DIY solar PV

[joe90]

As I have said previously I am thinking about installing solar PV on my garage roof, @ProDave installed his own (and got a bike shed out of it as well) I just came across this on fleabay.  https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/323762945539?hash=item4b61c67e03:g:tZoAAOSwiwZcG6G6 Which seems a good price but interestingly enough I also came across this in the fine print    Not that I am thinking of using FIT 

• We offer full MCS commissioning from £345 meaning you can self install the system and we can sign it off

[SteamyTea]

  On 12/04/2022 at 10:10, joe90 said:

We offer full MCS commissioning from £345 meaning you can self install the system and we can sign it off

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Sounds very dodgy to me.

Cost 100 quid to drive 300 miles in a van, and how do they check the structural integrity, rely on an unknown SE (printing up letterheads now, every town has a Number 3 Church Street).

[joe90]

  On 12/04/2022 at 10:16, SteamyTea said:

from £345

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Depends on milage I guess 🤷‍♂️. Does the MCS ticket cover the structural integrity of the roof ? Or simply the quality of kit and installation?

[SteamyTea]

  On 12/04/2022 at 10:29, joe90 said:

Depends on milage I guess 🤷‍♂️. Does the MCS ticket cover the structural integrity of the roof ? Or simply the quality of kit and installation?

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Covers all sorts of things, including staff monitoring.

It is a comprehensive scheme, abused rotten.

And the built in insurance/warrantee/guarantee is a joke. Used to be called REAL, but I doubt anyone ever successful claimed on it.

Probably called something else now.

[joth]

 

If you're getting the MCS cert as a guarantee of installation value for money, quality of install not damaging property, amount of annual yield meeting what is promised, assurance to new purchaser of the house, it's obviously bit of a fraud.

But if the only reason you're doing it is to appease your electrical supplier so they will  pay for SEG export, it seems fair game to me. The installation needs to be safe to hook up to the CU and DNO, MCS cert or not, so requiring an MCS just to get payment is bureaucracy for the sake of it. 

 

Would be interested if you do go this way how you get on. Spring / right now (before summer!) is obv ideal time to install.

Edited April 12, 2022 by joth

[JohnMo]

I would call them, sound them out, as they are giving their phone number and also check out web shop, Facebook or even Google for feedback on the company.

 

But noticed they only have two reviews as a seller on eBay, nearly all their reviews are as a buyer.

[markc]

Did they detail what the MSC is? …. Marine Stewardship Council maybe, Midlothian Stolen Cycles? 
I wouldn’t bank on it being worth the money it costs

[joe90]

Personally I have no intension of seeking MCS sign off I only included this because getting DIY work signed off for various schemes has sounded problematic in the past. I would self instal and get my tame lecky (who does solar instals) to check it out/connect it fir me.

Edited April 12, 2022 by joe90

[SteamyTea]

  On 12/04/2022 at 11:52, joe90 said:

I would self instal and get my tame lecky (who does solar instals) to check it out/connect it fir me.

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Does he just do he electrical side?  or actually install systems?

[SteamyTea]

  On 12/04/2022 at 11:43, joth said:

pring / right now (before summer!) is obv ideal time to install.

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I am not to sure about that timing.

Come October, we are having money borrowed against our bills, then we have to start paying it back over the next few years.

October is the time to massively reduce usage until others have paid off our loan.

 

(expletive deleted)ing bonkers idea allowing it, I hope it gets challenged and an opt out is offered.

[joth]

  On 12/04/2022 at 12:21, SteamyTea said:

I am not to sure about that timing.

Come October, we are having money borrowed against our bills, then we have to start paying it back over the next few years.

October is the time to massively reduce usage until others have paid off our loan.

 

(expletive deleted)ing bonkers idea allowing it, I hope it gets challenged and an opt out is offered.

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I don't understand what you're saying.

 

Install now (or ideally March) to get max summer electricity generation. Deferring to October is about the worst option as you get the wear and tear (and expiry of warranty) of having it installed over winter with virtually no generation to show for it

[joe90]

  On 12/04/2022 at 12:17, SteamyTea said:

Does he just do he electrical side?  or actually install systems?

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He does complete instals but when he wired my build said he would just connect mine and check it if I wanted.

[Sandybay]

I am in the process of Installing a 4kw ground mount system, have panels up and cables to CU, 

I have emailed a few accredited solar installers, but they are not interested in connecting up the system for me as they did not supply / install it? 

Can a qualified electrician do this? 

I know about the G98 form requirement. 

[joe90]

  On 12/04/2022 at 18:25, Sandybay said:

Can a qualified electrician do this? 

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I guess so as long as you don’t want it MCS certified 🤔, no fit anymore so why would you?

[joth]

  On 12/04/2022 at 18:42, joe90 said:

I guess so as long as you don’t want it MCS certified 🤔, no fit anymore so why would you?

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SEG pays 7.5p per unit, so the £345 quoted above for an MCS cert could pay back in 1-2 years if you failed to self use much of the output (e.g. during the build??). And the 20 years after that is pure profit.

That's without going on Octopus Agile outgoing which is currently paying 30p/unit, I hear?? So could pay back within this summer.

 

Over 20 years, who knows what will happen to export prices, but if they continue to rise above inflation, you'll kicking yourself in a decade.

 

 

Edited April 12, 2022 by joth

[SteamyTea]

  On 12/04/2022 at 18:25, Sandybay said:

I am in the process of Installing a 4kw ground mount system, have panels up

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Was it easy getting it though planning?

[Bramco]

  On 12/04/2022 at 20:19, SteamyTea said:

Was it easy getting it though planning?

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We got ours through planning easily and we're in the Green Belt.

 

Find some examples to reference in the area and write a short planning statement referencing all the 'green' policies in your council's Local Plan and all the 'green' policies in the NPPF.

 

Simon

[SteamyTea]

  On 13/04/2022 at 09:28, Bramco said:

Find some examples to reference in the area and write a short planning statement referencing all the 'green' policies in your council's Local Plan and all the 'green' policies in the NPPF.

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Good advice, play them at their own game, but better.

[joth]

  On 12/04/2022 at 10:10, joe90 said:

As I have said previously I am thinking about installing solar PV on my garage roof, @ProDave installed his own (and got a bike shed out of it as well) I just came across this on fleabay.  https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/323762945539?hash=item4b61c67e03:g:tZoAAOSwiwZcG6G6 Which seems a good price but interestingly enough I also came across this in the fine print    Not that I am thinking of using FIT 

• We offer full MCS commissioning from £345 meaning you can self install the system and we can sign it off

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Interestingly their eBay listings have all been pulled down. I wonder if other MCS installers saw it mentioned here and got pissy about it.

 

They still sell kits on https://www.solar-energy-store.co.uk/solar-panel-kits but I don't see mention of DIY certifications.

 

 

[MikeGrahamT21]

These installed both my PV and Battery, they use local installers round the country, essentially they’re just a reseller.

[Ronski]

I've been getting silly quotes from companies, either silly prices for rather lacking systems, or reasonable prices but just doesn't do what I want. The last one specified a DC connected battery, and when I asked if the excess power from our existing array would charge the battery the answer was no. Well I knew that because you need an AC coupled battery to do that.

 

I'd like to install my own system, and use an electrician to the electrical work, preferably MCS registered, but the chance of finding a willing one is extremely unlikely.

 

So anyone know a good electrician in the south east - I'm in Broadstairs?

[ProDave]

If you want to go the bargain basement DIY route that I went, the same supplier that I used has these https://www.bimblesolar.com/used-260w-rec-solar-panels

 

16 of those is 4kW of panels four just under £1000 then you need an inverter, switchgear and mounting rails (I used Unistrut) so you should be able to do a complete system for about the £1500 I paid.

[Ronski]

@ProDave Thanks, but I would happily pay for new 400w panels, as I only have room for 12 panels at most on a flat roof double garage, or maybe 13 or 14 on a less than ideal NW facing roof with a chimney to cast a shadow. The best roofs already have a 4kw system on installed in 2015.

 

Probably best if I start a thread.

 

PS. Looks like some useful info on there, and they are not that far away, around 100 miles or so.

Edited April 30, 2022 by Ronski

[Radian]

  On 30/04/2022 at 15:39, ProDave said:

the same supplier that I used has these

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  Quote

 The farm was damaged during the storms and is being replaced under insurance. 

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Couldn't have been tied down too well! The thought of panels flying through the air is going to give me nightmares now.

[Brickie]

  On 30/04/2022 at 15:39, ProDave said:

If you want to go the bargain basement DIY route that I went, the same supplier that I used has these https://www.bimblesolar.com/used-260w-rec-solar-panels

 

16 of those is 4kW of panels four just under £1000 then you need an inverter, switchgear and mounting rails (I used Unistrut) so you should be able to do a complete system for about the £1500 I paid.

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Been doing some VERY rough fag packet calcs on the payback time based on your £1500 mentioned & it came in at around a year-does that sound about right? Like I say,extremely crude (I’m a bit busy to devote the time to be more accurate) but my thinking is that,even if I’m so far out that it’s double that,it’s still a no brainer. 
Garage roof,self install,partial shading,4kw,family of four so loads of daytime usage. 
TIA