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Solar supply on test reports

Alan B

How do I document and test existing solar secondary supply when adding or modifying an installation that includes solar but not working on the solar system.

I have worked on a few installations now that have main supply plus solar, I have no training on solar installations.

I look to make sure cabling looks professional and that there are isolators on DC input to inverter and AC output from inverter, use them to isolate the supply while I work.

On the test report I record that there is a second supply and that it's solar but I don't do any testing or open anything up.

Is this enough or do I need to start learning more about solar and doing more?

I haven't worked on an installation with battery but same question.

Also if I was asked to do an EICR do I just agree with the owner that the EICR doesn't include the solar installation or do I need to decline the job until I get more knowledge on solar?

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    AJ, have you any idea of the caliber of candidates on PAT courses? I wouldn’t trust my kettle with them let alone an assessment of the safety of a PV inverter.

    I see your point, but I wasn't so much suggesting that 50p/item brigade take on inverters, but more that the industry as a whole makes sure it includes all electrical equipment of an installation somewhere within the environment of safety checks.

    Also if we go down the route of saying that anything unusual requires a specialist to check its safety then the whole things starts to get very cumbersome for the householder - if we exclude the PV system, the gas boiler (because it's gas), the heating controls throughout the building (because they're beyond the boiler), the immersion 'cos it's on an unvented cylinder and so needs someone with a G3 cert (or whatever it is this week) to understand the multiple layers of safety devices, or the heat pump and its wiring between indoor and outdoor units, EVSE, etc, then the inconvenience and cost will conspire to mean that none of it happens properly in practice, or worse much expense is incurred but overall safety is still lacking.

       - Andy. 

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    AJ, have you any idea of the caliber of candidates on PAT courses? I wouldn’t trust my kettle with them let alone an assessment of the safety of a PV inverter.

    I see your point, but I wasn't so much suggesting that 50p/item brigade take on inverters, but more that the industry as a whole makes sure it includes all electrical equipment of an installation somewhere within the environment of safety checks.

    Also if we go down the route of saying that anything unusual requires a specialist to check its safety then the whole things starts to get very cumbersome for the householder - if we exclude the PV system, the gas boiler (because it's gas), the heating controls throughout the building (because they're beyond the boiler), the immersion 'cos it's on an unvented cylinder and so needs someone with a G3 cert (or whatever it is this week) to understand the multiple layers of safety devices, or the heat pump and its wiring between indoor and outdoor units, EVSE, etc, then the inconvenience and cost will conspire to mean that none of it happens properly in practice, or worse much expense is incurred but overall safety is still lacking.

       - Andy. 

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