Grid Tied Inverter Installation.

While the FIT scheme may have finished, it's now possible to claim export payments from some electricity suppliers.  It's usually a few pence per unit.

But good luck trying to claim that money if you haven't got the correct MCS paperwork for your new solar install.  You will end up giving away your spare electricity.

Simon Barker: 
 

. . . You will end up giving away your spare electricity.

Or being flagged for an investigation due to reverse power being noted on the meter. 

Regards,

Alan.

ebee: 
 

Zoom, if it were me, I would consider concentrating upon the Fly paper problem and leaving this install to A N Other

Blinkin ek! You're always tellin' me that mate. But on this occasion I think that you may be right.?

Z.

Alan Capon: 
 

Simon Barker: 
 

. . . You will end up giving away your spare electricity.

Or being flagged for an investigation due to reverse power being noted on the meter. 

Regards,

Alan.

Do electronic meters run backwards as did the old spinning disc type?

Z.

The modern SMETS meters have separate registers for measuring export and import.  SMETS2 meters should be calibrated for both. SMETS1 meters were often not calibrated for export, because suppliers had no interest in measuring it.

Older electronic meters normally stopped on export, though there was one model that added the import and export together, much to the consternation of anyone who had installed solar panels and found their bills going up instead of down.

Not all spinning disc meters ran backwards.  The later ones had a ratchet mechanism to stop that.  I still have one, and it stops and makes strange grinding noises while I am exporting (but it hasn't broken yet).

We had to change our spinning disc meter for a new digital meter that only recorded power consumed. We now have a “smart meter” which records inbound and outbound power.

Others have already covered relevant points regarding the solar installation. It is worth noting that G99 conditions apply if more that one 3.6kW grid tied inverter is connected at a single premises and must get prior approval for the connection. 

It is worth noting that G99 conditions apply if more that one 3.6kW grid tied inverter is connected at a single premises and must get prior approval for the connection. 

I think the 3.6kW limit is only for single phase - 3-phase would be allowed up to 11kW.

  - Andy.

It is worth noting that G99 conditions apply if more that one 3.6kW grid tied inverter is connected at a single premises and must get prior approval for the connection. 

I think the 3.6kW limit is only for single phase - 3-phase would be allowed up to 11kW.

As noted by others earlier, strictly the actual limit for G98 is 16A per phase at 230/400V. This is, in effect, 3.68kW single phase or 11.04kW three phase, but the definition in terms of current, not power, is sometimes relevant.

Jam: 
 

It is worth noting that G99 conditions apply if more that one 3.6kW grid tied inverter is connected at a single premises and must get prior approval for the connection. 

I think the 3.6kW limit is only for single phase - 3-phase would be allowed up to 11kW.

As noted by others earlier, strictly the actual limit for G98 is 16A per phase at 230/400V. This is, in effect, 3.68kW single phase or 11.04kW three phase, but the definition in terms of current, not power, is sometimes relevant.

You also need to be careful of neutral currents if you fit single-phase inverters in a three-phase installation. If one phase is loaded up, a but of load on a second phase, and nothing but export on the third phase, you can end up with a larger neutral current than you designed for.

Using three-phase inverters in a three-phase installation helps avoid this.

Interesting that Graham, what N current do you foresee at worst?