space to get to my back yard. So basically Sunrun was facing a situation where if I didn't install a new gate, they'd fail a PV+ESS inspection due to my air conditioners.

Sunrun said this would be a first... failing PV+ESS due to a missing gate due to AC's. Yay.

 

[anthonyle2002]

Hi all, I'm in San Jose and looking to get solar panels and 2 powerwalls installed in my garage. Tesla is giving me a hard time about it. Does anyone know the exact requirements needed to be able to have the powerwalls installed in the garage? I have told my project advisor that we will install an interconnected heat alarm system but they are still giving me a hard time.

Tesla says:

"Powerwall Site Requirement: Garage Installation Prohibited - Fire Detection.
Note: Interior ESS installation prohibited - AHJ enforced interconnection of heat alarms to home smoke detection system (out of scope)"

Any recommendations? Thanks!!!

 

[Vines]

Sorry I can't help, I had thought the company I work for could install some heat alarms but we will only do that with the installation of a powerwall system.

 

[h2ofun]

Hi all, I'm in San Jose and looking to get solar panels and 2 powerwalls installed in my garage. Tesla is giving me a hard time about it. Does anyone know the exact requirements needed to be able to have the powerwalls installed in the garage? I have told my project advisor that we will install an interconnected heat alarm system but they are still giving me a hard time.

Tesla says:

"Powerwall Site Requirement: Garage Installation Prohibited - Fire Detection.
Note: Interior ESS installation prohibited - AHJ enforced interconnection of heat alarms to home smoke detection system (out of scope)"

Any recommendations? Thanks!!!

Use someone other than tesla

 

[anthonyle2002]

Use someone other than tesla

That is something we have discussed but I don't think we're there yet. But thanks.

 

[h2ofun]

That is something we have discussed but I don't think we're there yet. But thanks.

So, I assume you going to be under NEM3 then?

 

[anthonyle2002]

So, I assume you going to be under NEM3 then?

Hope not

 

[h2ofun]

Hope not

If interconnect is not in by like april 12, and 100% correct, ....

 

[heather5551212]

Hi all, I'm in San Jose and looking to get solar panels and 2 powerwalls installed in my garage. Tesla is giving me a hard time about it. Does anyone know the exact requirements needed to be able to have the powerwalls installed in the garage? I have told my project advisor that we will install an interconnected heat alarm system but they are still giving me a hard time.

Tesla says:

"Powerwall Site Requirement: Garage Installation Prohibited - Fire Detection.
Note: Interior ESS installation prohibited - AHJ enforced interconnection of heat alarms to home smoke detection system (out of scope)"

Any recommendations? Thanks!!!

There are a bunch of installers that are no longer willing to install ESS inside garages due to the heat detection requirement. The problem is that there aren’t products available for purchase that satisfy the building code requirements. I’m not entirely sure how mine got signed off on aside from the fact that I have sprinklers in my garage and some sort of heat detector from circa 1990. My parents in town of LG have nothing and had ESS in their garage installed in October with a Kidde heat detector. Go figure. Same installers I got and they stuck that Kidde heat detector on my install too.

 

[jgleigh]

The problem is that there aren’t products available for purchase that satisfy the building code requirements.

/facepalm

 

[Vines]

/facepalm

There are now products available but in limited quantities.