FAQ
Frequency Asked Questions
- Solar panel systems operate by harnessing the sun’s energy through photovoltaic solar panels. When the sunlight hits the cells in the panels the photons from the sun excite the electrons within the cells generating an electrical current. This direct current (DC) flows into the inverter, which then converts the DC to AC (alternating current) to be used within the house. The excess energy can be stored in storage batteries or be used in power diverters to heat the water in immersion tanks. Once the requirements of the house are met and storage batteries are full (if installed) then the excess gets fed back into the grid.
- The installation of the system generally only takes a day. We send 3 of our engineers to carry out the work and aim to have it all complete and set up the same day. There are larger jobs of course that require extra days, these extra days tend to occur when we install on slate roofs and if we have to dig to bury cabling.
- There are countless ways in which solar can help you but to list a few of them:
- Reduce your energy bills.
- Reduce your carbon footprint.
- Adds value to your property.
- Generate money from the excess energy you export.
- Things to consider when choosing a battery are, depth of discharge, efficiency, warranty, compatibility, storage capacity and power output. With batteries there is no “best” product but more about finding one that fits you and your needs. Some well-known brands are GivEnergy, PureDrive, Growatt and Solax.
- It is essential to compare various options and consult with your solar engineers to find the battery that really suits you and your needs. These batteries just need to get you through the night and help you out on some bleaker days if you have the ability to charge them from cheaper night time rates.
- Feel free to ask us or take a look at the IET’s Beginners guide to battery storage for more advice on batteries or
- The short answer is YES and NO! Solar panels will get cheaper for sure, and if you select a certain brand/wattage/generation of panel and watch it over time it of course will but with how rapidly technology is improving and advancing suppliers don’t tend to stick with brands for too long because newer bigger and more powerful technology/panels get released.
- Even when there is a power cut the solar panels will continue to generate electric however, most standard solar panel systems are grid-tied, meaning they cannot provide power to the property during a power cut for safety reasons. This stops electric being fed back to the grid meaning utility workers and carry out their work safely.
- One way for you to be able to continue to use the power from the system during a power cut is the use of an Emergency Power Switch. This allows you, the homeowner to isolate your solar system from the grid and enable them to power critical loads like lights, fridges and freezers, and or medical devices.
There is no simple answer to this question as every household is different and everybody’s needs are different. The things that dictate a system size are:
- Roof space that is available for panels.
- Electrical usage.
- Future plans, although we have to base our calculations on here and now we appreciate more and more things are becoming electric. This is why we have an in depth conversation with you to ensure we understand your needs fully.
- How you intend to use the system. Meaning, you may prefer a bigger battery system and less panels to charge them at night for use in the day when on a cheaper night rate tariff, or you may prefer lots of panels with batteries, etc.
- A solar power diverter is an power diverter usually used for hot water tanks.
- This replaces your immersion switch and essentially becomes your new immersion switch and diverts excess energy to heat the tank of water.
- How this works is that once the solar is powering the house and if there are batteries then they are fully charged then rather than excess electric going out the door to the grid, your solar diverter puts the excess into heating the water tank.
- Brands we use are solar iBoost’s and Eddi immersion heaters.
What happens on a site survey?
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When we come to your home/property we will look at the roof and its suitability, where the solar panels will be installed, the inverter and battery location. We go into that much detail we talk about cable runs down to the types of clips we use. Then we take all that info away and send you a personalised quote.
What does my installation day look like?
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Arrival time of 7:30AM, we go through all the details again to ensure no preferences have changed. We then start on the roof and then get into the electrics. Throughout the install we will show you what we're doing so you're kept in the loop. Once the install is complete we do a full hand over with you and answer any further questions.
What happens post installation?
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Who is my Distribution Network Operator?
When buying solar what should I look out for?
Will solar add value to my property?
There are 6 Distribution Network Operators (DNO's) in the UK:
- Scottish & Southern Electricity Network
- Scottish Power Networks
- Electricity North West
- Northern Power Grid
- UK Power Networks
- Western Power Distribution
- You need to be using companies that have a competent person scheme, i.e. NICEIC, NAPIT.
- A company that is MCS accredited.
- A member of the Renewable Energy Code of Conduct.
- A company that have social media that are full of their content and workmanship!
- One of the most important ones is to check a business REVIEWS!
- Studies and data indicate that having solar added to your property can add value to your home.
- This means the new homeowner wont have to outlay for a solar system as it will be part of the sale of the property.
- This can make it more appealing to eco conscious and money saving buyers.
