ARe there any companies that draw a 3 line electrical diagram for a Grid Tie permit?

rollandelliott
rollandelliott Solar Expert Posts: 834 ✭✭
I know of one company that will draw a one line diagram for a residential grid tie permit application, but most places require a 3 line diagram. Anyone know of a company/service that would do this?

Comments

  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    Re: ARe there any companies that draw a 3 line electrical diagram for a Grid Tie permit?

    I've been doing this stuff too long. I don't see why it should be necessary since the permit guys usually don't know Hot from Neutral or Ground anyway. :p
    It really is super simple when you think about it. Maybe you could annotate the one line drawing? Maybe you could drop a copy of the NEC on their desk and say "wired according to this"?

    Bureaucrats love to make things they don't understand complicated because they want to pretend it's you that doesn't understand. :p
  • cow_rancher
    cow_rancher Solar Expert Posts: 117 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: ARe there any companies that draw a 3 line electrical diagram for a Grid Tie permit?

    I used to do single line diagrams for power substations ect, back about 35 years ago, they were all for 3 phase systems, none are required for single phase systems, as far as I know, and I drew up my electrical for my house plans, there is no such thing as a 3 line diagram for a single phase system, there is for a 3 phase system...

    And you're right the NEC "probably" doesn't even mention it, much less require it.

    Rancher
  • solarix
    solarix Solar Expert Posts: 713 ✭✭
    Re: ARe there any companies that draw a 3 line electrical diagram for a Grid Tie permit?

    I do these drawings all the time. Would be happy to help anyone out for a nominal fee. Send a 1-line or whatever you have. Need all the details though. equipment list, name and address, existing service entry, wire lengths, code version (2011 NEC) used by your AHJ. The hard ones are the structural drawings - so you are on you own there.
  • rollandelliott
    rollandelliott Solar Expert Posts: 834 ✭✭
    Re: ARe there any companies that draw a 3 line electrical diagram for a Grid Tie permit?

    OK, great thanks for the responses. I was asking for a friend. I'm too busy to do them for him. I found one company out of Michigan that said they would do it for $500. They didn't seem too experienced with quoting this type of jobs since I had to talk to 2 or 3 people just to get a quote. I know from doing them that whether it is a 5kw or a 10kw system the drawing takes about the same amount of time. typically half a day by the time you gather all the details, make the drawing and inevitably miss something and have to revise it once or more. They seemed inexperienced. I was thinking it would be less given their ignorance.

    Solarix I'll pass on your information to him.
  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,431 admin
    Re: ARe there any companies that draw a 3 line electrical diagram for a Grid Tie permit?

    Can you ask the building department to show you a drawing that meets their requirements?

    Frequently, the drawings are just based on local experience--I.e., the first guy to submit an electrical drawing becomes the standard that is accepted by the building department.

    I would not expect the drawings to be very complex. All you want is to show the minimum that meets their requirements.

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
  • rollandelliott
    rollandelliott Solar Expert Posts: 834 ✭✭
    Re: ARe there any companies that draw a 3 line electrical diagram for a Grid Tie permit?

    Bill you are probably right most probably can get by with a 1 line diagram. this particular freind was applying for a utility rebate and that was one of thier stipulations.