Solar roof v3 install done, waiting on PTO now

[funkadelic]

Put together a video of the install. 11.23 kW system & estimated to generate ~15,000 kWh in the 1st year.

Gutters will be going on next week, and just waiting on the city inspection and then PG&E PTO. So happy to have my driveway back!

 

[h2ofun]

Put together a video of the install. 11.23 kW system & estimated to generate ~15,000 kWh in the 1st year.

Gutters will be going on next week, and just waiting on the city inspection and then PG&E PTO. So happy to have my driveway back!

looks great, and your video is great

 

[jboy210]

Great to see you got it installed. Looks fantastic!!

Also, those estimated generation numbers are great! Our estimate for the 12.75kW roof was 10,000 kWh because of tree shading. And unfortunately, I think that is accurate.

 

[trautmane2]

Very nice! Hope PTO comes quickly for you!

 

[funkadelic]

nearly 2 months & 3 city inspections later (1st two failed), it finally passed yesterday. Now on to PTO!

 

[jrweiss98020]

Why did the inspections fail?

 

[funkadelic]

Why did the inspections fail?

Fail #1: Underlayment. Not sure if it was b/c Firestone was initially supposed to be installed, then they switched to Cobalt and maybe some paperwork (unsure if on the permit or on the tesla paperwork) was not updated to reflect that and/or the inspector wanted documentation pointing to the Class A rating for the Cobalt underlayment.

Fail #2: The inspector wanted to test the rapid shutdowns worked as expected, but Tesla was unable to produce an acceptable test. I assume the method to test regular PV panels (of which there are plenty in my city) vs the solar roof differed, and it wasn't acceptable to the inspector whatever the Tesla inspection team presented to him.

Pass (yesterday): a senior inspector from tesla was out today and he was able to show the rapid shutdown did work that was acceptable to the city inspector (who was the same that failed the first 2). Hopefully this is shared to the other Tesla Inspection folks in my area so that others have an easier permit inspection process.

So ultimately nothing needed to change in regards to what was installed, but rather procedural. Sucks that it took this long to resolve :\ but at least it's now just a matter of PG&E to approval the interconnection (fingers crossed).

 

[wjgjr]

Fail #1: Underlayment. Not sure if it was b/c Firestone was initially supposed to be installed, then they switched to Cobalt and maybe some paperwork (unsure if on the permit or on the tesla paperwork) was not updated to reflect that and/or the inspector wanted documentation pointing to the Class A rating for the Cobalt underlayment.

Fail #2: The inspector wanted to test the rapid shutdowns worked as expected, but Tesla was unable to produce an acceptable test. I assume the method to test regular PV panels (of which there are plenty in my city) vs the solar roof differed, and it wasn't acceptable to the inspector whatever the Tesla inspection team presented to him.

Pass (yesterday): a senior inspector from tesla was out today and he was able to show the rapid shutdown did work that was acceptable to the city inspector (who was the same that failed the first 2). Hopefully this is shared to the other Tesla Inspection folks in my area so that others have an easier permit inspection process.

So ultimately nothing needed to change in regards to what was installed, but rather procedural. Sucks that it took this long to resolve :\ but at least it's now just a matter of PG&E to approval the interconnection (fingers crossed).

It's interesting how some of this varies by jurisdiction.... As far as I can tell with our inspector out here in MD, they had absolutely no interest in the roof itself. All of the inspection was around the electrical work. This did happen during a time when inspectors stayed outside due to COVID (Tesla employee came inside and communicated via video with inspector.) But the inspector never came close to the house and nobody went up a ladder or even into the attic to inspect the roof or any of the electrical up there.

 

[trautmane2]

with our inspector out here in MD, they had absolutely no interest in the roof itself

This was also my perception for my inspection in Virginia, though the inspector mentioned that the documentation Tesla submitted was particularly good. The inspector was about to fail my project because a bush was too close to the disconnect box. Fortunately, he let me move the bush while he waited and then signed off on the project.

 

[SoCalSolarRoof]

It's interesting how some of this varies by jurisdiction.... As far as I can tell with our inspector out here in MD, they had absolutely no interest in the roof itself. All of the inspection was around the electrical work. This did happen during a time when inspectors stayed outside due to COVID (Tesla employee came inside and communicated via video with inspector.) But the inspector never came close to the house and nobody went up a ladder or even into the attic to inspect the roof or any of the electrical up there.

Same in California, inspection was only if the solar.

 

[funkadelic]

Got the PTO confirmation from PG&E yesterday afternoon, sun was already down by the time I saw the email, but I ran outside to turn on the inverters anyway!

Roof install was completed around January 8. Was a long 2 months waiting for PTO. People had mentioned that PG&E would take a while to approve PTO so I wasn't expecting speed, but to my surprise & delight it only took 3 business days from e-sign to PTO.

Wednesday 3/3: 3rd City inspection: pass!
Thursday 3/4: Got email from PG&E to e-sign docs; signed them!
Tuesday 3/9: Got PTO from PG&E

Had a call with Tesla tech support today inquiring why I can't see my solar product/production numbers in the Tesla app (still only see the marketing spiel) & she confirmed that the tesla solar gateway's MAC was correctly registered but to give it 24 hours past PTO. Hopefully won't have to call back tomorrow


Can see solar roof generation from my Rainforest Eagle, though (via Zigbee from the Smart Meter). Happy to see almost hitting 10kw for a short moment on this cloudy & rainy day

 

[jboy210]

Got the PTO confirmation from PG&E yesterday afternoon, sun was already down by the time I saw the email, but I ran outside to turn on the inverters anyway!

Roof install was completed around January 8. Was a long 2 months waiting for PTO. People had mentioned that PG&E would take a while to approve PTO so I wasn't expecting speed, but to my surprise & delight it only took 3 business days from e-sign to PTO.

Wednesday 3/3: 3rd City inspection: pass!
Thursday 3/4: Got email from PG&E to e-sign docs; signed them!
Tuesday 3/9: Got PTO from PG&E

Had a call with Tesla tech support today inquiring why I can't see my solar product/production numbers in the Tesla app (still only see the marketing spiel) & she confirmed that the tesla solar gateway's MAC was correctly registered but to give it 24 hours past PTO. Hopefully won't have to call back tomorrow


Can see solar roof generation from my Rainforest Eagle, though (via Zigbee from the Smart Meter). Happy to see almost hitting 10kw for a short moment on this cloudy & rainy day

View attachment 643453

Wow. 3 day PTO and generating 10 KW on a rainy day! Amazing on both counts. Congrats.

 

[jboy210]

This was also my perception for my inspection in Virginia, though the inspector mentioned that the documentation Tesla submitted was particularly good. The inspector was about to fail my project because a bush was too close to the disconnect box. Fortunately, he let me move the bush while he waited and then signed off on the project.

View attachment 642091

The bush was too close. Really? Are they going to come out and trim it when it grows?

 

[SaveOurPlanet]

Got the PTO confirmation from PG&E yesterday afternoon, sun was already down by the time I saw the email, but I ran outside to turn on the inverters anyway!

Roof install was completed around January 8. Was a long 2 months waiting for PTO. People had mentioned that PG&E would take a while to approve PTO so I wasn't expecting speed, but to my surprise & delight it only took 3 business days from e-sign to PTO.

Wednesday 3/3: 3rd City inspection: pass!
Thursday 3/4: Got email from PG&E to e-sign docs; signed them!
Tuesday 3/9: Got PTO from PG&E

Had a call with Tesla tech support today inquiring why I can't see my solar product/production numbers in the Tesla app (still only see the marketing spiel) & she confirmed that the tesla solar gateway's MAC was correctly registered but to give it 24 hours past PTO. Hopefully won't have to call back tomorrow


Can see solar roof generation from my Rainforest Eagle, though (via Zigbee from the Smart Meter). Happy to see almost hitting 10kw for a short moment on this cloudy & rainy day

View attachment 643453

Just curious, did PG&E come out to do any kind of inspection or it was just paper review? Also, do you have the Tesla inverter and you see everything in the power flow? I am waiting for PG&E PTO but do not see my solar roof integrated with home, grid and powerwall in the power flow, I see solar roof as a separate product only with the Tesla branded inverter.

I will be going out of town and tempted to turn on the Tesla inverter in case PG&E gives the PTO while I am away.

 

[funkadelic]

PG&E didn't come out at all -- it was just e-signing a doc, i think tesla submits an accompanying doc, and then they review.

I have 2 Delta M inverters. I don't have a powerblaster (and no PWs) so I won't be able to see consumption in the app until I decide to get PWs installed at some point. If you're in the same situation, you can get consumption data directly off the PG&E Smart Meter using a Rainforest Eagle 200, and then connect it to wattvision.com (that's where my graph above is from)