Help with quotes for solar panel install

Arj12

Basically I got quotes done for different combinations of solar panels and inverters. I'm not exactly sure which one I should choose and if they are a fair quote.

Here are the quotes I have to decide between (all from the same company).

Quote 1: Photovoltaic Panel 16 x Solar World 250 (All Black)
Panel Mounting: Schletter Fixing Kit
Inverter: 1x SolarEdge SE4000GBR
Monitoring: Solar Edge Internet
Price: £6,895.00

Quote 2:Photovoltaic Panel 16 x Solar World 250 (All Black)
Panel Mounting: Schletter Fixing Kit
Inverter: 1x Samil Power 3680TL
Monitoring: None
Price: £6,285.00

Quote 3:Photovoltaic Panel 16 x Upsolar 250W (All Black)
Panel Mounting: Schletter Fixing Kit
Inverter: 1 x Samil Solar River 3680TL
Monitoring: None
Price: £5,850.00

Quote 4:Photovoltaic Panel 16 x Upsolar 250W (Silver Frame - Blue)
Panel Mounting: Schletter Fixing Kit
Inverter: 1 x Samil Solar River 3680TL
Monitoring: None
Price: £5,680.00

and I want to add Solar Iboost (immersion heating divertor) for £295 on top of each one.

All the quotes above include everything (VAT, scaffolding, etc).
The house is a 62 degrees off South, has no shading issues and all the panels will be fitted on the same side.

I'm not completely sure which option to go for. I'm tempted by option one but I don't know if that is the best deal and if I really need the solaredge inverter (as the roof is unshaded).
Any help or advice would be helpful! Thank you in advance

Martyn1981

Hiya Arj12. All the quotes seem reasonable. I'm a big SolarEdge fan, and have a SE system on my WNW roof which is heavily shaded. It works brilliantly, the kit does what it is designed to do - minimise the effect of shaded panels on unshaded panels.

But .... if you don't have shade, then it's probably overkill. I assume that price also includes 16 power optimisers (PO's) adding about £600 or so to the cost. Also, you'll have 16 extra bits of kit up on the roof, and whilst they have 25 year warranties, you'll still have an access / cost issue.

I asked general folk and installers for info on the Samil inverter range about a year ago. They are Chinese, but scored very well in tests and have become very popular, as they are much cheaper than SMA's products, but just as efficient. However, their shade management isn't quite as good as the SMA TL's, but if you don't have shade, then no probs.

No idea on panel makes and models, too many, and too contentious an issue. But colour wise, I have silver and blues on the back, and bob's (black on black) on the front. I don't have an issue with SP's or their looks, but some do, and I think the bob's look nice, and blend in better, if that's important to you.

Best of luck.

Mart.

Arj12

Thank you very much for the information Martyn1981
Yes all the optimisers are included within the quote and it does work out £600 more than the Samil (including the optimisers). The reason I'm tempted to opt for the Solaredge; even though I don't have shading issues, is because if I want to have some sort of monitoring system added to it I guess it'll cost around £150-£200 and for an extra £400-450 I'd have extra functionality as well as being able to obsess with how much energy is being made!

Also talking about the inverters: is it worth getting an extension on the warranty from 10 years to 25 years? The only reason I'm thinking about doing it is because then the whole system will have 25 years rather than individual parts having different warranties.

Martyn1981

Hi Arj, tricky questions, very tricky.

I'd say I'm very much at the geeky end of enjoying monitoring the systems. But even I, don't log onto the SE monitoring portal very often now, maybe only once a month.

It is brilliant, no question about it, and fascinating at first, but after a while the novelty wears off.

I do monitor the daily total from my TGM (total generation meter) (actually, 2 TGM's E and W) in kWh. I also have energy monitors, upstairs and down, monitoring the live generation in kW (or at this time of year, more likely W). My monitors use Optismarts that monitor the LED flashes on the TGM's, combined with second hand (Flea bay) ENViR monitors.

If you're really into the monitoring, maybe worth while, but for me, at least, the cost wouldn't be worth it, combined with the hassle of PO's up on the roof, if one fails - if you don't need them, but different story completely if there is a shading issue.

Extended warranties, you're on your own there matey. Total gamble, heads you win, tails you lose. For me, I decided not to, as the cost (combined with 12 years interest for the SE inverter) was similar to a new inverter, and if the costs fall over time, and inverter lasts 15 or 20 years, then money saved. But if high inflation and prices go up, and inverter fails at 12 years, then money lost. Have fun working that one out.

Mart.