Solar panels, battery storage & EV charging explained

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Do solar panels work in the UK climate?  Yes, very much so!   Solar panels generate electricity from daylight, not direct sunshine, so they still perform well on cloudy days.   Of course, you'll generate more in summer than in winter due to the difference in day length, but the annual output is sufficient enough to deliver meaningful savings, anywhere in the UK.

Does my roof need to be south-facing?  Although south facing roofs give the highest annual yield, east or west oriented systems work well too, generating around 15 to 20% less across the year, while spreading output more evenly through the day.

Can PV be mounted on a garage or outbuilding?  Yes, we can install panels on an outbuilding, but it’s important to make sure that the roof is strong enough, and that the structure has its own electricity supply.

How long do solar panels last?  Your solar panels should last 25 years or more, but your solar inverter will need to be replaced after around 12 years.

Is the system covered by warrantee?  Most inverters have warranties of at least five years, which can often be extended up to 15 years.   You may find that a 15-year warranty costs almost as much as a brand new replacement inverter, so consider it carefully.

How much maintenance does a solar PV system require?  You don’t need to do much to keep your solar panel system running well.   You'll find details of any maintenance checks that you should make to ensure everything is working properly in your welcome pack.

Do solar panels need cleaning?  In the UK, rain will clean your roof mounted panels if they have an incline of 15 degrees or more.   Debris, such as dead leaves, is more likely to build up on ground-mounted panels (which are easy to reach! ).   If you live in a very dusty location, you may need to have the panels cleaned occasionally.

Do I need a smart meter?  Although a smart meter is not required to install solar panels, you’ll need one if you want to take advantage of your energy supplier's SEG rate.

Will solar panels add value to my home?  Installing green tech, like solar PV, that increases your home's Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating.   For example; simply improving your EPC rating from F to C can increase the value of your home by up to 15%!

How much solar can I install?  In most cases, the size of an installation is limited by the number of panels that can fit on a roof which, for many houses, is less than 4kWp (4 kiloWatt Peak ).

How much power can I export?  This limit is based on the inverter output, so you can typically export up to 4kW per phase (8 kW from a two phase domestic supply, or 12 kW for a three-phase connection ) to the grid without needing permission to connect.

How do I know if my panels are working properly?  Every Solŵr installation includes a meter that shows how much electrical power your solar panels are generating, and a reduction in this generation may indicate a fault.

Does a solar PV system require maintenance?  Very little. The panels have no moving parts, so the inverter is the main wearable component, typically lasting 10 to 15 years before replacement. Solŵr recommend a visual check every couple of years, or a system health review if generation drops noticeably.

Can I install solar panels myself?  Strictly, the answer is yes, so long as it is on your own property. . .  but it's a false economy.   Even assuming that you have the requisite skills, a DIY install would invalidate the equipment warrantees plus, the system could not be MCS certified, and without this certification, you would not qualify for SEG export income.

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Is battery storage essential?  Although a battery is not required for your solar array to function, adding one is highly recommended. Solar panels generate most electricity during the day, when you might not be home, so it makes sense to store this excess energy for use in the evening, maximising your return on investment.

Is solar worth installing without batteries?  Yes. . . solar-only has the lowest upfront cost and, therefore, the fastest pay-back, but the trade-off for this saving is poorer evening cover.

Can batteries be added to my system later?  Yes, so long as your current inverter is compatible, Most Solŵr retrofits involve installing a new battery alongside the existing inverter… fitted in one day, with minimal disruption and requiring no roof access. We regularly fit batteries to existing solar systems, including those that Solŵr didn't originally supply or install!

What capacity of battery will I need?  It depends upon how much electricity your household uses, but a battery with a capacity of between 5 and 15 kWhs will adequately serve most domestic users. (As a guide, a 10 kWh battery will typically cover the average UK household's evening use of around 8 hours, although high drain appliances such as electric ovens, immersion heaters, or EV charging will shorten the output time.)

What happens in the event of a power cut?  For engineer's safety, most battery systems will disconnect from the grid during a power cut, and remain offline until power returns. However, ask our engineers about the Tesla Powerwall, which is able to switch the whole home to battery power during an outage!

How long should I expect batteries to last?  Most lithium ion home batteries come with a manufacturer's 10-year warranty or around 6,000 cycles… but you can still expect to retain 70% to 80% of the original rating well beyond this warranty term.

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Are grants available for home charger installs?  Yes.   Through the UK Government's Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme (EVHS) you may receive up to 75% of the cost to purchase and install a home charging pod (capped at £350 ).

Can home charging pods be remotely controlled?  'Smart' EV chargers offer Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connectivity, load-management features, scheduled charging and automatic tariff integration.   This means you can optimise charging during off-peak electricity rates, whilst monitoring consumption from your smartphone.

How quickly will my car charge?  Charging time depends on your EV's onboard charger rate and, of course, your charger's output.   A typical 7 kW home charger delivers around 25 miles of range per hour, so a full charge on a 200-mile battery would take around 7 to 8 hours (ideal for overnight charging ).

Is my domestic supply suitable?  Many West Wales homes with a 60 A or higher mains supply can install a 7 kW charger without upgrades.   If your existing consumer unit or supply is undersized, our engineers will advise on mains uprating or additional protection devices to accommodate your new EV charging point.

Where should my charger be located?  Ideal situations include your driveway, garage wall, or car port, with easy cable reach to your parking spot.   When positioning your charging pod we consider weather protection, Wi-Fi signal strength and cable length.

What if I have no off-steet parking?  For safety and security, cables connecting your vehicle to the charging pod must remain within the boundaries of your own property.

What maintenance is required?  Routine maintenance is minimal, you just need to keep the charger, check the cable's integrity from time to time and, if you have a smart charger, update its firmware when prompted.   Annual safety inspections ensure that your EV charger remains fully compliant with BS 7671 regulations.

Can Solŵr install commercial chargers?  Yes.   Commercial installations can include multiple Type 2 or rapid chargers with integrated payment applications, and load management to prevent overload.   Our engineers will handle site surveys, DNO notifications, and quote for any civils required for business EV charging solutions.

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Do I need planning permission?  Falling under 'Permitted Development Rights', domestic solar installations do not require planning permission, provided they fall within specific size limits and are not on a listed building or in a conservation area.

Can panels be mounted on a real slate roof?  Yes!   To prevent damage, an installation on slate roofs uses hooked brackets that lift individual slates, rather than drilling through them.

How long does installation take?  Most domestic installs finish within around four days on site, from scaffold erection, to system activation and final clean-up.   Larger systems or complex roof layouts can take longer.

Is scaffolding always needed?  Scaffolding is a safety requirement for pitched roof installs, usually erected 1 to 2 days before the panels go up, then removed shortly after the work is finished.   Single-storey or low-eaved properties sometimes use a tower system instead.

What is the 33% rule?  Unlike the US, the UK has no national building codes restricting panels to a maximum of 33% of a roof's surface area.   In the UK, this rule refers instead to the installation of an inverter that is up to a third larger than the system's AC capacity.   'Oversizing' in this way captures more energy on cloudy days, while keeping the inverter running efficiently during peak-sunlight hours.

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Solŵr are happy to install solar panels, inverters & batteries across the counties of Devon and Cornwall, including;  Exeter, Plymouth, Torquay, Torbay, Taunton, Falmouth, Truro and Newquay.

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