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

Earthstore · Dec 13, 2011

Can I advise you on this, please don't touch it.
You have no earth's, no AC isolator, no seperate DC isolator. For the tiny amount of money that you would lose at this time of year, just turn it off at the consumer unit that they fitted, check that it is off, enjoy your turkey, raise your glass on the 31st to all of us in limbo land and sort it out properly in 2012.
I am sure you can find a local PV company to pop round and have a look for you, not just an electrician, as most do not even understand PV.
Earthstore

mjanesuk · Dec 13, 2011

There is an AC isolator just to the right of the inverter. But I appreciate the message of just leave it alone till is been inspected.

smag · Dec 13, 2011

Going back a few steps...sorry. You will not be able to fix another fixing into a K2 bracket as they are staggered from each other without going off-centre and hence damaging the 37mm rafter. Using a single 3.5mm dia screw (therefore not encroaching on the 4 x dia. to edge distance) with 65mm embedment will give you a factor of safety in the region of 5 depending on location, altitude etc.

moggy1968 · Dec 13, 2011

and there's the problem, you can't use such a small screw for solar brackets, minimum is 6mm which breaches building regs, thats why you need to batten the rafter.
if you align the bracket carefully you can still get 2 screws into the rafter. we've done loads with this size joist and our 'miss rate' hitting the rafters is probably less than 1%.
of course if it's a plain tile roof there is a K2 bracket with the holes in alignment. on a pantile the only option is staggered.

smag · Dec 13, 2011

...you can use a washer to overcome the issue of the screw being too small though

moggy1968 · Dec 13, 2011

no you can't. the washer doesn't affect the diameter of the screw thread and accordingly it's tensile strength

bhmt · Dec 21, 2011

Hi. Just a bit of clarification - I have met this company in Munich at Solar Fairs and I have asked them where their products are made.
They told me that they have 25% manufacturing power in ZNShine factory in China + they keep Quality assurance people there. So that would explain SDG branding and ZNShine MCS. It is not some little company which is changing labels on the products but big holding selling PV all around Europe. Like you mentioned mjanesuk, probably it was one of their first deals in UK and due to all that rush their certification was delayed what forced them to use ZNShine cerificate.