Solar panels and battery - any real world reccomendations?

Soldato
Joined
3 Dec 2012
Posts
3,639
Location
Kent, much sunnier than Scotland
Yep, MC4 should be left disconnected on the roof until everything is connected with the isolator turned off. Then connect the MC4, no current can flow as the isolator is off, then check polarity and voltage at the isolator.

If following safe working procedures then they wouldn't be able to demonstrate an arc in the way described.
 
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Associate
Joined
15 Nov 2007
Posts
2,330
Location
Sheffield, UK
Does anyone know roughly what i'd expect cost wise for scaffold on one side of a 2 story house, flat and good access but half will need to span over a conservatory?

I'm leaning towards a no battery setup and ultra low cost (because i need the pay back to be as short as possible due to moving). So even though i'd like to go big with a nice victron setup i'm likely to just install 11/12 panels on my easier side of the roof (almost dead west), with a relatively cheap 6kW growatt hybrid inverter (to be nice to the next guy if he wants batteries). All in all comes out to about £2,000 for 5kW panels, mounts, inverter and some cabling and breakers. So with that in mind I've never ordered scaffold so wasn't sure on ball parks but i'm sure it would add a large % to overall install cost given component cost is so low. Was toying with the idea of renting a tower as a middle ground for 2 weeks which seems to come in at around £120. I'm not so concerned about being on the roof installing hooks/rails etc so the convervatory shouldn't be too much of an issue. For me the tower is a means mostly to get the panels up. I have ladders but i also don't have a death wish..
 
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Man of Honour
Joined
26 May 2012
Posts
17,172
No battery I don't think, will have to check the details again.

I did ask for a quote with and without though.

something's not right. the £8k quote should have a battery included
after all, mine was £6.8k for 10 panels + one battery from spectra. i cannot see how a 12 panel quote for £8k is reasonable without a battery
 
Soldato
Joined
13 Dec 2003
Posts
6,421
Location
UK
Out of interest, has anyone just gone batteries only, it could work if you don't want solar

Like a 13.5-19kwh battery setup

Charge at cheap rate at night and deplete in the day, rinse and repeat and even dump to the grid before cheap rate


Obviously the solar is a bonus but the above should work out nicely

Be interested to know if anyone has done this
 
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Associate
Joined
16 Jan 2010
Posts
112
So the good installers from this thread from what I've seen so far:

- Spectra Solar
- Solar4good
- Myenergy Solutions

Any more for any more?
 
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