Ronski's Solar & battery DIY build with whole house backup

[katie279]

Time to get jealous - see this post as you must have missed it, you've got some catching up to do

Love it!!! Have you reached solar maximum yet?! There can't be many inches left not covered by panels??

I'll be able to use my new smart telescope to give you early heads up of sun spots!!!

 

[Ron-ski]

Yes, that's the max, only one roof left and that's north east, so not worth the cost, or work involved.

 

[katie279]

Yes, that's the max, only one roof left and that's north east, so not worth the cost, or work involved.

I see solar fences are coming into fashion.....

 

[Ron-ski]

They're alright if you've got plenty of open space, but we've not got that, and have neighbours, so just not practical.

Now if perovskite solar panels come out in a few years I may be tempted to change some panels, as that would be a big jump in power generation, but there are complications with doing that, with regards to the solar charge controllers, inverter size, even cabling.

If I'm thinking correctly, then if you have a 20% efficient panel and you increased that to 30%, then that's a 50% increase in power for a panel of the same physical size.

 

[Ron-ski]

Surprisingly it wasn't raining today apart from early morning, so this afternoon I started fitting the bird mesh.

In the picture below I'm using Enviroguard 30mm SolarGuard Clear Speed Clips, these clip onto the edge of the panel that doesn't have lip underneath.

For the sides with the lip, I'll be using Enviroguard Budget Solar Guard Clip, both from City Plumbing.

For the actual bird mesh, its simply plastic fencing, with a 5mm square hole, I bought a huge roll years ago when I did the Solaredge system.

The bottom edge is tucked under the tiles.

 

[Ron-ski]

Anybody fancy working at height?

I've secured all the ladders with ratchet straps.

This was to fit the bird netting to the rear edge of the panels, bit tricky as I had to work one handed whilst hanging on with the other!

View from the top of the ladder.

Rear edge, this is what I had to fit from the ladder.

Netting up the centre, birds have already messed on the panels - the end of the aerial is just above the panels.

And the front panels, luckily I was able to reach to put this on, no need for the ladder up the front.

Just need to get the scaffolding taken down now.

 

[Simon42]

Anybody fancy working at height?

That's not working at height

Maybe I have become insensitive to height after my childhood where my father would send me (at 14) up ladders he wouldn't go up with steps tied to the top to get to paint the fascia and soffits on his three story house gable. I worked on single pole radio masts over 125m and various commercial buildings when working for him as well (I changed careers ASAP!)

 

[Ron-ski]

I was similar as a youngster, we lived in a very large house (52 rooms - sold in 1986 for just £90k!!!), but we would often go up ladders and help him paint it, or even on the roof and that was 3 story's. I bought a house in the early 90's, and used his tripple extension ladder, that was three story's as well, got half way up and the wooden ladder was almost vertical!!! I came down, my younger brother went up instead.

Heights never bothered me, although I've never climbed a 125m radio mast, that might well do!