Sunland, Los Angeles, CA · May 2024 · LADWP / LADBS
A virtual final, and the inspector could not connect
Nineteen modules on two faces, installed in a day. The final was booked as a video call with the inspector, and on the morning of the inspection the call never connected.
This Sunland installation is 19 modules with Enphase microinverters on two faces of a shingle roof, installed by Cali Energy in one day on 2 May 2024. The final was booked as an LADBS virtual inspection on 9 May; the inspector could not connect to the video call, and Cali Energy requested a replacement appointment that morning. The final was rescheduled for 11 May, and on 13 May LADBS approved the job and sent the electrical service release to LADWP.
At a glance
- Array
- 19 modules, 13 on one face and 6 on the other
- Microinverters
- Enphase, one per module
- Installed
- Thursday 2 May 2024, in one day
- Final
- LADBS virtual inspection, 9 May; rescheduled to 11 May
- Service release to LADWP
- 13 May 2024
The story
The installation went to plan. The materials were delivered early on Thursday 2 May and the array went on that day: nineteen modules with a microinverter under each, thirteen on one face and six on the other, and the circuit taken down to the wall in conduit labeled as a solar circuit along its run.
The next day one item was left before the final: the ground rods at the service. The final was requested for Thursday 9 May.
LADBS set the final as a virtual inspection. The inspector's invitation came the day before: a video call at 9:30, a participation agreement to sign and return in advance, and the call joined from a phone on site so the inspector could be walked through the job. The signed agreement went back that morning.
At 9:30 on the 9th the inspector could not connect. The inspection did not take place, and Cali Energy requested a replacement appointment the same morning. The final was rescheduled for Saturday 11 May.
On Monday 13 May LADBS sent its notice: the department had approved the job and sent the electrical service release to LADWP. The notice on this project also said that LADWP needs a residential project initiated on its side, through its small-projects route, within six months of the release. The building department's part was complete; the utility's part is the next step on the way to permission to operate.
How it ran
| Thursday 2 May 2024 | Materials delivered; 19 modules installed |
|---|---|
| 3 May 2024 | Ground rods the remaining item before the final |
| 8 May 2024 | Virtual inspection invitation; participation agreement signed and returned |
| 9 May 2024 | Inspector could not connect; replacement appointment requested for Saturday 11 May |
| 13 May 2024 | LADBS approves and sends the service release to LADWP |
Eleven days from install to service release.
What we did
- Installed 19 modules with a microinverter under each in one day.
- Ran the roof circuit in labeled conduit to a labeled junction box.
- Signed and returned the virtual inspection participation agreement.
- Requested a replacement appointment the morning the call failed.
- Took the job through the final to the LADBS service release.
System specifications
| Modules | 19, on two roof faces (13 and 6) |
|---|---|
| Microinverters | Enphase, one per module |
| Roof wiring | Conduit and junction box labeled as a solar circuit |
| Combiner | Enphase, on the wall at the service |
| Final inspection | LADBS virtual inspection |
| Utility / AHJ | LADWP / LADBS |
Is your project like this one?
- Your solar final has been booked as a virtual inspection.
- Your inspection did not take place and you want to know what happens next.
- You have an LADBS service release notice and are not sure what comes after it.
- You live in Sunland and want to know how the paperwork runs after the install.
Cali Energy in Sunland
Sunland is a neighborhood inside the City of Los Angeles: permits run through LADBS, interconnection through LADWP.
Sunland is part of the City of Los Angeles, and LADBS, the city's building department, runs some inspections as virtual inspections: the inspector joins a video call and the contractor walks the camera through the job.
- License and classifications: CSLB #1032379
- Official reference for this process: LADBS — Virtual Inspection Program
- Official reference for this process: LADWP interconnection requirements
Frequently asked questions
How did the virtual inspection work on this Sunland project?
LADBS sent an invitation the day before: a video call at a set time, a participation agreement to sign and return first, and the call joined from a phone on site so the inspector could be walked through the installation. On the day, the inspector could not connect, and a new final was requested.
What happened when the virtual inspection did not connect?
The inspection did not take place. Cali Energy requested a replacement appointment that morning, the final was rescheduled for 11 May, two days later, and LADBS issued the service release to LADWP on 13 May.
What did the LADBS service release notice say?
That LADBS had approved the job and sent the electrical service release to LADWP. The notice for this project added that LADWP needs a residential project initiated on its side within six months of the release. At that point the building department's part was done and the utility's part was next.
Does Cali Energy handle LADBS inspections in Sunland?
Yes. Sunland is inside the City of Los Angeles, so solar finals are LADBS inspections, sometimes run virtually, and the grid connection is with LADWP. Cali Energy installs here and meets the final, in person or on a video call. 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.