Fox Cube Battery with JA Solar on Garage Roof

Full Installation Walkthrough

This Teesside project is a perfect example of how even smaller roof spaces can be effectively utilised for meaningful solar generation when paired with battery storage. The homeowner had a detached garage with a south-facing roof that was ideal for solar panels, but the main house roof was unsuitable due to its orientation and significant shading from mature trees. Rather than dismiss the project as too small to be worthwhile, we designed a compact but efficient system that makes excellent use of the available space.

The garage roof could accommodate six JA Solar 460W panels, delivering a total array capacity of 2.76KW. While this is a modest system compared to some of our larger residential installations, the south-facing orientation with zero shading means these panels generate exceptional output relative to their size, regularly achieving close to their rated capacity during peak sunshine hours from April through September.

The JA Solar 460W panel was chosen for its high wattage per unit, which is crucial when roof space is limited. By using higher-wattage panels, we extract the maximum possible generation from each available square metre. These panels also feature half-cut cell technology which provides better performance in partial shading conditions and reduces the impact of any localised soiling or debris.

Our installation team erected a compact scaffold around the garage and completed the roof work in a single morning. The garage roof had concrete tiles which are straightforward to work with, and we were able to install the six-panel array with clean, symmetrical spacing that looks tidy and proportionate to the roof dimensions. The DC cabling was routed externally along the garage wall in UV-resistant conduit, then underground through a ducted trench to the main house where the inverter and battery were located.

Inside the house, we installed a FOX ESS inverter connected to a 5.76kWh Fox Cube battery. The battery was mounted on the wall of the utility room adjacent to the consumer unit, and all cabling was neatly dressed using proper cable management systems. The Fox Cube is an excellent choice for smaller systems because it provides enough storage to capture the majority of daytime solar generation for use during the evening peak hours when electricity prices are highest.

The homeowner was already on an Octopus Go tariff, which provides cheap electricity between midnight and five in the morning. We configured the Fox inverter to charge the battery from the grid during this cheap window on days when the solar forecast predicts insufficient generation to fill the battery naturally. This dual charging strategy means the battery is almost always fully charged by mid-morning, either from solar or from cheap overnight grid power, providing maximum savings throughout the day.

The electrical installation work included running a new SWA cable from the main consumer unit to the garage to provide a dedicated supply for the inverter and to carry the solar generation back to the house. We installed an isolator at each end of this cable run and ensured that all connections were properly tested and certified before commissioning the system.

Full MCS commissioning was carried out, including the generation meter installation, DNO notification to Northern Powergrid, and registration with the Smart Export Guarantee scheme so the homeowner is paid for any surplus electricity they export to the grid. We also registered the system for the manufacturer warranties on the panels, inverter and battery.

During the handover, we explained that while a 2.76KW system with 5.76kWh storage will not eliminate the electricity bill entirely, it will make a meaningful reduction, particularly during the sunnier months when the system will comfortably cover the household base load during the day and much of the evening consumption from stored battery energy. The estimated annual generation of around 2,400kWh represents a saving of several hundred pounds per year at current electricity prices, providing a solid return on a relatively modest investment.

This project demonstrates an important principle that we always emphasise to potential customers: you do not need a massive roof or a huge budget to benefit from solar energy. A well-designed smaller system installed by experienced professionals can deliver excellent value and make a genuine difference to your energy bills and carbon footprint. If you have a garage, outbuilding or extension with a suitable roof, it is well worth exploring what solar could do for you.