In-roof PV

[Andrew]

On 10/09/2019 at 08:14, PeterStarck said:

I don't think you would want an inverter inside the house. It produces most electricity and therefore heat in the summer when the weather is hot. Adding more heat to the inside of the house in the summer isn't a good idea.

 

I've not had PV before so didn't really know where they are normally sited. Does anyone have a picture of a non-micro inverter showing where they have mounted them? Where is it normal for them to go?

 

I also heard on R4 at lunch time about people have trouble with pigeons nesting under the panels. Presumably this is just an issue where the panels are mounted proud of the roof? They had an enterprising pest control expert on talking about a mesh kit they do to stop the birds getting under the panels. Some companies were asking £3k to fit the mesh, I guess due to the access challenges. 

 

I'll need to do more thinking around micro / normal inverters. Thanks all.

[Jeremy Harris]

Ours is fitted outside, on the North facing wall, which is at the back of the house.  It's weatherproof, but as it's mounted under the eaves overhang it never really gets wet:

 

[Ferdinand]

1 hour ago, Andrew said:

 

I've not had PV before so didn't really know where they are normally sited. Does anyone have a picture of a non-micro inverter showing where they have mounted them? Where is it normal for them to go?

 

I also heard on R4 at lunch time about people have trouble with pigeons nesting under the panels. Presumably this is just an issue where the panels are mounted proud of the roof? They had an enterprising pest control expert on talking about a mesh kit they do to stop the birds getting under the panels. Some companies were asking £3k to fit the mesh, I guess due to the access challenges. 

 

I'll need to do more thinking around micro / normal inverters. Thanks all.

 

There must be pigeons remarkably slimmer than the ones we get, which look substantial enough to carve like a turkey.

[ragg987]

We have micro inverters installed below each solar panel, a long DC cable from there to our plant room where the main inverter is. AC run from inverter to electric panel is very short.

 

Works fine. I had our solar installer try to convince me we need to mount the inverter next to the PV panels as the DC cable had to be as short as possible to reduce losses. His suggestion was to mount in the warm roof or bedroom (we have no loft space). I found a solar calculator that assesses losses including cable diameter and length, it showed the opposite of what the installer claimed. He said no more and just installed it as I wanted after that.

 

Yes the inverter is warm, I see it as a positive in the winter, though the plant room does get a few degrees warmer in the summer due to all the plant and DHW cylinder.

[HerbJ]

These may help = couple of photos taken ahowing my PV panel installation in an in-roof system.   There is more info on the site, including more photos of mine and similar installations so just search

[passivhybrid]

On 10 September 2019 at 08:49, Jeremy Harris said:

 

 

Our panels are proud of the slates by a fair bit, but it doesn't really stand out when looking from the ground.  At a guess I'd say the panels may be around 30mm to 40mm higher than the slates:

 

 

Looks good

 

Has anbody used n roof system with standing seam zinc roof?

[gc100]

On 31/01/2020 at 21:34, passivhybrid said:

 

Looks good

 

Has anbody used n roof system with standing seam zinc roof?

 

I'm trying to find this out as well. Did you get an answer from anywhere?