4-5kw solar PV: advice please!

Martyn1981

ASavvyBuyer wrote: »

Take a look at the Screwfix site here http://www.screwfix.com/search?search=LED+G10#sort_by=price There are plenty under £3 each, or buy in boxes of 5 or 10 for a better price. If you buy enough you also get free delivery. I have found nothing wrong with the quality of their ones.

Agree 100%. In fact had I scrolled down first, I would have saved the time looking up Screwfix's delivery prices/deals.

I got 5 of their 9W 'normal' LED lightbulbs (B22), and they are brill, though it's still a little odd having the light come on immediately.

They cost me £9.99 which I thought was excellent, but they are now £7.99 for 5, fantastic deal.

I see they have 5 packs of LAP GU10 5W (300lm) for £13.33, but an even better deal is the 3 pack Phillips 5.5W (350lm) for £5.49.

So 45W saving against a 50W halogen, £5.49/3 = 183p / 12p/kWh = 15.25kWh / 45W = 338hrs. So less than 1hr use per day to pay back in 12 months, or 6 month payback at 2hrs per day.

ahw23

The surveyor came today from the company who gave the best quote last week, and just when we thought we had settled on 5.13kw with a 3.68kw inverter, threw all the plans into confusion. They won't do that after all, and say we need a 5kw inverter, with either export limitation (extra £250) or DNO permission. If we're going down that route, I thought we ought to investigate putting even more up there, so the new quotes (all solarworld + solar edge) stand as follows:
5.13kw at £6509
5.7kw at £7125
6.27kw at £7637
He also said that we would have to lose the chimney as it is so tall and so badly positioned that it would have a substantial affect. So factor in another £250 for removal, and £325 for iBoost. Or... we go back to the previous company, who wanted £7295 for 5.13kw, plus chimney removal and iBoost at comparable prices, but on 3.68kw inverter. Any thoughts?

tunnel

ahw23 wrote: »

The surveyor came today from the company who gave the best quote last week, and just when we thought we had settled on 5.13kw with a 3.68kw inverter, threw all the plans into confusion. They won't do that after all, and say we need a 5kw inverter, with either export limitation (extra £250) or DNO permission. If we're going down that route, I thought we ought to investigate putting even more up there, so the new quotes (all solarworld + solar edge) stand as follows:
5.13kw at £6509
5.7kw at £7125
6.27kw at £7637
He also said that we would have to lose the chimney as it is so tall and so badly positioned that it would have a substantial affect. So factor in another £250 for removal, and £325 for iBoost. Or... we go back to the previous company, who wanted £7295 for 5.13kw, plus chimney removal and iBoost at comparable prices, but on 3.68kw inverter. Any thoughts?

The FiT won't reduce until January and then not by much so why not get DNO approval and go large(6.27kWp), there's plenty of time. CTS will get you that approval, it didn't cost me anything when they did it for me, whether it costs now I'm unsure but well worth asking before going for capping.

ahw23

The guy from CTS suggested we could go for it, and if we get turned down, then either cap export or go for a smaller system. Apparently our DNO is not one of the fastest to turn round applications, but neither is it one of the slowest. Realistically, the deadline is a little closer than it might seem, as I imagine everything will slow down over Christmas. Hopefully still possible though- if it's worth it. It seems a lot larger than we were initially aiming for!

ahw23

PS does anyone here have experience of how long UK Power Networks takes to turn around an application?

Dave_Fowler

ahw23 wrote: »

PS does anyone here have experience of how long UK Power Networks takes to turn around an application?

At the end of 2012 it took them just under 3 weeks. At that time there was quite a rush as the FIT rate was about to change.

Dave F

silverwhistle

ahw23 wrote: »

He also said that we would have to lose the chimney as it is so tall and so badly positioned that it would have a substantial affect. So factor in another £250 for removal, and £325 for iBoost.

No thoughts of ever getting a wood-burner?

AJBell has impressive electricity consumption figures at below mine but his gas figures are profligate! [ ;-)] With the wood-burner and iBoost I'm down to around 700kWh a year, and for me it's worthwhile going for a zero standing charge and high rate.

To be honest, I only have myself to keep happy domestically and so far have sourced and processed free wood. In your circumstances I'd be tempted too to maximise solar over the longer term.

ahw23

Oh, yes, that's on the wishlist! Actually, I'm hoping to go one better with a small masonry stove, but that will be via the main chimney. This, on the other hand, is an unused flu running up from the kitchen, slap bang in the middle of the West wall and tall enough to cast shadows right up the roof.

silverwhistle

ahw23 wrote: »

Oh, yes, that's on the wishlist! Actually, I'm hoping to go one better with a small masonry stove, but that will be via the main chimney.

Ooh, I'm beginning to hate you! ;-) I saw these when I lived out in the mountains, but wouldn't suit my house. http://www.ferrariollare.it/index.asp

I make do with a soapstone casserole. :-)

Martyn1981

ahw23 wrote: »

The surveyor came today from the company who gave the best quote last week, and just when we thought we had settled on 5.13kw with a 3.68kw inverter, threw all the plans into confusion. They won't do that after all, and say we need a 5kw inverter, with either export limitation (extra £250) or DNO permission.

That's confused me slightly. For a E/W system I'd have thought 3.68kW inverter was better for ~5kWp. Also a 5kW inverter with export limitation, is a 3.68kW inverter (effectively), it's like having a bigger engine in your car, but having a rev & speed limiter. So perhaps we're talking about the same thing.

However, if you are going over 5kWp (which is probably the sweet spot for a E/W system at 3.68kW) then applying for DNO permission and possibly going bigger still, is a great idea, certainly worth asking.

We also had a chimney from our kitchen. We had a beautiful amber tiled coal oven in the corner (original from the 1930's). Would have liked to keep it as a feature, but the kitchen was too small, and the oven too big.

In the end we traded it to a builder friend in exchange for him removing it, making good the wall, and fitting the DG window in the kitchen, and some small alterations. He hopes to incorporate it into a summer house for his garden, should look great.