Dillsue

Can you hook up the new inverter and batteries to your existing solar and keep the existing inverter for the extra PV in the future?? If the hybrid Solis is G98 limited it would save any concerns with the DNO now

Just get the trays and internal cabling installed now and do a second fix for the panels and inverter once the builder has finished. If youre under pressure to get the scaffold down you may be rushing into a full install thats not right for you technically and cost

Definitely check the back up interface is available and certified for the UK. Its been available overseas for a while but if its now certified for the UK its a fairly recent event- I think last year or so. AFAIK, Energybank is Solaredges current battery offering for new systems and connects directly to the current HD wave inverters. I think the LG batteries are now intended to be used with a storedge interface for adding batteries to older inverters. I think you can still hook up LG batteries to the current inverters but it doesnt seem to be the norm. Maybe theres a cost saving with LG batteries and Storedge interface vs energybank???

Our system isn't designed to feed the grid but export is a consequence of how weve installed things. I dont have a problem with surplus going to the grid if we're not using it.

Watched the video but without sound so don't know if they covered this, but does the vector summing only happen in real time as in export only negates the same import if the two are happening at the same time? An example would be importing 4kw on L1 and at yhe same time exporting 2 x 2kw on L2+3 so the sum would be zero. If it doesnt have to be balanced in real time, then am I right in thinking you could export 2 x 5kwh on L2+3 through an afternoon and then import 10kwh through the evening giving a sum of zero???

Another problem with using an 8kw inverter on a single phase is that youll need to get DNO permission to put more than 3.68kw on a single phase. I dont know what criteria a DNO would use to accept that set up, but I would have though they would expect you to balance the 3 phases wherever possible and would likely reject 8kw on one phase and zero on the other 2 when all 3 phases could quite easily be balanced. If I remember correctly on a G99 application one of the conditions you have to confirm is that there wont be more than a 16 amp difference between phases. I guess thats important to the grid??

Probably not but speak to youre supplier as they may have a standard fitment. I think its mentioned above that net metering is part of the smart meter spec and that's what a bit of googling suggests too. It seems a great way to avoid MCS cost and get "paid" for all your export at the same rate charged for import. Just the cost of a 3 phase upgrade to fret about but it seems a no brainer for a new build if available

No experience with 3 phase inverters but assume that a 3 phase hybrid inverter will output battery energy evenly across all 3 phases so net metering will still use the battery output to offset an equivalent import?? I assume if theres 8kw load on L1, inverter will provide 8/3 on each phase to try and meet demand on L1 leaving the shortfall on L1 covered by grid import. That import would be offset by the unused export on L2 and 3??? Is that how it works??

A manufacturer??

Plenty of 8kw 3 phase sunsynk inverters listed on the ENA type test database but the only one listed as a hybrid isnt approved so shouldn't be connected to the grid. Probably want to ask the installer about that!! It's been mentioned on here before but if the OP has a 3 phase smart meter, or can get one fitted, then they could well have net metering so its largely irrelevant how the 3 phases are loaded as import and export are offset against each other. As I understand it PV export on any phase cancels out import on any phase to give a net consumption that you get billed for. No MCS needed to get "paid" for your export at a very lucrative equivalent rate. Hopefully someone who knows about 3 phase net metering will confirm?? Another thing for the OPs spark to look into.

One from Scottish Power. Seems the pros cant even get the units right so there's no hope for the rest of us

Googling your inverter and the spec says it can operate on 3 phase. Your quote only has a single phase generation meter so did you ask for a 3 phase PV system and the supplier has made a mistake? Plenty of info on the web but make sure your looking at UK web sites!! If youre not too confident with electrics, you might be best paying your electrician to come and explain your house wiring before you go looking at PV. PV install and wiring will likley make much more sense if you have a grasp of how your house electrics work.

I dont think its a policy decision intended to make people suffer, but more a policy decision for other reasons that some people are as a consequence suffering. As we've got a climate crisis to sort out, personally Im quite comfortable with the hike in energy prices to focus the 1st world on cutting consumption.

Good on you. Its your drop that matters but most people dont realise that

No electronics knowledge needed to install or fault find on PV systems. Maybe if youre an enthusiast wanting to build your own bits and bobs but that's far from the norm. Electrics yes but no electronics No software knowledge needed either. Configuring a PV system even with batteries and comms to energy meters is no more complicated than navigating a modern cars menus. In fact using Solaredges setapp tool is easier and more intuitive than resetting the tyre pressure monitoring on my wife's Jazz! I've no experience with anything other than Solaredge kit and that works off the shelf, in my experience. A breeze to install and straight forward to configure. I'm sure theres plenty of other systems that are equally straight forward

I'd be surprised if a PV system is beyond your ability to understand, its more likely that your interests lie elsewhere. If I remember correctly you had a thread about insulating a large car workshop where you discussed roof construction in quite an informed way so you wont have any problem with the mounting and mech installation of PV panels. PV panels produce DC power in the same way a battery provides DC power for a car which Im sure you understand. Connect batteries together as on many wagons and you increase voltage to 24volts....PV panels are the same. If you want to run 240v equipment off a battery in a car/camper/caravan youll pop an inverter in a cupboard. That's the same function as a PV inverter. Much of the functionality of a PV system uses quite simple principles well within the grasp of an awful lot of people......if they want to understand it.

Not sure that's right. It's not going to happen overnight but if it needs to happen, it will. Take the comments made about plumbers and ASHPs. I know 2 plumbers and they struggle with basic conventional heating system controls using a timer/room stat/zone valves. They've got little chance of being retrained in a field they already struggle with and theres next to no chance of the understanding the workings of a heat pump and associated control system. On top of that they have no chance of fixing a poorly specified system that needs a redesign. What we're going to have to do is wait for a generation of young trainees that cut their teeth on heat pumps and more complex controls to find their way into the market. That's years away but they will get out there in time.

If youre concerned about Perlight, what's stopping you using smaller JA panels.

Alterations are allowable and covered in OFGEMs updated FIT rules https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications/feed-tariffs-fit-decision-replacement-generating-equipment

Get a couple of panels or the same size sheets of wood, prop them up one in front of the other and see where the shadows fall at different times of the day. At a guess, 1 metre will be no where near enough to give year round generation from the rear rows. Setting the panels in landscape orientation will allow them to be closer but make the rows longer. If youve got the option to raise the rear rows, that would allow the rows to be closer together PVGIS will give you hourly generation figures so you can see how much an unshaded array should be generating at different times of the day throughout the year. You can then decide when and how much you want to generate and set your panels so there is no shading when youve chase to generate. Unless youve got the rows spaced far enough that theres no shading, It's almost certain that you want the front row on its own MPPT input and the rest of the panels on a separate input(s). Alternatively you can use optimisers or micro inverters which will both help maximise generation when theres some shading.

Probably best to speak to your DNO before you comit to anything to check you can add the extra export.

If youre looking to change to a Lux hybrid inverter, youll not be able to use micro inverters as they produce AC which isnt compatible with the DC PV input of the inverter. If you want to keep the inverter youve got now and use micro inverters for your PV, youll need to speak to your DNO and likely make a G99 application as your total potential output to the grid is over 16amp(3.68kw). One thing I noticed from the photo you posted is that if the West face of your bungalow isnt shaded you can add panels the that bit of the roof as well as the south face.

I'd disagree with you on that. Whoever installed it for you is likely a professional and should have run through options with you. As you wanted an inverter/batteries, fitting PV at a later date is a blindingly obvious thing to do so they should have asked about that. They're at fault, not you.

You should be able to get it circulating by manually venting the system. An auto vent will clear circulating bubbles and stop them accumulating but manual venting will get any big slugs of air out so an auto vent wont be required to get the system running. Is there a non return valve and has it been fitted the right way? Pump is fitted the correct way round? Have you followed the pipework from the filling point and checked theres no closed valves and that flow and return pipework rises from the lowest point to the highest point?

Youre frames look easily adjustable so no plans to change inclination seasonally??