Solar Install

I just returned from my second solar install with non-profit GRID Alternatives. GRID installs solar electric systems on low-income housing through a mostly volunteer army. For me, it's an opportunity to get my hands dirty and on some power tools for the sake of getting a little more "handy" for Nepal. But today I only received a lesson on my underlying pride.

The strength of GRID's approach is a team of free enthusiasts. The weakness of their approach is this same team. Of course when you get a bunch of guys together hailing from a range of technical backgrounds with minimal introductions, you're bound to hurt someones feelings. Some guys decide to masquerade as the expert and no one wants to look like they don't know what they're doing.

The truth is I have very little hands-on experience with residential solar installations. I designed them for about a year but have only previously man-handled them a few times. This was something I made clear to everyone who asked, including the team leader (a contractor hired by GRID.) It is only fair for them to assume I've never used a band saw (though I have) but it can unfairly result in the suspicion that I don't know what a screwdriver is either.

The problem first arose when I was given a strong scolding for improperly standing on the tile. I had lost track of an opening for a vent pipe in the sun. Okay, okay, I'll apologize and offer thanks for the tip even though I have reviewed manuals for proper footing. Then I noticed that a guy was installing the panel clamps with an impact drill with no regard for torque. The team leader looked on approvingly. I mention my concern to another volunteer but he shrugs his shoulders and says, "well, that's the way he prefers to do it."

 

Laying rail footings in place on the roof.

Then, after a few panels are laid and the micro-inverters aren't lining up, the guys realize that the wrong sized panels were assumed and our rails aren't long enough. "No problem," says the team leader, "we'll just splice on some rail to the end." "Don't you need a 3ft walkway for firefighter access?" I protest. "No," another volunteer shouts, "that's only if you have solar on more than one slope." Actually, a 3ft walkway is specified for every roof slope where solar is installed per the Cal Fire guidelines on which nearly every jurisdictional code rests but I hesitate to explain this to the group. The fact is moving a panel elsewhere would mean another day of work which is not allotted to the job. And its starting to get hot on the roof!

So, do I mention that no rail manufacturer or respected solar designer would ever install a rail with only one footing since it could cause unacceptable stress to the neighboring splice joint? Or that laying the panels face down on the coarse roof tiles could encourage debilitating scratches? Where's the drawing by the way?!

Now I want to go home. I'm afraid what I might be witness to next. I no longer wish to touch anything. Plus I've assumed the role of that annoying guy that prefers to stand on the side lines and point out other peoples mistakes. I'm only slowing down the install that should have been finished already.

On the drive home I realized that I probably should have been less distracted by the shortcomings of a bunch of volunteers trying to do a good thing. I was allowed access to tools and equipment that I don't own or often use. Instead I should have been more interested in getting to know these guys and take advantage of the brief time I had with them.

After all, it's not my house.