Balcony solar PV

[Joeboy]

https://es.aliexpress.com/item/10050056 ... pt=glo2esp

Ok, this seems to cover the bases. Not a huge fan of the passive cooling side (rather like the Victron charge controller). Seems like madness not to try this out? If anyone sees a 'better' unit around the price please go ahead and post it, would be much appreciated!

Liking the wifi, liking the output cable pareable to my own fuse machinations, liking that I can run it under spec to reduce heat. Would likely go for a 1kW rated unit if i could see advantages in the build/cooling? Running a 1kW at 800W (best day) would let me install a further storage heater in No1's place, taking what i/we've learned forward to another space.

Cheers

[AGT]

I would seriously derate these units, I did a bit of research 2 years ago and someone had 2 units and the only difference was the label on the unit, one was meant to be 300 and the other 600 watts……

I’ve been running one for a year, I think the y&h version on a single 250 watt panel and it gets roasty toasty

[Joeboy]

I would seriously derate these units, I did a bit of research 2 years ago and someone had 2 units and the only difference was the label on the unit, one was meant to be 300 and the other 600 watts……

I’ve been running one for a year, I think the y&h version on a single 250 watt panel and it gets roasty toasty

I read an Amazon review on the unit size (I think). May have been the same fella? Just goes to show that at the rarefied (no brag just word use) end of the spectrum all legible data and review is worthy of a read. There just aren't that many of us out here? I'll keep looking tomorrow or when time allows, see if I can track down some dimensions & specs. Thanks AGT.

As a related aside, I have been very surprised at the heat reduction in our 150W/60A victron charge controller after adding a small USB fan. It pulls the case temperature down massively.

[Mart]

Hiya Joeboy. No plans for vertical PV, as the roofs and walls face E/W, so I have decent gen in the summer, and vertical panels wouldn't see much of the low winter sun. But I do have plans for ~2kWp of steep pitched, south facing panels along one of our fences. The house to the west, and a large Magnolia to the east will shade them a bit in the summer, but, should see the sun from SE rise, to SW sunset in the winter.

Here's a better pic of the brackets. Had no idea how much the wind lift would be, so went for very heavy duty steel, it's about 30mm by 10mm, and the lower part of the bracket comes quite a way down the wall. For a smaller, normal canopy, that only sticks out say 600-800mm, I assume brackets of half the size or less (perhaps 20mm by 5mm) would do, and a smaller side (for the triangle) against the wall.




Now for the boring part, I think you need planning permission for a canopy, or if over a certain size. I assumed as we already had an original with rotten wood, and broken glass, that it would be OK. Can't imagine any neighbours getting upset about the install of a canopy, but perhaps PV might trigger some?

Planning permission also needed for wall mounted PV, but lots of workarounds for garden PV, such as my plan for the steep panels*, as I'll build a small wooden structure and call it a ladder store. I assume (dangerous thing to do), that pergolas and car ports (if not attached to the house) are OK too, not sure?

Would love to know, if anyone has experience or has seen an article, what councils think about wall mounted PV PP applications. I don't need it, but I think mthe potential is huge, so would be fun to know how things stand / are changing?

*Ground mount PP is needed if larger than 9m2, or 3m on any side. So 3 or 4 panels of 1m to 1.1m would exceed that, hence the ladder store idea, with the panels making up the hypotenuse side of the triangle.

[AGT]

Also the IP rating isn’t up too much, I’m on unit 2, with the first unit failing in 2 weeks due to water ingress.

Now lives in a waterproof box with a plug in power meter to get an idea of power generation…

[Joeboy]

Also the IP rating isn’t up too much, I’m on unit 2, with the first unit failing in 2 weeks due to water ingress.

Now lives in a waterproof box with a plug in power meter to get an idea of power generation…

Any photos?

[Joeboy]

Hiya Joeboy. No plans for vertical PV, as the roofs and walls face E/W, so I have decent gen in the summer, and vertical panels wouldn't see much of the low winter sun. But I do have plans for ~2kWp of steep pitched, south facing panels along one of our fences. The house to the west, and a large Magnolia to the east will shade them a bit in the summer, but, should see the sun from SE rise, to SW sunset in the winter.

Here's a better pic of the brackets. Had no idea how much the wind lift would be, so went for very heavy duty steel, it's about 30mm by 10mm, and the lower part of the bracket comes quite a way down the wall. For a smaller, normal canopy, that only sticks out say 600-800mm, I assume brackets of half the size or less (perhaps 20mm by 5mm) would do, and a smaller side (for the triangle) against the wall.




Now for the boring part, I think you need planning permission for a canopy, or if over a certain size. I assumed as we already had an original with rotten wood, and broken glass, that it would be OK. Can't imagine any neighbours getting upset about the install of a canopy, but perhaps PV might trigger some?

Planning permission also needed for wall mounted PV, but lots of workarounds for garden PV, such as my plan for the steep panels*, as I'll build a small wooden structure and call it a ladder store. I assume (dangerous thing to do), that pergolas and car ports (if not attached to the house) are OK too, not sure?

Would love to know, if anyone has experience or has seen an article, what councils think about wall mounted PV PP applications. I don't need it, but I think mthe potential is huge, so would be fun to know how things stand / are changing?

*Ground mount PP is needed if larger than 9m2, or 3m on any side. So 3 or 4 panels of 1m to 1.1m would exceed that, hence the ladder store idea, with the panels making up the hypotenuse side of the triangle.

I had another look this morning, tape measure in hand. Can easily fit a pair of around 300W each. We have 1600mm x 990mm to play with on the porch roof. One on there and one vertical face directly above. CU is just inside the porch. The idea gains traction!

[nowty]

Mart, I think we have had this conversation before about planning permission for wall mounted solar panels [vertical]. Even in Wales, you generally don't need it as long as they are less than 200mm from the wall surface.

https://www.gov.wales/planning-permission-solar-panels

Roof and wall mounted solar panels are subject to the following conditions:

Panels on a building should be sited, so far as is practicable, to minimise the effect on the appearance of the building.

They should be sited, so far as is practicable, to minimise the effect on the amenity of the area.

When no longer needed for microgeneration they should be removed as soon as possible.

They should not be installed above the ridgeline and should project no more than 200mm from the roof or wall surface.

If your property is a listed building installation will require planning permission and is likely to require an application for listed building consent.

If your property is in a conservation area, or in a World Heritage Site planning consent is required when panels are to be fitted on the principal or side elevation walls and they are visible from the highway.

If panels are to be fitted to a building in your garden or grounds they should not be visible from the highway.


EDIT - I'm probably misinterpreting what you mean, you may be thinking with brackets.

[Mart]

Mart, I think we have had this conversation before about planning permission for wall mounted solar panels [vertical]. Even in Wales, you generally don't need it as long as they are less than 200mm from the wall surface.

https://www.gov.wales/planning-permission-solar-panels

Roof and wall mounted solar panels are subject to the following conditions:

Panels on a building should be sited, so far as is practicable, to minimise the effect on the appearance of the building.

They should be sited, so far as is practicable, to minimise the effect on the amenity of the area.

When no longer needed for microgeneration they should be removed as soon as possible.

They should not be installed above the ridgeline and should project no more than 200mm from the roof or wall surface.

If your property is a listed building installation will require planning permission and is likely to require an application for listed building consent.

If your property is in a conservation area, or in a World Heritage Site planning consent is required when panels are to be fitted on the principal or side elevation walls and they are visible from the highway.

If panels are to be fitted to a building in your garden or grounds they should not be visible from the highway.


EDIT - I'm probably misinterpreting what you mean, you may be thinking with brackets.

Thanks Nowty, I think I missed this, or forgot, sorry. I'm thinking back about a decade when I believe the rules said wall mounted needed PP full stop.

Whether I got that wrong, or it's changed, is great news, and I don't think there is any ambiguity in this line you quoted:

They should not be installed above the ridgeline and should project no more than 200mm from the roof or wall surface.

Edit - Silly thought, but I wonder what implications there could be from reflection, if wall mounted/vertical PV shined into a neighbours property?

I also think I'm out of date regarding flat roofs. I thought PP was needed if they are mounted at an angle (don't follow the pitch of the roof), but this part is also great news:

If being installed on a flat roof, solar panels are subject to the following conditions:

panels cannot be sited within 1 metre of the external edge of the roof; or
panels cannot protrude more than 1 metre above the plane of the roof.

1m above the plane, would suggest to me that you don't need PP for panels even if mounted at an angle to improve generation.

Today is a good news day. To really make my day, any chance that Wales has changed their PP rule for ASHP's within 3m of a boundary, to that of 1m like England!

[nowty]

If being installed on a flat roof, solar panels are subject to the following conditions:

panels cannot be sited within 1 metre of the external edge of the roof; or
panels cannot protrude more than 1 metre above the plane of the roof.

1m above the plane, would suggest to me that you don't need PP for panels even if mounted at an angle to improve generation.

The flat roof allowance of 1m above plane of roof is a new one to me but makes sense. Although I cannot find it in the England rules, I note the Energy Savings Trust says its OK so thats good enough to crack on in my book.
https://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/si ... ission.pdf

Today is a good news day. To really make my day, any chance that Wales has changed their PP rule for ASHP's within 3m of a boundary, to that of 1m like England!

Sorry it still looks like 3 meters for Wales.
https://www.gov.wales/planning-permission-heat-pumps

"no part of the air source heat pump can be installed within three metres of the boundary of your property"

Mine is almost compliant to the English rules.