Solar PV Panel Removal/Reinstall

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  • magnetic1

    Active Member
    Jun 21, 2013
    415
    Montgomery County
    Can anyone recommend a contractor who can take down panels and reinstall?

    Roof is being replaced and cant seem to find someone who will want to do it unless they originally put it up. (ours went out of business).
     

    RossL

    Member
    Dec 29, 2015
    78
    I just went through this. Lots of places will do it but it costs a small fortune. Check out enphase's website for companies to do the work. The price was usually around $150 per panel from all the estimates we received. Before you ask who did mine, I would not recommend them. He did good work but took 4 weeks to get the panels installed back in.
     

    magnetic1

    Active Member
    Jun 21, 2013
    415
    Montgomery County
    I tried calling a bunch of places but they all don't want to touch it unless they did the install.

    A handful of those same companies are on Enphase's site :(

    Can you PM me who did yours so I can avoid? :)
     

    GuitarmanNick

    Ultimate Member
    Jan 9, 2017
    2,221
    Laurel
    I am a master electrician. I am no longer in business and since I am now disabled, I can only offer advice. That said, the jobs I have looked at similar to yours have all been nightmares for the electrical contractor.

    Most of the companies that installed them originally did crappy work on the initial installation because their employees(rarely are they electricians) were hastily and poorly trained. Wiring is usually unmarked, conduits not properly supported, and the system controls were not standardized. Each job seems to have been done in a unique manner and that means extra time needed by those coming behind them for future repairs.

    I did many jobs over the years where I repaired what other contractors had done or took over projects after another contractor started them. They were all headaches! After doing a few of them, and seeing the frustration of my customers, I stopped taking any work related to solar panels unless it was a new installation. In most cases, it was more costly to remove and relocate than to discard all of the old wiring and controls and install those items new, only reusing the solar panels. The panels themselves should be closely inspected, too. Most I have seen were in rough shape because they were poorly made. I always excluded the panels from any warranty on our work. In most cases, some of the panels could not be reused!

    If you decide to remove and re-install, it is critical that the panels are carefully removed and protected until re-installation.

    RossL, if you know a contractor that did good work and he is willing to do the job, he may be the OP's best option.
     

    Biggfoot44

    Ultimate Member
    Aug 2, 2009
    32,773
    And in a 3/4 threadjack ;

    Given that all shingles have a lifespan, and roof mounted Panels serm to be throwaways at roof replacement time;

    Is that a sign to consider freestanding panel mounts instead of rooftop ?
     

    magnetic1

    Active Member
    Jun 21, 2013
    415
    Montgomery County
    And in a 3/4 threadjack ;

    Given that all shingles have a lifespan, and roof mounted Panels serm to be throwaways at roof replacement time;

    Is that a sign to consider freestanding panel mounts instead of rooftop ?

    My mistake was not replacing the roof at time of panel install. I had not intended on replacing my roof for another 10 years or so but recent storm damage has insurance paying for a whole new roof. A lot of the solar sites all make it sound like it's no big deal to pull panels down for shingle replacement but as I am finding out now, that is NOT the case.

    I am a master electrician. I am no longer in business and since I am now disabled, I can only offer advice. That said, the jobs I have looked at similar to yours have all been nightmares for the electrical contractor.

    Most of the companies that installed them originally did crappy work on the initial installation because their employees(rarely are they electricians) were hastily and poorly trained. Wiring is usually unmarked, conduits not properly supported, and the system controls were not standardized. Each job seems to have been done in a unique manner and that means extra time needed by those coming behind them for future repairs.

    I did many jobs over the years where I repaired what other contractors had done or took over projects after another contractor started them. They were all headaches! After doing a few of them, and seeing the frustration of my customers, I stopped taking any work related to solar panels unless it was a new installation. In most cases, it was more costly to remove and relocate than to discard all of the old wiring and controls and install those items new, only reusing the solar panels. The panels themselves should be closely inspected, too. Most I have seen were in rough shape because they were poorly made. I always excluded the panels from any warranty on our work. In most cases, some of the panels could not be reused!

    If you decide to remove and re-install, it is critical that the panels are carefully removed and protected until re-installation.

    RossL, if you know a contractor that did good work and he is willing to do the job, he may be the OP's best option.

    Thanks Nick. Im a EE by schooling and it appears everything was done right. I even thought about going up to pull the panels myself. Looks like each panel has a connector disconnect, so that's all I would need to touch (aside from the main disconnect etc). I was more concerned about the Solar Water Heater portion which has fluid/glycol connections. Not sure how to purge the system of air afterwards or refilling lost fluid. Figure since insurance is paying for it all, might as well have someone else go on my roof than myself....
     

    traveller

    The one with two L
    Nov 26, 2010
    18,216
    variable
    But the SolarCity rep at Lowe's said it was no problem.....








    Most domestic solar installs look like third world hack jobs. I am waiting for the house fires to start about 10 years into the craze when the insulation has worn through.
     

    Jimbob2.0

    Ultimate Member
    Feb 20, 2008
    16,600
    But the SolarCity rep at Lowe's said it was no problem.....








    Most domestic solar installs look like third world hack jobs. I am waiting for the house fires to start about 10 years into the craze when the insulation has worn through.

    I hate to agree, I have shepherded many commercial jobs but most of the residential work by the big ones (SolarCity/Tesla, Vivant, Sunrun) are terrible. Bad panel placement, mixed panel finish, weirdly placed disconnects and inverters. Scary, better off with a small local supplier on a self pay or loan based deal as opposed to mass market lease. Have had good luck with some of the coops, when you are paying cash the panels go where you want not where the economic model optimizes them.

    Technically SolarCity says they will remove the system and replace if a roof replacement is necessary, downside is they are making that judgment not yours.
     

    magnetic1

    Active Member
    Jun 21, 2013
    415
    Montgomery County
    Yea, Ive seen plenty of bad installs and you can tell when a certain neighborhood has been canvassed and the marketing pitch is taken. I see so many installs where the panels dont even face the right direction but likely whatever company just wanted the sale (and tax credits).

    Not to mention all the unsightly conduits that run all along the roof and down the sides of homes.

    We paid for our system outright.
     

    Half-cocked

    Senior Meatbag
    Mar 14, 2006
    23,937
    I hate to agree, I have shepherded many commercial jobs but most of the residential work by the big ones (SolarCity/Tesla, Vivant, Sunrun) are terrible. Bad panel placement, mixed panel finish, weirdly placed disconnects and inverters.

    Vivint did a solar panel system across from me that looks terrible. Mixed panels (some black frames, some metallic), mixed orientation, and conduits/junctions protruding beyond the roof peak outline... complete shit job, IMO. If Vivint ever tries to sell me a roof, I'm just going to point at the house across the street and stare at them until they leave.
     

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