Solar PV Wiring Query - Compliance with BS 7671

[Buck-Toof]

very unlikely that 2.5mm2 cable will comply

Thanks Gavin. Yes, SAJ manual says use 10 AWG / 6mm^ on AC side.

It’s an east-west array, 2x 8 panels. I think its power output will never be more than 2 kW, even in mid summer.

The house is a 3 storey terrace, tall and narrow. And the AC cable run is 8 meters, in plastic conduit (not steel like I said earlier), down the outside of the house, from eaves to CU.

I’ll mention all this to my landlady (again) and leave it in her hands. Thanks to everyone for the advice, especially the lads from Leeds.

 

[whinmoor]

Thanks Gavin. Yes, SAJ manual says use 10 AWG / 6mm^ on AC side.

It’s an east-west array, 2x 8 panels. I think its power output will never be more than 2 kW, even in mid summer.

The house is a 3 storey terrace, tall and narrow. And the AC cable run is 8 meters, in plastic conduit (not steel like I said earlier), down the outside of the house, from eaves to CU.

I’ll mention all this to my landlady (again) and leave it in her hands. Thanks to everyone for the advice, especially the lads from Leeds.

Why not get the installer back again and ask them to comply with the inverter's instructions manual which specifies a 6mm cable? They can bring a sheet of labels with them to do that bit correctly as well.

We would probably use an SWA down the outside wall rather than their method.

I think it will easily exceed 2kW at times. We have some e/w splits which clearly do more than that, hitting and exceeding 3kW at times. If the pitch is steep, 2.5kW might be a struggle.

But, then again, we wouldn't be using 2.5mm cable on the job to start with.

 

[Worcester]

These guys have already had an opportunity to put it right and still haven't bothered.

Now think what the situation would be if no FiT and so people not "bothering" with MCS ...

Give 'em all a horse, they'll feel at home on it ...

If one of my apprentices installed a system to those standards, they wouldn't be employed the next day. Even they know far better than to do it like that.

I can see over a dozen non-compliance items in the second set of photos and description.

 

[Buck-Toof]

These guys have already had an opportunity to put it right and still haven't bothered.

Yes, I agree. I put everything I learnt from this forum in a nice simple list for them. Labels were No.3 on the list. They just can’t be bothered.

I think they’re doing 5+ installs per week. So I’ll email NAPIT and suggest NAPIT has look at some of their recent work.