On-grid domestic battery storage

Netexporter

Makes going completely off-grid thinkable.

Magnitio

Someone who has bought one:

https://diysolarforum.com/threads/my-new-datou-boss-all-in-one-power-system-setup-byd-a-cells-inside.114262/#post-1602379

Be interesting to see updates.

15kWh battery only now for £1k.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/127401623029

QrizB

Magnitio said:

Someone who has bought one:

Not sure s/he actually bought it. See this post:

https://diysolarforum.com/threads/just-got-the-new-datou-boss-all-in-one-system.114264/post-1603271

DATOUBOSS didn’t tell me where this product is actually available to buy.

OP on that thread hasn't been back to update it since first posting a week+ ago, so we're still waiting on feedback from an owner.

QrizB

Someone wrote over on the Energy forum:

Someone said:
Before anyone asks it's been reported only this month the Solar & Battery Fires have exceeded the number of new installations for the first time. Agreed that is mostly due to poor installation & Maintenance but the recommendations should be carefully considered. 

Has anyone seen these statistics in a reliable source? It seems unlikely, but I'm open to be persuaded? 

@Screwdriva has this appeared anywhere that you read?

Netexporter

There's been a rash of solar fire videos on Youtube, recently. I suspect this is just the current fossil fuel industry talking point, being spread by the Daily Blackshirt and the former newspaper known as the Telegraph.

QrizB

Ah, I've turned something up. As you might've guessed, it's not what the Energy poster would have you think.

https://www.homebuilding.co.uk/eco-homes/solar-panels/one-fire-every-two-days-linked-to-solar-panels-prompting-calls-for-stricter-installation-checks

UK fire services attended 171 solar-related fires in 2024, up from 107 in 2022, according to analysis by insurer QBE.

That equates to roughly one fire every two days, even though rooftop installations grew by only 29.6% during that period. Most of these incidents - 97 in 2024 - occurred in homes.

This has led to concerns that this trend could continue as solar adoption accelerates, with the UK recording a 22% increase in solar panel installations in the first half of 2025, amounting to more than 99,500 new systems.

So there are almost 200k installations in a year, vs. <200 fires.

Screwdriva

QrizB said:

@Screwdriva has this appeared anywhere that you read?

As you have rightly summarized, this would put the Solar industry out of business if it were true/ accurate. In my experience, which is relatively tiny, PV fires stem from cheaply made hardware (lacking the tolerances that good engineering delivers) from unethical brands, installed by cowboys.

debitcardmayhem

Screwdriva said:

QrizB said:

@Screwdriva has this appeared anywhere that you read?

As you have rightly summarized, this would put the Solar industry out of business if it were true/ accurate. In my experience, which is relatively tiny, PV fires step from cheaply made hardware (lacking the tolerances that good engineering delivers) from unethical brands, installed by cowboys.

I feel I should concur with your findings 

Heedtheadvice

I do concur!

orrery

There is a known issue with be big clunky isolator switches when used for isolating the DC from the panels. The switches never get turned, so the contacts don't ever get self-cleaned. Eventually they overheat. If the inverter has DC isolators, then it is no longer advised to fit isolator switches. Wise to wait until it is completely dark and then give the idolator switches a few turns off and on.