Solar panels and battery - any real world reccomendations?

[Ron-ski]

A lot of installers just won't do a G99 unless asked it seems. Some won't even do it then!

Its ridiculous, its not hard, I applied for my own. If someone did these regularly it would probably take 20 minutes to half an hour to fill out the forms if that, which can even be done online these days. You can even install a larger system, and cap the export at 3.68kW whilst you wait for approval.

I think they are just too lazy, its hard work and time consuming planning a decent system, easier to go "standard" everytime.

 

[b0rn2sk8]

I'm pretty sure UKPN automatically approve up to 5kw already, its madness not to apply.

 

[Welshman]

What do you need to provide to the dpo to get higher export approval…….

 

[Ron-ski]

You fill out a form for G99, its pretty simple really although at first is a little intimidating. Send that off to your DNO, you may even be able to do it all online. Find out who your DNO is had google them + G99

You have to list what you already have installed, and what you want to install along with total export capacity, this is a combined total of what all inverters (generating equipment) can produce, and presumes no house loads.

You also need a system schematic, you can supply this upfront or at the the end. They also require the approval certificate for the inverters. DNO will reply with what you can export, which may be what you asked for or less. You then have to accept what they offer, or it lapses - I didn't realise this and accepted in the nick of time.

 

[Ron-ski]

You can download the inverter certificates from the link below, although there appears to be a new website, but I'm not familiar with that, although it appears it can handle the whole G99 application process.

ENA Type Test Register

ENA Type Test Register

www.ena-eng.org

https://connect-direct.energynetworks.org/device-databases/search-gen

 

[b0rn2sk8]

Unless you are DIYing, your installer will probably want to do it as part of their schedule of works.

Sure they’ll charge you for it and it will probably we wrapped up into their labour fee so even if you did it yourself, you probably aren’t going to see it reflected in the price or you might get a token £20 off.

 

[Ron-ski]

Unless you are DIYing, your installer will probably want to do it as part of their schedule of works

It's @Welshman asking, and he'll be diying but for a normal installation the installer will handle it presuming they can be bothered with installing bigger than 3.68kW inverter of course

 

[Welshman]

You fill out a form for G99, its pretty simple really although at first is a little intimidating. Send that off to your DNO, you may even be able to do it all online. Find out who your DNO is had google them + G99

You have to list what you already have installed, and what you want to install along with total export capacity, this is a combined total of what all inverters (generating equipment) can produce, and presumes no house loads.

You also need a system schematic, you can supply this upfront or at the the end. They also require the approval certificate for the inverters. DNO will reply with what you can export, which may be what you asked for or less. You then have to accept what they offer, or it lapses - I didn't realise this and accepted in the nick of time.

Top man, got all the shematics from the install and got the compliance cert for the inverter too……will look get this sorted.

 

[Welshman]

Sat outside on the decking and got the single 150watt panel charging up the 500watt solar generator………

 

[Axeboy]

Bought frames for my panels, arrived yesterday. Getting my roof done but the panels are not that old so going in roof with a kit. Looking forward to it.

Should have done it this way at the start but things change

 

[Ron-ski]

Guess what I spent my bank holiday Monday morning doing At least it was dry.

Now we've all got used to getting bird netting put around our panels, but it seems the birds (Seagulls I think) are adapting, they are now trying to build nests between the panels and the ridge, and what's more unbelievable is I've actually got a double row of birds spikes, which I installed quite a few years ago.

I've cleared this (again) and have added what is hopefully a deterrent, the seagulls also liked to sit on the top of this vent. It's old CD's and DVD's, hoping the shiny bits will ward of the birds.

There is also a deterrent called fire gel, so I'm going to get some of that for the main roof as well as the garage roof, as that keeps getting covered in lots of seagull mess, they then walk it around the panels

 

[Axeboy]

Part of the reason Im going in roof panels this time.

I tried mesh, failed, now have full sides but my tiles are not flat. No Pigeons no more, no Starlings no more, but we have a nice family of Rook's - Mary and Tommy with the kids

To be fair, we dont hear them unlike the damn Pigeons in the first year

 

[Ron-ski]

The pigeons were awful, its the noise, but seagulls and their young that's another level of annoying. About 7 years we had seagulls nesting behind our chimney (I solved that problem and haven't had any until now), then the young fell into the garden, there was constant noise and we'd be dive bombed every time we went in the back garden, eventually they escaped the garden on to the busy road, and became rather flat!

@Axeboy In roof panels would solve a lot of problems, and of course look better.

 

[Ron-ski]

I'm genuinely impressed at the figures a chap from work is getting on his system.

I can't seem to get my head around how things work now. People seem to have much bigger inverters than they used to. Have the feed in limits changed?

People have wised up, they've realised they can have bigger systems than lots of installers used to spec, and still do spec.

If you've got the money, fill the roof with panels, and get a suitable inverter and battery system.

DNO feed in allowances haven't changed, it still depends on the local infrastructure where you are.

 

[Conanius]

I have many questions. Before I try and read nearly 500 pages, is there a good 'I'm an idiot, tell me about Solar and Battery' post I should start with?

 

[Ron-ski]

@Conanius Just ask away. There is loads of information on the web, but its a constantly evolving, and a lot of conflicting information, and lots of out dated information, so you'll get confused easily and overwhelmed to.

 

[Conanius]

So we have a reasonably sized house, with a funky roof layout:

Dovedale. | 5 bedroom house for sale in Rugby

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That outdoor picture is our actual house. The two roof sections out of shot are where previous PV installers have suggested we get panels. One of them has 2 velux windows on it.

I'm liking the idea of 'in roof' panels as it seems a lot cleaner. It seems to be the most prudent thing to do is put as many panels on as I can in the install, the biggest inverter I can, and a decent battery size... Is that broadly right?

I was thinking the batteries would be best in the garage so they aren't outside for harsh winter impact. Even if it takes the edge off it will make a difference to off peak charging?

 

[Mercenary Keyboard Warrior]

You wont get a significant different performance between outside and garage based batteries unless you give them some insulation.
The best time to prepare for that is pre installation.
You can even get some mildly heated cabinets.

But in general most round here will say, as many panels as you can, with a sensibly scaled inverter (or two).
Even if you get DNO capped there are still advantages in maxing out.

I rarely see it mentioned but consider brands, all of the mainstream stuff has its pros and cons, so its worth having an idea if there are any particular wants you have.

Consider if you want backup power. Most systems do not provide it. If you want full proper house power from batteries in the event of a blackout then you need to quite specifically ask for that.
IMO its one of the pretty nice to haves, but it comes at a cost. But having the thought that should we have planned rolling blackouts I can start that with full batteries makes the cost (about £900 extra I paid) well worth it.

 

[Ron-ski]

@Conanius First off, nice house.

Yes, best place for the batteries and inverter would be in the garage, small risk of fire, and garage should be more fireproofed than any other room, I have mine in a detached garage and only required battery heating a few times over the winter, but it wasn't a particularly cold winter.

Not sure which ways your roof's point, but this is the order of best to worse for solar generation.

1. South
2. East or west
3. North

North will generate about half of south, both east and west are good, but will generate less than south. I'm actually putting an array on a west north westerly roof later this year.

Each roof that points a different direction should be on a separate string, or alternatively you can use optimisers (SolarEdge or Tigo's), or you can use micro inverters, this risk with optimisers and micro inverters is if they go wrong, you need to lift the panel to change them (more scaffold costs).

It looks like you're services come in via the garage wall, so would be ideal location for the inverter and batteries, and if you want whole house backup it would also make installing that simpler.

There is an awful lot to learn to fully understand it, also consider how much integration and control you want, different systems have different levels or none at all.

 

[94JDH]

Guess what I spent my bank holiday Monday morning doing At least it was dry.

Now we've all got used to getting bird netting put around our panels, but it seems the birds (Seagulls I think) are adapting, they are now trying to build nests between the panels and the ridge, and what's more unbelievable is I've actually got a double row of birds spikes, which I installed quite a few years ago.

I've cleared this (again) and have added what is hopefully a deterrent, the seagulls also liked to sit on the top of this vent. It's old CD's and DVD's, hoping the shiny bits will ward of the birds.

There is also a deterrent called fire gel, so I'm going to get some of that for the main roof as well as the garage roof, as that keeps getting covered in lots of seagull mess, they then walk it around the panels

On a separate note, can't you move those panels together and fit some with the space saved on the flat roof?