Poor Solar PV Installation ??? Expert Help Needed

[Bucks]

I emailed the installer this morning, he & his colleague came round a short while ago full of apologies, they say they will change the inverter so we can have the 4 lower panels on a separate string & sort out the other issues, including getting a roofer in to sort out the roof, so hopefully it will all be sorted soon.

THANKS for all your help & advice its much appreciated, I will keep you informed.

 

[JD6400]

We are only as good as our last job , and putting aside why your one ended up with the issues that it did ?
It is their chance to redeem their selfs , i have to admit i tend to judge a company not on how they preform day to day but more so on how they preform when faced with a cock up / problem , how ever it was created !
So here's hoping it goes well ?

 

[TrickyDicky101]

... i tend to judge a company not on how they preform day to day but more so on how they preform when faced with a cock up / problem , how ever it was created !

Well said and I agree completely! Let's hope the OP's installer will now give the OP the installation he wanted.

 

[Bucks]

The installer has dropped off some info about the new inverter he plans to supply, it is a Eversolar TL4000 which the specs states is single MPP tracking, I note from some of the earlier posts that you state it needs to be dual MPP, so I am still a bit confused / unsure, can anyone please offer any advice on the inverter issue.

 

[Bucks]

I have just had the following email from the installer,

"I have just been onto technical help regarding your inverter as the last thing I want to do is install a inverter that does not perform as predicted. They have informed that there is not currently an inverter that will be suitable by any manufacture. The reason for this is the low voltage that 4 panels produce they would not start the 2nd string.even with a dual tracker. In their opinion and my own it would be a much efficient system if the 4 panels were removed completely as these as you are aware are having a significant reduction in system output. With these removed the 12 panels on the main roof would be running at full efficiency and the system would generate a produce a faster feed in tariff return. We had proposed a eversolar which has a low start up voltage and had 2 strings but double checking with them it will not be suitable either.


So to conclude the best option would be to remove the 4 panels and just have the 12 on the main roof. I understand it is not the 4 kw system you wanted but this has is just not possible with your roof."

 

[Bucks]

I have just sent the following reply to him, Any advice / suggestions much appreciated,

"If just the 12 panels on the main roof is our only / best option then so be it,
So the Steca 2010 & the Powerone PVI 3.6 that others have said may be suitable are not then?
Also would it not be suitable / recommended to connect two of the top panels that are shaded by the boiler flue to the same string as the four lower panels,

I'm sure you can understand I'm just trying to exhaust all options before agreeing to anything."

 

[SolarCity]

To be honest, I'm not 100% sure that the Power One inverter would be suitable. It is certainly worth investigating though. I would urge your installer to speak to Power One and ask them. There is a Power One configuration tool downloadable which could answer the question. Certainly the 4 panels would not produce a high enough voltage in the inverters standard set up but I was told at the Segen technical conference that the lower voltage threshold could be lowered - presumably low enough for the 4 panels alone.

 

[vfr750]

I think you could use a power one 3.6 outdI am getting one soon so I have been checking specs on the inverter.They have a tool on the site http://stringtool.power-one.com/which says you can go down to 4 panels.

 

[solarsavings]

Yep the power one 3.6 will be ok ( the start up voltage will need to be lowered) you can ask your installer to check here Power-One String Tool

 

[Bucks]

THANKS Guy's,
My Installer is going to ring Power One tomorrow.

 

[SolarCity]

Fair play to your installer. At least he is going to good lengths to sort the issue.

 

[Bucks]

I have just got a estimate of £370 from our boiler engineer to move the boiler flue to the front of the house, unfortunately the boiler flue does not meet the manufacturers regs or something like that, so he would have to replace the whole flue & conections with the proper Worcester Bosch ones.

So my question is is it worth moving the boiler flue at a cost of £370 + disruption to the other side our new roof, we are obviously going to be doing something about the Soil pipe (probably a vent tile, or just lowering the soil pipe to just above roof level) & the possibly the ariel (not sure what yet though)

 

[JD6400]

If you have no joy with the power one , we have quoted up against solar edge inverters in the past that i think are a sort of hybrid micro inverter that is ideal for shaded systems .
I think it is a main inverter but with individual controllers on the modules ?

 

[nbown]

just an idea, why not have 2 inverters?

 

[solarsavings]

I've just checked again and it is suitable just needs the four panel string start up voltage lowered.