7.44 kW Solar Electric System Installation in Pittsford, New York

Challenge

We were called to install this grid-connected solar electric system for this Pittsford, NY home.

Solution

This 7,440 W (7.44 kW) grid-connected solar electric system was installed as a roof-mounted array of thirty-one (31) REC 240W solar modules on the Customer's southwest facing house roof (212° azimuth, 30.5° pitch). The modules are mounted flush to the roof surface using a UniRac SunFrame mounting system. No low profile Thompson Technologies Flat Jack standoffs with flashings or Alumninum U-Channel to ensure a water tight connection to the roof or increase air circulation was used as requested by the Customer . The array is arranged as rows of modules in landscape and portrait to the Customer's specification, and as illustrated in the accompanying schematic. The system is configured electrically as three (3) DC circuits (strings) of ten (10) series connected modules through one (1) DC disconnect switch to one (1) SMA 7000m, 7.0kW inverter, and one module uses an Enphase M215 Inverter. These inverters provide grid-synchronous AC output and interface to the electric utility through a dedicated circuit breaker or direct tap in the Customer's main service panel, as existing infrastructure allows. System power production (kW) and energy production (kWh) monitoring is provided by a SMA Datalogger and web-based portal, as well as by a digital display on the inverter and an electromechanical meter.

As designed, this system should generate 7749 kWh per year, for an average of 21 kWh/day, where daily energy production is both weather and seasonally dependent. This energy production is equivalent to 52% of the customer's present home electrical usage, and corresponds to a CO2 (greenhouse gas) emissions savings of 10,074 lb per year.