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Apologies if this has been covered, but I'm new!

Anyhow, has anybody managed to get onto a SEG scheme without the illusive MCS certificate (which seems like a complete jobs for the boys scheme!)

I think it daft that the DNO are happy for me to export my excess to them but Octopus wont pay because no MCS fit certificate!

Alternatively, do we know of any friendly MCS approved fitters happy to retro certify. My system was electrically connected by certified electrician mate, so I am content with it from a safety perspective.

You would think electrical companies would be all over every Kw they can get from micro generators!

NikoV6 wrote: ↑Fri Oct 14, 2022 10:34 am Apologies if this has been covered, but I'm new!

Anyhow, has anybody managed to get onto a SEG scheme without the illusive MCS certificate (which seems like a complete jobs for the boys scheme!)

Someone here has managed to persuade his supplier that there is no legal basis for demanding an MCS cert.

NikoV6 wrote: ↑Fri Oct 14, 2022 10:34 amAlternatively, do we know of any friendly MCS approved fitters happy to retro certify. My system was electrically connected by certified electrician mate, so I am content with it from a safety perspective.

There is a company that will do this for a fee, called something like MCS Services. IIRC has been mentioned on this board in the past.

The legislation allows suppliers to legally give you SEG without an MCS certificate but not many (if any do) actually do. You would need to be very persuasive and they don't have to. There was an alternative scheme Octopus (and others) initially allowed but they stopped publishing that at least a year ago and I cannot even remember the name of it.

I had my second system which was OffGrid DIY retrospectively MSC'd but the installer who did this, fitted my first system and was a personal friend of mine. By the time I fitted my third system my friend had stopped doing installations due to the prohibitive costs of keeping up the MCS and other trade body subscriptions.

In the early days, there was at least one company doing "Easy MCS", where if you bought the kit from the company, you could use their MCS credentials. Some oldies on here might remember that.

I tweeted this as a moan to Octopus and Greg Jackson, and to my surprise he responded!

"A lot of this is subject to external / regulatory audit - MCS delivers on the auditor needs but let me see what alternatives are"

Stand by DIY installers!

While on the subject, I also asked him for a dedicated battery storage tariff

Octopus (and others) used to allow Flexi Orb as an alternative to MCS, then they all seemed to drop it for some reason.

https://www.flexi-orb.com/

NikoV6 wrote: ↑Mon Oct 31, 2022 2:16 pm I tweeted this as a moan to Octopus and Greg Jackson, and to my surprise he responded!

"A lot of this is subject to external / regulatory audit - MCS delivers on the auditor needs but let me see what alternatives are"

Stand by DIY installers!

While on the subject, I also asked him for a dedicated battery storage tariff

"Delivers on the Auditor" : well after the initial review of a representative install in order to gain membership I wonder how many installs MCS actually inspect?

We should be told!

Burble61 wrote: ↑Mon Oct 31, 2022 2:54 pm

NikoV6 wrote: ↑Mon Oct 31, 2022 2:16 pm I tweeted this as a moan to Octopus and Greg Jackson, and to my surprise he responded!

"A lot of this is subject to external / regulatory audit - MCS delivers on the auditor needs but let me see what alternatives are"

"Delivers on the Auditor" : well after the initial review of a representative install in order to gain membership I wonder how many installs MCS actually inspect?

Not many but I think Greg is talking from the point of view of Octopus. I.e., their auditor may give a non conformance observation, if they find Octopus has agreed a SEG application without an MCS or equivalent certificate.

Burble61 wrote: ↑Mon Oct 31, 2022 2:54 pm "Delivers on the Auditor" : well after the initial review of a representative install in order to gain membership I wonder how many installs MCS actually inspect?

We should be told!

Our installation was never checked or audited, even after I flagged up a safety concern with the way the inverter had been connected up (it had been connected to a non-RCD protected MCB). MCS weren't interested, so I swapped the MCB for an RCBO myself in the end.

I've always held the view that MCS was just another way of distributing money around to useless people that couldn't otherwise make a living . . .

Oldgreybeard wrote: ↑Mon Oct 31, 2022 3:01 pm

Burble61 wrote: ↑Mon Oct 31, 2022 2:54 pm "Delivers on the Auditor" : well after the initial review of a representative install in order to gain membership I wonder how many installs MCS actually inspect?

We should be told!

I've always held the view that MCS was just another way of distributing money around to useless people that couldn't otherwise make a living . . .

Oldgreybeard wrote: ↑Mon Oct 31, 2022 3:01 pm
I've always held the view that MCS was just another way of distributing money around to useless people that couldn't otherwise make a living . . .

Totally agree and applies to all the schemes. My installation was appalling. I got a repayment for mis-selling, it was refitted twice and in the end I was given money to sort it out myself. That was all sorted by the bank that I took the interest free loan out with.