Solar on a budget part 2

[drjim]

So Shed solar is delivering nicely. Next step is to get on to my roof and get more panels and hybrid inverter/battery up and running.

I'll get some scaffolding to do it safely, roof work is not really my thing but part 1 involves a flat roof section inbetween two gables so I have a nice safe area to stand on while I fit panels onto the slopes.

I am weighing up the preconfigured solar packs from city plumbing eg...


Sunsynk/longi

Alternatively just buying a bundle using their configurator, which enables me to delete the battery and go fogstar/ebay for that side.

For instance TEBS technologies on ebay have stuff like this which is effectively same price as a fogstar kit for the capacity. Anyone have an opinion on them?

9kwh pack

And then to the inverter choice. I have a growatt already and an installer code etc, the growatt hybrid inverters are noticeably cheaper than the Sunsynk. Anyone have thoughts on the merits of either brand, particularly as I intend to leave the shed systems as they are - can feed directly in to the sunsynk as I understand it but not with the growatt.

Aim to get this done in next couple of months...

[drjim]

I was also toying with the idea of buying one of the many givenergy gen 1 hybrids you see on ebay for 2-300 quid. Again any thoughts???

[Stinsy]

I was also toying with the idea of buying one of the many givenergy gen 1 hybrids you see on ebay for 2-300 quid. Again any thoughts???

These older hybrid inverters were pretty rubbish at charging/discharging their batteries. Often limited to 2500W or so...

Nowadays 5kW charging/discharging is par...

[drjim]

That makes the decision to go with a new one a no brainer.

[Stinsy]

That makes the decision to go with a new one a no brainer.

And explains why so many of them are on eBay!

[drjim]

I may be mad but I saw a new boxed growatt sph3600 on ebay and got it for £360 which is below 1/2 price.

Working on the battery angle now.

I am also wondering if I am supposed to do a building regs application in order to fit panels on my own roof. Anyone know?

[Stinsy]

I may be mad but I saw a new boxed growatt sph3600 on ebay and got it for £360 which is below 1/2 price.

Working on the battery angle now.

I am also wondering if I am supposed to do a building regs application in order to fit panels on my own roof. Anyone know?

No building regs for the panels on roof (so far as I’m aware). However you need to do a part p application and inspection for the additional circuit required by the inverter…

[drjim]

Fortunately I have repurposed my immersion heater 6mm feed so no new circuit!

[nowty]

My original part P installation is so vague who knows what it includes.

[drjim]

My electrician who did our rewire is friendly enough to sign stuff off if I ask nicely, he told my Wife I was perfectly competent to do electrical work around the house, so that's probably somewhere between part P and a full electrical apprenticeship.

My Dad was an electrical engineer with Norweb and I was helping him with occasional jobs rewiring friends houses at the age of about 8 so I have been dealing with electricity for longer than my electrician has been alive I suppose!