Marvin

Contacted Coolenergy. Who were very helpful and as I had a reasonable understanding of the whole system we were able to go through things on the phone. Problem seemed to be related to hot water heating function as since emailing Coolenergy I had set the Carel to heating and it had started heating, but when turned on to hot water - no compressor or fan. Changing various setting as instructed changed the fan speed from low to normal and the hot water started working again.. This may have been a blip of some sort. However, I will do some tests over the next few days.... Here's pictures of the Carel programmer:

Hi @ProDave "Self builder in the Highlands. See my build blog here http://www.willowburn.net Heading for retirement and planning our "adventure before dementia""🤣🤣🤣🤣 Will do.

Hi @JohnMo Yes. When turning back on alarm message shows power was off so reset. Emailed Cool energy with problem...

Inspected ASHP. No indication of any outside problems: Fan free to turn. Pressure levels hi and low at 0.9barish. No obstructions to the grills. Inside: No alarm codes.

We have a Cool energy ASHP CE-iVT9 which has stopped working. It has a Carel control system and has been working fine since July 2021. The symptoms are: Power on and Carel active Hot water and or Heating demand can be chosen but no heat delivered. Heating on with demand: Carel indicates heating chosen, temperature 10 degrees below set temperature, pump on, no fan and no compressor. What checks can I make to identify the problem? I am going to inspect ASHP now in case of freezing?? M

What's this! Today's challange!! Hi @Russdl Yup @Russell griffiths Idea will do it, however sometimes multi grips not big enough so another choice:

Hi @Dillsue Of course your right. What sort of price are they to purchase for each panel?? It maybe something for us in the future. Am I right that they will protect the rest of the string if one of the panels is shaded? Another thought. can I use different rated Voltage/Amperage panels (I am looking at a very close range)? Every day is a school day for me... Thanks M

You know more than me.. we obtained approval for our 6kW inverter so all's fine for us. As I understand it G100 limits exportation: No export allowed (G100 applies) – this means all electricity produced by the embedded generation must be utilised on the premises. It may be that a different type of inverter or controls are required... you tell me. M

Hi @richard_scotland Bear in mind that it is quite difficult to mix PV panels. Having investigated this when considering increasing the amount of panels for our home a couple of things came to light. If you add PV panels to an existing system it's complicated to do unless the panels are exactly the same as the existing (not just the same manufacturer but voltage and amperage) as 1 different panel added to a string would effect the output from all the panels. Unless you install a special system, if you have some panels shaded or facing a different direction from the others on the same string, the outputs of all the panels on the same string will be effected. Best of luck. M

Our DNO would only use the upper export limit of the Inverter in their calculation. Their opinion was that lower adjusted exporting limits on Inverters could be inadvertently altered and so certainty of requirements being followed.

Hi @tdansmith Sorry if you know all this. Just some thoughts off your original posting.. The SSE, (Distribution Network Operator: DNO) valuated our system by the maximum the certified inverter would allow into the grid, not by how many panels we have (In fact the inverter allows about 25% more panels than that its limited wattage). Think carefully about future requirements! its costly to upgrade.. for several reasons.. I'm not sure about the design of the system your considering but please check that the battery storage capacity in your design would not be included in your DNO's calculation of how much power could flow back to the grid. ( as I understand it it batteries need to be controlled by the inverter and the inverter is limited, not the inverter and then the batteries meaning that both lots could go back to the grid) Not sure that you would not end up potentially crossing phases trying to supply from batteries more than one phase. Sounds like a high end inverter to do that.... Storing 15kW is only half the consideration. You also have to consider the maximum power level. Batteries have a limited percentage of their stored power that they can efficiently discharge. In my opinion low and slow is the order of the day.... Here's a tool to help you see what a 3.6kW system would do over the year. Start by zooming in to your home and then adding your proposed data. https://re.jrc.ec.europa.eu/pvg_tools/en/tools.html I would suggest you look at the potential supply month by month and your requirement month by month. Good luck M

My humble opinion is that you insulate the ..... out of any of the system which is outside the building thermal envelope. I have 400mm of fluffy over the MVHR box and about the same over the ducts... Good luck M

Multi tools are far better. I have even used a home made depth restrictor to only cut through the plaster board and not cut proud cables behind it. I also cut out the hole size in a piece of hardboard to use as a pencil jig and use it with my laser level to mark positions on walls. I then have a quick level rectangle drawn on the wall ready to cut using the multitool and vacuum. If its soft block behind the plasterboard I use the multitool on that as well... Every day is a school day. Like the PVA idea.

Hi @RobLe Thanks for the info. Not knowing the acronyms I assume caps are capacitors and acrms means AcRMS?? (so what your saying is that the grid current is often quite high??) Every days a school day (including yesterday all day) M

Hi @canalsiderenovation, @eugen, @Klam Etal. Thanks for this thread. I have a Solic which suddenly had the power light go orange (Yes both green and red at the same time) so the same capacitor problem! Its the old AF2.1 model and I didn't want to install a different one. I will load up progress here as I go. Marvin.

It's not the tiles that decide the overlap but the possibility of water being able to run underneath the overlap. Abutments can cause a wind funnel and therefore if it rains the wind can force the rain up the join!

Hi @karatekaren Actually looking at the picture again I realise it's an abutment flashing An abutment flashing is used to bridge the void where roof sheets meet a vertical wall, to provide a weathertight seal. What is the reccomended overlap of adjoining abutment flashings? The minimum ovelap of adjoining abutment flashings should be 150mm.

Don't know why there is the triangle. Each lead sheet along the joint should be no longer than 1.5 metres. If the lead is cut any longer it could lead to splitting of the lead work due to expansion and contraction. When fitting flashings they should overlap by a minimum of 100mm. Good luck Marvin

Building sites may be busy but insolvencies in construction are rampant: https://bcis.co.uk/news/construction-insolvencies-latest-news/ Lots of consolidation also happening... https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/financial/ma/?block_id=3 I am impressed with the ability of borrowers to afford the mortgages and I hope they continue to do so however..... https://www.credit-connect.co.uk/news/value-of-mortgages-in-arrears-hits-21-9bn/ Time will tell. I wish you all luck Marvin

I assume there is no chimneys on the party wall.....

Thanks to the help from posters in my last post I understand about how different voltage/amperage panels on the same string can cause loss of power. I have an existing 6KW Grid tied system with 2 MPPTs. I think I will need three or 4 MPPTs to be able to add different panels (old ones no longer available) to the system. Is there an economical way I can change my system? Any ideas? Marvin

the 320 Watt panels are also Longi. Longi 320W.pdf

Thanks for all the replies. I am a little ahead of the game with some items: The DNO permission is based on the maximum the inverter will allow to supply back to the grid which is 6000W The Inverter can cope with 7980 Watts of panels in the UK. The Inverter has 2 strings (MTTP) which can run up to 4000W max each. The existing set up has 16 x 320Watt panels = 5120W which is 64% of potential String 1 7 panels 2,240 Watts 56% String 2 9 panels 2,880 Watts 72% The Inverter is capable of taking the amperage. The solar DC cable is 6mm and about two separate 27m loops The AC cable from the inverter is 22m of 6mm clipped direct with some conduit/trunking - easily capable of taking 6kW. Hi @JohnMo Thanks for the link. I have now read it and it is clear to me. I will now calculate what the results would be.

I have 16 Longi 320W panels and wish to add some more but they are now discontinued I have found the LONGi Solar Hi-MO 6 435WP Black Frame PV Module LR5-54HTH-435M (435Watt) Technical details: 320Watts panels 435Watt panels STC NOCT STC NOCT Power 320 237.1 Power 435 325 Voc\V 40.9 38.2 Voc\V 39.33 36.93 Vmp\V 33.9 31.3 Vmp\V 33.04 30.15 Is it ok to mix them? If not, what specification would be better if I cannot obtain exactly the same. If so what are the pros and cons. Any guidance would be appreciated. M

Yes and going forward it's the capability of electricity companies being able to dump energy into your EVs - trials recently being carried out....