Inverter outside issues

oldskoo1

I think i may have made a mistake locating my inverter outside.

I asked for it to be outside as i didn't want the potential for malfunction to be a danger, fire risk, sound travel through internal walls, heat dispersion or air flow to be issues.

I also intend to install a battery storage solution and also did not want that inside the house.

My garage is too far away from the meter box for the cable runs to make sense.

Currently it is fixed onto a wooden fireproof back board, along with the isolators and meter. It is on a brick wall the other side of a gate, not directly connected to my house.

All is fine, functioning perfectly but the back board now has water ingress, has swollen and is starting to deform and collect fungus.

The inverter has a makeshift roof to stop direct rainfall and snow fall. It is also well shaded from all sides but open at the top.

I am concerned about the wooden back board and obviously don't want to wake up 1 day to fine it collapsed.

Any ideas what i should do? I feel like i need it to be outside still. I'm just looking for help on what i should do.

thanks

oldskoo1

P.s. i would just like to clarify also, as it is on an external brick wall, do regulations apply requiring it to be installed on a fireproof wooden backboard?

I can understand that for internal walls but an external wall?

Martyn1981

oldskoo1 wrote: »

P.s. i would just like to clarify also, as it is on an external brick wall, do regulations apply requiring it to be installed on a fireproof wooden backboard?

I can understand that for internal walls but an external wall?

I was wondering the same as I read the previous post. Hopefully one of the sparkies will know.

Otherwise, could you find a non porous material to replace it with. Perhaps a fire safe type of thick plastic, if such a thing exists, some sort of cement board etc, total guesses. But interested to know regardless. Also pondering an outside battery in the future.

ASavvyBuyer

Martyn1981 wrote: »

I was wondering the same as I read the previous post. Hopefully one of the sparkies will know.

Otherwise, could you find a non porous material to replace it with. Perhaps a fire safe type of thick plastic, if such a thing exists, some sort of cement board etc, total guesses. But interested to know regardless. Also pondering an outside battery in the future.

Maybe something like Aqua Panel would be suitable, the panelling to use behind tiles to make it waterproof. However, not sure if it would meet current regs.

pinnks

Not sure of the UK regs etc but SMA (used to) show inverters mounted directly onto the house wall. Can't think why that should not OK if you can mount them in a wooden loft but there is no logic to some regs....

theboylard

Solaredge installation makes no mention of mounting boards - same for SMA I believe?
In fact, because of the weight I'd say it's a hazard to NOT mount a heavy inverter directly on a wall?

It is usually a good idea for board mounting primary/secondary consumer units for solar pv, but you wouldn't fix the inverter on the same panel due to the stated weight issues. maybe the installer didn't necessarily understand the regs or the install instructions?

oldskoo1

thank you for your responses

i'm going to ask an electrician to look at removing the board.

I will do some more research on regs too.