Dillsue

As the client, the level of insulation and air tightness is up to you. Get your head round your energy saving options and tell your architect what you want- build to passive house or building regs or somewhere in between, but it's your call

You asked if you could use the existing SWA or needed to run another one and the answer is you can do either. Concerns over distance from the incoming supply for monitoring wasn't mentioned but why are you considering a dedicated SWA if you think the shed is too far away??

Connect wherever you like so long as you consider circuit protection, discrimination and voltage rise when the inverters at max production.

Sorry I read another thread and replied on yours!!!! Ignore me

If your existing inverter is a 3.6kw unit and you're thinking of adding micro inverters to the garage you'll need DNO permission. If you want to avoid DNO permission you'll need a single 3.6kw G98 inverter and wire each of the 3 arrays to its own mppt input, or use optimsers. If you're going down the DNO route then it's likely cheaper to install a dual mppt inverter in the garage, where your big loads are, and split the east and west panels over the 2 inputs. If the existing inverter has dual input then move that to the garage and get a basic 2 kw inverter for the house.

Quick Google search says Enphase IQ8s will handle 560w panels. Avoid the junction box if you can which should be doable with micro inverters.

If the garden room panels are on an east/west split the you'll probably want the east and west arrays on separate strings so you'll need 2 spare mppt inputs on the inverter and 2 loops of cable running down to the garden room. The mix of directions and shading would make your set up an ideal candidate for optimisers/microinverters

The prices you've highlighted are 2018 and 2021 prices. May not be quite the same as we've got now??

Maybe you are looking pre 2023? Just scrolled through what I think we're the N Scotland figures for 2023 and I could only see one instance from 1/4 to 1/10 where it went just over 24p. If you go beyond 2023 then you've got all the turmoil of the start of the current energy crisis

Where did you get the 2023 figures from? I've just looked at the N Scotland graph for the last 365 days and they don't go above 24p/kwh and the average looks to be low 20s??

For our MCS system only the MCS number for the panels is listed with no mention of the inverter so I suspect an inverter change won't matter to your MCS registration. Your DNO will definitely be interested in the new inverter to ensure its compliant with their grid standards, if its a change of inverter make/model. If the replacement inverter is the same make/model then you don't need to do anything. If its a change of make/model then you'll need to let them know the new inverters details and the new inverter will almost certainly need to be listed on the ENA database and be G98/G99 compliant. Check before you buy a new inverter! What's the original Inverters rated output? 16 amp/3.68kw or less? Changing the inverter is the same as changing a socket in the house ie anyone can legally do it. You only need a part P spark if you are adding or altering a circuit. If you were going to change the MCB for the inverter, change the supply cable size or increase the inverters power output, then you'd need a spark but a like for like change doesn't need a spark. Obviously work safely.

If your install has been done under G98, it's a notification that you need to do(have done) rather than an application- you tell them what you've done rather than ask their permission to do it. If your DNO is referring to a G98 submission as an "application", they're getting their wires crossed! If you Google G98 commissioning form, you'll find the commissioning form that you need to send them but it sounds like you've already sent it? Certainly for our DNO, SPEN, they don't seem to issue an export MPAN until all the paperwork is in place, they didnt for me at least! Last I heard from Octopus If you want them to buy your non MCS export you have to- pay them a £250 fee, get building control approval for the install, get a part P electrical installation cert, get a smart meter installed, get a confirmation letter/email from your DNO. With a 1.7kw system there's a fair chance its not worth it for the amount you'll export at 15p/kwh

Yep if you've got you're own and want to use it for luxuries like AC then fill your boots. But if you think the grids got plenty of spare solar on a sunny summers day that's a bit away from reality sadly

Unfortunately not. Have a look at gridwatch.co.uk to see how thin the yellow solar sliver is.

Google "Octopus tracker rate" and there's at least one website with the last year's rates.

You only know the future price 1 day ahead so you'll not know what a particular nights rate is until the day before. Historically I believe the tracker tariff has worked out cheaper than their standard variable price capped rate, but you take the risk that it doesn't stay that way!! I'm guessing that if the OPs use is only/mainly in the summer then there could be some quite low rates to be had??

If your going for a moveable array make sure you consider wind load when it's gusty. Maybe accept that you'll never protect from the odd tornado but consider stormy weather that may be getting worse through the life of the array

In fairness if they've not finished it may be abit premature to be critiquing the job?? Obvious things that stand out are- No/limited pipe clips to support pipework- it shouldn't be relying on the fittings for support No limited support for cabling- it shouldn't be dangling from the control box No pipe insulation Hopefully they'll sort everything out when they come back

The coffee cup left on the floor says it all

I have no idea if such a thing exists but have you looked to see if a Radwell type of sealant is available that may keep you running till the spring? A dose in the ground loops may seal things up temporarily??

With a multistorey house I'd definitely zone it based on occupancy. If your first and second floors are bedrooms only, there's likely no point in heating them during the day. We have the upstairs split from the downstairs and only heat the upstairs late evening and occasionally early morning. Rest of the time upstairs only gets what trickles up from the ground floor. You may need to slightly oversize ground floor emitters to account for bigger losses to the cooler upstairs??

OPs asking what he needs to run HP, EV and house which is likely way more than 10kwp for the period he'll likely need the HP running

Alot of money to extend your roof so you could have enough space for a small solar farm. Winter production is pretty poor when you need the juice the most so you'd likely need a massive array to keep pace with an EV, HP,living etc. Work out the load you want to power then look at PVGIS to see how big an array you'd need to power things for the time periods you want. Then see if that will fit on your roof

I didnt read the linked doc, but 4kwp for £8400 sounds very expensive even with data from MCS.

It's possibly getting "rerouted underground to the houses" so whilst it's almost certainly tingly it's unlikely to be jumping anywhere at normal domestic voltage.