When installing solar power generation on your home’s roof, ask the solar panel installer for an estimate and determine how much it will cost. Does the contractor have a solar panel diagram? I’m sure some of you have asked this question.
Why do we need a solar panel drawing when creating an estimate?
This is because you can measure the dimensions of your roof from the drawings and figure out how many solar panels can be mounted on it. If you can roughly calculate how many panels will be installed, you can estimate how much other equipment (power conditioner, etc.) is required for this system. This time, I will introduce the necessary diagram for evaluating solar power generation.
Type of solar panel diagram required
I will explain the types of solar panel diagrams.
1. Elevation
This is a solar panel diagram of the building viewed from four directions (north, south, east, and west). You can find the roofing material’s type, shape, dimensions, slope, direction, etc. However, there are cases where the dimensions are not marked on the elevation drawing, so in that case, check the floor plan.
2. Floor plan
A drawing that shows the floor plan of the house in detail. The floor plan can be used when dimensions are not written on the elevation. It is also used during field surveys to check how actually to run electric wires, etc.
Mainly, two drawings are required when estimating: an elevation view and a floor plan. However, please note that the types of drawings required may vary depending on the vendor.
From the solar panel diagram, you can see how many panels can be mounted
A floor plan and elevation are usually required to determine how many solar panels can be installed on a roof.
1. Determine the area of the roof from the elevation and floor plan.
First, check the shape of the roof in the elevation drawing, and then create a plan view of the roof from above based on the dimensions marked on the floor plan.
When sending the diagrams to the contractor by email or fax, it will go more smoothly if you send the drawings so that the numbers on the drawings can be seen. The drawing used in this example is a one-sided roof, so we will calculate the top area without creating a floor plan.
2. Determine the actual number of panels that can be mounted
After creating a floor plan, we calculate the number of panels that fit the area of the house and create a roof (layout plan) with the panels placed on it. This time, 15 panels were placed on the roof.
When creating a layout plan, the solar panel installer asks the customer in advance whether they would like to install more panels or whether they would like to keep installation costs as low as possible.
Depending on your manufacturer, adding more panels may require more power conditioners, increasing costs. Therefore, we will create an estimate after confirming which is more important.
As mentioned above, if you have two types of drawings, you can estimate how many panels will be installed in the house where they will be installed, including the necessary equipment. Even if you do not have drawings, there is no problem, as the contractor will always conduct an on-site survey to confirm the roof’s dimensions and then create a quote.
Things that cannot be confirmed from the solar panel diagram
I explained that you can determine the number of panels by calculating the roof area, but on the other hand, there is information that is not enough from the drawing alone.
Current roof condition
The drawings represent the dimensions of the entire house and structure, so it is impossible to read the house’s current condition. Your solar panel installer will conduct an on-site survey to confirm that the roof has not deteriorated and there are no leaks.
The dimensions on the drawing may not match the actual measurements.
Since these are design drawings, there may be some deviations in dimensions when the house is built. Therefore, you should not just accept the drawings at face value but also check the actual site.
If you have not measured the actual dimensions at the time of the estimate, measure them before installation.