Solar panels and battery - any real world reccomendations?

[HungryHippos]

Octopus have just billed £669 for 24 days electric in September No idea what's gone on there, need to login tonight and look at the statement

That works out at £10k a year, we've used on average just over 10kWh a day, so about £70.

Seems they've used an about reading from March

I expect they've agreed this with your old supplier somewhere and it's gone very wrong.

Normally old supplier closing + new supplier opening should be the same.

That's how I got a free Mwh of electric when I got forcibly moved from Utility Point to EDF, the closing statement on UP was 1Mwh less than the opening statement on EDF. Bank error in my favour in real life!

 

[HungryHippos]

Hmm, maybe I could get it then. I've got solar, but I'm not getting export payments.

Although getting the rest of the family to cut electric use at peak times isn't going happen unless I'm running the house on a battery during those times.

If you're on Go or similar you have to move to the regular SEG one, there is a form on this link: https://octopus.energy/help-and-faqs/articles/seg-tariff/ in the middle, I just filled that in and they did it fairly quick.

You'll need some details, including current export reading (I did ask if they can see it from smart meter, apparently not). I got MCS cert and DNO stuff from installer.

 

[Ron-ski]

Some how they got the wrong opening reading, it was roughly 2000kwh less, and would have been from March, not sure where it came from, I did have an email saying the opening reading differed from mine, it was 37244, where as mine was 39179, unfortunately I failed to notice the 7 instead of a 9. Just phoned Octopus and they are going to dispute it with whoever supplies the readings. Needed to phone them anyway as my smart meters still not working.

I switched to Build a little while back and they got the correct readings.

 

[HungryHippos]

Should be from Bulb they agree it with. I supplied an opening set anyway just in case when I moved over.

SMETS2 should pick up and work pretty quick, it's weird because they managed to get my ancient barely working SMETS1 meters functional!

 

[Ron-ski]

Bulb shows my estimated reading for 6 September as 39454, which is a bit more than the actual reading for that day, it'll get sorted out eventually. As for my SMETS1 meters they stopped working in July.

 

[94JDH]

Should be from Bulb they agree it with. I supplied an opening set anyway just in case when I moved over.

SMETS2 should pick up and work pretty quick, it's weird because they managed to get my ancient barely working SMETS1 meters functional!

Not always the case, my smart meter didn't start working until about 10 weeks with Octopus from EDF - apparently it's about 30 or so hoops to jump through, some happen quicker than others and can depend on the previous supplier

 

[BUDFORCE]

13kwh today on a 4.5kw system, other than the odd break in th sun been a nice day.

 

[gpuerrilla]

Was going great until about midday here then it was sporadic. 11.3kWh will take it over them dank sub 5 days all the time!

 

[Ron-ski]

15.9kWh on 4kw system, perfect sunny day today, Thursday was the same, but 16.25kWh.

 

[katie279]

24.75kwh today and I wasn't even home - money pouring back to the grid! Was flatlining the battery by 11am

 

[iwrox]

October has had its ups and downs very much like September for me so far with some rubbish days followed by amazing ones

 

[Northwarks]

October has had its ups and downs very much like September for me so far with some rubbish days followed by amazing ones

Hi - what kind of set up have you got ?

 

[chris.tarry85]

Finally managed to get a quote after trying at least half a dozen companies, but have not idea how competitive this is?

https://imgur.com/a/9oXpGLa
A bit worried that with everyone being so busy companies can almost quote what they like!

 

[Hawk Tuah]

£2700 for electrical installation ?!?!?

I'm in the wrong job.

 

[Tavis75]

Finally managed to get a quote after trying at least half a dozen companies, but have not idea how competitive this is?

https://imgur.com/a/9oXpGLa
A bit worried that with everyone being so busy companies can almost quote what they like!

I paid about £1,000 less in July for a 14 panel (5.4Kw) system, with a 5Kw inverter, plus an 8.2KWh battery with its own 3Kw inverter, plus EPS and bird mesh (at £200 each). Looks like two sets of charges for sorting out the electrics, totalling nearly £4k, which seems excessive. I didn't have scaffolding for my install though, so that saved about £900 from your price, but still, seems a lot. As you say though, think it's getting to the point where they can charge what they like.

 

[Tavis75]

£2700 for electrical installation ?!?!?

I'm in the wrong job.

£2,700 for Electrical installation and £1,150 for "Electrical & Balance of system components"! My install was two electricians for about 3/4 of a day (but let's call it a whole day to allow for travel) still seems a nice little earner!

 

[OldKitMan]

Finally managed to get a quote after trying at least half a dozen companies, but have not idea how competitive this is?

https://imgur.com/a/9oXpGLa
A bit worried that with everyone being so busy companies can almost quote what they like!

Is that 10k for a 4kWp setup with NO batteries. If so, that's double what it should cost.

 

[Ron-ski]

It's a 3kW Solaredge inverter, with 4kW of panels, and no optimisers listed. Very expensive.

 

[chris.tarry85]

Thanks, glad I asked!
When I started looking for quotes I had about 10k in mind including a battery - so this is indeed very high.

 

[Journey]

A bit worried that with everyone being so busy companies can almost quote what they like!

Have to laugh, £827.59 + £2,703.45 + £496.55 + £89.96 for labour and admin/MCS, and they tack on £275.86 for delivery, what are they delivering a tank? That's £4,400, enough to have an entire 4kW system installed at the start of the year. I'd say it's a total and utter rip off.