Solar Inspections

1

• Solar Inspections
• by
• Drew Johnson and John Dalton
• Burnham Energy, Inc.

2

•  
• Introduction
• Background
• Burnhams Role
• Inspection Methodology
• Dirty Dozen
• Burnhams Services

3
Introduction

• Burnham Energy, Inc. is a subsidiary of Burnham
  Nationwide, the nations premier permitting, code
  compliance and sustainability consulting services
  company. 
• 3,000 cities across the United States
• Fortune 500 companies
• 20 years of experience
• 100,000 permits nationwide
• Burnham Energy, Inc. focuses primarily on
  providing solar services, particularly PV
  inspection services.
• Inspected in over 25 states
• Network of 20 inspectors
• 3,000 inspections
• NABCEP certified or equivalent

4
Burnham Inspection Methodology

• Our inspectors are trained to look at an
• entire system and document all aspects
• of the system.
• We have an in-house staff that reviews
• the inspections and makes additional
• commentary ensuring that NEC
• guidelines are met and manufactures
• specifications have been followed
• Once all of the documentation is
• reviewed reports are produced
• accompanied by any other data
• pertinent to the system.
• Link to report example Click here

• Inspect components on the roof
• Modules
• Racking
• Stand off
• Flashing
• Wire Management
• Grounding
• Junction Boxes
• Conduit
• Roof Condition/Damages
• Inspect components at ground level
• Main Service Panel
• Wire Sizing
• Breaker Size
• Interconnection
• Monitoring System
• Inverter
• Disconnects

5
Burnham Inspection Methodology
6
Burnham Inspection Methodology
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Solar Dirty Dozen

• Burnham conducted a study Sample size of 100
  reports
• 2010 released our first issued of Solar Dirty
  Dozen
• 2014 Part 2 of Solar Dirty Dozen released

• Findings
• Same issues
• No improvement with quality.

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Solar Dirty Dozen

• 1.  Manufacturers specifications violations
• 2.  Shared raceways with high and low voltage
  wires
• 3.  In appropriate roofing methodology use for
  attachments and penetrations
• 4.  Poor wire management resulting in hangers,
  pinched wires and unprotected conductors
• 5.  Improper grounding methods
• 6.  Inappropriate use of wire nuts
• 7.  Incorrect installation and/or inappropriate
  installation of a junction box
• 8.  Non-compliance with NEC Code 705.12 Point of
  Connection that addresses the Opposite End Rule
  (NEC Code 705.12(D)(2)) and the 100 Rule
  Violation (NEC Code 705.12(D)(2))
• 9.  Conduit not properly supported or attached
• 10.  Incorrect installation of an end clamp
  and/or mid clamp
• 11.  Incorrect labeling of wire and color coding
• 12.  Warning Labels and Signage

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Solar Dirty Dozen
100 Center Fed Violation
Exposed Conductors
10
Solar Dirty Dozen
Mid Clamp installed incorrectly
End Clamp installed incorrectly
11
Solar Dirty Dozen
Opposite End Rule
Improper flashing
12
Solar Dirty Dozen
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Solar Dirty Dozen
 L3, used for 208v 3 phase, of an Enphase trunk
cable incorrectly installed to a neutral on a
240v system
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Solar Dirty Dozen
15
Solar Dirty Dozen
 Main breaker severely downsized.
Floating box.
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Services

• Inspection Services
• QA Inspection
• Vetting Inspection
• Compliance Inspection
• BurnhamEYE inspection Application
• System documentation
• Quality Review
• Permitting Services

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Contact Information Resources

• John Dalton
• 408-418-1880
• jdalton_at_burnhamnationwide.com
• Drew Johnson
• 408-418-1839
• djohnson_at_burnhamnationwide.com
• Lyleen Dauz
• 408-418-1883
• ldauz_at_burnhamnationwide.com

• Resources
• Brooks Engineering
• www.brooksolar.com
• John Wiles
• New Mexico, Southwest Technology Dev.
• Institute
• www.nmsu.edu
• International Renewable Energy Council
• www.irecusa.org
• North American Board of Certified Energy
• Practitioners (NABCEP)
• www.nabcep.org
• National Electrical Code