AIO install booked, anything to know?

The G99 has been approved and a date now set (in a week and a half) for the install of an AIO plus gateway. As this is my first home battery system and definitely my first GivEnergy equipment, is there anything I should keep an eye out for as regards the install being "correct", the battery operating as expected (or not), best practise setup and usage, etc?

For reference, we have a 4kW SolarEdge PV system from 2016 (so an older inverter model) plus a newly installed heat pump making up the rest of our main electrical gear. We've not switched to any kind of smart tariff yet, I was waiting until after the battery was installed, so no smart meter yet.

Apply for the smart meter now, if not before - they can take 6-12 months to be installed and got to actually work…

Barns Presumably your G99 states a grid export limit? Make sure the AIO is configured to keep export within that limit.

Don’t do anything in terms of smart tariffs that can affect your FIT.

kram Don’t do anything in terms of smart tariffs that can affect your FIT.

At least until you understand what you are giving up and what you’ll gain in return.
If you only have 4kW of solar and now you’re getting an AIO to store excess solar then its likely to be worth remaining on FIT deemed export as you won’t be exporting very much at all.

We have a 4kW FIT array and now a further 10.4kW of solar and I can see how much I’m exporting so have decided it is worth giving up the FIT export. However I have confirmed with both OfGem and my FIT supplier that its not a one-way street to give up FIT deemed export, I can revert back, but only after a year.

Tim good question, I don't actually know if/what the export limit is, I've just sent a query to the installers about this to see if they can answer.

kram don't all the Octopus tariffs replace the deemed export? So there's not much choice but to lose the deemed if you want the variable rate tariffs?

Tim just heard back from the installers, apparently the G99 was approved with no export limit, so that's good I assume?

Barns No limit? I have not heard of an install with no limit before. Usually the limit is 100% of your output capacity or it is capped lower. That seems very odd.

THALL Going back to double check with the installer now 🙂 It does seem a bit generous of the DNO.

THALL mine had no limit on export

Smk82 That does seem mad, I would of expected a limit even if it said max for single phase 18kw ish etc. But as they have said that you can add to the system in the future without worry, they said no limit! I am still waiting on confirmation of my challenge to go from 8kw to 13.5 export

THALL true. There was
Nothing on the paperwork saying I was limited to a certain amount.

No limit, except for the fuse limit? 🤣

Hello,

I believe DNOs implement design limitations on the size of systems and therefore their ability to export through the G99 application process. Looking at the G99 requirements from my DNO (SSEN) my system must not be larger than 32A (7.36kW), it’s not that there isn’t a limit but that your system is incapable of exceeding the required limit and therefore does not require an additional limitation to be implemented to ensure you don’t export too much. The fact that your approvals don’t mention a limit just means that your system is compliment with the G99 application process your installer used and that the grid in your area isn’t so constrained that an export limit of less than the 7.36kW is needed to protect the grid.
You still shouldn’t export more than the overall limit required by G99, in my case 7.36kW.

Smk82 mine was on the dno letter

Agreed export capacity (including G100 devices) per phase: 8.00 kW

Was also a table listing the inverter make model phases and export limit. I assumed this was the same for everyone, I guess it is different per dno.

The limit is the system, if you want to add to it you will need to apply to expand your kit.

ashenshugar37 DNOs implement design limitations on the size of systems and therefore their ability to export through the G99 application process

G99 covers micro generation connections up to 50MW. For most of us, generation will fall into Type A which is less than 1MW. You can fast track a G99 application if the grid connection is: up to 16A or if the grid export is limited by the manufacturer's equipment under G100, to either 16A or 32A (different forms for each scenario). If the possible export is greater than 32A, a full G99 application would have to be submitted.

@Barns I'd ask your installer which set of forms they used to make the application. It's feasible that the DNO hasn't joined up your old FIT installation with a new AIO installation, unless the installer has told them. Either way, if it was fast track, my reading of G99 is that the export limit (from FIT and AIO) will be 32A max, because in using the fast track process, the installer is using the hardware limit route of 16A, or the G100 software limit routes of 16A or 32A (the three different forms).

Read all the threads on here as the GE install instructions are not correct .... and due an update.
Installed last monday and still not working ! 10days and counting.

If it is not actually working fully commissioned do not leave it on - use the bypass switch. If the batteries are run down it seems to be stuffed.

Comms is a nightmare and the install instructions lie

Tim Apparently my installer done fast track over two months ago, they installed it but still not heard anything back from installer just that they are waiting and when I contacted UKPN they have hte G98 for inverter on file but they say nothing for G99 but I don't know if they can see pending applications or not.

I sent an E-Mail earlier to my installer asking for a reference number for the application so I can personally follow up with my DNO.

Jellybaby
The DNO has 45 days to respond, unless they’re a sub network then they have 45 days and so does the main network.

Who is your DNO?

kram Yes but nobody will enforce the 45 day limit, ombudsman doesn't want to know.

I ended up having to raise complaints on other matters (like DNO being in breach of licence due to no consumer complaints procedure) in order to get them to respond in any way whatsoever - well apart from them claiming they weren't the DNO, didn't have to grant a G98 & finally that our house didn't exist (despite them working on the new estate EVERY DAY).

Vestas

Weird, I got a payment from mine, when it took over 45 days and an apology.

Who are your “not DNO”?

UDNL - Energy Assets Networks.

They're total w*nkers who have no consumer customer services at all, you have to hunt for the PERSONAL mobile number of the so-called "Customer Services Manager" who might answer the phone if she's not in one of her perpetual strops!

Basically they're putting in the electricity infrastructure on a new(ish) estate which is 75% built and they screwed everything they could up - such as failing to register the meters properly so nobody could switch from EON electricity because all the meters were listed as "De-energised” which means “100A fuse removed/supply marked as inactive/will be used at a later date”. Nor could the 105 emergency number identify ANY meter on the estate. That only got sorted when I complained to the CEO of the builders pointing out they were jointly & severally liable should an incident occur where residents were unable to use the industry's emergency number due to their contractors negligence.

All that was prior to getting a G98 acknowledgement so you can imagine how long this was going on.

Total tossers, wouldn't wish them on my worst enemy!

Vestas
Thank goodness we are not with them, they sound terrible.