Guidance for plug in solar for Electricians

If you are giving professional advice it better be good and you should have appropriate  Professional Indemnity Insurance.

Does the socket comply with BS 1363?

Without it being a plug in solar inverter, it could be any appliance,  does the intended socket comply with 411.3.3? 

Does the socket meets the requirements of 531.3.1 to 531.3.4.2 and 531.3.6?

Where there is an upstream RCD of the RCD for the socket is it of a correct type and will selectivity be achieved in accordance with Regulation 536.4.1.4?

If the intended socket is on a heavily loaded circuit would the additional supply negate the overload protection for the supply cable, see the requirements of Regulations 551.7.1?

When tested is the polarity of the socket correct?

When tested is the socket earthed?

Does the RCD trip in the correct tripping time?

Provide your advice in writing and keep a copy for a 100 years just in case as society is very litegous.

Hope this helps?

JP

(grins..)

Isn't that the same advice as would be given for plugging in a TV?

Or at least any garden appliance like a hot tub.

but yes.

An outdoor TV perhaps ? 

 All those things like is there no RCD, are L-N wired reverse polarity, is it off earth etc. are all issues that if undiscovered do increase risk. However, worrying about this purely in the context of one special type of appliance is not really helpful, except for it's one unique synchronous generation aspect. That is  the only way that things are different to any other domestic outdoor box with some electronics inside.

In reality, I don't think the folk fitting them will be that worried about the 'seek advice' part, or indeed the registration part. If Germany, land of "where are your papers" for everything, can only manage about a 50% registration, I fully expect both solar and battery  systems with all the wrong paperwork for the UK to spring up unannounced like mushrooms! They will of course bring with them new and exciting faults and compatibility issues until  the situation all settles down into something that folk treat as normal.

regards,

Mike.

Of course its is unlawful to place these plug in devices on the market without conforming to the requirements of the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations as amended and the EMC regulations with the manufacturer, importer or distributer testing the equipment for conformity with relevant product standards and issuing a  Declaration of Conformity (DoC), or a technical file if a novel device, and marking the equipment UKCA or UKNI. The government have issued an interim  product standard  so people should be looking for a DoC indicating conformity to that standard.

Yes it is a plug in device just like a TV or lawn mower. However it has a subtle and important difference with plug in PV it can be both a supply and a load hence the need for bi-directional RCDs.

JP

Of course its is unlawful to place these plug in devices on the market without conforming to the requirements of the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations as amended and the EMC regulations with the manufacturer, importer or distributer testing the equipment for conformity with relevant product standards and issuing a  Declaration of Conformity (DoC), or a technical file if a novel device, and marking the equipment UKCA or UKNI. The government have issued an interim  product standard  so people should be looking for a DoC indicating conformity to that standard.

Yes it is a plug in device just like a TV or lawn mower. However it has a subtle and important difference with plug in PV it can be both a supply and a load hence the need for bi-directional RCDs.

JP