SWA cable alongside cat5e

[binky]

The DC is the most dangerous part of the installation, ignore BS7671 at your peril! . Installation guidelines/ standards for solar only ever talk about DC solar cable on the DC side, that doesn't mean other cables can't be used, but you certainly can't ignore the bit tht says 'suitable for the environment'  SY flex is not for burying nor permanent contact with water. 

 

[Sidney]

the installer claim that as it connects the panels to the inverter only, that it would be exempt?

No. SY is designed as a control cable, connecting the panels to the inverter are a current carrying circuit outside the design scope and intended use of the SY cable and therefore it is not suitable.

Will the installer be willing to come back in five years to replace the cable at their cost when it starts to deteriorate or will they have ceased trading under their current name and will now be installing car charging points?

SWA is ideal for this scenario and is readily available.

 

[binky]

DC side  is probably only around 8 amps max, but can be running at 400/600v quite easily, depending on the design of the panel arrays. Some I've worked on have been in the order of 800V.

 

[revor]

Thank you all. Not sure what to go for now. Got one installer who has I think the best spec for me and does not seem interested in the work and another who has been much more helpful but is not using the right spec cable.  The former is an electrical contractor with about 6/8 employees and the latter is a heating engineer + 4 employees who does solar pv and solar thermal which might explain the use of unsuitable cable although he has all the necessary tickets.

What do you think is the best configuration for a ground based array in terms of the location of the inverter and battery.  If the inverter is outside presume the battery should be with it for efficiency? What best to go underground AC or DC. From previous comments AC but also Dc seems acceptable if done right. En-route from the array to the house have a suitable outbuilding I could use to avoid having my plant room becoming filled up as have not much room left after all the other stuff in there. So it is 60 M to there then another 10 to the plant room. All locations are linked with Naylor underground ducting. There is a CU in the outbuilding with spare ways and it is connected to the main CU in the plant room with 6 mm cable on a 32A CB but this could be exchanged for a 10mm  or 16 mm to suit.

 

[binky]

are you an electrician and can you use a spanner?