Solar Panel Guide Discussion

zeupater

KevinG wrote: »

On a more practical note, doesn't the inverter require a power supply in any case?

Hi

It's got one ... it's DC, made of glass and it's on the roof, with a mains backup ..... no mains, no voltage or frequency to synchronise with so it disconnects and waits .... no mains or DC for a considerable time and the inverter enters standby and goes to sleep ....

HTH
Z

KevinG

zeupater wrote: »

Hi

It's got one ... it's DC, made of glass and it's on the roof, with a mains backup ..... no mains, no voltage or frequency to synchronise with so it disconnects and waits .... no mains or DC for a considerable time and the inverter enters standby and goes to sleep ....

HTH
Z

OK, but I think it amounts to the same thing, i.e. no mains power supply, inverter switches off.

lotteryman

I'm in the process of looking into installing these systems and it seems they're a bit like Marmite; you love them or hate them!

I've read loads of the threads and looked at the various reports and it would seem that some of my early experiences fit into the 'double glazing' category.
I had one company that 'postponed' an appointment because I told him straight that I would not sign to buy until I'd had 3 or 4 quotes and compared systems.
I've just had a quote from one of the companies highlighted in the main articles on FiTs on this site. The company is using the referenced article on their web site as part of their credibility as a supplier.
The quote I got was for just shy of 14K. Having done some research on the costs of the panels they propose to fit I've found they are charging around £840 per panel but the same panels can be bought on the open market for around £640. Multiply that £200 by 14 panels and that's £2800 markup. Similarly the inverter they quoted at a price of £2265 and this can be obtained for around £1300. Not bad markups eh? especially as the company will be buying them at well below the retail prices I found. This would seem to support many of the comments in the forums about companies.:(
Needless to say I will be going back to them about the prices but I suspect there will be little flexibility.

I suppose this just confirms that you need to do the research and challenge the companies to provide a detailed breakdown of the costs.

thenudeone

KevinG wrote: »

On a more practical note, doesn't the inverter require a power supply in any case?

Grid-connected / grid-tie inverters are specifically designed to stop exporting electricity if the mains fails.

Stand-alone inverters are available but only used in locations with no mains supply or where solar is intended as a back up (on a separate circuit) for when the mains supply fails.

In order to have an inverter which could continue to supply electricity if the mains failed as well as exporting to the grid when the mains is on, you would need some hefty and secure switching gear to disconnect the mains from your own wiring if the mains failed, and an inverter that could switch between the two modes automatically. I have no idea whether such a product exists.

zeupater

thenudeone wrote: »

...... In order to have an inverter which could continue to supply electricity if the mains failed as well as exporting to the grid when the mains is on, you would need some hefty and secure switching gear to disconnect the mains from your own wiring if the mains failed, and an inverter that could switch between the two modes automatically. I have no idea whether such a product exists.

Hi

http://www.sma.de/en/products/backup-systems.html

HTH
Z

Doc_N

thenudeone wrote: »

Grid-connected / grid-tie inverters are specifically designed to stop exporting electricity if the mains fails.......

Just out of curiosity, what's the thinking behind the signature:

" If my post has helped or amused you, please click "Thanks" "

Is it just me, or does that put other people off clicking the 'thanks' button?

Cardew

Doc_N wrote: »

Just out of curiosity, what's the thinking behind the signature:

" If my post has helped or amused you, please click "Thanks" "

Is it just me, or does that put other people off clicking the 'thanks' button?

If you want lots of 'thanks' just find a shop selling a corn plaster at half price or double nectar points;)

sonnet

Does anyone know a mcs installer who can or will commission/certify a self installation.
Take the premise that a good few people understand and are capable of fixing there own systems, can these systems be certifyied by a independant mcs installer.
This is a real problem with this FITs scheme if this is not allowed. Meaning solar companies are allowed to keep the work in house and thus level charges that they as business want to set.

Examples have already been quoted on panels being able to be sourced a lot cheaper than what have been quoted by solar companies. I know that I can buy the parts and save £1,000's of the price.

If I want a new shower, I'd goto B&Q and buy my shower and get a qualified electrician to fit it. If I buy my mcs solar panel kit, I want to go to a Mcs installer and ask them to fit it.

Any one?

MarcusH

So, far I've had four companies quote on my roof - a simple trapezoidal area - but I'm surprised how all but one has made a real effort to measure the roof much at all. One quotes for additional panels if sufficient space is found to be available on installation.

Methods included:
1) Measuring the house wall length (two)
2) Measuring the roof pitch angle (only one)
3) Photographing the roof, ostensibly to count the tiles (but not measuring the tiles) (one)
4) Thumb suck, or "having a feel for it" (two)

I'm sure my own calculations are more accurate, by including measuring internally in the loft space.

It's all a bit complicated with different panel sizes and orientations (and gaps between panels), but I'd have thought it crucial to know how many panels can be fitted before deciding on whether it's worth it.

I was rather expecting real "surveyors" to turn up with theodolites and measure things up much more accurately. It all seems a bit haphazard. Is it just me?

Cardew

MarcusH wrote: »

I was rather expecting real "surveyors" to turn up with theodolites and measure things up much more accurately. It all seems a bit haphazard. Is it just me?

They didn't when they were selling double glazing, so why change?