Oh F*** NRs Solar panel has arrived and ....

[Nix]

(7 August 2013, 19:46)Madgirl151 Wrote: So if I got solar panels fitted by the professionals, would those deep cycle batteries be the ones I would require to hook up and stop the electric going back to the grid?? and I would imagine that they would have to be fitted professionally too????

Short answer is yes and no. Yes, they are great batteries to use in storing energy created by the solar panels. No, nothing has to be installed by professionals BUT it depends on your own abilities and/or help you have at hand.

Just cos you have panels installed, doesn't mean that it has to go to the grid. The choice is yours where it goes. Simply, MCS installers simply fit an array of panels to your roof, then it goes straight to a grid tie inverter so you get the feed back tariff and some units to tell you what's going on.

Very important to note, these type of systems, ie grid tie inverters, by their very nature, will shut down if the grid goes down! In a SHTF scenario, you'll get nothing from them. In my set up, I can easily switch panels from grid tie to battery back up, depending on my needs. With battery back up, you are completely isolated from the grid but can get a mains supply through an inverter.

As I said before, there's a lot involved with this but well worth having it. Think I'll start a separate thread about what I've done so others can refer to it...?