Soldato
- Joined
- 21 Jul 2005
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- 20,932
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- Officially least sunny location -Ronskistats
19kwh today, was good till about 5pm.
Solar panels and battery - any real world reccomendations?
- Thread starter GinG
- Start date
Thanks - I agree. Seems a bit unreliable. I am looking at Geo Solar II monitor. Anyone used one of those? Thanks
Almost snap here in Cambridgeshire, 18.9 was going good until the end of the day. Waiting to see how the coming months are as it my first winter with these
If you have a smart meter you can use the loop app only shows 1/2 hour readings of usage but you do get access to the last years data which I’ve since copied for future planning
Man of Honour
- Joined
- 11 Dec 2002
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- 10,874
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- Darkest Norfolk
Might calm things down for a while at least! Hope she doesn't drop the zero rate tax any time soon though!
The loop app seems to work reasonably well, but doesn't let you put your actual rate charge in so its annoyingly alway off on the cost side of things
Still waiting on my G99 here before the install kicks off, annoyingly slow!
The loop app seems to work reasonably well, but doesn't let you put your actual rate charge in so its annoyingly alway off on the cost side of things
Still waiting on my G99 here before the install kicks off, annoyingly slow!
Think 0% VAT is for a number of years so you're safe.Might calm things down for a while at least! Hope she doesn't drop the zero rate tax any time soon though!
The loop app seems to work reasonably well, but doesn't let you put your actual rate charge in so its annoyingly alway off on the cost side of things
Still waiting on my G99 here before the install kicks off, annoyingly slow!
0% VAT rate made no difference to most new quotes, only those that were already agreed at the 5% rate. The rest just gone straight into the installers pockets, while they raise the price of equipment in line with demand.
At retail prices (inc VAT) you can buy 5kW+ of panels, 5kW GivEnergy HY 5.0kW inverter, GivEnergy 9.5kWh battery, all the mounting hardware, safety equipment, and other sundry items, down to the warning labels for £9.3k, take away the 20% VAT and that is £7.77k, yet somehow installers are quoting £14k for these size installs and smaller. Even if you take into account scaffold etc. they are still taking the pee, making easily £4-5k+ on a single day job for 2-3 people.
Man of Honour
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- 11 Dec 2002
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- 10,874
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- Darkest Norfolk
very true, but you know that 20% will go straight on as soon as its revoked...
It sounds like the energy price fix will be a government backed loan to the energy companies so (naturally) we're just spreading this peak out over the next X years, its just doing the usual thing of kicking the problem further down the road.
Yup exactly my predicament. Took your advice and looking to get things priced up separately. Even got my go to roofer coming to quote to get the pannels installed and he knows a good spark familiar with solar installs
Just need to source some kit, put a few queries in but guessing stock is hard to come by. Anyone have recommendations?
It's more of a case of ordering in advance these days, especially batteries, or if you want a very specific model of solar/panel or inverter. What exactly are you wanting to order, or do you not know yet?
Question.
Is a Voltage optimiser necessary/essential/worth it?
Just had the guys that fitted our install pop back for a check, and they were talking about possibly needing a voltage optimiser because our voltage is around 241, and ideally it should be 230?
It felt like a sales pitch, given that AFAIK the UK standard voltage is 240, and from what I recall of my basic physics (many years ago) it won't make much of an energy saving for most things because "energy" in electrics is watts (with volts being the push), so lowering the voltage won't affect the overal use? (IE if i'm boiling a kettle it'll still use the same amount of watts, but may take a little longer if the voltage is 230 rather than 240).
Also is 2k a good price for one fitted?
Is a Voltage optimiser necessary/essential/worth it?
Just had the guys that fitted our install pop back for a check, and they were talking about possibly needing a voltage optimiser because our voltage is around 241, and ideally it should be 230?
It felt like a sales pitch, given that AFAIK the UK standard voltage is 240, and from what I recall of my basic physics (many years ago) it won't make much of an energy saving for most things because "energy" in electrics is watts (with volts being the push), so lowering the voltage won't affect the overal use? (IE if i'm boiling a kettle it'll still use the same amount of watts, but may take a little longer if the voltage is 230 rather than 240).
Also is 2k a good price for one fitted?
Not really needed with solar to be honest. As the whole point is you are drawing less from the grid anyhow.
Do they work, yes to some extent they do as appliance can be designed to work with (what ever volts between 215-253) x the amperage that they will draw regardless of the voltage that they do not control. So you in effect use more power for things like routers/vacuums/TV's etc. more so with things that have PSU's that step the voltage back down again like PC etc. but as you pointed out things that create heat not so much, as they are usual aiming for a specific temperature and will cut off when that is reached.
Indeed. Sod that. If prices are frozen then with me watching what we use my energy bill will be fine. It was the January and April prices that made Solar seem super appealing to me. Those prices are looney and I would never have thought in a million years electricity would be getting close to £1 a kWh.
Can't say I've ever heard of a voltage optimiser. The way solar works is it will raise its voltage slightly above grid voltage, otherwise it just wouldn't flow, certainly not back out to the grid.
The allowed grid voltage is 216.2 to 253v, I've on occasion had peaks at just over 253 in the middle of the night when demand is low, on two occasions UK Power Networks actually changed the tap point on the transformer. They have to routinely do this for summer/winter.
The allowed grid voltage is 216.2 to 253v, I've on occasion had peaks at just over 253 in the middle of the night when demand is low, on two occasions UK Power Networks actually changed the tap point on the transformer. They have to routinely do this for summer/winter.
Had a letter today from Hampshire County Council regarding solar install through a buying scheme called Solar Together, will register interest to see what they can offer.
Can anyone recommend a solar installer for Hampshire that I can get other quotes from to make comparisons, thanks.
Can anyone recommend a solar installer for Hampshire that I can get other quotes from to make comparisons, thanks.
Deleted User 298457
Deleted User 298457
Had the same note but for a council much further away. I've signed up just to entertain the process. Not holding my breath!
Known a few people who went down this route, normally to win the contracts they use sub par stock as it’s lower priced and also some companies that have won these use subbbies so quality of install and experience of using them differs wildly.
Were useless from what I found, even more so now you can't get parts for love nor money.