In-roof or on-roof panels - recommendation for suppliers / intallers South West

[Walshie]

Hi all,

Apols for the idiot question but....

I'm about to do a renovation which will involve the while roof being recovered in slate.

Seems like a good opportunity to go for in-roof panels - for no other reason than they look better.

However, be good to get some views on pro's / con's before a take a leap into the unknown!

 

Also, would be great to have some recommendations for suppliers / installers in the South West - I'm in Porlock.

 

Thanks for your help,

 

W

 

 

[brumeye]

Watching as we're thinking of doing something similar. I'm on the fence given in-roof is supposed to be a bit less efficient due to less heat dissipation (10-15% less output?) and thinking about the long term, I also wonder whether replacement will be more difficult when needed.

Edited December 28, 2024 by brumeye

[Alan Ambrose]

Pros:

 

+ Fewer tiles, so less cost and weight.

+ Better looking (maybe).

+ Easier to protect against nesting birds.

 

Cons:

 

+ More complex fitting (check out the instructions for choosing trays and for battening).

+ Harder waterproofing detail.

+ Lock in to a range of panel sizes when renewing in 20-30 years / possibility trays have degraded by weather or UV and need replacing,

[G and J]

50 minutes ago, Alan Ambrose said:

Pros:

 

+ Fewer tiles, so less cost and weight.

+ Better looking (maybe).

+ Easier to protect against nesting birds.

Tick to all those….  In fact the reduced natural slate costs make Solar pv really easy to cost in, and I think it’s looks a lot better.

 

1 hour ago, Alan Ambrose said:

Cons:

 

+ More complex fitting (check out the instructions for choosing trays and for battening).

+ Harder waterproofing detail.

+ Lock in to a range of panel sizes when renewing in 20-30 years / possibility trays have degraded by weather or UV and need replacing,

Not sure about complexity of fitting.   Having been on a roof recently looking at GSE trays they look pretty simple to me, and an awful lot less faff than retro fitting bird guards.  The flashing detail looked easily doable too, so I’m not sure about that as a downside either, especially given the real waterproofing of a roof is the underlay, which is unaffected.

 

I’m sitting in a house that we built 33 years ago, with a design life of 25 years.  Plus, in 30 years a few dicky solar panels will be the least of my worries as I stumble through my tenth decade, so that one won’t worry me personally, and I’m not sure, with optimisers fitted, if it’ll be much of a worry to most peeps.  
 

I did at one point concern myself with the loss of efficiency at high temperatures, but that could be reduced by counterbattening and besides, that efficiency drop will only be when there’s tons of solar anyway, so for me less of a concern.

 

Regardless of the technicals, I think flush solar looks finished, so that’s the decider for me.

 

 

[SteamyTea]

19 hours ago, brumeye said:

I'm on the fence given in-roof is supposed to be a bit less efficient due to less heat dissipation (10-15% less output?)

This is a bit of a red herring.

It will only get a reduced output when it goes about 25°C, and the radiation is above 1000W/m².

So a few days a year, at a time when PV is producing the most.

Most PV modules will have a greater output than the nameplate rating anyway, that way, as they age, they stay withing the guaranteed output.

It is never worth chasing the last few percent of efficiency at the extremes.

[Gone West]

The only potential problem I have with an in-roof system, is, if a PV panel needs replacing in the future, will the same size PV panels still exist.

[torre]

No idea of suppliers in the SW but we'll be using Viridian in roof panels. UK based and been around a long time, they supply a number of UK housebuilders and are now owned by Marley so hopefully a good chance of replacement availability in future and good flashing compatibility with common UK roof finishes.

[G and J]

58 minutes ago, torre said:

No idea of suppliers in the SW but we'll be using Viridian in roof panels. UK based and been around a long time, they supply a number of UK housebuilders and are now owned by Marley so hopefully a good chance of replacement availability in future and good flashing compatibility with common UK roof finishes.

Maybe I should put half a dozen of the same panels on my man cave at the bottom of the garden to use on the main roof if needed.