Rob99

Niche is ok as long as its cheaper, better and less flaky than other options. I don't know anyone who has installed or is using Velbus so can't comment on how good or bad it is but it seemed to me a bit like a KNX bus type system. The programming software did look a bit clunky, although that could be the way the guy was demonstrating it. Lots of people on here have used Loxone (me included), some also use KNX, probably fewer with Control4 or Crestron. Some initial questions I'd be asking are: How popular is the system in the UK and who sells it (if not the manufacturer) What support is available (e.g. community forums, manufacturer, installer) and is it chargeable. Maintenance/software/firmware updates (how, who, how much?) Can you make changes to programming yourself, or is it an "engineer" only system (and therefore chargeable)

You need seperate MPAN's for import and export, and they aren't the same as the numbers etched onto your meter. It's not a requirement that Octopus obtain the MPAN, nor are they exclusively the ones able to do it. You should be able to obtain an MPAN from your DNO yourself, if they have had all of the paperwork required for the installation from your installer. Our installed requested an export MPAN at the same time they submitted the paperwork and we had it by return email. I sent this to Octopus and was set up for export in a matter of days.

That phrase always rings alarm bells with me. Which specific grant scheme is this? Just because they are funding it doesn't give them the right to impose poorly designed installations which it appears may not even comply with MCS standards.

I'm a Loxone partner and have previously looked around for metal enclosures for the control panel builds I do but always kept coming back to the Future Automation ones. They're very well built and robust and I like the fact they are designed to accommodate Loxone equipment which looks really smart when done right. Here's one of my previous builds as an example of how they look. Some clients leave them like this without the door on as they like the look of them.

Thanks @Kelvin, you've installed that nicely in a very tight space 👍

As @Dan F says, it’s usual to use operating modes for this type of control. Operating modes are hugely useful for lots of stuff. I use them for whole house evening and night modes, individual bedroom modes, heating/ventilation, guest mode, at home, away, holiday etc. They can be used with schedules, triggered by other logic or using switches and other inputs. Incredibly useful. If you used the config planning tool and auto config then it will create a whole range of operating modes automatically.

You should start by using the project planning part of config. Input all of your room, circuit and equipment details and you can automatically create a complete config file. It will create most of the blocks and logic for whatever you have said you need and put them on separate pages named for the rooms. It’s not perfect but will be easier than creating everything from scratch. You then just go through and make changes or add additional logic.

Just a heads up - you can only configure the miniserver network settings in the first hour after powering up. Beyond that you will need to power cycle it to make any changes.

No. Hybrid inverter will disconnect itself from the grid automatically when it loses power and will only reconnect when the grid connection is restored. They are designed this way and only approved for connection to the grid on this basis.

In my case, I use them on cat6 when they are going into screw terminals to provide a bit more for the screw to hold on to, but as @Dan F said, not necessary if they are going into push in terminals.

I use 0.5mm for cat6A

Looks fine to me 👍

Which SSR's did you go for?

1.5mm2 tri-rated is rated at nominal 21A but you should derate that if you are bunching cables together. Sounds like your sparky knows his stuff though. Besides you have to keep below 16A if you're using the Loxone relays, or 10A on the miniserver relays.

Yes, all the earth connections are made with the earth bars fitted to the back plate of the enclosure at the top/bottom. The main issue I see is that you need a way to distribute the RCBO feed to the relays but without the triple height blocks you can't do this at the terminal block end. It's not an ideal solution but one option would be to take the RCBO feed and loop it across to one side of all of the relays which link to that RCBO so that when you wire the other side of the relay back to the terminal block you are effectively feeding switched live into each terminal block. Your neutral would then be commoned across the terminal blocks.