Advice on best system

Popz

Hi guys

I'm am seriously considering taking the plunge with Solar PV. I had an installer come around yesterday and he offered me the below options (all 4kw, 16 module mono panels):

Jetion Solar 250 with Power One Inverter PVI-4000 - £6495
Jetion SolAr 250 with SMA 3600TL-20 - £6695

BP SunOasis 250 with Power One Inverter PVI-4000 - £6995
BP SunOasis 250 with SMA 3600TL-20 -£7195

Sharp 245 with Power One Inverter PVI-4000 - £6695
Sharp 245 with Power SMA 3600TL-20 -£6895

Hyundai HiS-S250MGS with Power One Inverter PVI-4000 - £7195
Hyundai HiS-S250MGS with SMA 3600TL-20 -£7395

Hyundia HiS-S245MG (BK) with Power One Inverter PVI-4000 - £7295
Hyundia HiS-S245MG (BK) WITHSMA 3600TL-20 -£7495

I know there is no right and wrong answer but which would offer best value for money?

Thanks

EricMears

Popz wrote: »

Hi guys

I know there is no right and wrong answer but which would offer best value for money?

Thanks

Surely it's up to the company trying to sell you the systems to explain what benefit they think you might get from buying anything but the cheapest system !

If panels are all the same size (in area) then there may be an advantage in choosing the ones with the highest efficiency - but don't be deceived by a panel promising higher efficiency but being of smaller dimensions to snatch back the gains.

Sounds as though all those quotes were from the same organisation. Certainly well worth while getting some quotes from others.

spinybif_2

I am going through exactly the same conumdrum

Jettion and sunoasis both chinese panels -made to bearely meet specification

Sharp, bomb proof but polycrystalline, poorer output in low light + silver frame only

Hyundai mid range, good solid engineering, look good on roof

Have also looked at Ying-li, higher output per module which would help me as only room for 15 panels but again made to barely meet specification.

Power one inverter apparently starts at lower voltage so could gain 1/2 an hour extra at each end of day but monitoring kit is £300 and of poor reliability.

SMA has blue-tooth built in to communicate with any computer for monitoring but looses out at beginning and end of day as well as being £200 dearer to start with.

Would love to here what you decide - by the way who are thee quotes from/ which part of country ?

WestonDave

It is a nightmare - currently trying to choose between Suntech 250W panels vs REC 245W panels vs Siliken 250W panels.

The Suntech are the only mono ones so in theory better but the quote for those only thinks there is room for 12 panels leaving us with a 3kw system as opposed to 15 panels for the other two (a bit more creative in using landscape and portrait mix) giving us around 3.7kw for around another £400. Both the REC and Silikem do well on the photon lab tests but its not a complete field - Suntech, Sanyo and others don't enter modules so is that because they don't want to be shown up or does it mean that REC is best of a bad bunch.

Arggh!

GaryMo_2

EricMears wrote: »

If panels are all the same size (in area) then there may be an advantage in choosing the ones with the highest efficiency - but don't be deceived by a panel promising higher efficiency but being of smaller dimensions to snatch back the gains.

Panel efficiency is worked out using the dimensions of the panel so obviously a smaller panel with the same wattage as a larger panel would show a higher efficiency.
If you have a large enough roof then efficiency of panels with the same technology doesn't really come into play.

Popz

Thanks for the feedback guys.

To clarify, the above quotes are from the ame company but i did get three lots of quotes using comparemysolar.

Spinybif - Quotes are from a company called Renewable Solutions Team, based in Lancashire. I'm in West Yorkshire.

To say PV is a minefield is an understatement...

Any other comments/views would be most welcome..

GaryMo_2

Popz wrote: »

Spinybif - Quotes are from a company called Renewable Solutions Team, based in Lancashire. I'm in West Yorkshire.

Have a chat to Ploughcroft too, they did mine and I was very happy with the installation.

Martyn1981

Popz wrote: »

Thanks for the feedback guys.

To clarify, the above quotes are from the ame company but i did get three lots of quotes using comparemysolar.

Spinybif - Quotes are from a company called Renewable Solutions Team, based in Lancashire. I'm in West Yorkshire.

To say PV is a minefield is an understatement...

Any other comments/views would be most welcome..

Hiya Popz, you said at the start that there is no right or wrong answer. So regarding 'any other comments' I'd suggest you take heart that you can't really go too wrong, and nobody has jumped up with an issue.

The quotes are all 'tight' and nice and cheap, both inverters (makes and models) are very popular and well respected.

I'd suspect you'll find people who have all of those panels (individually of course) and are very pleased. I've got 2 SMA inverters linked to Sharp panels (185's & 235's), they do what they say on the tin.

I know it's a lot of money, but as I said, take heart if you can in the lack of advice any of us can give. Nice prices, nice size, nice inverters. If you can't find any scare stories anywhere about any of the panels then go with your gut.

Incidentally, have you run any numbers on what you hope/expect to generate, and the potential incomes/savings? If so are you happy, do you need any more advice?

Mart.

Popz

Martyn1981 wrote: »

Incidentally, have you run any numbers on what you hope/expect to generate, and the potential incomes/savings? If so are you happy, do you need any more advice?

Mart.

Thanks Martyn

I'm also leaning towards the Sharp/SMA option. Feel the more recognised panel manufacturer will give me more peace of mind.

In terms of payback - the compare my solar calculator gives me some promising figures:

Year 1 payback of £1191 (including FiT of £714). Payback period is estimated at 6 years. Total benefit would be just over £37k

I'm sceduled to have loft and wall insulation put in a couple of weeks time as my current EPC rating is E.

I'm hoping i should be up and runinig and fully registered before the July deadline

GaryMo_2

Popz wrote: »

Year 1 payback of £1191 (including FiT of £714). Payback period is estimated at 6 years

That seems high. Working backwards, £714 at 21p equates to 3400kWh. Add to that 1700 exported units at 3.2p (£54.40) and you get a total from FiT and export of £768.40.
Do you really think you'll make a saving on electricity of £422.60?
That's a usage of 3521 units at 12p per kWh, more than you're generating although you may well generate that figure but I think you'll struggle to use every watt off energy generated for your needs at the time every watt is generated.

Or have I missed something?

Martyn1981

Popz wrote: »

Thanks Martyn

I'm also leaning towards the Sharp/SMA option. Feel the more recognised panel manufacturer will give me more peace of mind.

In terms of payback - the compare my solar calculator gives me some promising figures:

Year 1 payback of £1191 (including FiT of £714). Payback period is estimated at 6 years. Total benefit would be just over £37k

I'm sceduled to have loft and wall insulation put in a couple of weeks time as my current EPC rating is E.

I'm hoping i should be up and runinig and fully registered before the July deadline

Hiya Popz, sounds like it's coming together. Like I said, I have 2 SMA / Sharp systems, but the Power One inverter is really popular too. I've spotted lots of people on these forums with Hyundai panels too. I haven't heard many mentions of the other panels, but that doesn't mean much! Good luck with it.

Regarding income though, I'm a little concerned like GaryMo, about your total. Depending on where you are £714 for FITs from a 4kWp system is certainly reasonable, but the extra £480, where does that come from? A reasonable guess at electricity savings would be around £100, hope for more, but aim low.

Is there any chance that, that total includes potential savings from the insulation work too? I've had loft and cavity insulation done, and I'd guess that both save £100pa or so each, so now we are closing in on that total.

If the £400+ is just leccy, then sorry to be a spoilsport, but like Gary said, that's a really, really high number, probably fair to say impossible. Anything over £150/£200 would be impressive.

Regardless, £714 from FITs, and those prices, you'll be doing great.

Mart.