Question: Worrying incompetance or just minor niggles in the last minute rush??

[bumcrack]

Does 4kw not take you outside of the g83 / 16a per phase threshold ?

 

[flamefix]

From a purely selfish point of view (your own), you need to ensure you get the MCS certificate from the installer and they cannot with hold that on the basis of Payment, otherwise they are in breach of REAL.

Your problems with the system can be resolved after you get your certificate so that you can complete your FIT application. Once you have done that then you can and should pursue.

If you have to pay to ensure you get everything then this is a decision you have to take send them a cheque for example and put a stop on it f you have to pay first, given the time frame you need that cert asap. The problem you face aside from the install is, will the firm come back and put it right or will they close up shop. They could close up shop at anytime, but it would be better for you to have the system registered and claiming FIT, sorting out the issues as secondary either with the firm concerned or someone external, involve REAL and MCS.

 

[mjanesuk]

Flamefix,

The firm have sent me the reciept for full payment (though I have not paid in full) so that is not an issue.

My concern now is that the details above for the panel, the manufacturer and the BABT number are not appearing on the MCS database - though I have a scan of the certificate from BABT to state it was all granted (dated the 9th Dec 2011 - which could be the problem)

I have shouted at the firm and told them to issue me a new MCS cert with the details of the panels changed from the generic import that the supplier has then rebadged and got MCS certification for.

My question to al is - can you as installers enter product, manufacturer and BABT numbers if they are not on the database (ie.e can you manually enter them or do you just pick from a list).

If it is the latter, then am I stuffed even though they have been approved by BABT and MCS?

I agreed I can get the rest sorted afterwards.

Martin

Martin

 

[VMan]

i would ring up an FIT company ( some are open til 8pm) and explain the situation, ask if they get a FIT in with the wrong MCS cert, when they come to process it, ask if you can send them the correct cert.

I think this close to the deadline now, if there is no sign of getting the correct cert by sunday evening, it may be better to just get an application in with incorrect cert rather than no application at all!!

British gas did say to me on the phone that they would allow me to correct errors on their FIT form after it had been submitted and still be eligible for the Higher FIT, but im not 100% they will honour this.

 

[mjanesuk]

VMan,

Have already done this, as I submitted the MCS cert with the ZNShine panel details yesterday, when I was told that this was correct.

It was to British Gas and they said they would allow changes, but seemed to say that the MCS cert was critical, but the rest could be altered.

But, come to think of it, they did say that the minimum was the Cert NUMBER, not the actual certificate. As these numpties have alraedy sent me 5 different versions of the MCS cert (they kept getting it wrong (name, address, meter serial no., install date....) I can safely say that the certificate number stayed the same. so maybe my application, the proof of payment and the MCS number wil be enough to get me through.

I can then speak to MCS on Monday (now closed til then).

Thanks
Martin

 

[VMan]

I think you have done all you can for now. it may be worth trying MCS in the morning, they maybe working this weekend..just maybe...

 

[grandfortune]

omg, they sound clueless, just get that FIT in m8 what ever it takes, sort the rest out after, even if you have to pay someone else to re-fit the array, is the scaffold still up, if so ask the scaffold compnay if you can have it for a bit longer, then get the firm back, if they refuse, dont pay and use the money to have it re-done

 

[mjanesuk]

Vman,

Just spoken to a very nice man at British Gas, (Nabeed in Manchester -if you are having problems), he confirmed that the MCS cert number is the main thing, not the details. They can be ammended later if necessary as long as the cert number remains the same.

Apparently the process is that in 3 weeks (due to backlog) BG will send a contract or ask for revisions if things are not correct - either way you still qualify for the higher rate. He also checked that my email had arrived yesterday and advised that everyone should do this and they are happy to do it whist you wait on the phone.

Bear in mind also that if you are not BG customer they also require photo ID as well as the FIT form, invoice and MCS cert.

Feeling much better now.

Only the poor install left to sort now.

Martin

 

[VMan]

Think on the bright side, you have a cleared invoice even tho you owe then 3K, tell the company you paid it and you have proof of payment (the invoice) - then see if they sort out your install for you.

 

[sambotc]

Keep the £3k and pay someone who actually gives a ---- the chance of a days work in january when they need it most. The other lot don't sound bothered so leave them to it.

 

[mjanesuk]

Good point VMan.

I suppose I then need to see what the best option for securing the K2 brackets is (only one fixing at the moment). K2 say drill an extra hole to fit onto the flimsey 37mm rafters.

Also how to arrange the panels.

The idea I had which they have gone with, but seemingly without any thought, was a portrait row of 10 on the upper part of the roof, and a lower row of 6 in landscape (on a second MPPT on the SMA 4000TL-20) to account for the occasional end of year shading from a tree, that clips the gutter and 1st 4 ft of the roofline. Roof is 12m wide so no space issue.

They have attached both rows to horizontal rails, so the lower row are all attached on their short side. I think SRE thought this was an issue - any thoughts?

 

[VMan]

It may be helpful if you could perhaps attach a picture of the panels.

I would probably add another piece of timber attached to your rafter to get the second hole on the brackets. but without seeing the job its hard to suggest.

With 37mm rafters I would have hoped they used more than require brackets to help spread the load!
They may have been in a rush, fitting vertical rails to me is easier then horizontal rails as you don't have find so many rafters!!
The landscape panels on horizontal rails, i would want it doing correctly, mainly for warranty purposes as you need to be assure the system will last 25 Years! shouldn't take too long for them to correct.

I would give them a chance when thinks calm down..hopefully you will be on the higher FIT tariff, that's the most important thing at the moment.

 

[SRE]

Fitting the panels on the short side is ok for some manufactirers but not for all and there's a lot that void the warranty if this is done. It will show you in the installation instructions where the fixing points are.

As long as you have confirmation that the mcs certificate has been issued for the new panels then you should be able to get the panels on the certificate changed ok. The chances are that the MCS staff have been so busy they haven't had time to update the database.

 

[Noshocks]

That part number refers to SDS Solar modules (AKA Yonkang in china) , to my knowledge they arent registered for any MCS panels, they must be doing an OEM service for this german supplier hence the extra '5' added to the part number, which wouldent be on the modules.

 

[moggy1968]

Your brackets are inadequately fixed!!

There is an issue with rafter/screw sizes. I believe building regs require that the screw diameter should be no more than 25% of 50% of the rafter width, 4.6mm in your case. The various solar regs require that the minimum screw size is 6mm. The way we get round skinny rafter is to batten either side of the rafter in the area of the fixing with 12 inch battens, effectively widening the rafter. we can always get the 2 fixing screws into even a skinny rafter by careful placement of the bracket and slight angling of the screws. I use 6mm screws from screwfix with a hex shaped head rather than the 8mm ones Krannich supply as these are way too destructive on this rafter thickness.
Of course doing all this takes time.

Why is an electrician working on solar who doesn't like heights and isn't insured to work at height!!!