Our Solax battery was supposed to power the house in the event of a blackout, we found out apparently not, we need another device added for it to power the house in the event of a blackout
Its complicated.
We have large amounts of old housing stock that are not thermally efficient nor capable of realistically being upgraded. Various attempts by successive governments to do so have resulted in many disasters.
New builds still lack many considerations for thermal and energy efficiency, although building regulations have been enhanced but don't go far enough in my opinion. Problem still is that like the caravan industry the major developers lack good quality control and, admittedly the few new houses we've come across, have ticked the boxes but are still poor quality in respect of energy efficiency and good thermal properties.
Interesting article the other day about the Netherlands where they have many green energy sources and good take up of supposedly efficient heating systems and EV cars. They are running into gridlock situations.
While there are many Mwatts being generated and could be used, the final few km/miles of wires to communitues cannot support the local demand. This could well be a problem the UK faces if everyone is forced to install heat pumps and run EV cars. The demand will out strip the supply of Watts where you need it - at home for example.
We have large amounts of old housing stock that are not thermally efficient nor capable of realistically being upgraded. Various attempts by successive governments to do so have resulted in many disasters.
New builds still lack many considerations for thermal and energy efficiency, although building regulations have been enhanced but don't go far enough in my opinion. Problem still is that like the caravan industry the major developers lack good quality control and, admittedly the few new houses we've come across, have ticked the boxes but are still poor quality in respect of energy efficiency and good thermal properties.
Interesting article the other day about the Netherlands where they have many green energy sources and good take up of supposedly efficient heating systems and EV cars. They are running into gridlock situations.
While there are many Mwatts being generated and could be used, the final few km/miles of wires to communitues cannot support the local demand. This could well be a problem the UK faces if everyone is forced to install heat pumps and run EV cars. The demand will out strip the supply of Watts where you need it - at home for example.
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It's a simple matter of adding a contactor between the EPS output of the inverter and part of the main CU input and adding a separate earth rod. Took 2-3 hours to do. Parts if not using solax bits are less than £120.
Solax make two EPS boxes
One manual
SolaX X1 EPS Emergency Power Supply Box UK - Manual Switch - Solar Trade Sales
www.solartradesales.co.uk
SolaX X1 EPS Emergency Power Supply Box EU - Automatic Switch - Solar Trade Sales
www.solartradesales.co.uk
Alternatively you can wire a 13amp plugboard through an RCBO from the EPS output and distribute it to wherever you need it.
I started with a 5.8kWh battery and over the last 3 years have added two more. I now have enough capacity to last 24-36 hours without using the grid which means we are effectively off grid and use no supplier electricity from the end of February to mid October.
It may seem like a simple process but really should be carried out by a qualified engineer. Especially if you want your house to meet the relevant certifications.
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I think it will be many years before we see heat pumps and EVs on the scale you envisage. I for one would replace the condensing boilers in our house and our daughter’s house as both are currently beyond 10 years old. Of course that may not be the right decision if the cost of electricity does drop dramatically and gas takes its place as the top price fuel.
Its not so much the UK wide scale that's the problem but its more of a localised issue. In our small community the power lines are relatively small and with the increasing number of new builds and holiday lets, all of which may require more current than existing houses, they may not be able to take the additional load without being upgraded
Interesting point number 2.
On the British Gas web site they state that Heat Pumps may be upto 3 times as efficient as a Gas Boiler but they also admit that electricity prices are currently 4 times more than gas per KWh.
Interesting point number 3.
Can't remember where I read it but a 90% efficient gas boiler compared with the equivalent Heat Pump would only cost you £5 a year more to run. Of course this needs qualifying with all the attended costs of both systems - maintenance etc.
Interesting point number 4.
Again can't remember where I came across this and you can get creative with the calculations. But depending on where you live and how much at home time you have. Solar Panels may take from 11 to 15 years or more to recover the installation cost.
Interesting point number 2.
On the British Gas web site they state that Heat Pumps may be upto 3 times as efficient as a Gas Boiler but they also admit that electricity prices are currently 4 times more than gas per KWh.
Interesting point number 3.
Can't remember where I read it but a 90% efficient gas boiler compared with the equivalent Heat Pump would only cost you £5 a year more to run. Of course this needs qualifying with all the attended costs of both systems - maintenance etc.
Interesting point number 4.
Again can't remember where I came across this and you can get creative with the calculations. But depending on where you live and how much at home time you have. Solar Panels may take from 11 to 15 years or more to recover the installation cost.
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All depends on what you did for a living before you retired.
When we got this place I rewired the house and just paid someone to come in to test and certify the installation it as it was cheaper than certifying it myself with the council.
One of the joys of having worked with electricity all my life.
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Same hear multi skilled Qualified Engineer all my working life. Paid very little all my life for others to do any work for us.
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About 8.5 years payback here and we are almost half way there.
It was predicted to be 11 years just before the electricity prices went up but due to that and decent tariff management it's come down to about 8.5 years. I don't need the money back as I can't take it to the grave so will be content with between 11 and 12% ROI.
The "payback" period can only come down as prices rise.
I would say that my solar installations* have added their value to the overall house value so I haven't "lost" the money at all.
* Solar PV and Solar Thermal for hot water.
I've done the same but wouldn't suggest to anyone else who's skillset was unknown how to do the same.
If you'd saved your outlay for 8.5 years at 4% per year, compounded, you'd have got about 36% and still have the initial amount.
Hi Gumpy excuse my grammar I have a brain injury, we have a 4.4kWh solar panels with a Solis AC inverter, Solax Triple 5.8kWh battery and Solax AC inverter, the contractor who fitted the system was HIES registered, how ever they were not MCS registered to fit the battery, too be honest they made a bit of a mess.It's a simple matter of adding a contactor between the EPS output of the inverter and part of the main CU input and adding a separate earth rod. Took 2-3 hours to do. Parts if not using solax bits are less than £120.
Solax make two EPS boxes
One manual
One AutoSolaX X1 EPS Emergency Power Supply Box UK - Manual Switch - Solar Trade Sales
SolaX X1 EPS Emergency Power Supply Box EU - Automatic Switch - Solar Trade Sales
Alternatively you can wire a 13amp plugboard through an RCBO from the EPS output and distribute it to wherever you need it.
I started with a 5.8kWh battery and over the last 3 years have added two more. I now have enough capacity to last 24-36 hours without using the grid which means we are effectively off grid and use no supplier electricity from the end of February to mid October.
The Solax battery comes with the installer's 10 year warranty (they are still in business and Octopus Approved) in the term and condition (the ones which originally were not provided or signed) which basically states only they can maintain the system otherwise the warranty is invalid.
Our battery was fitted in October 2022 under the old regulation , we live in a bungalow, and installed inside the hall cupboard, ideally we love an addition battery now the prices have dropped and a automatic APS. Our issue if we have an APS or an addition Solax 5.8 slave added the original contractor has ground to invalidate there 10 year warranty
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Do you mean FIT, I thought that disappeared in 2019?
My batteries are on the back wall of the garage, cool enough in summer and just warm enough in winter.
I fitted my own extra batteries, it's essentially plug and play the only thing you have to be wary of is balancing the batteries as the new one comes at 40% charged so the master battery needs to be about the same.
As for warranty I don't, that I have found, have that clause. Since the company that supplied mine is very small they did an insurance backed warranty ( like the ones you get on used cars ) so that if anything did happen to them I was still covered.
SolaX are certainly very good with customer service and I would think that in the event of a unit failure they would provide backup. The only thing I might go back to my installer for is if there was a cable failure, the units I would look to SolaX.
Looking like the third night on the trot tonight for 🐙Agile negative prices, I will have to discharge the batteries to take advantage again. 😎
The SolaX battery was installed in October 2022, I believe the regulation have been updated as regards were the battery can be located, As stated our battery is installer internally in the hall cupboard there is enough space for another 2 batteries. Not sure to whether they would allow an additional battery to be fitted next to the existing battery under the new regulations ?
We are with Octopus Go charge up at night 5 hours 8.5 pence kWh and 26.81 pence day rate
We are with Octopus Go charge up at night 5 hours 8.5 pence kWh and 26.81 pence day rate
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But once the war in Ukraine comes to an end and western countries dependence on fossil fuels for electricity reduces prices are likely to reduce again and payback period will extend. Plus if UK can find a way to divorce energy prices from the benchmark of fossil fuel wind and solar charges should reduce even further.
In a perfect world all properties would have Solar panels and batteries, unfortunately we do not live in a perfect world this not going to happen, however, it is really down to individual choices there is no wrong or right answer.
We have gone down the solar/battery route we charge up our PHEV vehicle are electric bill is less than zero it will take until 2027 before we recuperate our £9500 investment, however since then the prices of solar panels and batteries have plummeted, today a similar system would be less the 6 to 7 thousand pounds.
We have gone down the solar/battery route we charge up our PHEV vehicle are electric bill is less than zero it will take until 2027 before we recuperate our £9500 investment, however since then the prices of solar panels and batteries have plummeted, today a similar system would be less the 6 to 7 thousand pounds.
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Not sure about the regs will have to look into that. As for 🐙Go we don't have an electric car so miss out on that tariff.
I originally doubled the battery capacity as 5.8kWh was not enough to get us past the evening peak, then realised if I added a 3rd I could last the full 24/36 hours.
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The only thing I can find about placement of batteries is guidance, not law. Came in in 2024 it's part of PAS 63100
PAS 63100 states that solar batteries should not be installed in the following locations:
Rooms in which persons are intended to sleep.
Routes used as a means of escape that are not defined as protected escape routes, including landings, staircases and corridors.
Corridors, shafts, stairs or lobbies of protected escape routes.
Firefighting lobbies, shafts or staircases.
Storage cupboards, enclosures or spaces opening into rooms in which persons are intended to sleep.
Outdoors (ground-mounted or wall-mounted in a suitable enclosure) within 1m of escape routes, doors, windows or ventilation ports.
Voids, roof spaces or lofts.
Within 2m of stored flammable materials and fuel storage tanks or cylinders.
Cellars or basements that have no access to the outside of the building.
PAS 63100 states that solar batteries should not be installed in the following locations:
Rooms in which persons are intended to sleep.
Routes used as a means of escape that are not defined as protected escape routes, including landings, staircases and corridors.
Corridors, shafts, stairs or lobbies of protected escape routes.
Firefighting lobbies, shafts or staircases.
Storage cupboards, enclosures or spaces opening into rooms in which persons are intended to sleep.
Outdoors (ground-mounted or wall-mounted in a suitable enclosure) within 1m of escape routes, doors, windows or ventilation ports.
Voids, roof spaces or lofts.
Within 2m of stored flammable materials and fuel storage tanks or cylinders.
Cellars or basements that have no access to the outside of the building.
To be honest we don't need or require an additional Solax Triple 5.8kWh slave battery, but as the prices have dropped to less than £1400 plus the option to fit APS I was considering one, financially it does not make sense we use less than 350 kWh of peak rate electricity 26.81 - 8.5 =18.31 x350 = £64.09, at that rate it would take over 20 years to recuperate our expenditure, however, it protects us in the event of a power cut.
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How long a power cut will it protect you for compared to your existing arrangement…… winter or summer?
Hopefully just enough to supply the freezer, electric light and power the boiler.
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With 17.4kWh of battery, my best guess is 24-36 hours without power using everything normally before I panic.
That's 3 freezers, 2 fridges, heating, etc.
I would avoid using Tumble dryer.
Average consumption is between 6 and 10kWh a day but can be higher.
It all depends on when the outage started and at what percentage the battery is at and how much sun there is
I have just finished six months with almost no grid use, less than 3kWh a month mostly used keeping the inverter in sync with the grid. So if the power cut started early March it would have been September sometime before I worried.
That's 3 freezers, 2 fridges, heating, etc.
I would avoid using Tumble dryer.
Average consumption is between 6 and 10kWh a day but can be higher.
It all depends on when the outage started and at what percentage the battery is at and how much sun there is
I have just finished six months with almost no grid use, less than 3kWh a month mostly used keeping the inverter in sync with the grid. So if the power cut started early March it would have been September sometime before I worried.
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