Expanding Solar Array

ispookie666

Has anyone gone about expanding their solar array recently?  

I'm thinking of adding additional panels to my garage in a possible 4+3 split. My current system is an Enphase IQ7+ micro-inverter (20) coupled with Givenergy AC and a DNO export limit of 8.8KVA. But I rarely hit 5.5KVA export.  

Am I correct in thinking this should be pretty straightforward (UK Power networks)?

I have modelled the generation using the currently available generation data and may be able to add a 2.1KWp array, producing around 1.5KWh.  

Screwdriva

I did. Documented here. The result has been nothing short of excellent, and has paired really well with the Flux tariff's evening peak window. 

You won't need to inform the DNO if you add 7 panels to your garage as you will likely not exceed your existing limit even with the additional panels. I believe the IQ7 is no longer sold in the UK but I am sure backwards compatibility with the IQ8 does exist. 

ispookie666

Added further 6 panels as a parallel system but using the same site ID at enphase.  

6 * 440W with enphase IQ8AC microinverters and a new envoy.  Bit of a pain having a second envoy, they both dont play nice. 

Installed panel capacity - 9.24KWp (20* 330W + 6 *440W)
Installed inverter capacity - 7.9KVA (20*290 W + 6 *350W)

Waiting for the rest of the paper work to see what the DNO says.  Current export limit is 8.8KVA, I hope they don't drop it!  

ispookie666

The final array 

ispookie666

Just had confirmation from DNO about the export.  The new export limit is 10.96 kW 

greenbee

Thanks all. I'll discuss with the installer - checking the DNO approval first is clearly the important bit. As I'm just up the road from a fairly new interconnector, and in the middle of solar and wind farms, I'm pretty sure my export will be insignificant compared to what the local infrastructure has been upgraded to cope with (I can see the high voltage lines from the front bedroom window if I look in the right direction, and there's a transformer round the corner further up the 'main' road (it's the main road because it's not single track, although it isn't wide enough to have lines down it!). I do need to get the application in before too many of my neighbours decide to invest though ... they're all eyeing my installation with interest and my installer has a long list of quotes as a result of people dropping in to see him whenever he's here!

ispookie666

@greenbee
Same here for me, huge solar and wind farm closeby and loads of pylons.  I suspect being rural and not many residential areas/industrial probably helped with the DNO export limit 

greenbee

Thanks! Fingers crossed we'll get the increased export limit approved and then it's just a question of working with the installer to get the installation right. After that it's working out how to sort out the heating so that I can eventually replace the oil boiler with an ASHP

Right now I'm just happy that I've managed to get the laundry washed and dried using today's solar generation. I got the heat pump tumble dryer before I'd thought about solar, but they work well together.