Mr Blobby

What if we don't have an isolator yet? The place where the isolator and inverter is to be installed isn't built yet. We will just have a long cable from the panels on the roof. Maybe a temporary isolator in the loft? Ah yes, I should have explained some more. The design is ok I think. Its the heights and electrocution that scare me a bit though. 😬 The price quoted does not include the inverter. It is only to put the panels on the roof. That's why I hope there is some cost saving here, as long as I don't fall off the roof or get electrocuted. The newer solis series 6 inverters have more than two trackers to support multiple roofs for far less cost than something like solar edge. It is interesting that no GB shops are selling these inverters yet and nobody, including my solar installer, had any knowledge about them. These inverters are easy to buy online from the EU. The G98 certificate appeared on the ENA database a few weeks ago so they should be ok, but our inverter isn't going to be installed for a few months so no rush. https://www.solisinverters.com/uk/energy_storage_inverters10/5_10k_s6_H_PRO_en.html We have a 3 phase connection to the house so we are ok for a 10KW 3 phase hybrid inverter.

We have the standing seam roof up and scaffold is still in place. I have the S5 clamps to attach the panels to the seams. We are putting 20 panels on the East and South-East roofs and then 7 on the SW facing flat roof garage (so we don't spoil the roof at the front). Cost of panels is falling like a stone so we can now get 27 Aiko 445 all black N type panels for a whisker over two grand. and then about 550 quid for renusol buckets. So about 2600 for materials. Solar installer is asking for six grand to supply and fit the panels, so about 3k for labour and cable. This seems like an easy DIY to save three grand. Is it? Am I missing something? We already have the conduit in place thorough the ridge into the loft for the PV cable. How do I connect the panels together? Do I just crimp a connector to a long cable and then connect the panles in series. The inverter is not going to be installed for a few months so the cable will be left in the loft for a while. I don't want to get electrocuted but I also want to save 3 grand on what looks like a days work. How hard is it to connect the panels and run the cable into the loft?

This is what I would like to use, but, AFAICS, BPC don't sell either the Comfopipe or Ubbink, just the hard plastic duct and then the insulation to go round it. Which is much cheaper but looks a bit crapper. I can see my builder rolling his eyes, again, when I tell him I want to do something different 😆 My next stupid question is what is the best way to terminate the foam duct at the vent in the cavity wall? Does the foam pipe go throught the cavity to the vent? Or alternatively, run a peice of 180mm thin plastic duct through the cavity wall and join the foam duct to that?

I like the look of this. I see it in the marketing pics for Brink and Zhender but not sure if BPC sell it. Would you use this again, and why?

Apologies if this has been covered elsewhere. I did look, honest. MVHR unit is going into warm loft. What ducting to the outside? Should it be insulated? If so what type is best? This stuff? ... because it looks a bit too bendy, surely rigid ducting would be better. If so then what insulation? Also, the external vents all seem to be 180 diameter, the Zhender unit is like this: ... what size duct do I neeed to the outside, 200 or 180? I do have a package quote from BPC but none of this stuff is clearly described. I'll give them a ring I think....

Who did the core drilling for you? I need the same for big holes for the MVHR intake and exhaust through dense clock wall. The fitter said he'd kango through and patch it up. I dont think so!

Yes we fitted one (the largest size SK06 114x118cm) in our build just before Christmas and I think its great, although I'm no expert on velux windows. It was heavy, perhaps because of the extra (5 in total) panes of glass. These windows need the additional (BDX I think) fitting kit so the size of the opening needs to be increased by about 10mm but check with Velux for the exact size. We didn't fit the Velux airtight collar, we just taped intello plus to the frame and that seems to be ok.

Sadly yes. The installers are supposed to the best metal roof installers in Northern Ireland. A big well known firm that came recommended with a supposedly very good reputation hence I am surprised at the state of the work. I am awaiting their reponse to the rusty screws issue. They are supposed to come back to do some cladding in a few months time. That might not happen.

I'm glad my scaffolding is still up 🤪 Damn, they could gave pushed that peice in to close that annoying gap 🤪

Im pretty sure the black foam stuff is there, I saw it on site and we poked some conduit through it for the PV cable. I haven't checked the whole roof of course. I don't like heights.

On the VMzinc directions (that appear to be the way my aluminium roof was installed) there are screw details that mean nothing to me...

Agreed, definetely the wrong screws. Yes the gap in the ridge annoys me too. Totally avoidable had they tried to do it properly.

You're quite right about the galvanic corrosion. What are the options here then if not stainless steel screws? Aluminium screws look like the only choice. At least it will be easy to check with a magnet if the right screws are being used 😆 I have a bad feeling that standard VMZ stainless steel clips may have been used to fix the aluminium panels. There are some spares kicking around on site to check. Interestingly enough, however, the prefa site lists stainless steel fixings for the aluminium panels. I'll email Prefa for some guidance.

So I found the ridge construction and its the G3 standard ridge construction for zinc roofs. Which I'm ok with. In theory. Looking at the G3 roof installation, I recognise this as exactly how our roof was installed. The G3 ridge detail is described very nicely here https://www.nealroofing.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Ridge-Installation.pdf This is the bit I like best at square 7. Stainless Steel screws Must be used. I think our metal roofer will be replacing the screws soon. That'll learn him to try and save a few quid.

It annoys the hell out of me already. And all to save a tenner on screws. Its so obvious that screws here should be stainless that you shouldn't have to check. Which is difficult anyway. How do you know for sure if a screw is stainless before it starts rusting?

The ridge vent, yes. Aluminium. Prefa. I don't think so. https://uk.prefa.com/fileadmin/user_upload/_EN/Downloads/Technische_Zeichnungen/Details_Roof_PREFALZ_PREFA.pdf I'm pretty sure its not like this... Me neither. In fairness, it's hard to see the fixings unless on the roof but I can see the rusty screws from the scaffold easy enough because of the colour difference.

It looks like the metal roofers wanted to save a few quid on screws when installing my very expensive metal roof. Am I right to be a bit naffed off?

Single zhender 600 unit, 90mm ducting. 8 extracts. 9 Supply. Voids designed in to new build house for ducting so there should be no routing problems. I've been quoted £1500 to install only. Is this a good price to save me the hassle? Or save the money and do it myself? * *I have no idea how to install this but reading the posts on here its just fixing the ducts with metal strap to the holllow core slabs. How hard can it be 🤷‍♂️

We've not bought our tiles yet but our architect says some of his other builds had floor tiles from Tile Expert and they were ok.

Cancel the screeding

Where's the steel?

There has now 🤨

I get a sense of deja vu here 🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️

Please tell me more. What's good about them over the 5 quid vents? Need to decide this quite soon 🤔

Whatever you do don't get a 4k monitor at 27 inches. The font's don't scale right at 4k on a 27" monitor and it looks awful. I use two 27 inch monitors at 2560x1440 on an amzon basics dual mount and that works great for me. As @Conor mentioned, multiple monitors with a single app maximised on each is a lot easier than messing around resizing windows on a single big screen. Before doing anything, make sure your desktop/laptop can support monitors at the desired resolution with the proper port(s). Which may or may not need to carry audio as well.