Solar panels and battery - any real world reccomendations?
- Thread starter GinG
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Soldato
£12.7K for 9.5kWh battery with 18 panels just quoted in the last page or two:
Solar panels and battery - any real world reccomendations?
Strange thing about my eco7 SMET2 meter is you can still hear it click at 00.30 and again at 7.30 like there is a physical switch being switched on/off
forums.overclockers.co.uk
That is an extra £1K for another 13 panels, which makes that price from Octopus look non-competitive.
5 panels is a very low number to install though, at 400W you'd only have a 2kW system. Can't add more?
Associate
Definitely not worth it for 5 panels.
and then jumped from 79% to 100% just now, so have whacked on the pyrolytic oven to burn some electrons rather than exporting!
Soldato
I think I could squeeze up to 8, the panels are 1.7x1.1m. What would you expect the price for this to be? Assuming the largest battery? I’ll likely top it up on the overnight cheap rates.£12.7K for 9.5kWh battery with 18 panels just quoted in the last page or two:
Solar panels and battery - any real world reccomendations?
Strange thing about my eco7 SMET2 meter is you can still hear it click at 00.30 and again at 7.30 like there is a physical switch being switched on/off
That is an extra £1K for another 13 panels, which makes that price from Octopus look non-competitive.
5 panels is a very low number to install though, at 400W you'd only have a 2kW system. Can't add more?
My concern also. Payback is going to be 10 years I guess which is very long.
Soldato
Bigger battery pairs better with more panels of course.
If you're going to the effort of getting onto the roof to add panels, I would reasonably add as many as you can, up to 4kWp you get the best value imo, for most home users.
Beyond that the extra panels help heavy users more, winter generation, or those looking to export excess they can't use for some kind of payback
If 8 panels goes, I would get quotes along those lines. Can always go back to Octopus and use the quote I showed, say a friend got that, can they improve on it?
Is there a way to Heath Robinson my own solar setup? I have an easy to access, south facing 'shed' with a 13 x 2m roof. I know I'll need to get structural surveying done on the structure, but assuming it is a go-er -> do I need to pay the crazy prices for fitting that the local firms seem to be charging?
Soldato
That's what I've done.
Modern panels are a lot lighter than you'd expect.
Modern panels are a lot lighter than you'd expect.
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Soldato
It depends really.
There are limits and most people self installing will go beyond them, but if your happy with that then proceed with caution.
Firstly its DC and not nice potentially in current so ensure you understand that.
If your going off grid then its pretty easy to get round the limitations.
If on grid then technically you shouldn't perform those electrical works since your adding an outside circuit.
Again thats pretty overkill but its to stop idiots killing themselves or the next person to take on their house.
You should notify the council since you cannot self certify and also you need to inform the local grid DNO.
Nothing seems particularly complicated if your electrically minded and you can certainly piggy back off other peoples schematics etc.
Lastly there is the house insurance angle. As its on an outbuilding I wouldn't worry, but I have a suspicion at some point they are going to start to want to price the risks fairly.
Risk of flying debris should something fail (public liability), risk of fire from short circuit for example. There is no specific reason they should be any higher from a competent DIY install, but a dodgy DIY install introduces lots of potential risks for them, and you potentially.
There are limits and most people self installing will go beyond them, but if your happy with that then proceed with caution.
Firstly its DC and not nice potentially in current so ensure you understand that.
If your going off grid then its pretty easy to get round the limitations.
If on grid then technically you shouldn't perform those electrical works since your adding an outside circuit.
Again thats pretty overkill but its to stop idiots killing themselves or the next person to take on their house.
You should notify the council since you cannot self certify and also you need to inform the local grid DNO.
Nothing seems particularly complicated if your electrically minded and you can certainly piggy back off other peoples schematics etc.
Lastly there is the house insurance angle. As its on an outbuilding I wouldn't worry, but I have a suspicion at some point they are going to start to want to price the risks fairly.
Risk of flying debris should something fail (public liability), risk of fire from short circuit for example. There is no specific reason they should be any higher from a competent DIY install, but a dodgy DIY install introduces lots of potential risks for them, and you potentially.
Soldato
Octopus Flux
The UK's most awarded energy supplier. We're doing energy better - for you and the environment.
octopus.energy
Octopus Flux
The UK's most awarded energy supplier. We're doing energy better - for you and the environment.
Need to do some calculations but not sure whether it's worth it over octopus go with having an ev. Potentially a money spinner for those with larger batteries
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Soldato
Has anyone seen Givenergy has a new battery coming? All in one 13.5k/w which for us is the perfect size. Hopefully out in the next month or so. Full UPS built within too.
I’m looking at combining it with a circa 6kw solar set up.
I’m looking at combining it with a circa 6kw solar set up.
Associate
Ooooh, this looks really good.Octopus Flux
The UK's most awarded energy supplier. We're doing energy better - for you and the environment.
Soldato
My gut feeling is that in winter 3 hours isn't long enough, really need minimum of 4 like on Go for the battery charge.
Could live with the rest though.
Could live with the rest though.
So out in 2 years...
Flux looks interesting as others have said if you've got a big storage could make some good money, but reckon agile is probably just as good if you can dump to grid at certain times.
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Its basically a Tesla power wall competitor. From what I understand it is AC coupled so you'll need a separate inverter for your solar.
Soldato
GE new thing could be some $$$ vs the regular 9.5kWh.
Looks like the Tesla Energy Plan is being pulled which is a big negative for those who bought it to use it.
Looks like the Tesla Energy Plan is being pulled which is a big negative for those who bought it to use it.
Associate
I guess it depends on how many batteries you have? One 5kWh battery should charge in 3 hours right?
Depends on the inverter I think, but even with a typical one I can't see why not.
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Soldato
Varies person to person but inverter cap on my end is 2.6kW max charge and the battery I have is 8.2kWh, this won't fit into the window at 3 hours.
In dark cold winter I'll run out at peak time.