Solar panels and battery - any real world reccomendations?
- Thread starter GinG
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TBH organising scaffolding myself opens up the possibility that it's not done how the installer needs it and it causes delay and liability on my side for any delay. If the installer is taking a few %age points for organising scaffolding then fair enough, the overall liability remains with the single company I am paying and organising everything.
The overall price of £6k for a 3.12 kW system seems a bit high compared to the other indicative estimates I've had for a 4 kW setup at the same cost. I feel there might be a bit of haggling available in the first quote though, going to give it a couple of days to see what else I get offered.
Where is that available?
Scotland, although it appears some of the funding has just finished. Until a few days ago you were getting £350 grant from OZEV and £250 from the Scottish Governments pot of funds. The OZEV one seems to be gone now.
It'd be a lot more than a few percent, they won't get a scaffold quote to do your quote, they'll have a rough idea of cost, and add some more on top to be safe, and then add on some mark up. You could get a required specification from the installer, which is what I did, they wanted a working platform along the bottom of the roofs, and hand rails up the sides.
Put in an application to our DNO for a 10kW battery-backed system this week, turns out they won't allow more than 3.68kW unless either they upgrade the network equipment or we pay £40k+ for a new substation somewhere. Solar power, it's the future! 
Soldato
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Put in an application to our DNO for a 10kW battery-backed system this week, turns out they won't allow more than 3.68kW unless either they upgrade the network equipment or we pay £40k+ for a new substation somewhere. Solar power, it's the future!
Read same for me, exact figure. How many panels gets to this cap?
Put in an application to our DNO for a 10kW battery-backed system this week, turns out they won't allow more than 3.68kW unless either they upgrade the network equipment or we pay £40k+ for a new substation somewhere. Solar power, it's the future!
Can't you just limit the export to 3.68 on the inverter?
Man of Honour
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does seem a bit crazy, and typical they try and pass on the costs to you! You kind of need to be able to throttle the feed in to the network don't you...
That's my understanding, your installer should be able to do this to conform, it you use the majority of your PV etc it shouldn't be a problem
Not much, without a battery its 10 x 365w panels through a single 3.68kW inverter.
I'm still learning on all of this but yes, you can have a 3.68kW inverter but then your clipping energy from the panels (i.e. over-generation), you then need to add battery storage charging directly from the panels but THEN you have to limit the discharge capability on the battery which just shifts the problem. Ultimately if we're hooking back up to the grid in any way it's a "it might happen" scenario, where the DNO no doubt has to cover themselves in case you either incorrectly configure or lie and put a bigger inverter in and wreck some network equipment.
Surely there is some sort of failsafe and DNO-approved approach to doing this? Limit my export and either clip, use or store everything within my own home-made network?
Very few batteries will discharge at above 3.5kW, unless you are using more than one or a Tesla PW2.
For your solar you can just use two arrays one that is feeding back the the grid at 3.68kW and then one isolated if you really want a full 10kWp system. Adds cost, but so does having a larger than normal array. It's always good having more generating capacity if it can be supported, but you need to weight that up with what the DNO is allowing you to do on your local circuit.
How much energy do you currently use overall, and how much of that is inside of sunshine hours?
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is this still up to date do we know?
https://www.ukpowernetworks.co.uk/i...+distribution+network+G59-3+50kW+or+less+.pdf
https://www.ukpowernetworks.co.uk/i...+distribution+network+G59-3+50kW+or+less+.pdf
It all depends on size, whether you have batteries and your usage - it's only relevant to your own circumstances.
Soldato
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OK thought about it a little and realised you can probably generate more (have more panels) but have a limiter and battery setup so that the export is restricted?
As it has been in place for years I imagine it has to be so otherwise you would see less coverage on roofs and the installers would be plastering disclaimer limitations etc.
Installers can limit supply to the grid, if you don't store the excess or use what is generated it's just not as efficient
Soldato
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Yeah when I first read it and realised this would mean less panels, it would be restrictive and counter productive to stop people with enough roof real estate to install a finite amount just because the DNO cannot improve their system. So if you can consume most of what your generating or store it, then should the surplus ever exceed the 3.6 you just waste it instead of exporting (beyond that value - so your not stressing their end).
You can have a 10kW inverter if you wish, and just limit its abilty to export to the grid at no more then 3.68 etc. Anything generated that isn't used or stored in the battery above the 3.86 figure, would just be wasted if you had spare generation.
Soldato
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I didn’t get bird protection fitted when I had my solar installed last September. By December they were already hanging about them and by January a couple had taken up residence.
I’m told they will breed all year round, their chicks will stay under the panels and they will then breed. Like flying rabbits!
Got it fitted last month, £660 for metal strips which cover the edge of the panels on all 4 sides. This also includes them cleaning out any mess the pigeons have made under the panels, cleaning the gutters and the panels.
I’m told they will breed all year round, their chicks will stay under the panels and they will then breed. Like flying rabbits!
Got it fitted last month, £660 for metal strips which cover the edge of the panels on all 4 sides. This also includes them cleaning out any mess the pigeons have made under the panels, cleaning the gutters and the panels.