Hi thanks for your comment, and glad you found the video helpful!!! The strings are routed through a DC isolator which is to the left of the inverter (shown in the video), and set in the OFF position prior to the strings being connected on the roof. The isolator remains in the off position until the person testing the string voltage (me in this video) turns it on after first ensuring the cores of each leg of the string are kept at a sufficient distance to avoid potential DC arcing, and immediately carries out the test. The isolator is then turned off to terminate the MC4 connectors which are then connected together for the current test using a DC clamp meter. Once they are connected together the isolator is turned back on and readings are taken, then the isolator is turned back off and the strings can be inserted into the inverter. Then the isolator is turned back on. This is a necessary test and the only, and safest way it can be carried out. At no point is voltage present at the strings unless being tested as described above by a qualified and competent individual (me in this case) I hope that answers your concerns :) Don't forget to like and subscribe :)

Hi, are you not able to toggle it off? You need to hit the submit button after toggling off to save the new settings! If you are struggling call the Fox helpline and speak to technical. They are really helpful! 02475100078

Have tried many times and them bars are back on every time I back, unfortunately can't do anything, even when saved and toggle off they still on and system it's still charging and discharge on time as set.

I know that they are having issues with the app at the moment as it is still fairly new and the new firmware, but Fox can change your settings on the web dashboard rather than the app. So can your installer, if I was your installer and had your system on my app I could do it for you no issue. Try your installer or Fox they will sort it straight away!

Thank you very much for your help and support, I will try tomorrow from computer see if that's help, if not will contact foxess support team 😀 hope they will help sort out the issue, I have to change for autoconsumpion and 1min time schedule to stop it working.

Thank you very much for your help and support, I will try tomorrow from computer see if that's help, if not will contact foxess support team 😀 hope they will help sort out the issue, I have to change for autoconsumpion and 1min time schedule to stop it working.

Hi, thanks for the comment. The rules on where batteries can be sited has just changed a few weeks ago making it a lot more limited. Lofts are now a no go, and small cupboards or near boilers, water cylinders etc. A frequently visited room in the house is ok as long as there is good fire separation and space around the system as per manufacturers guidelines. Garages are ideal for good ventilation but require integrated smoke alarms installed as it is a room not frequently visited. Some batteries work great outside such as Solax and Tesla Powerwall!

Hi, thanks for the comment and sub! Really appreciated! Batteries are the drummer of the band and the panels the lead singer! Batteries sit in the background but are the work horse of the system making a significant difference to your savings, especially in winter! I always say to customers to get a battery system that is easily added to, and then go conservative, but somewhere close to your annual usage. So I have 10kWh of battery and we use around that per day, sometimes just over. I could really do with another 2.5kWh to cover myself fully for most days. The idea being that if I charge them every night from the grid to 100% I should only ever be paying the cheap evening rate for my electric. The solar then tops them up for the evening and excess solar is exported to grid for payment. You can then even force discharge a full battery down to say 20% during the peak export rate period and start the whole process again. So in answer to your question, I would suggest as close to your daily usage as possible as long as budget allows. If budget is an issue just add half as much as it will still make a big difference and add more later when you can! :) Hope that helps!

Im sorry I have no idea what that would be as i have no experience with gas boilers :)

Hi Gary, thanks for the comment! We do installation videos but I am now starting to provide informative videos on Solar & EV too, so lots more to come! So stay tuned! A system the size of mine for a customer should take 7 years to pay back saving around £800 per year or more depending upon the orientation of your property. As mine is 71 degrees off South I lose the sun at 4pm so obviously that has a significant bearing on the payback. It is still worth it though as the system will continue to work long after the payback period, and who knows where the energy prices will be then???? In answer to your question about Spring being my highest yields, that would be again down to my orientation. If I was bang due South I would expect my results to be different and show a better Summer. Also in this country, we seem to have good spring periods and so a mixture of both I think. I am going to upload a video purely about how solar works in winter and what you can do to maximise its potential with batteries, so look out for that. I will show other customers' results as well as my own and explain the various system sizes and orientations of others to compare. Thanks again! :)

Thanks Andy for the reply even on a BH, it's a pity you guys are so far away as for some reason the KZfaq installers I've come across.oj KZfaq are always miles north of where I live. I like the idea of a Friday pint, that hasn't been a thing in over 20yrs where live cherrs

Haha! I am afraid a Friday pint is still a ritual for me! :)

You're welcome

Thank you! Despite my factual video I have still received comments saying it is a load of rubbish and one guy even said solar is only 3% efficient in the winter!!!! I mean there are people that will not have it that the earth is round so I am not trying to convince the unconvinced, more so trying to help those interested in having solar installed themselves haha :) Thanks for your comment

Hi, thanks for the comment. Most batteries other than Tesla will suffer during cold temperatures. Tesla has internal thermal management, as does SOLAX. Despite batteries like FOX, GivEnergy, and many others being IP65 rated and able to be installed outside, they do not have internal thermal management. You can have cabinets built which have their own thermal management but that will increase cost. I have spoke with various manufacturers about this and have been advised that the batteries will look after themselves in cold temperatures by simply holding back and not using their full capacity, ie, not fully charging, nor fully discharging. Some battery manufacturers boast that their batteries are more efficient than others when installed outside, but FOX do not advise them being outside and open to the elements.

Hi, thanks for the comment. My savings are £786.96 for the year not taking into account anything other than the export payments received, however as I only started charging the batteries overnight 6 months into the year, and my export payments did not start for 2 months after installation, and I have only just started force discharging the batteries during the high tariff 4-7pm period I expect bigger savings this following year. These ways of utilising the batteries have a significant effect on energy savings. I am expecting my savings in the next 12 months to be closer to £900. For my system, a customer could expect around a 7/8 year payback if they had exactly the same system as me with the same orientation. I do not have a great orientation and lose the sun at 4pm off the panels, so clearly someone with the same system with a better orientation would see much greater yields and returns and payback period. Someone else may have an EV and go on a better tariff than I am on. There simply isn't a one-size-fits-all-all system, every case is different because of many varying factors, including a customer's annual usage, etc. Some customers do choose to get a personal loan, and they look at it as the annual energy savings are paying back the interest plus a significant portion of the loan payments, whilst every year owning more and more of the asset which they will own outright by the end of the loan term, which you could take for the term of the proposed payback period if you wish. Unlike a loan to buy a car which usually depreciates in value, the NPV of a solar system only grows, and with so much uncertainty with energy prices people are looking to secure some control over their energy bills in years to come. Regarding the solar installation at your home, was it a council scheme that was free? I am assuming that it will have been minimal panels and without battery storage, was it? If you are finding the system no good then it clearly is not a suitable system for your needs. Battery storage makes a huge difference when it comes to holding onto the yields for later consumption and utilising cheap energy tariffs to your advantage!

@@alpselectrical yes they were on the house when we got it through a scheme there are 11 panels at 375 watts each according to the paperwork, we are only 5 degrees off due south but seem to produce very little according to our smart meter

Hi mate, you should be seeing around 3000kWh per year I would estimate off that system, but its difficult to comment without seeing it and testing it etc. If you are really seeing poor results and think there may be an issue it may be worth getting a local solar installer to come out and test the strings and everything is ok. It could be that if it is wired in two strings that only one is working and never been connected up correctly. Hard to comment but thats an ok system at 4.125KW and pretty much bang South! I would get it checked bud! :)

Thanks for the comment, I wish I understood it, but as a mere electrician I was just putting together a general idea of the seasonal periods going by the official seasonal dates, and have also displayed the generation month by month so it hopefully gives people a fair idea of how it performs in throughout the year.

@@alpselectrical It was just some thoughts and I am not involved in Solar, but I am an interested observer, learning and hoping to invest if I have free money to do it, so just learning for now... Having recently been watching the Northern Lights, it made me think that about this and whether the 'Solar Winter' should be centred on the shortest day, ie late December and the 'Solar Summer' centred around the longest day, ie late June. That is like 1x month different to the normal thoughts on seasons which are more dictated by temperatures.

Hi, well funnily enough I am planning on doing a video purely about solar during winter and how to best utilise the batteries etc, and so I will look at what you suggest and perhaps alter the data to suit. Thanks very much for your input! And for watching! :)

Hi, thanks for your comment. We are not talking it up or down, just talking facts from personal experience as a user of solar and installer, and showing those who are interested in solar how it works throughout the year and how to save even more money utilising cheap tariffs to charge the batteries. It's not really for those who refuse to believe solar works (which it definitely does as the video proves)

Hi, I'm not too sure how to do that tbh, I actually just put it together in excel

I hope you get it sorted but it might help if you do Google search with the manufacturers name plus " how to excel" very often somebody has done it and put it on the web. It is sometimes just a matter of getting the right search .

Sorry don't understand the comment?

Correct!

Where do you live in the UK??

Somebody complaining about others being lazy when they are evidently too lazy to spell correctly or use any punctuation at all.

I would love to answer your comment but don't understand it sorry

@@alpselectrical The comment is unintelligable. There is no sense to be made.

@@lukedaniels7750 amasing how some cantalk about something that is 50 years old and talk like it is invented yesterday yes to stupid to see the differend between sombody working or laing in the sun iam sure a coronation street folower?

Hey thanks so much so glad to hear you are happy with the results so far!!! 😊

Glad you enjoyed it

Hey, thanks so much

thank you very much :)

Thanks!

why are you not using the tariff where its 7p at night?

We do not have an Electric Vehicle, the Octopus Go & Intelligent Octopus Go tariffs are only for customers with an Electric Vehicle (unfortunately)

Hey, I can completely appreciate that matey, especially on a Friday afternoon eh?, but with all due respect, we are more interested in keeping the customer happy than your good self :) As we said though, should they need to be - they can always be relocated, but for now and the foreseeable future its a tidy solution that serves a purpose, meets the regs, and keeps the install looking lovely! There is plenty of room in there and so nonsensical not to utilise it!

Hi, sorry for the late reply, only just seen the comment. Yes that's correct, the firmware must be updated first. Just call the Fox Ess service centre - 024 7510 0078, and ask them for a firmware update. You will need to provide your inverter serial number. They should also be able to send you a PDF instruction on how to do this - good luck!

Hi, thank you very much!!!! :)

They are two different trades, but no trade should work on a roof without scaffolding. The importance of Health and Safety can never be underestimated. It is simply not possible to install solar panels 'safely' on a roof off ladders alone. No reputable company would take short cuts with Health & Safety. Solar panels require a gap leaving around the edge of the array of 500mm.

Hi, sorry just seen this, we work in the North-East where do you live?

Gotta try and make the day more fun! Thanks for your comment glad you enjoyed the video!

TBH this was the customers purchase, we always recommend MyEnergi Zappi as our go-to EV charger...