Solar Panel Installations

zharrt

Late to the boat, but has anyone installed solar panels recently?

Really not into anything DIY and the most basic googlefu points to the likes of EON and other big energy companies or the old "rent-a-roof" scheme.

Any pointers when it comes to the types of panels, if I need a battery etc, good companies to recommend or avoid?

QrizB

This gets discussed frequently on the "Green and Ethical" forum. I'll ask the mods to move your thread over to there.

MSE_ForumTeam5

Moved as suggested

ABrass

Get three quotes

Go big, it's better value for money.

For small systems (up to 4kW) aim for £1.5 per W or less. A good price is £1 per W.

For large systems aim for less than £1 a W.

Batteries are nice but borderline on value for money. Smaller batteries are more expensive but also have the better repayment potential.

I got my system installed about a month ago. There's a steady flow of people getting them installed here.

Screwdriva

I always recommend Sharp, Hyundai or Solarwatt panels.  SolarEdge Inverter + Optimizer combo for a company with some semblance of customer service. Skip the battery and sell your excess energy to the grid via Octopus instead 

Exiled_Tyke

I'd only ever pay the extra for SolarEdge if it's necessary.  And I've had terrible customer service from them with them arguing that a failed optimiser couldn't possibly be their component at fault.  I had to go through the cost and hassle of changing a panel before they accepted that it was the optimiser.  Which of course they replaced but never compensated for all the unnecessary costs.  I lost about 4 months' production from the panel in question and all the respect I once had for SolarEdge. 

ABrass

Unless you have shading the return on optimisers is awful. They let you see detailed panel level performance and make fault finding and fixing easier, but when I looked they would have added about a grand to my costs and given virtually no benefit.

Screwdriva

Exiled_Tyke said:

I'd only ever pay the extra for SolarEdge if it's necessary.  And I've had terrible customer service from them with them arguing that a failed optimiser couldn't possibly be their component at fault.  I had to go through the cost and hassle of changing a panel before they accepted that it was the optimiser.  Which of course they replaced but never compensated for all the unnecessary costs.  I lost about 4 months' production from the panel in question and all the respect I once had for SolarEdge. 

We are currently replacing a failed (one day old) HD Wave inverter, part of a close family member's installation. SolarEdge insisted that our installer video calls them while they tested each and every panel/ optimizer, before agreeing to replace the inverter under warranty!! Far from ideal or convenient, especially for the installer, but atleast a warranty replacement was sorted. 

I have heard horror stories about some of the cheaper Chinese brand's outright refusal to honour warranty claims, which is why I'm grateful for the support we did receive. I suppose it's a glass half empty/full.

silverwhistle

There do appear to be some horror stories around: the dodgy double glazing salesmen have moved in a bit.

An aquaintance of mine had an inverter fail after 10ish years installed. She was quoted around £4 for a new one! Hang on, I cried, knowing that this was absurd, did a bit of research and presented her with a link for a proper priced job at around 20% of what she had been quoted..

If I find the company name of the rip-off merchants I'll quote it here.

Officer_Dibble

You found one for 80p? Bargain!