Garage+PV Consumer unit

General Commisioning
1

Current install
3.6 SolarRiver inverter + 3kW Array (receipt of FiT)

Planned install
Retain existing separate PV array + inverter
3x5.6 Batteries mounted in 12mm cement boards in garage
Hybrid 5kW (Gen3) OR AC Coupled

Main consumer unit in house.

Planned garage consumer unit…
Proteus 6 way consumer unit
63A RCD - Linked to connector block in cabinet
16A RCBO Bi-Directional B Curve - PV Inverter
32A RCBO Bi-Directional C Curve - Battery Inverter
32A RCBO - Sockets
6A RCBO - Lights (in+out)
GivEnergy GEM120CT

Future plans

  • Heat pump
  • Solar diverter
  • Home server

Please note that the existing PV + battery inverters will be separate (to maintain Feed In Tariff compliance)

I’ve made a G99 application to the DNO for the 5kW Inverter of the above setup and am awaiting approval.

My questions are:
Is the garage consumer unit okay?
Which bits would you ask a GivEnergy installer to do and what could a non-solar electrician do?
What bits can I do myself?

On the “bits myself” (whilst I wait for DNO approval). I’m thinking

  • Install the sockets + lights
  • Mount the batteries on cement boards
  • Mount the inverter on cement boards (noting the spacing guides etc)
  • Mount the ancillary items (ducting / breakers etc)

It’s really important to say that the garage consumer unit is not connected, and I won’t be actioning this myself (I’m not an electrician / installer). However I am confident to do basic electrical DIY + follow installation guides etc.

proposed-self
proposed-self1386×851 55.7 KB

2

I can’t say much about all the electrical stuff but I have just done something like you.

I kept my existing 4KW Solar array and added an additional 7KW array using the 5KW Gen 3 ( which actually does 7KW ) and 2 x 9.5KW Batteries.

With hindsite the “All in One” stuff had only just come out and I think that might have been better for me… when on just Batteries I can only pull down 3.6KW from the batteries.

So in the evening if the oven is on and microwave thats 3.6kw from the batteries then the rest from the mains, so still using mains power !!!

The “all in one” does 7KW… and has 13KW battery

Basically you sure you want a separate inverter etc…

3

Thanks for your message.
Re: Separate inverters; the key bit is “in receipt of FIT” (The old government grants to install PV, I get paid quarterly and there is over £20k yet to come). This means I need to maximise the kWhs put out at the AC end. And charging batteries from PV / grid would distort the AC meter I have. I don’t want to make any changes to the PV inverter because of this.
It’d be great if you have a single line diagram (SLD) of your setup.
Cheers