Free solar power system. Is it a scam?

Doc_N

zeupater wrote: »

Inverter will usually go in the loft space .... I would prefer not to if possible as the loft gets warm when it's sunny (inverters do not like it too warm) and is generally inaccessable .... I have an integral garage with the consumer panel etc, so DC cable run is internal from the loft, down through an upstairs cupboard then down into garage with the inverter being next to the consumer unit. The longer DC cable run power loss is compensated for by using heavier gauge cable .... result is inverter with access to read, cooler inverter (lifespan & efficiency advantages), no aditional DC resistance power loss .... gains all 'round.

HTH

Same here. Had the inverter put in the integral garage, which was better all round. Depends very much on the layout of your house, though.

pauldreed

ASG installed their system on my home yesterday, and here are a few photos of what and how it was installed.
1) Firstly the scaffolding was erected (a few days earlier)
2) 18 Panels fitted
3) The Inverter, Isolating Switches and Meter fitted in the loft
4) A separate fuse and isolating switch fitted in garage next to consumer unit
5) Seperate power tails (coming from 4 above) being fed into the meter via a Henley block

What is interesting, is that their system is totally separate to the home circuit and does not feed in through my consumer unit - this is reallly good because I am able to monitor what is being generated, as well as how much is being used within the home.

Overall, a very tidy and impressive installation. No mess, and everything done very neatly.

(Reposted from here)

noncom_2

Slightly confused as to how it is "totally separate" from the main circuit.

It must surely require some kind of overload/RCD protection on the feed from the ASG supply, so I see no advantage in bypassing the main Consumer unit and effectively providing another one.

Also, unless they have wired the output of the ASG system to each individual ring of your house wiring, then it HAS to join at the input of your consumer unit anyway doesn't it?

There IS a simple way of altering the standard installation of a PV system in order to allow proper monitoring of Generation, Consumption and Export, requiring only a single junction box to be added where the two supplies feed into the consumer unit. Maybe ASG have done something along these lines.

If not, I am at a loss to understand what they have done differently. A drawing or detailed explanation would be interesting.

Andy

noncom_2

Ooops, just looked at the photos you posted, which include a schematic wiring diagram.

It does appear that they have done more or less what I guessed in terms of the "junction box" arrangement. Why they have fitted the "sub consumer unit" I do not know.

But as you suggest, using this arrangement (and two energy monitors) it would be possible to have constant metering of Generation, Household consumption and Export.

I am hoping to end up with a similar arrangement when my system is fitted (not by ASG) next week.

John_Pierpoint

On the other thread, I have asked similar questions.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/37662774#Comment_37662774

[I'm no expert BUT I think the "sub consumer unit" gets the supplier off the hook of being responsible for any "faults" there might be in the rest of the possibly out of date wiring in the house - "Part P" etc. ]

noncom_2

Sounds plausible.

nearlynew

pauldreed wrote: »

ASG installed their system on my home yesterday, and here are a few photos of what and how it was installed.
1) Firstly the scaffolding was erected (a few days earlier)
2) 18 Panels fitted
3) The Inverter, Isolating Switches and Meter fitted in the loft
4) A separate fuse and isolating switch fitted in garage next to consumer unit
5) Seperate power tails (coming from 4 above) being fed into the meter via a Henley block

Overall, a very tidy and impressive installation. No mess, and everything done very neatly.

Everything done neatly?

The wiring in picture 5 is atrocious.

pauldreed

noncom wrote: »

....... Why they have fitted the "sub consumer unit"

Because they want their circuit to be completely independent of the 'home' wiring circuit. If they wired into the consumer unit (like a lot of installers do), customers could interfere with the wiring circuit and hence interfere with the solar supply. The way ASG have wired it, customers can do whatever they want with their own consumer unit, even switch off the leccy, and it would not effect the generation process - it would continue regardless.
I prefer this to the alternative wiring circuit, but heh, I'm no expert!

noncom_2

I would broadly agree that it's a better arrangement than standard (which is why I've requested my installer to do something similar next week).

What I can't see is the point of using an expensive Consumer Unit acting as basically a glorified heavy duty junction box.

PS I'm also (although having a background in electronics) no expert when it comes to domestic wiring.

skelly01

i am an electrical High Voltage Engineer and would be ashamed to leave wiring like that in picture 5. Sort yourselves out ASG!!!