Question about the Legal Aspect of Connecting DIY Solar Panels to The Grid

Hello everyone,

I read an article somewhere saying that you will not be allowed to connect your own solar panels to the grid in the U.S. If you want your solar energy house to be connected to the grid, you must use solar panels with UL certification.

Is this true?

Thank you.

Comments

  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,431 admin
    Re: Question about the Legal Aspect of Connecting DIY Solar Panels to The Grid

    In much of the US, you need a building permit to install a large solar array on your home and to connect it (through a Grid Tied inverter) to your utility wiring.

    The NEC (National Electric Code, and other codes that cities/counties may use) requires the Listing by an NRTL (like UL, ETL, TUV, etc.) for all electrical components (wiring, hardware, as well as PV panels) used in home and businesses and it is up to the electrician, inspector, and utility to enforce the requirements.

    Depending on where you live and how observant the inspectors are--they may or may not catch if you are using a non-listed panel. I don't think my inspectors would have noticed--and the utility guy just looked for the city inspection tag and changed out my meter to the version I needed for net metering.

    We had one installation here in a major California city where they (apparently) did not notice the use of non-listed solar panels.

    But from a very practical side--Do you think you can build panels that will last 20+ years? Even major manufacturers have great difficulty doing that with their factory panels.

    DIY PV panels seem to last a handful of months before they start failing.

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
  • dwh
    dwh Solar Expert Posts: 1,341 ✭✭✭
    Re: Question about the Legal Aspect of Connecting DIY Solar Panels to The Grid
    ws2010 wrote: »
    Is this true?

    Yup, it's true.

    As a hobbyist you can get away with a lot, but when you do work on your building which is covered by building and safety regulations, then you become a contractor (homeowners are normally allowed to do their own contracting on their own homes).

    When you become a contractor, anything you do will be required to meet local building and safety codes. Non-listed PV modules (solar panels) do not meet code and thus are not allowed.

    Same goes with these hokey plug-in grid-tie inverters that are being sold lately. They aren't listed and they don't meet code.
  • solar_dave
    solar_dave Solar Expert Posts: 2,397 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Question about the Legal Aspect of Connecting DIY Solar Panels to The Grid

    You also have to consider that if any issue comes up with the home, like a fire, the insurance company doesn't have to pay off it non- approved panels are installed.
  • icarus
    icarus Solar Expert Posts: 5,436 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Question about the Legal Aspect of Connecting DIY Solar Panels to The Grid

    It is not so much a "legal" issue as a "permitted" issue. For example, to plug any device into a utility grid comes with some restrictions depending on what the utility is. In some cases that may extend to the civil permitting authority in your area. So while it may not be strictly "illegal" to plug no listed components into the grid, it is in all likely hood not be "permitted".

    That said, one could make the argument that on the owners side of the inverter, why the utility should care might have weight, but if you burn down your house due to faulty stuff, the potential defense costs of the utility might give them some standing.

    Tony
  • dwh
    dwh Solar Expert Posts: 1,341 ✭✭✭
    Re: Question about the Legal Aspect of Connecting DIY Solar Panels to The Grid
    icarus wrote: »
    but if you burn down your house due to faulty stuff

    Or cause a problem that affects others on the grid
    the potential defense costs of the utility might give them some standing.