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DNO voltage limits and solar PV generation

A local bowls club has installed solar PV which is working very nicely - most of the time.

However on a really good day up to 8 of the 53 panels trip out reporting overvoltage. The trip is set to 264V (240V + 10%).

The meter is in a small house at the edge of the property, about 50m from the main switchboard, connected by a fairly substantial cable, (at least 2 sizes bigger than the DNOs incoming cable). We have called the DNO who have been and measured the incoming voltage as 252V, so just below the limit of 253V (at the time of their visit).

Exactly how the voltage rise is distributed between the incoming cable and the cable from the MCB board to the roof isn't clear but the voltage at the MCB board is regularly above 253V and so is the voltage on any appliance connected to a lightly loaded circuit.

The DNO say they can monitor the voltage but unless it goes above 253V they will not reduce the voltage as it is within limits.

How can the club ensure that their equipment is not subject to over voltage?

Do the DNOs limits need to be reviewed now that electricity flow to a premises is not always in the same direction?
Parents
  • "Harry hasn't said whether it's a G83 or G59".

    Harry hasn't said because Harry doesn't know but it is whatever would have been a standard connection to a clubhouse 20 years ago.

    There is an overhead line in the vicinity (3.3kV?) with a small pole mounted transformer on one of the nearest poles and a transition to HV cables on the other. Where these cables go isn't obvious, i.e. we haven't located a transformer, but the supply could be from either. If it is from the pole mounted Tx then it is probably only the club that it is supplying.
Reply
  • "Harry hasn't said whether it's a G83 or G59".

    Harry hasn't said because Harry doesn't know but it is whatever would have been a standard connection to a clubhouse 20 years ago.

    There is an overhead line in the vicinity (3.3kV?) with a small pole mounted transformer on one of the nearest poles and a transition to HV cables on the other. Where these cables go isn't obvious, i.e. we haven't located a transformer, but the supply could be from either. If it is from the pole mounted Tx then it is probably only the club that it is supplying.
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