Solar for Beginners [ask your questions here]

Yes, they are all different in physical dimensions. Best off measuring what's already there and pick one to physically match on midsummer, but you should also check that the electrical specs aren't significantly different to what you already have (you will need a model number to check that though!). Also decide whether you want a black or silvered finish (silvered is the one which shows the silver lines between the individual 7cm x 5cm cells). You can go with a larger wattage panel if the voltage specs roughly match, you just won't benefit from the difference.

Adding to what slave1 said. Do you have a smart meter now? If so, ignore the battery and get paid for the FIT export. ~20c a unit. Then charge the car on a cheap EV night rate.

Do you have a Zappi now? If so, change that to charge on Eco++ so it only charges during the day when there is a spare 1.4kW or more available. Zappi constantly checks if there is spare excess and throttles up or down immediately. Then also have a nightly schedule to charge during the cheap EV night rate.

I don’t have a battery. Sure, if the money tree was around I’d have one. But it’s ok without it.  

Bear in mind once you move to a smart tariff on a smart meter, you can never move to a 24hr one. The peak rate on those is rough, so you’d want to reduce the usage during that time.

Have a read from post #133 here https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058269147/micro-wind-turbines/p5

Hmm - could this be it?

99cm x 196cm - is a slightly unusual size as most of the panels are ~110cm x ~170cm. Any chance you can check those dimensions?

If it's model "JAM72D00-370/PR" then the voltages at STC (standard test conditions) are:

• Open Circuit Voltage(Voc) - 48.43V
• Maximum Power Voltage(Vmp) - 39.7V

Any of the 350W to 380W panels which I have checked on midsummer are all around the 38v range for Voc and 34v for Vmp. I'm not sure how well you can mix those with higher voltage panels. Maybe it doesn't matter and it won't limit the full array... maybe somebody here knows better.

Some inverters, like the Deye / Sunsynk, are setup to work with either sun and / or wind input.

Forget about wind though unless you have a one off house on top of a hill with very clean wind coming from the prevailing wind direction.

They'd have an invoice from their supplier anyway. It's just a matter of making them want to find it. Tell em that you have a friend looking at a solar install and that their level of follow-up here could swing the decision... 😏

Oh dear - let's hope it was 370.

I'd normally shout "Cowboys Ted", but that wouldn't be appropriate in a forum for DIYers. 🤣

Nope, possibly some inverters store the kWp of the system but is usually purely a visual thing, unless it produces reports where it uses that value in calculations - then yes would make sense to update it

Doesn't sound right. Inverters have a really good IP rating, shouldn't be a problem in any weather even if mounted outdoors.

I'd reckon Givenergy are right. Any RCD trips which I have had on general electrical circuits have been after rain showers where water has penetrated cables or covers. They often follow that signature of disappearing for a duration and then coming back again. I presume your inverter is indoors though, is it not?

Yep inverter indoors and no moisture there...system has run since November no issues.. running fine all evening..I may have to wait a while for more rain to test.. inverter was still running from battery after rcd tripped

As the inverter? The only this is the EPS socket. That does run outside the house in a conduit and back in.. i don't think that's the issue though as it's pretty well done. It has it's own rcb between the inverter and the EPS socket and it didn't trip.. all sort of points to something on the roof getting wet that shouldn't..

Pesonally I wouldn't worry too much about it. Reset it. See how long it stays. You could be chasing a phantom once off.

I think I'll use it as a reason for the installer to come out check the panels connections and hopefully throw up that extra panel. The one slight concern I have is that they might kick up about me having the EPS socket wired by a third party electrician. They refused to do it but the givenergy tech guy who swapped over my gen 1 to gen 2 inverter said I could do it myself (I didn't I got an electrian to do it as per givenergy instructions)

Just so people are aware where the 30mA comes from. This is typically regarded as the current which is enough to kill someone. (Yeah, I was shocked too many years ago when I found this out that it was so low) Course it's not just current, you need the voltage to break the skin layer and that voltage usually this is about 50-60v AC. It does vary a little from location on the body with areas of thicker skin requiring higher voltages to break down the skin etc. The body itself is a decent enough conductor but it's the skin which insulates us (to a point). Worse if the current is flowing across the body (arm-to-arm) rather than down it.

So going with a breaker with higher than 30mA might solve your tripping problem, but you could be compromising the very reason why the device was installed to begin with. So I'd advice caution there. I'm not a spark (only someone with an interest in these things) but in my experience, sometimes they trip with no real discernable reason. I had a circuit trip when I was on holidays once came back to find all the fish dead in my tank. Could be many reasons. Some wierd like storrms having charged atmostphere (I know sounds crazy)

Maybe you need one of these puppies.

(692) Inside a fake un-trippable circuit breaker. - YouTube

LOL - love that video. (and it's a great education on how these things work)

If the fault is on the roof they will have no choice, it was only installed 8 months ago so it would be well within reason to expect them to fix the issue if it is a fault. Also if it turns out the installer charged for a higher rated panel than they installed then I would expect them to put an extra panel up to make up the shortfall in generation. So I'm not quite sure what your point is.

I'm not looking for freebies but a) they need to actually verify what panels they installed and b) givenergy support have advised they should check the connections for water ingress. If they will fit the extra panel I'm happy to pay for it..of course if they ask a large amount I'll probably leave it. They didn't use scaffolding during the install

Missed that mate....