Making the most of solar panels

Sio810

Hi,

I asked this on the energy section and was advised to all on here.

I have just bought a house that has 10 solar panels installed about 4 years ago. I own them but the previous owners didn't sign up to FiT and it is too late to do anything now.
How can I find out how efficient they are and is there anything I can do to maximise the energy I gain from them?

The current heading system has a gas central heating boiler which is not working and an emersion heater.

The builders I'm working with don't know anything about solar panels and have advised me to just get rid but I'd prefer not to but I don't have a clue what I can do and I don't understand a lot of what I've read on websites

Thanks

thisreallyisme

Why would you remove them? They are giving you some free electricity. (Unless the roof under is not sound and need repairs)
An immersion controller like iboost or eddie (which cost a few hundred quid and are very easy to install) will heat hot water with any surplus solar which would otherwise be exported to the grid.

Coastalwatch

Hi Sio, if the panels are only four years old then they've another twenty or more productive years of life in them, so can only agree with thisisreallyme about not removing them. You've not supplied much information to go on, such as panel type and output or what the Inverter is(possibly mounted near the consumer unit).
Assuming the panels are 250 watts each then, times ten suggests they should produce approaching 2.5kW when the sun is shining, providing you've no shading to curtail this. Over the course of a year perhaps around 2000kWh, so assuming you use 50% of it then at current rates, circa 15p/kWh, amounts to £150/year off of your bill. It would probably cost you more than that to have them removed and who knows what damage you may be left with if not done properly. They should be maintenance free so unlikely to cause any issues requiring attention once your verified they are working ok. You could get checked out by a local Solar panel installation company or even just asking the owner of a nearby property also with solar panels who may be able to offer some advise themselves.

You should have two electicity meters, one for household consumption(the one the Meter man reads or that you read to supply readings to your utility from) the other would be measurng the energy generated by your panels. If both are incrementing positively then at least you know they are working and reducing bill!

hollie.weimeraner

Sio810 wrote: »

Hi,
The builders I'm working with don't know anything about solar panels and have advised me to just get rid Thanks

Ha they don't know anything about them but advise to get rid? :rotfl:

As above keep them. The previous owner should have installation certification, if not as above get it checked out by a local (reputable) solar installer. Let us know where you live and someone on here may be able to suggest a company for you.

If you live anywhere near Mansfield check out CTS renewables. They have done mine and are highly regarded.

[Deleted User]

I find it really odd that your seller went to the expense of installing a solar panel set up and then failed to claim the FIT.

Unless it was a DIY job or the installer was not MCS certified then it is worth you pursuing this to see if there is any way at all it can be transferred to you.

Even if that means another company inspecting the set up and perhaps issuing you with the relevant paperwork - I'm not sure if that is even possible.

If the panels were installed by a Microgeneration Certification Scheme certified (MCS) installer at the time there must be some paperwork somewhere or a way to find out.

Check out -

https://www.microgenerationcertification.org/

You could then contact them to see what info they may have about your solar system and previous installers.

Also - check out -

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/system/files/docs/2018/06/fit_faq_v4_2.pdf

Perhaps your conveyancing solicitor should have asked more questions on this - (apologies if they did).

ASavvyBuyer

It is worth taking a look at the start of this thread on how to make the most of having Solar PV:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2955406/so-now-i-have-a-solar-pv-system-how-do-i-make-the-most-of-it#topofpage

After the first few pages it goes a bit off topic, but there are some useful tips in the first few pages.

jimjames

I might be overly suspicious but is there a possibility that the previous owner is still getting the FIT payments?

gefnew

Hi
if they are, how do they give 3 month readings to fit supplier with out access to gen meter.

hollie.weimeraner

gefnew wrote: »

Hi
if they are, how do they give 3 month readings to fit supplier with out access to gen meter.

I have a Sunny Boy Inverter connected to Sunny Portal and it would be relatively simple just to log in and keep track of the generation.

I'm sure other systems would be able to do similar

Sio810

Thisisreallyme there is one missing roof tile u see the panels and this is their main concern but I will try and find a local expert to do this as I want to keep them. I'm based on the Wirral so I'll look for a local company. I did try talking with one company but they were more interested in selling me a battery which I've been advised against as they are so expensive.

Deleted_User they were very strange people. The property is a repo so I dont know much about them but there is some evidence of a cannabis farm so that might be why, and I've found air gun pellets, but I think they were quite elderly and maybe ill too 🤷!♀️
I've checked with their energy supplier and someone else and they have both said the property was never signed up, I'd be able to move the payments to me if it was.

The solicitors managed to get the info on the panels but I think it was a tricky process-including info on how to fill in the Fit form!. They were installed (or made) by a company no longer trading but they do have an MCS certificate.
On the original invoice It says 'Solarworld sunmodule plus mono we 250 all black' for the panels and the inverter 'afore hns1500tl inverter' and 'SAMIL solar river 1100TL inverter'

Thank you Asavybuyer I'll have a look at that.

In terms of the immersion heater, is it worth keeping it then any buying a new heater just for central heating to replace the broken one rather than getting a combi boiler and getting rid of the immersion? How would I know if it already had an immersion controller?

Thank you all for the responces

Coastalwatch

Sio810 wrote: »

In terms of the immersion heater, is it worth keeping it then any buying a new heater just for central heating to replace the broken one rather than getting a combi boiler and getting rid of the immersion? How would I know if it already had an immersion controller?
Thank you all for the responces

Before opting for a new heating system it might be worth checking out the thread below which offers a green and cost effective alternative. Given that gas is likely to be phased out in the years ahead I suspect it may be worth keeping the immersion(adding a controller to it if not already there) and seeking an alternative to a gas combi. Sorry to complicate matters further, but I guess better to assess now rather than later!
PS We've a gas combi and seeking to phase it out. Also, at some point installing an immersion to replace one that had been taken out when the combi was installed by the previous owners.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4715287/discussion-ashp-air-air-with-solar-pv&page=14#topofpage