jack

The "Envoy" is the hub that the microinverters communicate with. It basically receives information from each panel, piggybacked on the power lines. I'm very surprised that someone is supplying microinverters without the hub, and even more surprised that they're asking whether your electrician has one (unless he or she is a PV specialist and would be expected to know about these things). We have an enphase microinverter setup. The units came with a 20 (or maybe 25) year warranty, which seemed pretty impressive. A good PV supplier should be able to do an accurate survey of your site and model the output and FiTs to determine whether micro or regular inverters are the best option for you financially. The guy who did ours was on our roof for over an hour doing the survey.

Yep, and I remember various fathers doing it when I was growing up and wondering what their problem was!

I like you. You should stick around!

My wife's a wonderful woman, brilliant mother, etc, but I just can't her interested in this. I've tried pointing out that there's a reason we got the 8.5kW array, but it just isn't on her radar. I have about as much chance of getting anyone but me to turn off lights in the house. It's a standing joke (me being the only one who doesn't think it's funny) that when I get home from work in winter, sometimes literally every single light in the house is on! I was talked out of occupancy sensors but am now committed to retrofitting them throughout the house in due course.

Some people really are wankpuffins.

Welcome back!

Welcome back!

Has anyone let the Sunamp guys know about the new forum?

That's my recollection too!

Ours is the same (layout that is) as yours Jeremy - left hand side and 2/3s or 3/4s of the rear. I'm just really surprised that the same manufacturer has such different suggested spacings, especially given that ours is only 5kW and seems to be the same size and layout as all single-fan monoblocs in the Aquarea range.

Are you sure it's 100mm at the rear? We have the smallest ASHP that Panasonic makes (5kW) and I'm pretty sure the minimum recommended clearance was 300mm.

Welcome aboard!

Great to see you here!

Yep! Great info - thanks for sharing.

Welcome! What you're doing is still considered a self-build by most definitions (including mine, since I only did about 5% of the actual work on our build). Don't underestimate the amount of input you'll end up having, even going the main contractor route.

When I say I'd read a bit, what I really meant is that I spent several hours reading and watching youtube videos! I found the whole concept extremely interesting, mainly because I hate lawnmowers. The one video that sticks in my mind was a competition between a British and Austrian scythe at, I think, a country fair. The Austrian version won easily, although I don't know how well tuned the British one was.

I do quite a bit with telecommunications standards at work, and there's the same clear distinction between "shall" and "should". I think you're probably right that they can't insist, and we're expecting the same conversation with our inspector in the near future. He's been very reasonable to date though, so I'm not expecting too big an argument. I do like ProDave's argument, but I'm too much of a cheapskate to even do that at the moment!

At least some Soudal foams give you the specific insulation value. This is one of the products that does so: http://www.screwfix.com/p/soudal-genius-insulation-foam-hand-held-750ml/25943 There may be others.

Welcome Jonathan, great to have an international contingent!

Interesting. I read a lot about these about a year ago when we were thinking about how best to maintain the meadow section we're planning for our garden. I'll be interested to see how good a cut you get on regular grass - I'd happily spend more time doing it this way than pushing around a lawnmower.

Welcome back. Exciting times!

Our experience has been good too. The guy we had was remarkably hands-off, but provided input when asked. I was really surprised when he said he didn't want to see us after the frame went up until completion - I think he was really happy with the way we'd been doing things.

Welcome aboard!

Hi James We're just up the road from you over the Surrey border. We knocked down a bungalow at the end of 2014 and are nearly finished its replacement. Feel free to contact me offline in due course if you want recommendations for local trades and suppliers And welcome to the site!

Great to see you Calvin! Hope all's well