Sunland, Los Angeles, CA · July 2025 · LADWP / LADBS
Nine modules, and a breaker position reserved for solar
A nine-module array in two groups, connected through a wall-mounted disconnect to the existing panel at the breaker position its own label sets aside for solar.
This Sunland installation is nine modules in two groups of five and four, each with an Enphase IQ8MC microinverter, on a shingle roof, installed by Cali Energy in one day in July 2025. The array connects through a Square D AC disconnect on the wall to the existing Siemens meter-main panel, at the breaker position the panel's label designates for solar/PV input when installed in California.
At a glance
- Array
- 9 modules, groups of five and four
- Microinverters
- Enphase IQ8MC, one per module
- Disconnect
- Square D, on the wall
- Panel connection
- Designated PV breaker position, existing panel
The story
Nine modules is a small system. On this house they went on in two groups, five and four, with an Enphase IQ8MC microinverter under each module, so each module turns its own output into household AC and the two groups do not have to match. With the modules on, an inclinometer went onto the array to check the tilt, a number a production estimate is built on.
The house has a Siemens combination meter-and-main panel, and beside one breaker position the manufacturer has printed a label: when installed in California, this position must be reserved for solar/PV input. The array's circuit was connected there, on a two-pole 20-amp breaker, and the existing panel stayed in place. Whether a given panel can take a solar breaker at all is decided by its ratings, which is why some houses need a panel upgrade instead.
Between the array and the panel is a Square D AC disconnect on the wall: one switch that separates the array from the house, labeled and reachable from the ground.
The nine-panel array connects through that wall-mounted AC disconnect to the existing panel's designated PV breaker position.
How it ran
| 23 July 2025 | Rails, IQ8MC microinverters and nine modules installed |
|---|---|
| 23 July 2025 | Tilt checked with an inclinometer |
| 23 July 2025 | Disconnect on the wall; circuit to the designated PV breaker position |
A small array, connected at the position the panel sets aside.
What we did
- Installed nine modules in two groups with an IQ8MC under each.
- Checked the tilt of the finished array with an inclinometer.
- Mounted a Square D AC disconnect on the wall.
- Connected the array at the panel's designated PV breaker position.
System specifications
| Modules | 9, in groups of five and four |
|---|---|
| Microinverters | Enphase IQ8MC, one per module |
| Disconnect | Square D AC safety switch |
| Panel connection | Two-pole 20 A breaker in the position labeled for solar |
| Panel | Existing Siemens combination meter-main |
| Utility / AHJ | LADWP / LADBS |
Is your project like this one?
- You want a small solar system of around nine modules.
- Your panel has a label about a position reserved for solar.
- You want to keep your existing panel if it allows it.
- You live in Sunland and want to know what goes on the wall with solar.
Cali Energy in Sunland
Sunland is a neighborhood inside the City of Los Angeles: permits run through LADBS, interconnection through LADWP.
Sunland is inside the City of Los Angeles, so a solar system here connects to LADWP's grid and is permitted by LADBS. Where the array meets the house is the electrical panel, and some panels sold in California mark the place for that connection themselves.
- License and classifications: CSLB #1032379
- Official reference for this process: LADWP interconnection requirements
- Official reference for this process: Enphase — installer documentation
Frequently asked questions
What does a panel label reserving a position for solar mean?
Some panels sold in California carry a manufacturer's label beside one breaker position saying it must be reserved for solar or PV input. On this Sunland house the Siemens meter-main panel had that label, and the array's circuit was connected at that position on a two-pole 20-amp breaker.
What is the disconnect on the wall for?
It is a switch that separates the array from the house in one accessible place. On this house it is a Square D AC safety switch on the wall between the array and the panel, labeled and reachable from the ground.
Why check the tilt after installing?
The tilt is one of the inputs to a production estimate, and on a flush-mounted array it follows the roof. Setting an inclinometer on the finished modules, as on this roof, confirms the number the estimate uses.
Does Cali Energy install small solar systems in Sunland?
Yes. Sunland is inside the City of Los Angeles, with permits through LADBS and interconnection through LADWP. Cali Energy installs small systems here as well as larger ones, and connects them at the panel in the way the house's equipment allows. License CSLB #1032379.
What this would look like on your roof
Planning solar in Sunland? Tell us your utility, your roof and what your bill looks like now, and we will model what a system like this would do on your house before you commit to anything.
Or call +1 (323) 844-7777 · Cali Energy, Northridge · CSLB #1032379 (B, C-10, C-39) — design, permits, install and electrical under one licensed contractor.
Related
Updated October 2026.