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Who from the IET is working with the government to allow <800W inverters to be 'plugged in'?

Steve Nixon76

The UK government made the following announcement at the end of March (www.gov.uk/.../government-to-make-plug-in-solar-available-within-months) regarding Balcony Solar/Plug-in Solar. The following section features in the 'Notes To Editors' at the end of the announcement.

"The government will work with the Energy Networks Association, DNOs and Ofgem to update the G98 distribution code and wiring regulations BS 7671 to allow UK households to connect <800W plug-in solar panels to domestic mains sockets, without the need for an electrician and with tailored safety standards."

So who is the government working with at the IET/JPEL64 to make these changes to BS7671? Or is the government simply going to bypass the IET and make amendments willy nilly?

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  • It is an interesting debate. I find myself somewhat conflicted.

    On the one hand, installing solar PV seems to increase some risks, which may be mitigated in the fixed wiring, e.g. by fitting bi-directional RCBOs. If an installation is not prepared for solar PV because it is plugged in, the risk is intrinsically higher.

    Against this, a policy of increasing solar generation is perfectly reasonable on environmental grounds, if no other, so the marginal risk can be justified.

    In fact, we increase risks by plugging anything in. Think of just an ordinary socket-outlet. We aim to have a maximum Zs of 1.37 Ω (Table 41.3). If we plug in a 50 m extension lead, we add an extra 1.5 Ω. So instead of tripping instantly, it could take a minute (Figure 3A4) and we have to rely upon the BS 1362 fuse.

  • in reply to Chris Pearson
    Chris Pearson said:
    In fact, we increase risks by plugging anything in. Think of just an ordinary socket-outlet. We aim to have a maximum Zs of 1.37 Ω (Table 41.3). If we plug in a 50 m extension lead, we add an extra 1.5 Ω. So instead of tripping instantly, it could take a minute (Figure 3A4) and we have to rely upon the BS 1362 fuse.

    Hence one of the reasons for sockets that are likely to have 50m extension leads plugged into them (i.e. ones serving equipment outdoors) to have RCD protection.

       - Andy.

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  • in reply to Chris Pearson
    Chris Pearson said:
    In fact, we increase risks by plugging anything in. Think of just an ordinary socket-outlet. We aim to have a maximum Zs of 1.37 Ω (Table 41.3). If we plug in a 50 m extension lead, we add an extra 1.5 Ω. So instead of tripping instantly, it could take a minute (Figure 3A4) and we have to rely upon the BS 1362 fuse.

    Hence one of the reasons for sockets that are likely to have 50m extension leads plugged into them (i.e. ones serving equipment outdoors) to have RCD protection.

       - Andy.

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