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DIY home battery storage with an EE degree? Where to find electricians with correct qualfication?

benforone

I want to have a ~7kwh home battery storage, they cost more than £4000 (without installation) if I buy an all-in-one solution (inverter + DC batteries in a wall-mounted pack).
Given an EE background, I started digging into what such a system contains, and it turns out only take £2,870 and a server rack to build AC-coupled storage (like building a PC). 

The problem I have is I googled a few battery/solar installers in the Cambridge area, but they only install products with existing dealerships (for cashback reasons?).
I am wondering if additional qualification is required for electricians to install a battery storage system? i.e. if I can hire anyone with an NICEIC certification?

PS: Please shout out if you know where to search or if you want to take the job.

The inverter wiring schematics looks straightforward to me. I understand I probably need an AC and DC switch on both ends of the inverter to be fully compliant.

/cfs-file/A__key/communityserver-components-multipleuploadfilemanager/298edce6_2D00_e269_2D00_4897_2D00_ba7e_2D00_9d909e6ca28d-64262-complete/Manual_5F00_RAI_2D00_3K_2D00_48ES_2D00_5G.pdf

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In the worst case, can I do it myself?
I know I need to disconnect the consumer unit from the meter (and solar panels), and the CT clamp can't be open-circuited.
But I remember somewhere it is against the regulation to open the consumer unit?

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    I am not aware of any regulation that prohibits opening the consumer unit. It is however foolhardy if not experienced in such work. It IS forbidden to open or interfere with the supply companies fuse, electricity meter, or the connections thereto.

    If you simply require back up power in case of failures, then this is simple, just purchase a ready made UPS unit, with extended run time battery. The smaller ones simply plug in like any other appliance.

    If you require a standard grid tied solar energy system, then many companies sell and install these. They do not normally incorporate back up power, this may be supplied via UPS as above.

    If you want to charge batteries from solar energy, and then use this stored energy instead of or as well as grid power then this is a lot more complex and should be done by a renewable energy specialist who is familiar  with UK regulations.

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  • 0

    I am not aware of any regulation that prohibits opening the consumer unit. It is however foolhardy if not experienced in such work. It IS forbidden to open or interfere with the supply companies fuse, electricity meter, or the connections thereto.

    If you simply require back up power in case of failures, then this is simple, just purchase a ready made UPS unit, with extended run time battery. The smaller ones simply plug in like any other appliance.

    If you require a standard grid tied solar energy system, then many companies sell and install these. They do not normally incorporate back up power, this may be supplied via UPS as above.

    If you want to charge batteries from solar energy, and then use this stored energy instead of or as well as grid power then this is a lot more complex and should be done by a renewable energy specialist who is familiar  with UK regulations.

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