Loft Conversion - Solar panel wiring for later addition?
- Thread starter Vanilla
- Start date
If you're wanting to apply for the FITs the install must be done by an MCS registered installer. You'll be very lucky to get anyone to sign off work they didn't do themselves.
Anyway how would you know where the cables would need to enter/exit as every installer seem to have their own idea of what the perfect layout of the panels is?
Anyway how would you know where the cables would need to enter/exit as every installer seem to have their own idea of what the perfect layout of the panels is?
Honestly there's no need. The panels in most cases are on risers above the roof (unless you do the roof tile type) and the cables between the panels sit in gap created by the risers. Any 'electrical' cables to the external converter were just fitted in the 'gap' between the rafters and the tiles from the wood battens. In our case any externally visible cables were installed in a neat trunking, which could be painted to match the house because it's rendered, or run underground (converter at rear of house due to needing 'shade' and electric box at front)
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Don't they need to get the wiring down to the main electric box? I'm uneducated in the process....
My main box is all the way at ground floor at the loft will be third floor
In our case they just ran a 1/2 inch diameter pipe down the wall from the soffit to the converter and 'on/off switch' and then again to ground level, all neat and tidy and can be painted if you want like I said. You could if done right/possible place most of the top to bottom cable right next to the downpipe and it would be pretty well hidden.
We've then got armoured cable going tight along the edge of the house just below ground level (we've got gravel edge to the house) all the way from the back to the front, we were given the choice of this or low level ducting. The same pipe used at the rear is then used to bring it up into the electrical box, where the old electrical meter and the new solar meter and 'switcher' (sure it's in there too) goes.
Might have been another cable from outside to fuse box but can't remember off the top of my head.
In essence the layout is this in our case
solar panels --- inverter (this is roughly 1.5ft square in size) and on/off swich (this is to allow work on panels/cablets etc) --- electric meter box (couple of little boxes in here)
--- means cables
We've then got armoured cable going tight along the edge of the house just below ground level (we've got gravel edge to the house) all the way from the back to the front, we were given the choice of this or low level ducting. The same pipe used at the rear is then used to bring it up into the electrical box, where the old electrical meter and the new solar meter and 'switcher' (sure it's in there too) goes.
Might have been another cable from outside to fuse box but can't remember off the top of my head.
In essence the layout is this in our case
solar panels --- inverter (this is roughly 1.5ft square in size) and on/off swich (this is to allow work on panels/cablets etc) --- electric meter box (couple of little boxes in here)
--- means cables
I would, I wouldn't like a bit of cable hanging off the side of the house.
The area where your consumer unit is would need space for a few more boxes, and adequate ventilation (inverters produce heat).
If you are likely to want to add batteries to this system then you'd need to consider the space and access required.
*thanks to cat for deleting this post with his big foot on the enter key :|
The area where your consumer unit is would need space for a few more boxes, and adequate ventilation (inverters produce heat).
If you are likely to want to add batteries to this system then you'd need to consider the space and access required.
*thanks to cat for deleting this post with his big foot on the enter key :|
It's not just loose cable though, it's all in proper piping if done properly (exception is obviously the underground bit in my case)