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At last I've managed to collect enough "tuits" to assemble the bits and pieces of the PV system I have had stashed away for a couple of years now. Nowty generously let me have a sunny boy 1200w inverter for not a lot of money, and I won 10 of 60 W panels in a clear out sale from "the other place". Having given one panel away we will have a small 540 W max system to qualify us for the "lectron counters club" at long last, all for probably less than three hundred quid, happy days .

Last week I tried to serve notice to UKPN our DNO that we intended to install this kit and they came back with a request for a G83c form which requires all kinds of techy details as apparently the kit we specified is not listed as type approved. I am hoping the decleration of conformity for the inverter will keep them happy as the details they seem to require are gobbledegook to me, any thoughts?

I am going to install anyway as a lot of these problems seem to raise their ugly heads at the time of planning but seem to disappear in the actuality, time will tell, piccys will be following for those interested.

Desp

Wow, that Sunny Boy I sold you was years ago, very little used too and a bomb proof fully isolated transformer type.
But its not to the latest G98 standard which came in on 27th April 2019 so that's probably what they mean by its not listed.

It was added to the official ENA Type Test Verification Register for G83/1-1 on 21/01/2014.
https://www.ena-eng.org/ProductTypeTest ... oduct.aspx

Here is the type test verification certificate for it,
https://www.ena-eng.org/ProductTypeTest ... 057_01.pdf

As its less than 3.68kW, arguably it can be installed prior to DNO notification, then whether you inform the DNO within the 28 days or not "could" be a personal choice.

Nice one Desp, keep us updated as things come together please, I think your strategy with the DNO is the right route and there are other options if it becomes necessary.

What orientation do you plan and roof or ground ?

Common Desp you know the drill and the questions don’t keep us in suspense.

I’m planning my next array here too it’s going to be a whopping 150Wp mobile system just to investigate budget solar deployment - not the cheapest in Wp terms but I’m hoping a nice way for people to add a bit here and there as the odd £100 makes itself available.

Moxi

Well whadda ya know it all works, still needs a bit of fettling mind , don't nobody mention the 13a plug..................

Thanks for that info Nowty, hopefully that certification will keep the DNO happy, I do want to keep it all above board, the inverter did its little start up procedure and settled down nicely, and as we speak we are up at the heady heights of 66W!!!

Moxi,

this little array sits up on the shed roof and is tilted at about 45 degrees and is due south facing, there is a tree which will start to shade it after about 4pm at this time of year, but no other shading until mid winter.

This is a bit of a prototype for a future plan for the main house roof, there is a big flat roof on the lofty conversion which is quite accessible through the Velux window, I will have to lay the panels down at a low angle to keep within 20cm of the ridge height, but I have about 8*5 metres to play with, so provided the shed roof proves water tight, this time next year Rodders.................

Desp

Shedhenge!




Of course the first thing that happens when a solar system gets installed is........it starts to rain, still 66W is better than a poke in the eye with a rusty nail.



Desp

You might find there is a bluetooth module in there, I cannot remember if I re-used it on another inverter or not. If its in you can monitor and change settings via the free SMA Sunny Explorer software and a bluetooth enabled laptop.

Nice to see it having a second life. I actually bought them second hand but were still in the box and had never been used. Don't know which one is yours but here they are operating in Nowty Towers back in 2012 !

Like the set up Desp but what’s the panel behind the down pipe ?

It’s rained and we have sat in the cloud base all day so solar here has been laudable

Moxi

A thread title that drew me in like a wasp to a beer trap.

Nice one desp, let us know how things go with the DNO & other tinkerings.

I bought 20 of those 60 watt panels, I wish i'd jumped in for more but crofter mannie swept in fer a lot did he not (whilst I was ummin & err-ing ..so fair do's) thinking of making an easterly morning solar canopy outside the back door & out of site (in the main) ..but when you face nigh on due south it's a tough call.

incidentally.. these are cheap if you are wanging a small solar project up (nb, best bought 1 male +1 female at a time for best price with free postage)
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/3298909 ... mzRZt&mp=1 currently 2.14 (ex vat per set) fer parallel solar panel parking type things

nowty wrote: ↑Sun May 01, 2022 3:53 pm You might find there is a bluetooth module in there, I cannot remember if I re-used it on another inverter or not. If its in you can monitor and change settings via the free SMA Sunny Explorer software and a bluetooth enabled laptop.

Nice to see it having a second life. I actually bought them second hand but were still in the box and had never been used. Don't know which one is yours but here they are operating in Nowty Towers back in 2012 !

Nowty is that an electric trolling motor underneath the SB ?

Moxi

Moxi wrote: ↑Mon May 02, 2022 8:34 pm Nowty is that an electric trolling motor underneath the SB ?

Moxi

Yep, had it since 2007 and still use it and the same boat every year. Used to use a 12v 100Ah AGM lead acid battery but killed it by leaving it uncharged for too long. Now use a 100Ah lifepo4 battery which runs the boat for 3+ hours at about 4 or 5 mph.

SWMBO will kill me for that photo, she's in the blue life jacket.