Solar PV installation
Fit solar panels, an inverter and optionally a battery so the home makes its own power.
Overview
Panels make DC power in daylight. The DC isolator lets you make the array safe. The hybrid inverter turns DC into mains for the consumer unit and charges the home battery. After dark, or in a power cut, the battery takes over. Panels must be within 30 m of the inverter, and the inverter feeds the consumer unit beside it.
Jobs this covers
solar_install — certificate: Electrical installation (Part P) (required)
The equipment — what everything does
Solar panels
Make DC power from daylight.
In game: /towers → San Andreas Solar → Solar panels (roof rails or ground arrays).
PV DC isolator
Disconnects the array so you can work safely.
In game: /towers → San Andreas Solar → Isolators & protection.
Hybrid inverter & battery
Converts DC to mains, feeds the house and charges the battery.
In game: /towers → San Andreas Solar → Inverters & batteries. [E] shows output and charge.
Tools & PPE
Ladder
Reaches walls, ceilings and pole steps. Place it at a 1-in-4 angle on firm ground.
Cordless drill & fixings
Drills walls for cable entry and fixes brackets, cameras and boxes with the right plugs and screws.
Multimeter / voltage tester
Proves a circuit is dead before you touch it, and measures voltage, continuity and resistance.
Torque driver
Tightens electrical terminals and rack rails to the correct torque — not too loose, not stripped.
Fall-arrest harness PPE
Clipped to a pole or anchor point, it stops a fall when you work above 2 m.
Insulated gloves PPE
Rated gloves for work near live electrical parts and for sharp metal edges.
Safety glasses PPE
Protect your eyes from fibre shards, drilling dust and laser light.
Hi-vis vest & hard hat PPE
Makes you visible to traffic and protects your head from falling objects and low beams.
Standalone servers: tools are in your van (OPS Work → My van & tools). Items servers: collect them — and the job’s parts — at an OPS depot.
Step by step
Find a sunny roof face within 30 m of where the inverter will go.
Climb with your harness clipped on and place the panels.
Place the isolator between the array and the inverter.
Place the inverter next to the consumer unit, and the battery beside it.
[E] on the inverter: check output in daylight and the battery charge.
Press Check on the job.
Health & safety
Working at height
Risk: A fall from a ladder or pole can cause serious injury.
Control: Use a ladder at a 1-in-4 angle on firm ground with three points of contact. Above 2 m on a pole, clip on your harness.
DC from panels
Risk: Panels make dangerous DC whenever there's daylight.
Control: Open the DC isolator before working on the array or inverter.
Manual handling
Risk: Heavy kit such as racks, UPS cabinets and cable drums can injure your back.
Control: Lift with your legs, keep loads close, and use two people or a trolley for anything over 25 kg.
In game you confirm these in a risk assessment before starting. Skipping them on risky work can cause a fall or a shock — and it’s logged as a safety incident.
When it’s not done correctly
Panels further than 30 m from the inverter
They don't feed it, so there's no output.
Inverter far from the consumer unit
It doesn't feed the house — you'd need extra mains cable.
No inverter fitted
The fixtures check for the inverter fails.