Solar Panel Guide Discussion

Martyn1981

Sirlaughalot wrote: »

Here`s the cost figures.

£6500 for a 4KW - 12 panel mono system with a industry leading high performance panel. with standard fittings and a monitor thrown in for free i have tried to drive a hard bargain which has basically seen me given a special £500 discount but even without the special discount it still looks good to me.

SL

Hiya SL, I'm intrigued.

I thought your roof was too small for 4kWp (assuming we are still talking about the SW roof). So are those panels Sunpower 333W jobbies?

I'm having trouble finding price comparisons, but those are high efficiency panels, but regular sizes, so you usually pay more for them, so as to get more on the roof / best roof.

If my digressions/guesses are right, then not a bad price and solves any messing around with split systems, or poorer performing orientations.

Looks like you are now closer to the end, than the start!

All the best.

Mart.

Martyn1981

Fruit_and_Nut_Case wrote: »

I'm not sure if you have mentioned your location but as long as you're south of Sheffield you're pretty much guaranteed to achieve it.

If pretty much guaranteed equates to 98% then you ain't kidding!

http://www.solarpowerportal.co.uk/news/research_98_of_uk_pv_arrays_working_to_spec

Almost all of the 2,000 solar arrays in a two-year university research project are performing as well as specified by their manufacturers.

Researchers from the Sheffield Solar Farm project, run by Sheffield University’s physics department, have found that 98% of the 2,000 PV systems in the scheme are working to their specification.

Mart.

Sirlaughalot

zeupater wrote: »

Hi

Almost everyone gets involved with the detail of the inverter & panels completely missing the importance of a quality mounting system and the potential consequences of having a poor mounting system, or poorly installed mounting system.

Probably a good idea to anyone looking into having a new system to question the installer on what they're considering using and how they fit the system ... there's a considerable difference in quality/cost/reliability between simply drilling through tiles installing with roof hooks and lead flashing !

HTH
Z

The company in question use a K2 mounting system which i lead to believe is a top quality system/product.

SL

Sirlaughalot

Martyn1981 wrote: »

If pretty much guaranteed equates to 98% then you ain't kidding!

http://www.solarpowerportal.co.uk/news/research_98_of_uk_pv_arrays_working_to_spec

Almost all of the 2,000 solar arrays in a two-year university research project are performing as well as specified by their manufacturers.

Researchers from the Sheffield Solar Farm project, run by Sheffield University’s physics department, have found that 98% of the 2,000 PV systems in the scheme are working to their specification.

Mart.

That`s reasurring to know. Are you familar with voltage optimisers and do they work?

SL

Sirlaughalot

Martyn1981 wrote: »

Hiya SL, I'm intrigued.

I thought your roof was too small for 4kWp (assuming we are still talking about the SW roof). So are those panels Sunpower 333W jobbies?

I'm having trouble finding price comparisons, but those are high efficiency panels, but regular sizes, so you usually pay more for them, so as to get more on the roof / best roof.

If my digressions/guesses are right, then not a bad price and solves any messing around with split systems, or poorer performing orientations.

Looks like you are now closer to the end, than the start!

All the best.

Mart.

Spot on mate sun power 333w small enough to fit on my SW facing roof but powerful enough to give almost 4KW capacity. Just two more quotes to analyse then decision time.

SL

Cardew

Sirlaughalot wrote: »

Are you familar with voltage optimisers and do they work?

SL

There are quite a lot of posts about voltage optimisers on MSE if you do a search.

Essentially in a domestic application they don't save enough to justify the cost.

Beware also of devices that are sometimes termed 'voltage optimisers' that are crude power factor correction devices - and these save nothing.

Martyn1981

Sirlaughalot wrote: »

Spot on mate sun power 333w small enough to fit on my SW facing roof but powerful enough to give almost 4KW capacity. Just two more quotes to analyse then decision time.

SL

Well SL, I'm still intrigued/confused. If you'd asked about squeezing 4kWp onto a 3kWp roof, I'd have said yes, but pretty expensive using Sunpowers or hybrids. Probably adding £1,500 or so more to a 'regular' 4kWp system. Shows what I know!

A good day is learning something new, a great day is having things turned upside down (a bit).

Still can't find any shops selling those panels to do a price comparison Wp to Wp, but my gut says that is a very 'interesting' quote. Regarding the VAT (or a saving equal to the VAT) is that already in the price, or are they suggesting another £325 off?

Shocked but happy here in Cardiff.

Mart.

[Edit: PS, love the caveat "almost 4KW capacity", I reckon even the most pedantic would let the 4Wp difference slide. M.]

Sirlaughalot

Cardew wrote: »

There are quite a lot of posts about voltage optimisers on MSE if you do a search.

Essentially in a domestic application they don't save enough to justify the cost.

Beware also of devices that are sometimes termed 'voltage optimisers' that are crude power factor correction devices - and these save nothing.

Thanks Cardew,

Have searched the net and already come to the same opinion. How the owners of the firms justify some claims never ceases to amaze me. From what i can see 10-13% claimed savings should be reading maybe 1-2% in most cases as heating applies are off little use and as you say the remainder of the savings on applicable kit does not justify the expense of purchase and fitting of the device itself.

Really am getting a little miffed by any claim i see now and here`s another example. Looking for a good boiler at the moment in anticipation of the winter. The old lady we have owes us nothing and still is ploding on even if it is in an inefficient way. From the quotes we have a new boiler should save us £300 per year so i`m looking at a 5 year payback but is the £300 figure over hyped as well.

SL

Sirlaughalot

Martyn1981 wrote: »

Well SL, I'm still intrigued/confused. If you'd asked about squeezing 4kWp onto a 3kWp roof, I'd have said yes, but pretty expensive using Sunpowers or hybrids. Probably adding £1,500 or so more to a 'regular' 4kWp system. Shows what I know!

A good day is learning something new, a great day is having things turned upside down (a bit).

Still can't find any shops selling those panels to do a price comparison Wp to Wp, but my gut says that is a very 'interesting' quote. Regarding the VAT (or a saving equal to the VAT) is that already in the price, or are they suggesting another £325 off?

Shocked but happy here in Cardiff.

Mart.

[Edit: PS, love the caveat "almost 4KW capacity", I reckon even the most pedantic would let the 4Wp difference slide. M.]

Yes the VAT saving is included in the price. I`m sure the salesman mentioned at year 20 the panels are 92% efficient!

What`s appealing about the quotes is the add ons inverter and 5 yr sap warranty are making this quality system look like value.

Just waiting for the last 2 bargain basement companies to supply their quotes now and i will be looking for help again..

ps with the smart meter issue think i will end up giving the immersun device a wide berth.

SL

Cardew

The 'get out' is to use the phrase 'up to' as in 'will save up to £300'. So if it saves £1 they have made an accurate statement.

On the gas and electricity forum there are hundreds of posts on the wisdom of replacing a working boiler; and the overwhelming concensus is not to replace.