How to add batteries & more PV

[pudding]

So, Sunsynk 3.6K hybrid finally ordered yesterday, along with 9 x 380W JA Solar panels

Installer commented on the plywood I've put up above the batteries shown in the pics a few posts ago, saying they'd normally use fireboard or fire rated plasterboard, and the batteries would normally be recommended to be in a non-combustible enclosure. This is all in a detached garage so I said I was happy with the batteries, but could just stack them on the floor if really needed. What has everyone else installed inverters on the wall on? Just ply or specific fire-rated sheets of something?

[sharpener]

What has everyone else installed inverters on the wall on? Just ply or specific fire-rated sheets of something?

PV inverters in loft are on calcium silicate fire board. Battery inverter is direct on a stone wall. Both have fire detectors mounted above them linked to a central alarm system.

AFAIR batteries in a wooden rack don't comply with IET Code of Practice so you might be on shaky ground insurance-wise.

[SafetyThird]

I submitted the G99 fast track to try and get the batteries connected up as soon as possible. Submitted on 6th June proposing a 3.6kW Solis hybrid. Didn't hear back for weeks, my electrician/installer hadn't heard anything so he gave me the contact details for the guy at Western Power for my area who would deal with it. He didn't respond to emails, and I finally managed to get hold of him on the phone this week. He pulled up my application, had a quick look through, say yeah, all looks fine, you should have received a letter saying ok and to notify us once install is complete?! Mustve been an issue sending the letter out, he'll tick a box again and send it out again. FFS! But now of course, the Solis hybrid is not in stock anywhere and might no be for weeks.

Same thing happened to me, I phoned Western Power last week to see where my application was and was told it was all approved and closed and notification sent to the installer. The installer is my local sparky and he's heard nothing. It's all approved though so I can book a date to get it all connected to the grid and hopefully be underway soon.

[Stig]

What has everyone else installed inverters on the wall on? Just ply or specific fire-rated sheets of something?

I think my inverter is just on a bit of Sterling board (it's still a bit hot to go into the loft and check).

[marshman]

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[pudding]

Thanks for the comments. Been out this morning and bought a couple sheets of 6mm cement board which is on top of the 12mm ply, so that taken care of hopefully. I also bought some racking for the batteries, but the shelfs were too far apart for the battery cables to join up, so they're stacked on the floor now.

[pudding]

Well the day finally came, installation day! Bloody hot day, thankfully the electrician and his helper turned up early just before 8, so I helped the helper get the panels up on the car port roof whilst the electrician got started on the inverter inside the garage. All went well, panels clamped on by 1030, and we nearly had it all up and running by 2ish. But unfortunately turned out there was an earth leak that was tripping the MCB in the house as soon as the new inverter booted up. It was fine by itself if we turned the other solar inverter off, but both together was too much. So after a bit of rejigging the circuits in our house to get the garage connected prior to the MCB on the house consumer unit, we had both inverters up and running!

Hopefully just enough time left to get the batteries charged up and then to see how long they last overnight. Still got a bit of tweaking of inverter settings to do and get the wifi connected, but it 'seems' to be working as intended so far.

[openspaceman]

Well the day finally came, installation day! Bloody hot day, thankfully the electrician and his helper turned up early just before 8, so I helped the helper get the panels up on the car port roof whilst the electrician got started on the inverter inside the garage. All went well, panels clamped on by 1030, and we nearly had it all up and running by 2ish. But unfortunately turned out there was an earth leak that was tripping the MCB in the house as soon as the new inverter booted up. It was fine by itself if we turned the other solar inverter off, but both together was too much. So after a bit of rejigging the circuits in our house to get the garage connected prior to the MCB on the house consumer unit, we had both inverters up and running!

Hopefully just enough time left to get the batteries charged up and then to see how long they last overnight. Still got a bit of tweaking of inverter settings to do and get the wifi connected, but it 'seems' to be working as intended so far.

Would you do a graphic of how that system knits in to your existing fit system?

I know it was your option two but can you show a bit more detail please as I'm way behind on the learning curve and this may be applicable to my proposed addition which I will put on the thread I started.

[pudding]

No problem, attached is the schematic I made for our install, only thing thats changed is that we used a Sunsynk rather than a Solis inverter, and that uses a CT clamp extended by CAT6 cable directly to the inverter, rather than the meter on the diagram.

Then I've attached a picture from today, showing how the CT clamp is measuring the total attempted export from both old and new PV arrays, and sending that signal to the Sunsynk inverter, which is then feeding in a total of 4.6kW into the batteries, rather than just the 2.8kW generated by the panels directly connected.

[openspaceman]

Thanks but you have confused me; where does the new array fit?