Solar panels and battery - any real world recommendations?

[b0rn2sk8]

Of course that would be fine but you need an electrician who can issue a minor works certificate an AC isolator, and a type A RCBO and a G98 (assuming you have no other inverters).

If you want to export you also need an MCS certificate which comes with its own issues and costs like an insurance backed warranty.

It’s a lot of paperwork and cost for something that will be expensive. Just getting an electrician out to install it will probably cost as much as the equipment itself.

 

[SkyTerran]

It seems like we have a lot of bad regulations in UK around solar, that prevent cost effective residential deployment at large scale.

Can't self install "balcony power plant" via a regular socket, like two million people have done so far in Germany.

Can't get solar panels on roof without tiles (in roof solar pv) - from what I've heard no current panels are allowed, because of insurance maybe. Given that panels are around the same price as tiles, for any new roofs they should really be the default option.

 

[DarkBahamut]

You can have in roof PV in the UK, seen quite a few of them. It's not the most common because it costs more unless you happen to need a new roof too, which isn't most people shopping for solar.

 

[Ron-ski]

New builds which have solar are all in roof, and I've seen plenty of retrofit in roof panels.

 

[Journey]

Can't get solar panels on roof without tiles (in roof solar pv) - from what I've heard no current panels are allowed, because of insurance maybe. Given that panels are around the same price as tiles, for any new roofs they should really be the default option.

I think that is more your lack of knowledge or being misinformed more than anything. Loads of in-roof systems available and getting more popular all the time.

 

[SkyTerran]

There is a list of insurance approved solar panels, that can be used for in roof and that list hasn't been updated in a long time - so the panels currently on the market are not in it.
That's what a local solar installer told me, not sure if true.

 

[b0rn2sk8]

Not true.

You don’t even need to tell your insurance company you have solar panels, they don’t care.

If they cared, it would be on the questionnaire before you took out the policy.

 

[SkyTerran]

Home insurance policies typically include conditions that require properties to be maintained in a safe and compliant state, including adherence to electrical safety standards. If a fire occurs and is found to be caused by electrical work that does not meet UK regulations, an insurance company may investigate and could potentially deny a claim for damages.

 

[200sols]

Home insurance policies typically include conditions that require properties to be maintained in a safe and compliant state, including adherence to electrical safety standards. If a fire occurs and is found to be caused by electrical work that does not meet UK regulations, an insurance company may investigate and could potentially deny a claim for damages.

Which has nothing to do with your claims that in roof solar is not possible in the UK.

 

[Ron-ski]

All in roof:



There are loads of residential houses near me with in roof panels, built years ago, also seen loads of new ones recently built as well, all with in roof, there have even been forum members who've had in roof panels fitted.

 

[NotAGolf]

I think what SkyTerran might be getting at (I could be wrong) relates to the fire classification rules around integrated panels. This is more of a building regs thing than an insurance thing, BUT if your house were to burn down because of a fault in the solar panels, and it turned out the panels were not installed inline with building regs/manufacture guidance, then I could see why it could become an insurance problem.

I'm looking to install integrated panels as part of my extension and have been struggling for this very reason.

Here's a quote from the MCS website:
"As a reminder, the only MCS compliant installation remains one where a roof-integrated mounting system is used in combination with one of the modules listed on its MCS 012 certificate – identified by a specific model code – as having a fire classification when used in combination with that mounting kit. Whilst there may be solar modules that are independently certified to MCS 005 (Solar PV Standard) and mounting kits that are certified to MCS 012 (Solar Mounting Kits), this does not infer they are certified as a combination."

I got quotes from several MCS certified installers, all using GSE in-roof mounting trays, but none of them quoted a panel that exists on the MCS 012 product certificate (Issue 8 - Issued 2nd Jan 2025), so they're not following MCS guidance.

There was only one installer who was aware of this stipulation so had quoted for a panel on the product certificate...but he used a higher wattage panel than what was listed on the doc!

 

[dmsims]

Of course you don't have to use MCS for in roof.................

 

[Junglist]

We're thinking about getting a battery to go along side the solar that was installed on house. It's not exactly a huge system at 3.24kWp - would that even be enough to charge a battery or would it be better to charge it up using off peak rates and use the solar alongside a Smart Export plan?

 

[b0rn2sk8]

Home insurance policies typically include conditions that require properties to be maintained in a safe and compliant state, including adherence to electrical safety standards. If a fire occurs and is found to be caused by electrical work that does not meet UK regulations, an insurance company may investigate and could potentially deny a claim for damages.

That part that you are all missing here is that as an end user, you are not expected to be an expert in all the requirements for electrical work.

As long as you use a ‘competent’ installer, and in this context that means someone who is registered with one of the two trade bodies and you get all the required certifications, you are covered as far as insurance is concerned.

If the installer is has done something wrong and it burns down your house, you are covered by insurance.

It’s also worth pointing out that MCS is not a required certification. It’s highly recommended because of the issues you’ll have with exporting to the grid without it but it’s not a legal requirement.

For the purposes of electrical regulation you have to follow the electrical regulations and the manufacturers instructions. So as long as the panels used are certified by the manufacturer for the method being used, they are compliant with electrical and therefore building regulations.

 

[Mercenary Keyboard Warrior]

We're thinking about getting a battery to go along side the solar that was installed on house. It's not exactly a huge system at 3.24kWp - would that even be enough to charge a battery or would it be better to charge it up using off peak rates and use the solar alongside a Smart Export plan?

Simple answer is you do both, assuming you get onto a cheap off rate tariff

 

[b0rn2sk8]

We're thinking about getting a battery to go along side the solar that was installed on house. It's not exactly a huge system at 3.24kWp - would that even be enough to charge a battery or would it be better to charge it up using off peak rates and use the solar alongside a Smart Export plan?

Is the install older and you are on an old FIT tariff?

Either way, the cheapest and easiest option is to install an AC coupled battery. Regardless of whether you are on FIT or not, you’ll want to charge the battery from the grid when it’s cheap, the only difference is by how much.

If you are on FIT, you are maximising self consumption so you’d probably only charge it partially in spring and autumn, nearly fully charge it in winter and not charge it in summer. It depends on how much energy you use and how much you generate and how big the battery will be.

If you are not on FIT and are paid for your actual export, you are going to charge it to 100% daily.

 

[Junglist]

Simple answer is you do both, assuming you get onto a cheap off rate tariff

Yeah, we are about to join a cheap EV tariff. Which was what kind of prompted the idea of a battery. We only moved in in April to this house and since having a smart meter we saw how even when we had the tumbledryer and a few other bits on it would still show it was exporting to the grid.

Taken me a lot longer than i should've to sort this out! Though we had a small system on our last house for 4.5 years and never even bothered.

Is the install older and you are on an old FIT tariff?

Either way, the cheapest and easiest option is to install an AC coupled battery. Regardless of whether you are on FIT or not, you’ll want to charge the battery from the grid when it’s cheap, the only difference is by how much.

If you are on FIT, you are maximising self consumption so you’d probably only charge it partially in spring and autumn, nearly fully charge it in winter and not charge it in summer. It depends on how much energy you use and how much you generate and how big the battery will be.

If you are not on FIT and are paid for your actual export, you are going to charge it to 100% daily.

New build so I do not believe we are eligible for the FIT. Only SEG applies to us, i believe.

I think we use ~10kWh a day, when I last looked at our bills, anyway. We're planning to be here for a long time so not expecting instant savings but anything to take the dent out on a month to month basis would be welcomed.

 

[b0rn2sk8]

You can either replace the existing inverter with a hybrid inverter and add a battery to it.

Or get a second inverter and add the battery to that.

I’m guessing your existing inverter is in the loft as it’s a new build. It’s not recommended to put batteries in lofts so if that is the case, you’ll need to install it elsewhere.

8-10kwh batter is more than enough for that usage.

 

[Junglist]

We were looking out an ourdoor one anyway so didn't think it would be up there. Was thinking the powerwall or if Anker release the Solix in the UK something like that.

This isn't an immediate thing, likely do it when we redo our mortgage in 18 months time

 

[200sols]

This is more of a building regs thing than an insurance thing, BUT if your house were to burn down because of a fault in the solar panels, and it turned out the panels were not installed inline with building regs/manufacture guidance, then I could see why it could become an insurance problem.

The same argument about poor installations leading to insurance problems can be made for on roof systems.

MCS is not a requirement for installing solar.