5) Install your Solar Power System

Construction

HAREI members have experience with many aspects of the prerequisite construction activities and can provide advice on equipment and techniques.

Rooftop - if you need a new roof or if your roof structure needs improvements, do these first.

Ground Mount - It is best to get any work done with bigger equipment (e.g trenching for cable, leveling the rack locations and digging any post holes) before you actually proceed with the rest of the installation.

Racking and inverter installation

1.  Assemble the racking system (Ground Mount) or install the roof attachment (Rooftop)

2.  Attach the mounting rails to the structure (roof or ground)

3.  Mount the microinverters or optimizers to the rails (depending on your design, it may be easier to do this before you mount the rails).

4.  As you do this, record the position of each microinverter or optimizer on the map grid provided with them (you will use this later to set up your grid monitoring

5. Attach the trunk cables to the rails and connect each inverter/optimizer to the trunk cable and run to the outside junction box.

Electrical Connections

Unless you are very comfortable and experienced with electrical, you should use a licensed electrician to create the proper connections between your main electrical panel and your array based one of the plans found in Wiring Your Solar Array.

1. Install any inside electrical hardware (e.g String Invert or Combiner, subpanel, batteries,  etc.).

2. Run wires from your outside Junction Boxes the String Inverter, Combiner or subpanel.

3. You or your electrician make connections to the String Inverter, Combiner or subpanel, etc.  and install CTs

4. You or your electrician install disconnect and connect to grid (line side tap or back-fed breaker in your main panel)

5.  Electrical System Labels - There are a number of places on your system where special labeling is required. Which labels are required depend to some extent on your local building code - ask your building inspector which version of the National Electrical Code they use. You can buy labels for any version of the NEC at PV LABELS .com

Solar Raiser - install solar panels

1. Schedule your Solar Raiser

•  Organize HAREI volunteers to come and help mount all your panels (you should of course also plan to participate in at least a few of these, both to do your share and to see how it’s all done).

• Review the Solar Raiser Checklist and Raiser Safety Policy

2.  Execute the Owner Hold Harmless agreement for HAREI (required to hold the Raiser)

3. Have each volunteer for the Raiser execute the Volunteer Hold Harmless document

• It is in the homeowners best interest to ensure everyone has done this and you are responsible for making sure they do.

• We also recommend you increase your homeowner’s liability coverage or umbrella insurance coverage for the month of the Solar Raiser.

4.  Mount the panels and connect to inverters.

• At this point, your disconnect switch should be off so that no power will be produced yet, but your inverters will indicate that they are ready to be connected (red flashing signal)

•  You'll be tempted to turn the system on to see that it works - because you do not yet have a Net Meter installed, if you do you'll actually be paying the electric company for the power your system produces.

• If you are using the HAREI Ladder Lift - watch the video on how to assemble and operate it here.

There are just a few steps left before you can activate your system.  Go to Finishing

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