Is it legal to use Voltacon and other 'non-export' inverters in the U.K.?

[SenileOldGit]

I am thinking of buying two Voltacon Conversol V7 5kW off grid inverters, which are incapable of exporting to the grid. Can I legally use them without getting DNO approval? They don't have a G99 certificate. The same question applies to my existing MPP Solar PIP5048MKX inverters.

 

[houseofancients]

I am thinking of buying two Voltacon Conversol V7 5kW off grid inverters, which are incapable of exporting to the grid. Can I legally use them without getting DNO approval? They don't have a G99 certificate. The same question applies to my existing MPP Solar PIP5048MKX inverters.

Mpp solar - voltacon - voltronics - axpert

They are all the same inverters , made by voltronics, I think you would have a hard time passing grid inspection.. hence they are for off grid

 

[SenileOldGit]

I am in the U.K., I don't think we have grid inspections? I presume the Voltacons must be legal, otherwise why haven't the various DNOs in the U.K. come down on them and told them to stop selling them? They all have a grid input, so I presume most users are using the grid input.

 

[Lt.Dan]

I am in the U.K., I don't think we have grid inspections? I presume the Voltacons must be legal, otherwise why haven't the various DNOs in the U.K. come down on them and told them to stop selling them? They all have a grid input, so I presume most users are using the grid input.

They have a grid input to consume energy, but not to sell back.

Idk about the laws in the UK, but im assuming they are legal to sell because people use them off grid, and since they are not grid interactive, then it's fine.

 

[timselectric]

As far as the grid is concerned. It's just another load. Just like a microwave or vacuum cleaner.

But if electrical installations require any inspection. You may have to find out if the equipment you choose is acceptable.

 

[SenileOldGit]

This explains it perfectly - it's absolutely fine to install an off grid inverter in the U.K. :

Do I need an MCS approval from my network operator for off-grid solar systems - Voltacon Solar Blog

Do I need to be MCS certified to produce electricity for my off-grid property? The answer is simply no. There is no need to inform your network operator, DNO(Distribution Network Operator), or the electricity supplier. There are different authorities that manage and maintain the electricity grid...

voltaconsolar.com

 

[houseofancients]

let's see if the insurance companies agree with this statement

 

[KauaiMolokai]

Frequently you can get away with doing a lot as long as you are discreet about it - whether it is technically legal or illegal. Insurance companies want your money but don't want to pay out. So be aware of the risks if you do something they will try to deem "illegal" and you file a claim. Once you involve any "authorities" be ready to jump through all the hoops they can conjure up, without any sense of logic, real safety, or reason.

 

[chrisski]

This explains it perfectly - it's absolutely fine to install an off grid inverter in the U.K. :

Do I need an MCS approval from my network operator for off-grid solar systems - Voltacon Solar Blog

Do I need to be MCS certified to produce electricity for my off-grid property? The answer is simply no. There is no need to inform your network operator, DNO(Distribution Network Operator), or the electricity supplier. There are different authorities that manage and maintain the electricity grid...

voltaconsolar.com

The title of the article "Off Grid" and you being on grid seem to be a non-answer from Voltronics and perhaps even misleading since it never stated that this is for grid tied systems even though the article says something nebulous like "The AC supply from the national grid will be used as a backup, and necessary protective equipment and circuit breakers should be fitted."

Perhaps the video gets into more detail, but I did not watch the 7 minute video.

I'd also feel more comfortable if there was a reference to a code or a case in the article, but that seems missing.

 

[SenileOldGit]

If it was illegal, I can't imagine how Voltacon would have stayed in business, and haven't been told to stop selling all of their off grid inverters.

Chrisski, it depends on your definition of 'off grid inverter'. Clearly Voltacon 'off grid' inverters are designed to accept input from the grid, but are incapable of exporting to the grid, just like my computer's UPS is incapable of exporting back to the grid, or just like my battery charger is incapable of exporting back to the grid. It depends on your definition of 'grid-tied'. The Voltacon 'off grid' inverters don't need to have grid input in order to work, you can use them completely off grid, or you can input from the grid to supplement your solar and battery output.

I'm not sure what could happen that would require one to make an insurance claim either. Everything coming out of the inverter is going through a standard consumer unit, and the inverter(s) is/are unlikely to put out more KW than the grid can.