insurance value to replace 2 roof PV systems

[Doing it for the kids]

Just has the NFU out and currently our 3 systems (2 x 50 kw 1 x 10 kw) are still insured for what we paid for them back in summer 2013.

all 3 are fitted to ag buildings using Aluminium rails, all with fibre cement / asbestos roofs.

what would a similar cost today be to replace them? one 50 kw system is on two roofs, the other is on 3.

TYAI

 

[akaPABLO01]

Just after the value of the kits or included install?

Edit: Just read title
Circa 40k for the 50kW and probably 10k or a little more for the 10kW dependant on accessibility

Then the G59 at a guess around £3k

Prices should include install but depends on installers greed

 

[Exfarmer]

I think you would struggle to get the them replaced for under £1,000 per Kwp. The number of installers doing this industrial work has fallen off a cliff.
I may be wrong have not had a recent quote

 

[akaPABLO01]

Kit for a 50kW retails about £32k then scaff and install
20k panels
6k inverters
2/3k cable and isolation
2/3k rig

As @Exfarmer suggests safeguarding at 1k a kW is probably a safe bet as mcs installers become thin

 

[Exfarmer]

Do you still need MCS approval, thought it was being done away with?

 

[akaPABLO01]

first I've heard?

Edit:
I would expect it would be a stipulation if insurance is paying out though.

 

[Exfarmer]

For installs over 50 , it was never a requirement. I may be wrong but i thought it was part of the package when they knocked. The FIT on the head ( nearly)

 

[Badshot]

So how does it work with the fit if your barn burns down and it all has to be replaced?
Do you still get back on the same tariff? Or is that then gone?

 

[Exfarmer]

Repairs are allowed, as long as the Mpan stays the same. The Mpan only refers to the meteriing site not the meter itself, if that is destroyed too.
You will of course lose the generation period.
You will have to replace like with like as much as you can , of course it is highly unlikely you will be able to get the same panels but you must not get panels which have the capability of producing more.
Could be an issue with some of the early panels. However I think DECC would be amenable as long as production did not increase.

 

[akaPABLO01]

For installs over 50 , it was never a requirement. I may be wrong but i thought it was part of the package when they knocked. The FIT on the head ( nearly)

FiT payment is still mapped out up until March 2019 dependant on deployment cap breach. Installs above 50kW didn't require MCS accreditation as it was roofits ofgem accreditation.

This lead to the cowboys entering the market which in turn flooded and hoops that mcs required companies to jump through were merely bypassed. With my experience I doubt you'll find a standard ac spark tinkering with dc electric. So the majority of solar sparks have sat the dc course.

If your barn burns down then you make a claim you should have a record of the serial numbers of the panels which the insurance company would welcome. However, we've been through this scenario before on here with some not given the serial numbers, heck, some don't even have handover packs (an mcs requirement upon annual installer audit to show copies) your insurance company should pay out for equipment that was the size of your crispy old one irrelevant of manufacturing.

"You had 50kW, present quotation for supply and install of another" the insurance again should cover loses made in that time so keeping monthly generation records should be wise. This'll help prove periodic losses, albeit when you ask for insurance they usually cover this by asking you predicted annual income.

An MPAN is like an IP address or unique postcode irrelevant of the meter serial. Your yard hit by a meteor and meter gone you would still have the incoming MPAN and export MPAN. You just rebuild farm and update either ofgem of fit payer with new meter model, make, serial.

 

[Exfarmer]

I agree with all this.
I am not sure about DC sparks, the installers who put my first set up in place, a genuine company still operating was short of Sparkys so employed a team from the USA to do that side.
They were a good bunch who had little time for the UK team doing the AC side saying they were faffing about and did not know what work was .
Fair enough, when they had gone and all scaffold down and set up was generating ( this was on my house) we had an audit done on the work.
One problem immediately appeared no earth on the panels.
When the US sparkys returned they said they had never earthed an install before.
I did wonder if the UK Sparky had tipped off the relevant people about this.
In theory of course earthing DC is absolutely pointless but i suppose you could get a feedback from the Inverter if that failed

 

[akaPABLO01]

I agree with all this.
I am not sure about DC sparks, the installers who put my first set up in place, a genuine company still operating was short of Sparkys so employed a team from the USA to do that side.
They were a good bunch who had little time for the UK team doing the AC side saying they were faffing about and did not know what work was .
Fair enough, when they had gone and all scaffold down and set up was generating ( this was on my house) we had an audit done on the work.
One problem immediately appeared no earth on the panels.
When the US sparkys returned they said they had never earthed an install before.
I did wonder if the UK Sparky had tipped off the relevant people about this.
In theory of course earthing DC is absolutely pointless but i suppose you could get a feedback from the Inverter if that failed

It's a bit of a grey area earthing a domestic install. Audit teams insist on earthing the array if you have access to touching it from say a roof window (velux) and if this is the case I would only bond the roof. The inverters are best part g83 transformerless so don't require earthing to main home bond as they have surge protection and leak detection. They shut down if leakage is derectected, blown mc4, dodgy loose dc cable, water ingress into panel so the feed is terminated.

Non bonding is however frowned upon by napit, Niceic but non stipulation on manufacture instructions.

In short, only Earth the array if it can be touched, lightning strike will be more odds on if bonded to ground, not needed from inverter to mains on domestic. Seperate bonding recommended on larger (4kW+) don't rely on armoured cable to double up as earth.

You must have money to burn flying in a team from USA? You should support local industries and your local economy in future!!

 

[Exfarmer]

It was not my job, I just paid for it. Gave me a taste for the indutry though. I have never had any hand in the installs except to pay for them