Solar panels and battery - any real world reccomendations?

[upnorth]

I’m still considering my options - hurting my head trying to calculate a payback time! My biggest problem is that at the height of summer we could be producing more than we’d ever need. During daylight hours we typically use 0.4kw/h. Heavy stuff like washing etc are done during Octopus Go cheap rate. We don’t have stored hot water so can’t divert excess there and my car charger isn’t solar friendly so even after charging a storage battery there could still be a lot being exported to the grid.

 

[Ron-ski]

I don't tend to mess with things like this installed by a pro, if something goes wrong it just gives them an out

Mine was quite tricky to do, as I didn't want to drill the panels (that would void the warranty) so had to use existing holes to cable tie plastic mesh on. I also used bird spikes in some places which are bonded to the tiles.

 

[Journey]

I’m still considering my options - hurting my head trying to calculate a payback time!

If you are doing that as it is a big expense you'd prefer not to have, then fair enough, otherwise I'd honestly not look at the figures since you can't guess electricity prices over the lifetime of the system. I'd just look at how much energy you can make use/store and use later, then decide if it is worth it based on current prices and savings you'll see straight away. Solar/Battery is only going to add value going forward to a property, where as before many people hadn't even thought of it, and energy was so cheap they though it was a gimmick or pointless.

 

[BUDFORCE]

Finally replaced my inverter, after 3 weeks we are up and running again.

 

[Journey]

Finally replaced my inverter, after 3 weeks we are up and running again.

Have you asked for a failure report once they have it back and looked at? You can check your panel output properly now as well, as it looks like it will be hot and sunny most of next week.

 

[BUDFORCE]

Have you asked for a failure report once they have it back and looked at? You can check your panel output properly now as well, as it looks like it will be hot and sunny most of next week.

It's already hit 4.09kw today so looking good. I doubt I'll get a failure report, I think it just died, faulty inverter.

The installers said they are going to reimburse us for lost generation based on some estimate, we'll see......

 

[redfist]

Random question, we are still waiting for our mcs cert, so all the power we’ve not used has gone back to the grid. Who profits from it? It’s only 300kwh for 18 days at the moment but someone’s make high gains with the daily installs happening now

 

[upnorth]

Random question, we are still waiting for our mcs cert, so all the power we’ve not used has gone back to the grid. Who profits from it? It’s only 300kwh for 18 days at the moment but someone’s make high gains with the daily installs happening now

I don’t know the answer to your question. But 300kw/h in 18 days? That’s a lot isn’t it? Would cost close to £140 to import that.

 

[Journey]

I don’t know the answer to your question. But 300kw/h in 18 days? That’s a lot isn’t it? Would cost close to £140 to import that.

It's only £23 at the best fixed SEG rate of 7.5p though. Also in moths when you are generating close to 1MWh its not unusual to export that amount.

 

[redfist]

Not fussed to much on how much money we’ve lost but Shirley theres a reason no ones spoken up about the lag between installing and receiving payments. I think once I apply it’s about 5 weeks before any seg payments start being counted and with installers being booked up for the next few months it must come to a astronomical amount of power not being paid for

 

[Mercenary Keyboard Warrior]

Thoughts fellas:

Equipment Costs
14x JA Solar 390 Black Frame solar panel £1,996.40
SolaX X1 High Voltage Hybrid 5.0T inverter £1,219.20
**NET** Emlite Bi-directional Meter ECA2.nv £65.73
Label sheet £1.99
Solax Meter Chint / Eastron SDM 230-Modbus £63.25
2x AC isolator - KN Newbury 20A 4-pole £28.47
SolaX Triple 5.8kWh LFP Battery (Master Console) £2,415.00
SolaX Triple 5.8kWh LFP Battery (Slave Console) £2,052.75
2x IMO DC isolator 16A 2p 1string £49.63
4x Pair of MC4 connectors £8.92
50m reel of 4mm2 solar cable £45.54
8x Renusol end clamp (black) £19.87
24x Renusol mid clamp (black) £47.47
8x Renusol end cap (black) £5.43
32x Renusol portrait concrete tile roof hook £301.39
8x Renusol rail splice £29.72
10x Renusol rail 3.3m silver £169.05
iBoost - Immersion Control Device £363.00
Total equipment cost £8,882.83

Services Costs
Design and Installation of Solar PV £2,433.81
Design and Installation of Battery Storage £750.00
MCS Certifcate £35.00
Structural Survey Certifcate £95.00

Scaffolding £0.00
Electrical Installation Certifcate £25.00
Independent Warranty - 10 Years £112.00
Wif Monitoring Not Included in Workmanship Guarantee £0.00
Total services cost £3,450.81

Totals

Total before tax £12,333.64
VAT at 0% £0.00
Total including tax £12,333.64

Ive got another quote just over £15k for slightly more panels (but quote above on survey said it was dubious if they would fit safely), but a slightly lower battery (9.x givenergy)

The top doesn't seem that bad bearing in mind recent quotes on here. Ive got a query on the batteries as they state working temp 0-50 and they will be outside. Waiting a reply on that, ie cold winter night would they refuse to charge
No scaff charge as they use another system which is included in the design and install costs.

 

[Mercenary Keyboard Warrior]

Not fussed to much on how much money we’ve lost but Shirley theres a reason no ones spoken up about the lag between installing and receiving payments. I think once I apply it’s about 5 weeks before any seg payments start being counted and with installers being booked up for the next few months it must come to a astronomical amount of power not being paid for

Im guessing it just vanishes into the same pot that stolen units etc disappear into

 

[BUDFORCE]

Thoughts fellas:

Equipment Costs
14x JA Solar 390 Black Frame solar panel £1,996.40
SolaX X1 High Voltage Hybrid 5.0T inverter £1,219.20
**NET** Emlite Bi-directional Meter ECA2.nv £65.73
Label sheet £1.99
Solax Meter Chint / Eastron SDM 230-Modbus £63.25
2x AC isolator - KN Newbury 20A 4-pole £28.47
SolaX Triple 5.8kWh LFP Battery (Master Console) £2,415.00
SolaX Triple 5.8kWh LFP Battery (Slave Console) £2,052.75
2x IMO DC isolator 16A 2p 1string £49.63
4x Pair of MC4 connectors £8.92
50m reel of 4mm2 solar cable £45.54
8x Renusol end clamp (black) £19.87
24x Renusol mid clamp (black) £47.47
8x Renusol end cap (black) £5.43
32x Renusol portrait concrete tile roof hook £301.39
8x Renusol rail splice £29.72
10x Renusol rail 3.3m silver £169.05
iBoost - Immersion Control Device £363.00
Total equipment cost £8,882.83

Services Costs
Design and Installation of Solar PV £2,433.81
Design and Installation of Battery Storage £750.00
MCS Certifcate £35.00
Structural Survey Certifcate £95.00

Scaffolding £0.00
Electrical Installation Certifcate £25.00
Independent Warranty - 10 Years £112.00
Wif Monitoring Not Included in Workmanship Guarantee £0.00
Total services cost £3,450.81

Totals

Total before tax £12,333.64
VAT at 0% £0.00
Total including tax £12,333.64

Ive got another quote just over £15k for slightly more panels (but quote above on survey said it was dubious if they would fit safely), but a slightly lower battery (9.x givenergy)

The top doesn't seem that bad bearing in mind recent quotes on here. Ive got a query on the batteries as they state working temp 0-50 and they will be outside. Waiting a reply on that, ie cold winter night would they refuse to charge
No scaff charge as they use another system which is included in the design and install costs.

Sorry, meant to post looks about the going rate. Should be a good system.

 

[BUDFORCE]

Panels hit 4.32kw in the end today, so on a 4.5kw system satisfied they are working properly.

Fingers cross this inverter lasts longer than 7 days ......

 

[Bug One]

Last week I hit a peak of 3.8kw. Was on a mostly colder / cloudy day with brief patches of clear sky - so the panels were comparatively cold. But 3.8kw - was pretty impressive on 10 x 390w panels. I'm usually around 3kw at midday on a sunny day.

PS - yes I did snap a picture of it.

 

[SoliD]

It's already hit 4.09kw today so looking good. I doubt I'll get a failure report, I think it just died, faulty inverter.

The installers said they are going to reimburse us for lost generation based on some estimate, we'll see......

Good to hear, fingers crossed on the lost generation stuff, can't imagine it'll be a lot but better than nothing.

 

[Harnser]

Thoughts fellas:

Equipment Costs
14x JA Solar 390 Black Frame solar panel £1,996.40
SolaX X1 High Voltage Hybrid 5.0T inverter £1,219.20
[snip]
Total equipment cost £8,882.83

Services Costs
Design and Installation of Solar PV £2,433.81
Design and Installation of Battery Storage £750.00
MCS Certifcate £35.00
Structural Survey Certifcate £95.00

Scaffolding £0.00
Electrical Installation Certifcate £25.00
Independent Warranty - 10 Years £112.00
Wif Monitoring Not Included in Workmanship Guarantee £0.00
Total services cost £3,450.81

I'm impressed how this installer has broken down the costs and is being transparent about it. I've not seen that much detail before

 

[gpuerrilla]

Agree, seems very reasonable.

 

[Mercenary Keyboard Warrior]

Thanks all, think I am almost set to go with them
Its a very detailed pack they supplied considering they surveyed yesterday mid afternoon!

 

[Journey]

Thanks all, think I am almost set to go with them
Its a very detailed pack they supplied considering they surveyed yesterday mid afternoon!

They just used the wholesale builder tool, its pretty much all automated for them. I've used Pylon to design a few systems which is much more involved, and provides a lot more data, and allows you to provide much more data to the client.