Solar panels

mrtaylor79

Martyn1981 said:

Hiya Petrix, the PV would be 5.74kWp, it's the battery that is 8.2kWh.

Mr Taylor, for SE orientation, you will see peak days, probably May - August where you generate around 7kWh/kWp so about 40kWh (rough estimate). My systems average about 20kWh per day in those months, with actual generation typically around 15-30kWh (with the odd very low one on a rainy day.)

My December target is 79kWh, so about 2.5kWh/day, but being so off south, the gen collapses due to low angle of the sun not 'seeing' the panels.

Quick play on PVGIS, selecting York (you mentioned living in the NE?) for 5.74kWp, gives an estimate of 5,200kWh pa and the lowest month is December at 153kWh, call it 5kWh/day. Quick warning though, the bottom months (Nov - Jan) can vary a lot, especially with grey weather, so something like 60% of target is possible. PV is the greater leveler, you get good and bad days, months and years, but it tends to average itself out. My 8yrs of results have performed between 99% and 106% of PVGIS target, though this year is doing much better, possibly 109% if there isn't a terrible 2nd half to the year. So, over time, it's pretty boring and predictable.

Thanks Martin - I have had a response from the company they have tried to get me in the 7k bracket so in have two quotes one with battery and one without 

first without this is what they are now suggestions 

Longi 350w black perk 350w x 14 and solar 3.6 Ktlm dual tracker 
this will cost 5167 

and another with a battery 

Longi 350w black perk 350w 
solar 3.6 Ktlm dual tracker 
sofar batter system & me300 x 3.5kwh  this will cost 7667

in your opinion what are my best options second from research are bobby basic materials 

Petriix

Martyn1981 said:

Hiya Petrix, the PV would be 5.74kWp, it's the battery that is 8.2kWh.

Thanks, I misread that. I've amended my post, but the advice to do an accurate projection still stands. I suspect that the batteries will not be cost-effective but that PV (at a reasonable price) would be, depending on how much usage could be shifted to the daytime.

EricMears

Storing solar energy isn't by any means the only benefit of a battery system.  If you're on any sort of 'time of day' tariff, you can also shift your consumption from peak to off-peak.

e.g. I recently joined the Octopus Agile scheme which offers low rates for most of day but punitive ones between 4pm & 7pm.  Without a battery, I managed to switch enough stuff off yesterday to import nothing at all during the peak period (thanks Mr Sun ! ) but I'd be struggling to do that in December.  I'd only need a fairly small battery to run the essential services at home for those three hours. 

mrtaylor79

EricMears said:

Storing solar energy isn't by any means the only benefit of a battery system.  If you're on any sort of 'time of day' tariff, you can also shift your consumption from peak to off-peak.

e.g. I recently joined the Octopus Agile scheme which offers low rates for most of day but punitive ones between 4pm & 7pm.  Without a battery, I managed to switch enough stuff off yesterday to import nothing at all during the peak period (thanks Mr Sun ! ) but I'd be struggling to do that in December.  I'd only need a fairly small battery to run the essential services at home for those three hours. 

Thanks eric that’s my intention - use panels to heat my hot tub to 4 during day maintain while I have sun utilising rest mode with cycle mindset, then use battery over peak hours 4:30 to 6 with switch to octopus agile or economy 7 (winter)

JKenH

mrtaylor79 said:

EricMears said:

Storing solar energy isn't by any means the only benefit of a battery system.  If you're on any sort of 'time of day' tariff, you can also shift your consumption from peak to off-peak.

e.g. I recently joined the Octopus Agile scheme which offers low rates for most of day but punitive ones between 4pm & 7pm.  Without a battery, I managed to switch enough stuff off yesterday to import nothing at all during the peak period (thanks Mr Sun ! ) but I'd be struggling to do that in December.  I'd only need a fairly small battery to run the essential services at home for those three hours. 

Thanks eric that’s my intention - use panels to heat my hot tub to 4 during day maintain while I have sun utilising rest mode with cycle mindset, then use battery over peak hours 4:30 to 6 with switch to octopus agile or economy 7 (winter)

For the hot tub, get a solar diverter as it will just send power to heat the water when you have surplus. Very handy on a variably cloudy/sunny day. I have a solar IBoost (by Marlec) but there are others such as the Eddi by Myenergi. The Eddi is a bit more sophisticated and links with a Myenergi hub.

Edit: I should add solar diverters only work with a resistive load so if you have some sophisticated electronics on your hot tub it might be a problem.

Solarchaser

mrtaylor79 said:

Martyn1981 said:

Hiya Petrix, the PV would be 5.74kWp, it's the battery that is 8.2kWh.

Mr Taylor, for SE orientation, you will see peak days, probably May - August where you generate around 7kWh/kWp so about 40kWh (rough estimate). My systems average about 20kWh per day in those months, with actual generation typically around 15-30kWh (with the odd very low one on a rainy day.)

My December target is 79kWh, so about 2.5kWh/day, but being so off south, the gen collapses due to low angle of the sun not 'seeing' the panels.

Quick play on PVGIS, selecting York (you mentioned living in the NE?) for 5.74kWp, gives an estimate of 5,200kWh pa and the lowest month is December at 153kWh, call it 5kWh/day. Quick warning though, the bottom months (Nov - Jan) can vary a lot, especially with grey weather, so something like 60% of target is possible. PV is the greater leveler, you get good and bad days, months and years, but it tends to average itself out. My 8yrs of results have performed between 99% and 106% of PVGIS target, though this year is doing much better, possibly 109% if there isn't a terrible 2nd half to the year. So, over time, it's pretty boring and predictable.

Thanks Martin - I have had a response from the company they have tried to get me in the 7k bracket so in have two quotes one with battery and one without 

first without this is what they are now suggestions 

Longi 350w black perk 350w x 14 and solar 3.6 Ktlm dual tracker 
this will cost 5167 

and another with a battery 

Longi 350w black perk 350w 
solar 3.6 Ktlm dual tracker 
sofar batter system & me300 x 3.5kwh  this will cost 7667

in your opinion what are my best options second from research are bobby basic materials 

So 6kwp for just over £5k is... ok, not great but not terrible imo. 
Worth noting that you will be using a 3.6kw inverter, so that's the most you will see... which is fine, keeps it legal,  just an FYI really.
£2.5k extra for a sofar me3000sp and 1 x 3.5kwh battery, seems rather expensive to me, plus the sofar will not be able to do 3kw of input or output with 1 x 3.5kwh battery, only perhaps 2kw.

The sofar is a decent system, I ran one for just over a year, but its older tech, its about 3-4 years old, vs  the lux system which is around the same price £700-800 ish, but is a better system, the tech being 1-2years old.

I find it a bit strange that they would offer a solar stand alone, then a battery standalone, rather than a hybrid inverter, that would do both solar and batteries, again a lux 5kw hybrid inverter would imo be a better fit, buying one inverter instead of 2

mrtaylor79

Solarchaser said:

mrtaylor79 said:

Martyn1981 said:

Hiya Petrix, the PV would be 5.74kWp, it's the battery that is 8.2kWh.

Mr Taylor, for SE orientation, you will see peak days, probably May - August where you generate around 7kWh/kWp so about 40kWh (rough estimate). My systems average about 20kWh per day in those months, with actual generation typically around 15-30kWh (with the odd very low one on a rainy day.)

My December target is 79kWh, so about 2.5kWh/day, but being so off south, the gen collapses due to low angle of the sun not 'seeing' the panels.

Quick play on PVGIS, selecting York (you mentioned living in the NE?) for 5.74kWp, gives an estimate of 5,200kWh pa and the lowest month is December at 153kWh, call it 5kWh/day. Quick warning though, the bottom months (Nov - Jan) can vary a lot, especially with grey weather, so something like 60% of target is possible. PV is the greater leveler, you get good and bad days, months and years, but it tends to average itself out. My 8yrs of results have performed between 99% and 106% of PVGIS target, though this year is doing much better, possibly 109% if there isn't a terrible 2nd half to the year. So, over time, it's pretty boring and predictable.

Thanks Martin - I have had a response from the company they have tried to get me in the 7k bracket so in have two quotes one with battery and one without 

first without this is what they are now suggestions 

Longi 350w black perk 350w x 14 and solar 3.6 Ktlm dual tracker 
this will cost 5167 

and another with a battery 

Longi 350w black perk 350w 
solar 3.6 Ktlm dual tracker 
sofar batter system & me300 x 3.5kwh  this will cost 7667

in your opinion what are my best options second from research are bobby basic materials 

So 6kwp for just over £5k is... ok, not great but not terrible imo. 
Worth noting that you will be using a 3.6kw inverter, so that's the most you will see... which is fine, keeps it legal,  just an FYI really.
£2.5k extra for a sofar me3000sp and 1 x 3.5kwh battery, seems rather expensive to me, plus the sofar will not be able to do 3kw of input or output with 1 x 3.5kwh battery, only perhaps 2kw.

The sofar is a decent system, I ran one for just over a year, but its older tech, its about 3-4 years old, vs  the lux system which is around the same price £700-800 ish, but is a better system, the tech being 1-2years old.

I find it a bit strange that they would offer a solar stand alone, then a battery standalone, rather than a hybrid inverter, that would do both solar and batteries, again a lux 5kw hybrid inverter would imo be a better fit, buying one inverter instead of 2

Doesn’t the Ktlm do both so I can charge from grid (cheap rates) and from solar 

silverwhistle

I can't comment on the latest technology or your personal circumstances but your thinking chimes in with mine back in 2013 when my rainy day money was yielding less than inflation. Far better an asset which although it depreciates slowly is nothing like as bad as a new car, gives you a return and avoids worries about bills. Plus gives me the fun, along with Agile, of seeing how well I can do.

In my case I hope to get an EV as well in the next year or two, so that might be something you'd wish to consider whilst you've got the electricians on site: no need for a charger yet perhaps, but a cable run in situ might make it easier when you do get one.

Solarchaser

mrtaylor79 said:

Solarchaser said:

mrtaylor79 said:

Martyn1981 said:

Hiya Petrix, the PV would be 5.74kWp, it's the battery that is 8.2kWh.

Mr Taylor, for SE orientation, you will see peak days, probably May - August where you generate around 7kWh/kWp so about 40kWh (rough estimate). My systems average about 20kWh per day in those months, with actual generation typically around 15-30kWh (with the odd very low one on a rainy day.)

My December target is 79kWh, so about 2.5kWh/day, but being so off south, the gen collapses due to low angle of the sun not 'seeing' the panels.

Quick play on PVGIS, selecting York (you mentioned living in the NE?) for 5.74kWp, gives an estimate of 5,200kWh pa and the lowest month is December at 153kWh, call it 5kWh/day. Quick warning though, the bottom months (Nov - Jan) can vary a lot, especially with grey weather, so something like 60% of target is possible. PV is the greater leveler, you get good and bad days, months and years, but it tends to average itself out. My 8yrs of results have performed between 99% and 106% of PVGIS target, though this year is doing much better, possibly 109% if there isn't a terrible 2nd half to the year. So, over time, it's pretty boring and predictable.

Thanks Martin - I have had a response from the company they have tried to get me in the 7k bracket so in have two quotes one with battery and one without 

first without this is what they are now suggestions 

Longi 350w black perk 350w x 14 and solar 3.6 Ktlm dual tracker 
this will cost 5167 

and another with a battery 

Longi 350w black perk 350w 
solar 3.6 Ktlm dual tracker 
sofar batter system & me300 x 3.5kwh  this will cost 7667

in your opinion what are my best options second from research are bobby basic materials 

So 6kwp for just over £5k is... ok, not great but not terrible imo. 
Worth noting that you will be using a 3.6kw inverter, so that's the most you will see... which is fine, keeps it legal,  just an FYI really.
£2.5k extra for a sofar me3000sp and 1 x 3.5kwh battery, seems rather expensive to me, plus the sofar will not be able to do 3kw of input or output with 1 x 3.5kwh battery, only perhaps 2kw.

The sofar is a decent system, I ran one for just over a year, but its older tech, its about 3-4 years old, vs  the lux system which is around the same price £700-800 ish, but is a better system, the tech being 1-2years old.

I find it a bit strange that they would offer a solar stand alone, then a battery standalone, rather than a hybrid inverter, that would do both solar and batteries, again a lux 5kw hybrid inverter would imo be a better fit, buying one inverter instead of 2

Doesn’t the Ktlm do both so I can charge from grid (cheap rates) and from solar 

A quick google says its a sofar inverter, nothing about hybrid,  so id say no

mrtaylor79

Solarchaser said:

mrtaylor79 said:

Solarchaser said:

mrtaylor79 said:

Martyn1981 said:

Hiya Petrix, the PV would be 5.74kWp, it's the battery that is 8.2kWh.

Mr Taylor, for SE orientation, you will see peak days, probably May - August where you generate around 7kWh/kWp so about 40kWh (rough estimate). My systems average about 20kWh per day in those months, with actual generation typically around 15-30kWh (with the odd very low one on a rainy day.)

My December target is 79kWh, so about 2.5kWh/day, but being so off south, the gen collapses due to low angle of the sun not 'seeing' the panels.

Quick play on PVGIS, selecting York (you mentioned living in the NE?) for 5.74kWp, gives an estimate of 5,200kWh pa and the lowest month is December at 153kWh, call it 5kWh/day. Quick warning though, the bottom months (Nov - Jan) can vary a lot, especially with grey weather, so something like 60% of target is possible. PV is the greater leveler, you get good and bad days, months and years, but it tends to average itself out. My 8yrs of results have performed between 99% and 106% of PVGIS target, though this year is doing much better, possibly 109% if there isn't a terrible 2nd half to the year. So, over time, it's pretty boring and predictable.

Thanks Martin - I have had a response from the company they have tried to get me in the 7k bracket so in have two quotes one with battery and one without 

first without this is what they are now suggestions 

Longi 350w black perk 350w x 14 and solar 3.6 Ktlm dual tracker 
this will cost 5167 

and another with a battery 

Longi 350w black perk 350w 
solar 3.6 Ktlm dual tracker 
sofar batter system & me300 x 3.5kwh  this will cost 7667

in your opinion what are my best options second from research are bobby basic materials 

So 6kwp for just over £5k is... ok, not great but not terrible imo. 
Worth noting that you will be using a 3.6kw inverter, so that's the most you will see... which is fine, keeps it legal,  just an FYI really.
£2.5k extra for a sofar me3000sp and 1 x 3.5kwh battery, seems rather expensive to me, plus the sofar will not be able to do 3kw of input or output with 1 x 3.5kwh battery, only perhaps 2kw.

The sofar is a decent system, I ran one for just over a year, but its older tech, its about 3-4 years old, vs  the lux system which is around the same price £700-800 ish, but is a better system, the tech being 1-2years old.

I find it a bit strange that they would offer a solar stand alone, then a battery standalone, rather than a hybrid inverter, that would do both solar and batteries, again a lux 5kw hybrid inverter would imo be a better fit, buying one inverter instead of 2

Doesn’t the Ktlm do both so I can charge from grid (cheap rates) and from solar 

A quick google says its a sofar inverter, nothing about hybrid,  so id say no

Interesting I’ve asked question if them specifically they basically said the hybrid is inverter with normal inverter to charge and discharge the battery where as Ktlm will allow solar and grid charging