"Watching my language" greatly limits my response.......
________________________________
From: Joel Davidson <[email protected]>
To: RE-wrenches <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 3, 2009 10:34:03 AM
Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Maxing out the roof
Call-back costs are going down because inverters and bos are more reliable and
installation practices improve, but increased re-design and permit issues are
driving G&A costs up. I try not to get angry when salaried public employees
waste my time and taxpayers' money reviewing something they don't know about.
If back-end problems are called "call-backs," what do you call front-end
problems (and watch yer language, buddy)?
----- Original Message -----
From: Max Balchowsky
To: RE-wrenches
Sent: Tuesday, February 03, 2009 9:50 AM
Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Maxing out the roof
Joel, you're right. I think you have a better perspective than most, having
been in the industry so long and watching the changes and the politics. I have
sat across the table at meetings with building officials and fire marshals
discussing this issue only to have the rug pull from under a decision once it
moved to the next level politically within the system. As of late I watched a
14 Kw system go thru more than 8 weeks of maneuvering through Newport Beach
city hall only to be kicked back again when the FD decided that PVC couldn’t
be used on the roof (can’t use EMT in NB) and now it had to be plumbed in GRC,
further increasing the cost to the customer..... I honestly don’t know where
this will end, but it becomes more and more frustrating as we go.......
Maxing out the roof Balchowsky
________________________________
From: Joel Davidson <[email protected]>
To: RE-wrenches <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 3, 2009 8:36:02 AM
Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Maxing out the roof
Hi Max,
I can't resist writing - Max is on the roof maxing out the roof. Now that I got
that out of my system, what we are seeing are increasingly restrictive rules
that limit how much PV a person can have. Granted, neighbors have the right to
protect themselves and their property from actual and potential dangers like
solar modules blowing off the roof or fires spreading from one house to
another. But do my neighbors' rights to protect include denying me the use of
my entire roof, or for that matter, anywhere on my property? Yes. Depending on
your local laws, you cannot stick your PV outside your property setbacks. You
cannot put your PV on above certain heights. You cannot put your PV up to your
roof ridge. You cannot fill your roof with PV. You cannot have ground-mounted
PV without taking measures to protect trespassers. And so on...
The same loss of freedom happened with other technologies (radio, automobiles,
airplanes, etc.) as they moved into the mainstream. So PV pioneers, enjoy your
success but add insurance, permit fees, legal fees, and other costs to your
cashflow budget.
Joel Davidson
----- Original Message -----
From: Max Balchowsky
To: RE-wrenches
Sent: Tuesday, February 03, 2009 8:04 AM
Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Maxing out the roof
Our policy on filling a roof with solar is dictated by the local fire marshall.
More and more they are gravitating toward the state standard (california) which
is 3' from the ridge and sides and 1 1/2 ft each side of the valleys. we've had
some exceptions but more and more we are finding them sticking to the state
standard.....
Max Balchowsky
SEE Systems
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