I've seen some line side connections for Solar PV in residential 100 & 200 amp service panels ahead of the Main on the SE conductors. IMO it is sloppy and dangerous.
Typically you only have a short section of SE wiring that connects to the Main. Now you add additional un-fused SE conductors to that panel that workers/homeowners must be careful of. It would be safer to add a J-box between the meter and the main to splice the SE cable.
Now under the new rule 705.31 in 2014 you can run those un-fused SE conductors up to 10 feet in the building...which conflicts with 230.70(A)(1) which was to limit the length of un-fused SE conductors inside a building.
I think something should be written to prohibit those Line Side Connections inside a Panel...at least in the homeowner environment.
705.31 should be removed...IMO
