Cable/Circuit breaker rating KH10
Posted: Thu Sep 26, 2024 9:31 pm
Hi Community.
I'm in the process of having a KH10 and 5.76kWh ECS2900 battery system installed and think that my installer may be misleading me slightly. The inverter and battery were installed this week, with 13.33kW of solar (weather dependant.....) next week.
I've a question for anyone with knowledge of UK wiring regs that can maybe give me some advice that I can pass on to my installer in good faith, I don't want to come off as too pushy or argumentative, since they are the 'experts'.
Currently the inverter AC input flex cable to generation meter is 6mm2 (or maybe 8 - it doesn't have any markings on the cable, but measures less than 5mm diameter). From the meter to AC isolator through to dist board is 10mm2. The dist board then has a 40A breaker.
From a cable protection point of view, this may(?) be correct, but then I will never be able to export 10kW from my inverter without tripping the 40A breaker. I explained this to the electrician and he said that I'll never do more than 7kW solar or battery export with my setup.
After a bit of back and forth and me explaining that this inverter is designed to export up to 10kW to meet my local demand from both battery and solar if necessary, they have decided to increase the cable size to 10mm2 all the way to the inverter and install a 50A breaker. They said that 10kW is around 42A, so the circuit is fine if they uprate it to 50A.
I've explained that the inverter is rated to 48A output (on the name plate!) and the installation manual says 63A breaker and suitable (13-16mm) cable.
If my understanding of UK wiring regs is correct, if the nameplate of an electrical appliance says 48A, then the circuit should be rated to a certain % (10%?) above that - despite my installer saying that 10kW is only 42A (at perfect voltage and power factor).
So the short question is; should I be happy that they have agreed to move to 50A and leave it like this, or should I push to get the circuit rated to 63A?
Thanks for any input.
I'm in the process of having a KH10 and 5.76kWh ECS2900 battery system installed and think that my installer may be misleading me slightly. The inverter and battery were installed this week, with 13.33kW of solar (weather dependant.....) next week.
I've a question for anyone with knowledge of UK wiring regs that can maybe give me some advice that I can pass on to my installer in good faith, I don't want to come off as too pushy or argumentative, since they are the 'experts'.
Currently the inverter AC input flex cable to generation meter is 6mm2 (or maybe 8 - it doesn't have any markings on the cable, but measures less than 5mm diameter). From the meter to AC isolator through to dist board is 10mm2. The dist board then has a 40A breaker.
From a cable protection point of view, this may(?) be correct, but then I will never be able to export 10kW from my inverter without tripping the 40A breaker. I explained this to the electrician and he said that I'll never do more than 7kW solar or battery export with my setup.
After a bit of back and forth and me explaining that this inverter is designed to export up to 10kW to meet my local demand from both battery and solar if necessary, they have decided to increase the cable size to 10mm2 all the way to the inverter and install a 50A breaker. They said that 10kW is around 42A, so the circuit is fine if they uprate it to 50A.
I've explained that the inverter is rated to 48A output (on the name plate!) and the installation manual says 63A breaker and suitable (13-16mm) cable.
If my understanding of UK wiring regs is correct, if the nameplate of an electrical appliance says 48A, then the circuit should be rated to a certain % (10%?) above that - despite my installer saying that 10kW is only 42A (at perfect voltage and power factor).
So the short question is; should I be happy that they have agreed to move to 50A and leave it like this, or should I push to get the circuit rated to 63A?
Thanks for any input.