What Equipment Does My Solar Installer Actually Install? Checking Brands Against Permits
A quote names a panel, an inverter and maybe a battery. Whether the installer has actually installed them is a fair question: a company that has put in dozens of a given battery knows its quirks; one that has never installed it is learning on your house. Building permits often name the equipment by model, and Cali-Graf — the free directory built by Cali Energy, a Los Angeles solar and roofing contractor — counts them both ways — on an installer's profile, Equipment they install lists the batteries, panels, inverters and EV chargers named in that company's permits, with counts; on a product's page, Who installs it lists the licensed installers whose permits name it, with how many installs, when and where. Use the first to check a quote, and the second to find installers who know the product you want.
Start from the installer
Open the installer's profile and go to Equipment they install:
- Batteries, solar panels, inverters & controls and EV chargers, each product with the number of permits that name it.
- Brands mentioned on the company's verified website, listed separately — what they say they offer, as opposed to what their permits show.
| Your quote says | The profile shows | What it suggests |
|---|---|---|
| A battery with many permits under this installer | Experience with that product | A good sign |
| A brand that appears only on their website | They offer it, but permits don't name it | Ask how many they've installed |
| A product that appears nowhere | No record of installing it | Ask why it's in your quote, and for references |
Start from the product
Every panel, inverter and battery page in Cali-Graf's equipment directory has a Who installs it section: the licensed installers whose permits name the product, each with the number of installs, the date range and the cities. The same page shows how many Southern California permits name the product, permits per year, the panels it was installed together with and the top ZIP codes. For example, as of October 2026, Tesla's Powerwall 3 appeared in 2,115 permits in Southern California, installed by 81 licensed installers. That makes it easy to build a shortlist of companies experienced with the exact battery or panel you want, then read their profiles — see shortlisting solar installers by real permits. Which brands are named most across the region is counted in solar brands in Southern California permits.
Why it matters
- Installation experience. Batteries and their controllers in particular have product-specific setup and commissioning. Experience shows up as a record.
- Warranties. Some manufacturers extend their warranty when a certified installer does the work; equipment pages list the product and extended warranties from the datasheet. Ask whether your installer is certified for the product, and ask for it in writing.
- Sensible substitutions. Supply changes, and an installer may propose a different model. A substitution to a product they install often is usually a better deal for you than a premium brand they rarely touch.
Whether the product itself is the right one — specs, listings, test results — is covered in verifying solar equipment model numbers on the CEC list.
Look up your installer and see the equipment named in their permits.
What the counts can't tell you
- Only permits that name the product count. Many permits describe the work without model numbers, so the counts are a floor, not a total.
- Not every permit names the installer. Some portals publish permits without a contractor license number; they count toward a product's totals but not toward any installer.
- Coverage grows over time. Counts depend on which permit portals are loaded and for which years; the directory's data sources page lists them.
Frequently asked
How can I find out what brands a solar installer uses?
How do I find installers who install a specific battery?
Why doesn't my installer's profile show the panel in my quote?
Do manufacturer warranties depend on the installer?
Are the counts complete?
Related reading
Sources & methodology
Product facts on this page come from Cali-Graf's own help center and the pages linked below; figures in examples come from the stated inputs. Features, limits and supported utilities change; each was verified October 16, 2026.
- Cali-Graf — Equipment directory
- Cali-Graf — Tesla Powerwall 3
- Cali-Graf — Data sources
- Cali-Graf — How rankings work
- California Energy Commission — Solar Equipment Lists
- City of Los Angeles Open Data — Building and Safety: Electrical Permits Issued from 2020 to Present
- City of Los Angeles Open Data — Building and Safety: Building Permits Issued from 2020 to Present
See what your installer puts on roofs
Open the installer's profile for the panels, inverters and batteries named in their permits, or open a product to see who installs it near you. Want a second quote? Cali Energy (CSLB #1032379), which develops Cali-Graf, designs on your roof with equipment checked for compatibility. Lists are ordered only by public data; nobody can pay to appear.
Prepared by Cali Energy, October 16, 2026. This article is for general educational purposes only and is not legal, tax, financial, engineering, or utility advice. Rates, incentives, codes, permit requirements, equipment specifications, prices, and program terms may change; figures and timelines are estimates, not guarantees. Confirm current requirements with the applicable utility, AHJ, program administrator, manufacturer, or a licensed professional. See our Content Disclaimer. Cali Energy · 19201 Parthenia St, Unit E, Northridge, CA 91324 · CSLB #1032379 (B, C-10, C-39)