PV Panels coming tomorrow - What Else ?

Minrich

Right

The panels are being fitted tomorrow , is there anything i can get from them during the install process if i cross their palm with Gold ?

Anything that will be beneficial to me ?

Fruit_and_Nut_Case

Minrich wrote: »

Right

The panels are being fitted tomorrow , is there anything i can get from them during the install process if i cross their palm with Gold ?

Anything that will be beneficial to me ?

Probably not. The installers will be techie people and you'd probably need to haggle with a sales person. Probably too late anyway if you've signed on the dotted line.

Martyn1981

Minrich wrote: »

Right

The panels are being fitted tomorrow , is there anything i can get from them during the install process if i cross their palm with Gold ?

Anything that will be beneficial to me ?

Sort of beneficial, but not what you were asking ..... if you need to, take the opportunity to inspect gutters, fascia's, maybe fit some extra gutter brackets if the snow/ice was stretching them in previous years. Mine were every 2m, but struggled when the snow turned to ice and got locked into the gutters, so I added extras (now 1 per m). Of course this will depend on the height of the treadboards.

Be friendly with the guys, try not to appear to be checking up on them, but do ask what the 'stuff' is, and note where it goes. Always good to have a knowledge of cable runs etc for future work/DIY. Also they should give you a run through of any procedures, such as how to shutdown the system (use the isolators) if necessary.

Have fun.

Mart.

Minrich

Sometimes there are little benefits to doing something different or another way ? An extra something or ?? added ? Usually there is always a "Scam" or similar name run by techie people , like the sky installer who will do all sorts of things or sell you stuff if you give them cash .... Is what i was asking . Is there anything they will have with them they could flog me ?

Sterlingtimes

Minrich wrote: »

Sometimes there are little benefits to doing something different or another way ? An extra something or ?? added ? Usually there is always a "Scam" or similar name run by techie people , like the sky installer who will do all sorts of things or sell you stuff if you give them cash .... Is what i was asking . Is there anything they will have with them they could flog me ?

I would have liked a Henley Block with associated wiring but knew nothing about it at time.

groovyf

Must admit I didn't know what one was prior to the install, and didn't notice they'd installed one until first investigating the Wattson and how to connect it up.

Minrich

Sterlingtimes wrote: »

I would have liked a Henley Block with associated wiring but knew nothing about it at time.

Whats the benefit of one ?

mac2008

Well, all they're really doing is sticking some panels on your roof and wiring them in. Only very limited ways of doing it right. Worth thinking about the cable run from panels to consumer unit and inverter position in advance though. E.g. If inverter is in loft, worth making sure they fit an additional AC isolator somewhere accessible. And if you want a cable run somewhere really awkward for some reason its worth being nice to them, as could cost them more in time and materials. E.g I wanted the cable run down the back of a 3 storey house over a conservatory instead on a straight run down the front where the scaffolding was.


I guess being roofers and electricians, some might be amenable to doing other small related jobs too. Or as Martyn suggests, use the scaffolding to do other things, even if it means persuading them to leave it up another week - got any windows that need painting?


No 'scams' exist that a reputable installer would undertake, as far as I'm aware, sorry.

Minrich

Two men arrived and only 4 hrs to install everything and all up an running . Only minor snag , can only get 6 facing south and 10 west , was thought to be 7 and 9 . Not much difference and makes them look at bit better to be honest . Electrician tidied up our electric board and removed an old economy 7 meter .

Ectophile

Sterlingtimes wrote: »

I would have liked a Henley Block with associated wiring but knew nothing about it at time.

So what did they do instead? I can't imagine they just twisted the wires together and wrapped them in sticky tape!

In hindsight, I would have much preferred an isolator over a henley block, so I can isolate everything before the consumer units. At the moment, it's not possible to do any work without pulling the fuse, which the consumer isn't supposed to do.

groovyf

I've got isolators coming out of my ears (and a breaker box too)
No idea if that's a standard installation or they've gone the extra mile.