Considering solar PV installation

Coastalwatch

gm624 said:

Yes, one of the companies included an iBoost in the quote, but it's pretty clear that (post-FIT) it makes neither financial nor environmental sense, as long as the SEG price is higher than the cost of gas, and the grid relies on fossil fuels.

Fossil fuel contribution to the grid is deminishing on an annual basis and is now below 40%  so choosing electricity over gas is environmentally sound if not quite so economically.

We are being encouraged to work towards a cleaner future and I notice you are planning to purchase an EV so you are certainly making great strides that respect.

Personally we also subscribe for a renewable energy supply and have decommisioned all gas appliances, so burn no FF's at all.

But that's just us doiing our bit in trying to leave the planet fit for those who follow us to live in. Wouldn't it be great if we could all work together towards a common goal in this respect.  

Solarchaser

Petriix said:

My very cheap Growatt inverter has a 10 year warranty, although I've heard anecdotal reports that their customer service is a bit lacking.

If you have mains gas then an Iboost will actually cost you money so, thrown in or otherwise, I wouldn't recommend one on a post FIT installation. I'm not sure why people keep recommending them.

I had direct experience of their service last year, woeful about covers it.

Absolutely a holes is really closer to the mark though

Hexane

JKenH said:

Hexane said:

JKenH said:

so if you are thinking about Solar Edge I would say do it as if you don’t you’ll always wish you had. 

I think if the cash for it is available and the long-term cost effectiveness/payback time is not a major priority, then this is good advice. On the other hand, after nearly 2 years with my system, I'm not at all wishing I had gone for a SolarEdge system.

(I have two very dissimilar strings, so maybe it's a case of ignorance is bliss and one of my panels is underperforming without me knowing about it - but there almost always seems to be plenty of power.)

Apologies for taking the thread off course but was just wondering about your set up.  Presumably you have the two roofs on different strings of one inverter. What size is your inverter? I have wondered if my system would work better with just a single inverter.

The inverter is 6kW, yes two strings each of which is for one roof. A long time ago I looked at the Solis data on the amperage and voltage and watt output of each string (not sure if their website still provides this) but couldn't deduce much from it other than identifying which string was which roof. Whether a single inverter would be better I don't know. Cheaper perhaps? Simpler for the installer? But a single point of failure of course.

gm624

So I've gone with company 3, paid a deposit, and they are now applying to the DNO on my behalf for a 7.9kWp system (decided to remove one panel that was not optimally placed). They agreed to include a 25-year guarantee on the inverter for no extra charge. So now awaiting the DNO decision, and will then be ready to go with the installation. Would be nice to have it done before Christmas but I suspect it may be early in the new year.

Solarchaser

I dont wanna be a negative Nancy here. But....
My install company included an extra 5 years on top of the 5 years standard inverter warranty.

Lucky for me, the inverter died about 3 months before the initial 5 years ran out, because when I said to the manufacturer that I had a sheet of paper guaranteeing an extra 5 years, he told me to bin it, it was worth nothing.... and obviously the installing company was collapsed pretty soon after my install.

So I guess I'm saying maybe confirm with the inverter manufacturer about that extended guarantee 

Martyn1981

Solarchaser said:

I dont wanna be a negative Nancy here. But....
My install company included an extra 5 years on top of the 5 years standard inverter warranty.

Lucky for me, the inverter died about 3 months before the initial 5 years ran out, because when I said to the manufacturer that I had a sheet of paper guaranteeing an extra 5 years, he told me to bin it, it was worth nothing.... and obviously the installing company was collapsed pretty soon after my install.

So I guess I'm saying maybe confirm with the inverter manufacturer about that extended guarantee 

That's a good point, definitely worth checking it's a manufacturer extended warranty, not installer, but I'm going to guess here that the warranty/warranty extension is from Solaredge, as the cost of extending from 12yrs to 20yrs is really good value, and often thrown in by the installer, I think the retail cost is only £100-£200 depending on model (from memory), and the 25yr extension is around £200-£300, and installers may get it for less as a way to encourage them to use Solaredge kit.

But more importantly 2.54am!!!!!!!!

gm624

Thank you both.  I believe it is the Solaredge warranty - was offered to me as an option for c.£300+VAT, and they agreed to include it at no extra cost. But I will double-check.

Exiled_Tyke

Just to poor some cold water on the SolarEdge issue.  I had to go down this route because of my configuration. The only problem I've had is with a failed optimiser.  SoarEdge were awful. They were adamant that it wasn't the optimiser, so I had to get a panel replaced. Only when this didn't solve the problem did they relent and agree to send a new optimiser but only after the old one was sent back.  So all in all I had three call-outs from the installer and nearly six months with a panel down.  I know these issues are rare but they do happen. If SE had handled it better I would recommend them but not now. 

Solarchaser

Martyn1981 said:

Solarchaser said:

I dont wanna be a negative Nancy here. But....
My install company included an extra 5 years on top of the 5 years standard inverter warranty.

Lucky for me, the inverter died about 3 months before the initial 5 years ran out, because when I said to the manufacturer that I had a sheet of paper guaranteeing an extra 5 years, he told me to bin it, it was worth nothing.... and obviously the installing company was collapsed pretty soon after my install.

So I guess I'm saying maybe confirm with the inverter manufacturer about that extended guarantee 

That's a good point, definitely worth checking it's a manufacturer extended warranty, not installer, but I'm going to guess here that the warranty/warranty extension is from Solaredge, as the cost of extending from 12yrs to 20yrs is really good value, and often thrown in by the installer, I think the retail cost is only £100-£200 depending on model (from memory), and the 25yr extension is around £200-£300, and installers may get it for less as a way to encourage them to use Solaredge kit.

But more importantly 2.54am!!!!!!!!

Oh yeah, mine was a Manufacturer extended warranty, with my serial number printed on the glossy a4 sheet, with the Manufacturer emblem etc.
Bloody con men!

And what can I say, its a Friday night, just in from pub.... oh no thats right, pubs are shut, meh I'm a night owl

Dave_Fowler

Exiled_Tyke said:

Just to poor some cold water on the SolarEdge issue.  I had to go down this route because of my configuration. The only problem I've had is with a failed optimiser.  SoarEdge were awful. They were adamant that it wasn't the optimiser, so I had to get a panel replaced. Only when this didn't solve the problem did they relent and agree to send a new optimiser but only after the old one was sent back.  So all in all I had three call-outs from the installer and nearly six months with a panel down.  I know these issues are rare but they do happen. If SE had handled it better I would recommend them but not now. 

I had a much better experience with SolarEdge. When an optimiser failed, they initially said they couldn't prove it was the optimiser, but after a few emails back and forth, they sent me a new one. I fitted it myself (single storey building) and everything worked. They did not want the old one returned. I opened it up and found that water had got into it.
Dave F