Solar Panel Guide Discussion

organum

Article on just this subject published two days ago!

http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/domestic/blog/2016/04/energy-storage-about-go-mainstream

tunnel

organum wrote: »

I had the best advice from a phone call to http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/domestic/solar-panels
Who gave the vital information that all suppliers should be in a price range of, at the time, £5-6k for a 4kW system as the price of kit is going down all the time. Since I had been quoted up to £12k for essentially the same system this was vital info.
My experience too was a nightmare with so many claims I had to get four quotes and experience one high pressure salesman and two basically fraudulent companies. In the end I think I was lucky and the system has been doing its stuff.

You could of course have taken the route of asking for advice on this forum, the same route that has helped hundreds if not thousands get the system they wanted at a price that was right for them.

There's quite a few posters happy to help on all matters to do with solar and that are also keeping a close eye on all the storage solutions that are filtering onto the market.

For instance, my local supplier are offering a 4kWp system with a 6.4kW storage system for £8.5k fitted. I'm keeping a close eye on them as I too am considering storage with all the excess I send back to the grid(no diverter).

organum

Which is why I am on this forum. Duh!
Yes lots of good advice but the Trust is a good repository of info including latest trends in their blog.
FWIW TpSolar who were recommended here and did my install have gone the way of all flesh it seems. So that makes all four companies who quoted gone or changed drastically.
I must look out the warranty insurance sold with the deal.....

tunnel

organum wrote: »

Yes lots of good advice but the Trust is a good repository of info including latest trends in their blog.

For sure the trust is a step in the right direction but they always seem to be around 6-12 months behind with their estimates for costings.

For instance, they're currently quoting £5-8k for a 4kWp system and yet I'm seeing installs around the £4k price. I realise not everyone may be able to get those prices but if they're available to a good 1/4rd of the country then surely they should keep up to date.
Plus, while ever they're advertising that a system would cost that much then some installers would use that as a benchmark and the public may think that their quote is in the ball park and not realise they're paying 25%+ too much!

Oscargrouch

Norcs wrote: »

We had a quote form "Use The Sun" installers of Solar PV systems for around £9,000 with batteries that we can use at night. 12 panels, 3Kw system which will hopefully mean we no longer need power from the nation grid.

They claimed that Martin Lewis had worked with them to develop their product/service ... but we can't find any evidence of his input? They are listed on Companies house and they do have the correct certification from MCS and RECC so they look kosha.

Anyone used the company, got any advice?

Many thanks,

Paul

Think you may need Mart to come along with a pointer for this one.
On the face of the quote I would have thought that you would need at least the 4 kWp system to max out your battery charging. How much extra are you paying for the batteries compared to a bog standard 3 kWp system without batteries.....

tunnel

Norcs wrote: »

We had a quote form "Use The Sun" installers of Solar PV systems for around £9,000 with batteries that we can use at night. 12 panels, 3Kw system which will hopefully mean we no longer need power from the nation grid.

Can you only fit 3kWp on your roof or do you have any other rooves that would take panels

Oscargrouch wrote: »

How much extra are you paying for the batteries compared to a bog standard 3 kWp system without batteries.....

Considering my local installer offers a 4kWp system with around 6kW battery storage for £8.5k I'd say their price was slightly on the high side

Martyn1981

Oscargrouch wrote: »

Think you may need Mart to come along with a pointer for this one.
On the face of the quote I would have thought that you would need at least the 4 kWp system to max out your battery charging. How much extra are you paying for the batteries compared to a bog standard 3 kWp system without batteries.....

Thanks Oscar for the pointer.

I was hanging back to see if Norcs posted again. The issue is huge, especially given the mention of no longer needing power from the grid, which you picked up on as you'd need a bigger system, and a big, big ..... big .... battery.

Happy to post loads, and chat, but will wait to see if this was just a pasting post.

In the meantime, domestic storage too expensive at the moment, watch and wait for falling prices as this decade ends.

Mart.

Hemel_Saint

Hi All
Not sure where to put this on the forum, hope this is right! (please re-locate it, if it is wrong section)

We have just started getting Solar Panel quotes.
The 1st guy has sent in his quote and been discussing/offering a number of tech things that I am just not 100% sure about, hence was after some advice before we see other solar companies.

The representative mentioned that we could go as high as a 4kw (one roof) to 6kw (by utilising both NE & SW roof elevations).
We are South-West facing back garden, 45degree slope, no shade.
He said the NE front roof would benefit in maximising the morning sunlight.

His recommendations…

• 6kwp system.
• 24x 250w Solar World / Perlight panels. (10x front elevation N-E facing. 14x back elevation S-W facing)
• with a 'Solar Edge' inverter rather than a 'string inverter' (I believe this allows us to monitor each individual panels performance!!). he says due to the size of our system this is the only suitable option!
• A Voltage Optimiser – to save around 14% on our electricity bills!
• Also recommended was adding a 'Sollic/Apollo Immersion Throttle' that converts unused KW to store in our hot water immersion. (nb we are oil central heating – no gas. The immersion is a 3kw).
  
  Before we see the next companies, can anyone please let me know if we need all the above and if the extras are viable too?

Prices:
£9,250 = 24x panel incl Solar Edge Inverter
£5,975 = 14x Panel with Growatt string inverter
£714 = Voltage optimiser
£660 = Apollo Immersion throttle
£180 = OWL monitor

Apologise but this is all a bit daunting. We have had around 60pages of PDFs to navigate through, so just trying to get our heads around it all.


Nb our annual electric consumption is around 8,900kwh pa. we have oil heating/water, no Gas.

If there is any further information you need from me, please just ask.


Many thanks for any assistance.

cheers
Mark

Cardew

The solar experts will be along soon with their input on the solar aspects. The latest FIT/export prices and expected 'in house' savings which are dependant on your lifestyle.


However a couple of points:


Do a search for Voltage optimiser on MSE - 14% saving is just nonsense. All they do is reduce voltage - Ohms Law still applies.


Don't forget any savings on your Hot Water bill, by diverting excess generation, should be costed at the price per kWh of oil CH - if, say, 4p/kWh then 1,000kWh saves £40.


I would be surprised if any of the experts feel it is financially viable!

tunnel

In short

Hemel_Saint wrote: »

Prices:
£9,250 = 24x panel incl Solar Edge Inverter TOO EXPENSIVE
£5,975 = 14x Panel with Growatt string inverter TOO EXPENSIVE
£714 = Voltage optimiser NOT NECESSARY
£660 = Apollo Immersion throttle TOO EXPENSIVE
£180 = OWL monitor ok but plenty more on the market

Mark

I'd expect 24 panels fitted for between £5.5k-£6.5k dependant on your location and your bartering skills. At £9250 I'd be asking for a 6kW battery storage system thrown in.
Forget the voltage optimiser
You can get an immersun/iboost for the immersion for under £300 fitted now.


Do you have any shading on any of the rooves?
If not then a standard dual MPPT inverter would suffice, less cost and less things to go wrong on your roof


You'll also need DNO approval for a 6kWp system, make sure that that is included with any price quoted.