When I did a very recent solar training course at Gtec we were advised that even if there’s an onboard DC isolator on the inverter ( that could be missed as the trainer had on occasion ) it is good practice to add one on the wall. The trainer said for £30 why wouldn’t you ! 🤷🏼‍♂️

20 years doing industrial solar - we are now getting into the replacement of solar panels that are aging out. There's LOTS of stuff that changed and can bugger you up on the upgrade..

Good video Guys. Keep them coming. Can you share the link of the video you talked about.

As usual you have a line of compliance and where we sit on that line is a choice. To not install separate DC isolation is that absolute entry point IMHO. The EAWR are clear and would 100% point towards proper lockable isolation. The emergency services would certainly not carry around MC4 tools for isolation if required when fighting a fire. Also BS 7671 is very clear on the subject and this is a wiring standard, not a product standard so isolation included in the fixed wiring would be required. Would have been nice to hear an alternative to the opinion given so that a fair and balanced debate could be had.

You should make it clear to isolate AC first to reduce DC current to zero before isolating DC. Also an external DC isolator is good as it saves you having to disconnect the MC4's which will degrade with multiple insertions and the tool may not be to hand....

49:00 PowerPoint has an option in settings to end on a black slide. This way when you get to the end it goes black with a little bit of text that says last slide press escape or next exit. If it's just photos I've been really happy with fast stone image viewer, give it a directory of photos and it can do a nice full screen and zoom pair that with a second monitor and you get some neat features.

Came across a post in the group ,suggesting mc4 connections on the battery to Inverter!!! I think they're rated for around 25amps or less. Some are better than others and totally agree on matching. I've clicked and it didn't feel right so I've cut them off both sides as it was a panel mc4. When I send out kits, I usual have the isolators and plugs fitted and test them so the fitters don't have to. I was under the impression from the regs that the isolators had to be lockable? The fitted in inverters are not. Our battery packs BMS isolate the battery terminals, they are also internally fused, and short detection. So they are pretty safe. And of course reading through the "suggestions" there is more mention of fall backs ... Is that h&s gone crazy?? SEG I'm pretty sure required meters as some inverters are not entirely accurate and of course some meters don't even have an export function. Apparently there is confusion over the responsibility. The DNO was named, the supplier, the home owner, and even the installer. Clear as mud as usual apparently MSc gives the duty to the installer. Just jumping back to kits. The most difficult thing would be hooks, there are so many variables in tile types and even how they are fitted that it's more often than not a problem. I have refused installs based on roof conditions. A very unhappy customer. But tuff! I'd not seen the roof and it's condition before hand. Sagging patchwork, my opinion took a photo and got another as well. Different to "not long had it all fixed"... Sunsynk or deye as they are known, they inverters are good the support is good as well. And your expert may fair in some places. But a la battery can dump over 700amps not 80. And lfp battery packs can hit over 200amps depending on the config, it can be higher but you're more likely to be looking at 200amp. And 200x50v is more like 10kw so more than a serious burn. More vaporisation. Oh deye/sunsynk has AFD built in... Which Is nice. And the WiFi/RF this is due to signal matching of the processors and installer antenna which could mess with the settings. Due to the simple control codes used.... But they are fairly well shielded. And lastly loft installations nope. UK summers they will reach reduced production and switch off fairly easy. It may become part of the job to add a vent to keep them cool. The level on most I have seen is 45oC it's in the manuals. And was added a bit later. And lastly... Most inverters work from DC and not the AC. Seen so many people asking if it's faulty, because the solar didn't reach the start up voltage, or it was night time and so the tests should be carried out with DC enabled in most cases or some depends on the fault.

When I did my training we was told every string should have an isolator for easy of testing and fault finding.

Should've thrown up a timer and make it a game, how fast can we change the batteries out.... The technical difficulties screen well interesting and more powerful was also more distracting. Wonder if you could do a lower third or a ticker. Especially with a clock.

Putting LiFEPo4 batteries in the loft is pretty mad, half of the winter they'll be too cold to work properly, over summer they'll be thermal tripping or just wearing out at 4x the rate they would if somewhere sensible

Cool video. Don’t you need to fit a generation meter for the MCS certification? Thanks

Some strings can have 1000V plus on. Advising a safe system of maintenance is simply unplugging MC4s is not a chain of thought we are running with. Outside of that with the need for SPDs and allowing for maintenance of those even more essential. Not having an isolation point in the fixed wiring system goes against everything we have been taught in regular electrical work lol. I understand the inverter removes the load, great. But it does not remove the voltage. I would ask if the open ends of the MC4 connectors satisfy not working live and EWR1989. Is it necessary, can it be avoided... As an employer sending people to work that's a wicket I don't want to batt on. Also a factor would be easily identifiable for emergency isolation by say a fire fighter. Its a no from me and as tight Yorkshire man who would love to save £30 on a DC isolator that should speak volumes lol. In one aspect we have got opinion around working live on the roof and being aware of it but then a total ignorance to it at the inverter. Engineering in a problem by design. It seems a few in the solar/battery storage space need to improve their standards. Griff came across really well and great to see they have a dedicated renewables training space, much needed! Although I would advise a rethink before any CPD comes along saying not to use external DC isolators. Great show gents.

As a diy and from my experience, I would never install any PV equipment in a loft. Simply because of the temperature in summer.

Your solar guy is good. Biggest problem is that most electrians are good at what they do but when it involves other tasks they aren't the specialist. I learnt from. The start before I touched a cable. I was Instructed on craftsmanship of our work plus those we did our selves plus of those we counted on. Even the regs support this. Even as I'm typing this your guy is backing me up. Build8ng standards need to be signed off to protect our selves.

Doing great sharing information about the great future

In the section regarding pulling out the mc4 connectors in the event of needing dc isolation from the inverter, is there not any external isolation box to ensure the consumer does not need to approach the inverter itself in case of a fault?

I have found that installers do not read manufacturers recommendations. So many systems I have been too that have the incorrect RCD fitted and some protected within a consumer unit. After my own research it's very clear that each manufacture will state a type for there equipment. Example Solis require a type A but 100ma.

Not a world I've dipped my toe in solar. Fascinating show. Griff excellent guest.

I liked the Harry Enfield reference "Loads of Money" 😅

Yes it seems like you're getting a lot of unnecessary equipment around solar installations. I do like the DC isolator and the AC isolator which means if for some reason the inverter needs to be changed out you don't have live MC4 connectors floating around.

Hi, good video, just one question I am a lever and alignment engineer with some electric experience. Your three pendant are they level or is it the camera angle? John

A lot of talk about DC isolators for the solar, Like doing your tool and safety talk in the morning, you would need to check the inverter. A 5 KVA Sunsynk wouldnt require an additional isolator becuase there are MC plugs below the unit, however if you were to install an 8 KVA Sunsynk inverter, it might not be such a bad idea, because the solar DC wires are terminated inside the unit.

I could only watch in 720p so on my big tv the quality looks terrible, still love your content its fun and educational, keep it up .

I have a question I would like to fit the inverter on a wall inside an external meter room width is 640mm, SUNSYNK-3.6K-SG01/03LP1 as I dont want to fit a battery and Invertor in my loft.

With off grid solar, what do you do with earthing from the inverter, do you hammer an earthing rod into the ground?

Any further details on the £2.50/kWh forced discharge Griff mentioned?

@01:29:19 Probably need to find out if the person uses Ham or CB radio equipment which can operate ~ < 30Mhz because it could interfere with their modulation so adhere to the EMI filter adding, that also of course mean any of your neighbourhood using HAM/CB.

Interesting video (too long though) if that mc4 arc didn’t make people sit-up and that notice then I don’t know what will. I have been in industrial electrics all my life and seen my fair share or arcs and explosions in machine panels but that dc arc at 3.75 amps wow scary. Never thought of not mixing brands of mc4’s that’s like saying if you have MK sockets in your house you have to use MK plugs 🤷‍♂️. I am guessing that this may be good practice but surly not always possible to match the existing.

Generation meters are still required for the MCS certificate 👍

Without the DC isolator prior to final connection to the inverter how would you safely perform commissioning and ongoing maintenance checks. Such as measuring short circuit current where you would connect ends of string together. Making and breaking will be underlie without any separate DC isolation.

My pylontech battery manuals state they should be kept between 10deg c and 40 deg c outside these parameters shortens life., a loft space does not seem to be the best place temperature wise. Also I have spike and surge protection on both sides of the inverter. Plus lightning arrestors on the solar panel inputs. These go down to an earth rod by 16mm sq earth cable. The pylontech batteries also have built-in protection connected to 16mm to earth rod!

Is it acceptable that the actual export over a month would be 50% more than the BMS is reporting? What would you consider to be normal?

Joe doing an awesome impression in the intro of Dwight in US version of The Office!

Interesting that you state the need for a DC isolator between the inverter and the battery, when my inverter was installed the solar company told me that it was mandatory to have the cable from the battery directly run to the inverter to comply with regulations or warranty (i forget which), i.e. the battery cables cannot be extended and no DC switch, this seems not compliant with what was said here. Also I have 2 bits of feedback on things that can happen with the install. 1) the solar PV was installed in 2 strings and after the install I noticed that the 2 panels connected to the second string were not and would never provide enough voltage to start the inverter producing power from those panels and it’s only that I checked the detailed information from the inverter for power production that I spotted the issue. Secondly as a consumer I feel like I don’t have proper control of the equipment I own as there are features of the inverter that have been removed from my web interface by the UK distributor of the inverter and this makes me really uncomfortable.

Sorry am I understanding correctly that if the head unit has a DC isolation switch on it, you do not need one on the line in. And would that not leave you With a live wire. Like if on your set up you only threw the switch on the unit you showed and not the one that was on the wires themselves would you not be yanking live wires out.

My father in law rather than using me to install there PV he had it done through a free government scheme. All the brackets are fixed through the slate tiles, cable looped over the gutter. Absolutely terrible install.

Very surprised there was no mention of the MCB on the battery, I'm pretty certain it's the wrong type, as I explained in the original video.

Very informative but Solar really needs a colour scheme for labels to clearly show what circuits are DC

The few batterys i have installed, the manuals are not very good. they do not flow.

The single downvote must've been from the electrician who left that cable exposed 😂

I was taught that when putting in the wires into a socket you cut them longer and folded them over (double surface screw grip area) So acording to me all those 3 electricians FAILED

if the meter is not required then how is export measured ?

My biggest complaint is software. Is it up todate, trying to find that out and then the process of getting an update. Plus manuals are truly rubbish. Solar kit in a box is the future.

Have a look at the Luton airport car park fire before putting lithium batteries in the loft and remember once you have left all the junk will go back inside the space. Mind you it's probably the safest place to hide the Hybrid Rangerover from theft.

The mcs cert asks for generation meter details so it needed.

Who made it into the end credits then .? Bit naughty cutting off like that . But it was a brilliant live show I really did enjoy it and found it very interesting and informative. Don’t get why anyone would put all that battery gear in the loft though that just crazy dumb you would have to be a pilchard to do that .

I will join ur company sir ... Soo much intersting sir... Native india

Flexi- Orb is now the way to go I was MCS 10 years ago but the waiting list is stupid at mo SEG payments ok 👍

Why mc4? Every conector has tre point of singel fail. This is not security. Use conections where more than one press must fail to get a bad conection. I think mc4 is below the segurety standard we should demand. Its also to complicated. I have cutet them away on my system.

Enphase microinverters remove so much of the risk associated with DC. Much better system!

System control centre

You won’t get me up working on a roof anytime soon,actually never.

Great to see Griff Thomas on this live BEST LIVE YET! Super smart guest GREAT FUN! but also nice to see that the conversation with Lee and Gordon on my hybrid inverter video about DC isolation is correct.

Micro inverters are the future

The best solution to remove the risk of HV DC arcing is to install micro inverters instead.

Dc v ac❤

There is too much h over talking in this video