Solar PV, Where Do I Start, HELP!!!

EricMears

tunnel wrote: »

Shhh! You'll get Eric started about comparisons

There's joy in heaven when one sinner repents

zeupater

Goldfinger09 wrote: »

... The charge point guy has a web site that says they do solar PV as well as the charging points etc....

Hi

Then he'll know that a fast charge point is something which you should stay clear of, else you'll not be matching pv generation to the PHEV charge rate. With pv and an EV, you'll need a dedicated charge point which has a selectable current limit, or you'll simply end up charging the batteries using the (supplied) standard 13A plug in order to maximise use of your own generation.

If you're a pretty standard family you can almost forget about charging the car at the weekend ... it'll usually be parked somewhere else (usually a car park) whenever the sun is shining on a Saturday or Sunday and have you ever tried to find a public or supermarket car park with charge points which actually work, haven't been decommissioned or already have cars charging ?? ... if you're really lucky, the employer will provide charge points for when you're at work and that'll make-up the majority of the time it's on charge ...

Best you can do is learn how to drive a hybrid properly in order to maximise it's performance, they are different, especially so if you want to get anywhere near their claimed fuel efficiencies ...

HTH
Z

Carol2001

Hi I have just been offered solar roof panels for free. The energy I use will be free but the remainder goes into the national grid. I own my house & this company is saying that they want to "rent" the space above the roof which I am ok with but they said that they notify the "LAND REGISTRY" to claim they have this interest/ rental agreement & this is worrying me! Can anyone help & advise whether or not this is a good idea? My electricity usage is not high. I live alone & the bills are typically £250 per year or less.
Thanks

Land_Registry

Carol2001 - just by way of background from a registration perspective a wide variety of companies offer to install solar panels in return for a Lease of the airspace above the roof to accommodate them. The Leases of airspace to accommodate solar panels are sometimes referred to as ‘rent my roof space’ schemes but the terminology used can vary

So such schemes do exist and as previous posts explain many do take advantage of them. Whether it is a good idea in your circumstances I am sure others will cover

Goldfinger09

Well,


The guy who got our EV charge point fitted, has come back this evening to do a proper quote for PV panels has just left.


His quote is.....


£4000 for products
VAT@ 5% £200
=£4200


Services £1903.81
VAT @ 5% £95.19
Sub Total £1999


A grand total of £6,199


This is based on a 16 panel 4kw system, and being split between the south, east and maybe the porch / garage roof.


So, opinions on this please as there's another coming tomorrow evening too (Thursday) to do his quotation....




Carol2001, If you can afford it.


Buy your system! You'll be earning the £££, not the RaR people.


I'm guessing here, but I think they'll be pushing, or being pushy to have solar fitted anywhere now as the FIT gets cut again on the 1st April.

Goldfinger09

Just a heads up. GEG, the other people that were coming to quote for panels, have just sent an email saying they can do it for £6400. BUT, they say they will be using optimisers but can only get 15 panels split between the south facing porch and main roof and the east roof......?

I'll post properly later when I'm home and not using my fat fingers here on my phone. .....

Goldfinger09

Ok.

We're a bit lost now, only really on one thing.

Optimisers.....?

Do we need them or not?

GEG, who came to quote, said it may be best to, as the panels will be split between a south roof, an East roof and the south roof on the porch. Also, there is the 'possible' issue of the tree's shading.

I've spoke again to GEG and they said the quote is only slightly higher than the last one, as she put it, is because the guys will have to come back more than usual, once to lower the scaff after doing the main roof to the porch height and again when complete. She also said there's more scaff involved with our house, as they need to span the garage, porch and utility roof.

Just need some help with this so we know who to go with now, before the 1st April when the rates get cut again.

pinnks

I am no expert on optimisers but some people who are far more knowledgeable than me have said there is no point in them. The reasoning seems to be that for modern switch mode power supplies (laptops, phones, TVs and so on) they make no difference and for resistive loads you just keep the source on for longer if the voltage is reigned in but the optimiser - to get the energy out you need to put it in...


I think this leaves old-style transformer type power supplies where they might help but how many do you have and is it worth the cost.


now I'll sit back and let the experts tell me why I am wrong, or perhaps right in my non-expert way

pinnks

forgot to add, what do optimisers have to do with how you split your array across your available roof space, shading or 4he other issues you mention?

Goldfinger09

Just asking regarding the optimisers, as the last 'quoter' said if you don't have them and you have a 'issue' with shading and / or have a split system, the power output will reduce to rate of the panel that's underperforming...


Which I think he means....


Out of all the panels putting out 'around' 250watts, and one maybe only putting out 180watts, all the other panels will then 'reduce' their rate to match that panel, thus you losing any export and FI tariff etc....


Or have I, or they got it wrong...?