Solar Energy Systems installation UK - lack of skills

As I researched Solar Energy systems for over a year now I discovered how little I understood the dangerous realities of Solar installations even though powered at ELV level <50Vdc.  The difference being that you are dealing with a constant current of 50 - 100's A dc.  Average Joe, maybe used to Auto/Truck 12/24Vdc  systems probably sees the system as safe - you dont get a shock (boat owners will disagree).  So the hazards of installing a dc distribution system  within a domestic house and the potential to cause disastrous fires are totally underestimated.  Even the average tradesman electrician will not have sufficient training in such matters in his CPD scheme.

To make matters worse, as a result of a question by a neighbour who want to suggest to his lad that he follow an Electrician apprenticeship, I discovered that my area (SE UK) has no regular Technical College Route pursuing CnG courses.  Apprenticeships are very rare and as a rule focus on training junior managers. 

In short, a young person cannot readily find his way in to becoming and electrical tradesman ( I have to make a distinction between the concept of a Technician here)

When you aggregate the complete installation identifying all physical components, the SLD suddenly becomes quite complex.  ie Going from Panel Arrays > optomisers > cables > marshalling boxes > Fuse links > Isolators > Master Circuit Breaker > Inverter (s) > Battery Bank > Domestic Consumer Unit > Grid resale meter > Master Isolator > standby generator > Auto Transfer Switch, Control and monitoring systems, Emergency shutdown scheme.

When you seen the numerous wannabee hopefuls going offgrid and often their lack of formal technical training they dont realise how dangerous their rough and ready installation is

I can post links to many sources of my concern here if there is sufficient interest

Robin 

  • Octopus Energy recently updated their T&C’s to remove the requirement for an MCS Certificate, The SEG terms already had alternatives to MCS.

    I am aware of two installs without an MCS cert who do get Export payments.

    However, SEG and export are not worth the aggravation for the payback these days.

    In a good amount of cases you can get a far better installation by going to a good quality electrician rather than an MCS installer - the shocking statistics on poor installations would seem to support this. 

  • Where do our Electricians get proper upgrades?

    There seem to be quite a few courses available - e.g. https://www.napittraining.co.uk/courses/trade/renewables, https://www.tradeskills4u.co.uk/product-category/solar-pv-courses or https://gtec.co.uk/courses/renewable-energy-training/solar-pv-training-course and lots of others many based on City & Guilds qualifications - e.g. C&G 2399. Try google.

       - Andy.

  • I would hope that most domestic installs would be done by an MCS approved, qualified electrician.  If nothing else, you'd struggle to get export payments on a DIY system.

    I've checked the logs from my system today.  It has two series strings, and each produced up to about 4A at 350V.  Nothing that an ordinary electrician couldn't handle.  It's well within the limit for LV.

  • Yes ELVs <50Vdc.  IMHO its sheer madness to be involved with MV dc Panel strings - way too dangerous  IMHO in a domestic environment, and we dont have the skilled tradesmen to recognise this type of micro grid nor is there a recognised route to upgrade to this unfamiliar but hazardous system.  Way too many unschooled wannabees playing with fireworks.  It is utter negligence by our Political leaders to allow this to continue.  They only woke up to the hazards of amateur plumbers who didnt understand flammable atmospheres till a few houses were blown up flattened.  Then British gas had to step in a institute proper training courses with local tech colleges.  Where do our Electricians get proper upgrades?  A one man jobber cant afford an apprentice (with all the paperwork and oversight involved). He will only have a family member or friend involved.

  • Agreed - my PV system runs as several hundred volts d.c., but  only a handful of amps. There's no d.c. distribution system either - d.c. from the panels is converted to a.c. by the inverter (in the loft) - and then everything else is the usual a.c. arrangement that anyone with a copy of the OSG would recognise. It can be more complicated of course, especially with battery systems, but again these can be (and commonly are) self contained with a.c. connections.

       - Andy.

  • Are you thinking of ELV systems typically used in off-grid installs, or grid-tied systems on a house roof?  The latter may have the panels wired in series strings, giving relatively modest currents at more dangerous voltages..