8KW Hybrid Install with 17kWh Battery Storage

Full Installation Walkthrough

This installation on the North Yorkshire Moors presented a unique set of challenges and opportunities that made it one of our most rewarding residential projects. The property is a large detached farmhouse sitting in an exposed position with excellent solar exposure but significant energy demands from heating, hot water and electric vehicle charging. The homeowner wanted a comprehensive energy system that would address all of these needs from a single integrated platform.

After conducting a detailed site survey that included drone footage of the roof, shading analysis using specialist software, and a review of twelve months of electricity bills, we designed an 8KW hybrid solar system paired with 17kWh of Fox Cube battery storage. The system also incorporates a MyEnergi Zappi EV charger and an Eddi hot water diverter, creating a complete smart energy ecosystem where every kilowatt of solar generation is put to productive use rather than being exported to the grid at a fraction of the retail electricity price.

The installation began with the roof work. The North Yorkshire Moors are known for their exposed conditions, and this property was no exception. Our installation team worked in close coordination with our scaffolding partners to ensure that all edge protection was in place before any work commenced at height. The roof itself was in excellent condition, and the slate tiles required careful handling to avoid damage during the mounting rail installation.

We used a high-quality rail and clamp system rated for the wind loads expected at this elevation. Each roof hook was individually positioned to align with the rafter centres, which we located using a combination of internal loft inspection and external measurement. Getting this right is essential on exposed properties because incorrectly positioned fixings can lead to tile cracking or, in extreme weather, panel uplift.

The FOX ESS 8KW hybrid inverter was mounted in the utility room adjacent to the main consumer unit. This location was chosen because it provided a short cable run to the existing electrical infrastructure, reducing voltage drop and keeping the installation neat. The hybrid inverter handles both the solar input from the roof array and the charge and discharge management for the battery, eliminating the need for a separate battery inverter and reducing the overall complexity and cost of the system.

The 17kWh Fox Cube battery stack was installed in the garage, which provided ample wall space and met all the ventilation requirements. At 17kWh, this is a substantial amount of storage that allows the homeowner to capture virtually all of the excess solar generation during the day and use it throughout the evening and overnight. During summer months, this level of storage means the property can often run for twenty-four hours or more without drawing from the grid.

The MyEnergi Zappi EV charger was mounted on the outside wall of the garage, positioned for easy access from the driveway. The Zappi was configured in ECO+ mode, which means it will prioritise surplus solar energy for vehicle charging whenever it is available, only topping up from the grid when the homeowner needs a faster charge before a journey. This intelligent charging logic can save hundreds of pounds per year compared to charging at flat-rate grid prices.

The Eddi hot water diverter was connected to the immersion heater in the existing hot water cylinder. This device acts as the final stage in the energy cascade: once the battery is full and the EV is topped up, any remaining surplus solar generation is automatically diverted to heating the hot water, meaning the homeowner rarely needs to use the gas boiler for hot water during the spring and summer months.

After all physical installation work was complete, our electricians carried out full testing and commissioning in accordance with MCS requirements and BS 7671. We spent considerable time configuring the Fox inverter settings to ensure the charge and discharge schedule aligned with the homeowners energy usage pattern and their electricity tariff structure. The Zappi and Eddi were linked to the system via CT clamp monitoring so that the entire energy flow of the property can be viewed and managed from a single app.

The handover included a detailed walkthrough of the Fox Cloud monitoring platform, the MyEnergi app for EV and hot water management, and practical guidance on seasonal adjustments that will help the homeowner extract maximum value from their investment throughout the year.