Solar panels , would you ?

[Mudball]

If it was me I'd charge my battery to full every single night then export anything my battery can't take

If it's going into the house at 7.5p and being paid to export at 15p it's a no brainer.

I am adopting the same strategy.. tops up at midnight .. then it is gone by 9am as we have builders running heavy stuff like industrial heaters to keep warm and cement mixers ..

Will be interesting to see how the thing behaves when the builders leave next month

 

[PJ87]

I am adopting the same strategy.. tops up at midnight .. then it is gone by 9am as we have builders running heavy stuff like industrial heaters to keep warm and cement mixers ..

Will be interesting to see how the thing behaves when the builders leave next month

Tell the free loaders to wear a coat. Your paying them already

 

[chellie]

Without reading through all the thread what do you need to look out for when getting quotes?

Octopus now installing in the NW but only houses with clay roof tiles at the moment.

I have the feeling that there maybe lots of companies doing them that are not that trustworthy. Very few houses around here have panels.

 

[larmen]

MCS certification is the main thing. No MCS means no payment.

And reviews. Better, recommendations. If you don’t know anyone then ring at someone’s door and ask them who they have used, and would they use them again.

Look at Oval renewables on YouTube. They sound northern to me ;-)

 

[chellie]

MCS certification is the main thing. No MCS means no payment.

And reviews. Better, recommendations. If you don’t know anyone then ring at someone’s door and ask them who they have used, and would they use them again.

Look at Oval renewables on YouTube. They sound northern to me ;-)

Based in York I think so not local but some good information.

 

[Mudball]

Had UKPN come around to upgrade the fuse..
During the solar install, the guys said they had upgraded the tails. Looks like they upgraded all the tails except the ones that go into the meter. Dough!!

UKPN therefore could not upgrade to 100A. Instead they upgraded from 60 to 80A to align on the tails. They wont touch the tails, and asked me to check with the supplier if they can upgrade it. They can come back once tails are upgraded.
Its a bit of an irritation, but now we are up to 80A atleast

 

[PJ87]

Had UKPN come around to upgrade the fuse..
During the solar install, the guys said they had upgraded the tails. Looks like they upgraded all the tails except the ones that go into the meter. Dough!!

UKPN therefore could not upgrade to 100A. Instead they upgraded from 60 to 80A to align on the tails. They wont touch the tails, and asked me to check with the supplier if they can upgrade it. They can come back once tails are upgraded.
Its a bit of an irritation, but now we are up to 80A atleast

At least you know you can go up to 100amp whenever you upgrade them. Not a long job either

I have all the tails ready but my loop supply limits me to 80amp max

 

[Fade and Die]

Had UKPN come around to upgrade the fuse..
During the solar install, the guys said they had upgraded the tails. Looks like they upgraded all the tails except the ones that go into the meter. Dough!!

UKPN therefore could not upgrade to 100A. Instead they upgraded from 60 to 80A to align on the tails. They wont touch the tails, and asked me to check with the supplier if they can upgrade it. They can come back once tails are upgraded.
Its a bit of an irritation, but now we are up to 80A atleast

Or for £4.50........

100A House Service Fuse - BS1361

www.tlc-direct.co.uk

 

[Mudball]

Or for £4.50........

100A House Service Fuse - BS1361

www.tlc-direct.co.uk

funny... unfortuantely the board wont take it. The max it could do was 80, so they upgraded it to 80.. I am sure we can live with it.

 

[Fade and Die]

funny... unfortuantely the board wont take it. The max it could do was 80, so they upgraded it to 80.. I am sure we can live with it.

Thats why I had previously said have a word with your Sparks to get it sorted. Any competent Electrician could sort your "Non"-Problem in 15 minutes.

 

[Mudball]

Thats why I had previously said have a word with your Sparks to get it sorted. Any competent Electrician could sort your "Non"-Problem in 15 minutes.

I did.. and they told me they changed it.. But they changed all of them except the tails that go from fuse to leccy meter. Doh!!

 

[cliveb]

I did.. and they told me they changed it.. But they changed all of them except the tails that go from fuse to leccy meter. Doh!!

I thought everything before the meter is exclusively under control of UKPN?
Upgrading tails between fuse and meter requires the fuse to be pulled, and surely only UKPN are allowed to do that.
Doesn't that mean that it's UKPN that need to upgrade the tails?

 

[Mudball]

I thought everything before the meter is exclusively under control of UKPN?
Upgrading tails between fuse and meter requires the fuse to be pulled, and surely only UKPN are allowed to do that.
Doesn't that mean that it's UKPN that need to upgrade the tails?

no.. they need supplier to do that... (or any other sparky)... they have only 1 job.

 

[PJ87]

I thought everything before the meter is exclusively under control of UKPN?
Upgrading tails between fuse and meter requires the fuse to be pulled, and surely only UKPN are allowed to do that.
Doesn't that mean that it's UKPN that need to upgrade the tails?

Not in every case. I had my tails upgraded without ukpn being involved

We have a cut out switch

They own one side of the cut out. Anything the other side is mine

I'll add to this my solar install must have pulled the main fuse to set up the cut out switch etc

I dunno if they call up and say they are doing it or just do it and nothing ever happens

 

[larmen]

Network owns grid to fuse, supplier owns fuse to meter, you own anything down from the meter.
But you can get an elect who just does the fuse to meter bits as well. They are not supposed to, but nobody complains if they do.

 

[PJ87]

Network owns grid to fuse, supplier owns fuse to meter, you own anything down from the meter.
But you can get an elect who just does the fuse to meter bits as well. They are not supposed to, but nobody complains if they do.

That's because they do ukpn a favour. Saves them work

When my charger was installed it said because I'm looped he would set it up but not connect it

Then he connected it and said it's connected but not commissioned

Week later worked

He pulled the fuse for it

 

[larmen]

We used the whole work cycle to get a breaker switch installed as well.
Funny how the DNO uses massive safety suits for touching it and the local guy just pulls it wearing shorts and T-shirt.

 

[cliveb]

Not in every case. I had my tails upgraded without ukpn being involved

We have a cut out switch

They own one side of the cut out. Anything the other side is mine

I'll add to this my solar install must have pulled the main fuse to set up the cut out switch etc

I dunno if they call up and say they are doing it or just do it and nothing ever happens

Interesting.
My solar installers said they had to call in UKPN to install a cutout switch, and that anyone else who pulls the main fuse is not supposed to do so.
Maybe they were just being extra cautious?

 

[PJ87]

Interesting.
My solar installers said they had to call in UKPN to install a cutout switch, and that anyone else who pulls the main fuse is not supposed to do so.
Maybe they were just being extra cautious?

Maybe. Could be your ukpn? Different ones have different rules. Mine might be more laid back compared to others

I mean I had a sparky come round to redo my consumer unit

I shut down the solar, powerwall and tripped the cut out

He still pulled the fuse for belt and braces as he said.

His call. Not my life on the line

Nobody cared, it was offline for 4 hours

 

[Mudball]

We used the whole work cycle to get a breaker switch installed as well.
Funny how the DNO uses massive safety suits for touching it and the local guy just pulls it wearing shorts and T-shirt.

I found the suit thing funny.. there is plenty of sparks working due to building works and solar/EV.. all in their regular kit. When UKPN turned up, they were in their Civvis, they checked the whole thing for about 20 mins, then changed into overall and worked in it for about 10 mins. One of them never even touched anything. When they finished, they sat in their van and finished their sandwich in their overalls. Seemed like a bit of faff