I recently showed before and after photos of the PowerBanx installation in the cloakroom in our home in Northampton. Here I’d like to describe the install process in more detail so people know what’s involved. The installation was conducted by Scott, the engineer who covers areas north-west of the Fuel Included base in Milton Keynes.
First the batteries were unpacked and put into position. I had chosen for them to go into a PowerBanx light grey enclosure, but alternatively they can be clipped together into a vertical stack without any enclosure.
Next the inverter mounting plate goes on the wall near the batteries.
Cables are run from the inverter location to the house’s main consumer unit (MCU or ‘fuse box’) – these are for transferring power, and for measuring grid current and solar generation current.
This is straightforward where the PowerBanx is close to the MCU, usually it is next to it, but our MCU is in the guest toilet. We’ve therefore hidden the PowerBanx in a cloakroom/cupboard further along the hall and run the cables in conduit along the ceiling.
The inverter is first prepared, with the various cable connections made into its underside.
Then it’s installed, and isolator switches added so it can be disconnected as required from the MCU and emergency power sockets.
To make final connections the house power is turned off for 10-15 minutes and the PowerBanx is connected to the MCU via a dedicated isolator switch.
Once everything is connected and running there is a process to complete to make sure everything is working and configured as expected (including setting up the inverter, testing the emergency socket, recording serial numbers of main components, and so on).
Then it’s just a matter of tidying up…
… and looking forward to free (solar) electricity even though we’re out all day – or at worst in the winter half-price (Economy 7) electricity – on tap!
Plus, of course, our own supply if there’s a power cut – keeping lights on in an emergency (plus fridge, phone chargers, oven, Wi-Fi, etc. and optionally your gas central heating too).
