Dillsue

Not sure if your talking about the limits set by 2 differing organisations. The 16amp limit is set by the DNOs and as you say is governed by the inverter. OFGEMs FIT scheme looks at generation capacity which is the capacity of the panels

AFAIK you can only change like for like so if you've got 13.4 kwp now you'd need to replace with the same capacity. If you want to do something different then read the guidance to understand what total and net capacity means and how it would affect payments.

Absolutely

I know of 2 people that put self installed and had it accepted without a part P sparks test cert- did you submit the electrical test cert to your DNO??

OP is doing a G98 notification so G100 is irrelevant as G98 already requires a set limitation

If you've got 13.4kwp of panels, run your figures through PVGIS to see what you should be generating. If you're around the forecast there's no point in changing your panels. Our 9 year old 250 watt panels are generating like new.

If you increase the size of the array it'll generate more over the year. May may not be clipped in the summer but total annual generation will go up. Whether your FiT payer notices or cares is anyone's guess.

Same for us

Put your sparks details in the installer section and include the inverters reference off the ENA type approved database in the inverter section. Include a single line diagram of your house electrics with the G98 form. Job done Do your sums for getting export payments from Octopus remembering that the 15p/unit isn't guaranteed.

Google FIT Guidance for Generators and look at the section on alterations- that's the OFGEM guidance which is the horses mouth

If you swap out the panels like for like ie remove 12kwp and install 12kwp then you don't need to notify anyone. Its only if you change the capacity that you need to notify your FIT payer. If you don't think your array is generating correctly you probably want to investigate that rather than shelling out for a new set of panels. Our FIT system from 2015 is still generating like new.

Your DNO always needs to know about generating equipment connected to the grid, no matter the system size For PV, if its under 3.68kw max export to the grid and you're using a type approved inverter, notify them after installation using a G98 notification. If its over 3.68kw max export, you need to get your DNOs permission before you connect using a G99 application.

Can't your spark size the cable for you? He's gonna be signing off the install so getting him to spec the cable should minimise any problems.

Nope. Just adding balance to some of the stuff your saying

I think so too, but they could also be any UV stable cable tie wrapped to a length of fencing wire. Or run inside some 20mm conduit tie wrapped to the wire. Lots of different options

Doing 'your thing' is great but you're in somewhat of a niche and, in my opinion have some fairly extreme views, like suggesting manufacturers techs would maliciously access your inverter. I've got personal reasons for countering much of what you've said to hopefully add some balance to your post, so hopefully you'll understand my persistence. It's a public forum and people are influenced by stand out statements. Hope you find the optimiser data buried somewhere in the Modbus info.

Overhead cables are used the world over so no reason you can't use them, if they are supported properly. Our supply is overhead for miles.

When you didn't know about Apples con, did you worry about it. Probably not, so not worth worrying IF inverter manufacturers are going to start charging to run their inverters some time in the future, if ever. You don't know they have a kill switch as you said they wouldn't tell you anything. Could just as easily been a bug that manifested itself after multiple power cycles and is now reset on your system but remotely fixed for all those with connected inverters. Energy Bank is relatively new, as you've acknowledged, so quite realistic to still have the odd glitch. If your inverter had been sat on a shelf for 6 months and SE had fixed bugs in that 6 months, you'd be nuts not to bring the inverter software up to date. No internet is required for inverter update as the update comes from SetApp which can be updated remote from the inverter. Optimiser data can be read, but not logged, from SetApp diagnostics again without an internet connection. If you want to log it maybe it's accessible via the Modbus interface?

I thought it was just the panels that carried the MCS certification?

Not sure of your set up but if your using unistrut why not fix your panels directly to the unistrut using M8 chanel nuts(zebs) and any panel clamp using an M8 bolt.

If post sales charging becomes a thing, then that's something to consider in the future but for now its seemingly irrelevant now as no-one so far has identified an inverter that needs an internet connection to run, let alone have to pay to run it. Are there any indicators that's going to change, for PV inverters?

I don't think like that at all. I think it's 100% possible that a determined hacker could get into my inverter. I also think its 99.99999% probable that they won't(more 9s are needed but youll get the point). The consequences of them getting into it are low/med as worse case I might have to buy a new inverter. Overall risk is low. The nats nudger of risk isnt worth doing anything about, for a PV inverter.

The topic is about PV inverters so no personal data, no banking details, pics of the wife etc etc. If someone hacks your inverter just disconnect it from the internet, reset to defaults and fire it up again. Fret about all the other connected stuff if you want but I don't think your inverter being hacked is worthy of any worry In terms of avoiding future charging, just don't buy an inverter that needs an internet connection to run. Seems that there's likely none out there that do need a connection so I can't see any post sales charging being "just round the corner"

As I've said previously, my HD wave inverter installed last year had no WiFi aerial for months so no connection to the internet when it was set up. You have to remember that not everyone has an internet connection and theres no/poor mobile data in lots of places, so insisting on an internet connection to set up an inverter seems a daft thing to do. Not saying it's not the case, but seems a commercially daft thing to do. Not sure what you mean by control "plane" but I assume you mean an App/GUI/HMI?? If there's none available that's because there's not enough demand and that's likely because most people are happy with current internet offerings and Apps. I'm not sure how many domestic inverters suffer cyber attacks but I'd imagine globally it's zero or insignificant so you might be being overly concerned with the risk of having your inverter online??

In terms of PV inverters needing to be internet connected, everyone who's commented says their inverter runs, or believes will run, without an internet connection. Theres about half a dozen mainstream manufacturers been stated not to need an internet connection to run so not sure why you're thinking otherwise??