Solar panels and battery - any real world reccomendations?

FNG said:
Got my install yesterday. It is a relatively small 10 panel system, split over 2 roofs, with a 6kw battery (2 x 3). Despite doing as much research as a I could and picking a local company that has been in business a long time I still have some misgivings as to how they fixed the rails (it is a slate roof). They screwed on brackets to the rafters (through the slate) then used a lead replacement product to slide in under the slate above and wrap over the bracket. I wanted them to remove slates and attach directly to the wood, then reslate around it, but they said they do all of their slate roofs like this and it meets code. I guess it is better than just siliconing the holes, which I have heard of people doing. I will just have to keep an eye and get it done properly if I have any leaks. Other than that the team were great, really hard working. It cost just over 11k for 10 panels, optimisers and the battery, with a 5kw hybrid inverter. It needed 2 lots of scaffolding. It is all solarx gear, with pearlite 415w panels.
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Was just watching this video and thought of you.
 
HungryHippos said:
It's time to put on your Karen hat I reckon.
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Yeah I'm in full Karen mode !

Mercenary Keyboard Warrior said:
Put in a complaint and ask for a reduction to match your value of you holiday.
They will probably say no but push for a while and you may secure some discount.

Twitter is probably a good place to start.
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They have ignored Twitter despite the politeness, I've got a formal complaint lodged for a number of issues including the bodge of an install, they did say a missed appointment does qualify for compensation. I've also mailed the CEO (knowing he will never ever see it)

Ron-ski said:
Which DNO is it?

I'm with UKPN and got 6 months to 'accept' the 'acceptance', I nearly missed the fact that I had to accept it, and accepted it on the final day, then I had 12 months to install the system, once commissioned its 30 days to notify them.
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WPD is my DNO, just a shambles really, went down the E.ON route as a know a few folks that had awful experiences with sub-standard installations and in one case they took his cash and went bust. A colleague had his done with E.ON in Nottinghamshire and was over the moon with everything so that sealed it for me. What I've ended up with is the same if not worse by going to a big brand, the fact it was contracted out I can except as that's just the way things are, but for it to be then further sub-contacted to what has been the lowest bidder who want things done at speed, with statements like "the 18 panels will only take us 3hrs to fit, kicking the tiles breaks the nails so its a quick install" .... fills me with dread tbh.
 
Ron-ski said:
Was just watching this video and thought of you.
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At least mine went into the rafters :D. I may have some issues in a few years, but for now everything is fine, no leaks and no movement even in high winds. I have all the certification, which shows what that is worth! Once I have issues I can just get decent roofers to refit the brackets properly; all the electrics are done well so there is that at least!
 
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Exactly. Everything is fixible, I feel very fortunate to be in a position financially where it is not a huge worry. I also feel I did all I could to pick a decent company; at least they didn't take the money and run. I just didn't realise the extent to which solar companies typically use sub contractors.
 
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FNG said:
Exactly. Everything is fixible, I feel very fortunate to be in a position financially where it is not a huge worry. I also feel I did all I could to pick a decent company; at least they didn't take the money and run. I just didn't realise the extent to which solar companies typically use sub contractors.
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and in my case for them to then sub-contract again ..
 
So the givenergy gen 2 inverters seem to be available now. I wonder if it's worth the upgrade? The reason I wonder is that I've got the Solis inverter and the Givenergy coupled inverter. I think the gen 2 would mean I could get rid of the 2 and have 1 unit instead? I could also resel the other 2 units and probably end up being very little price differential.
 
Dunk05 said:
Is this the right thread for output graphs? Assuming it's visible, SSE facing 5.3kW array, Growatt SPH3600, 30.1kWh today. Check out that dropoff when the sun get's round the corner. Running the oven at teatime really needs another 6 panels on the back of the house. :D Batteries coping for now.
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No, not really, the production figure thread is for production figures.

Too many of us scoundrels posting stats here so we got forced to relocate!
 
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Just here to say goodbye to this thread! After the fiasco I had with the first installation company, I got a quote from another one which was a lot more professional I have to say. Unfortunately they want £16k for 6.5kw of panels and a 9.5kwh battery system. £10k for all the kit which I thought wasn't too bad and £6k install fee which I thought was a tad ott.

I did some more sums and it doesn’t make any financial sense to get solar even more so that electricity prices will come down over the next few months.

So I’m out!
 
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Bluecube said:
Just here to say goodbye to this thread! After the fiasco I had with the first installation company, I got a quote from another one which was a lot more professional I have to say. Unfortunately they want £16k for 6.5kw of panels and a 9.5kwh battery system. £10k for all the kit which I thought wasn't too bad and £6k install fee which I thought was a tad ott.

I did some more sums and it doesn’t make any financial sense to get solar even more so that electricity prices will come down over the next few months.

So I’m out!
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have you factored in selling the excess energy you make, back to the grid???
 
£16K for that is a bit steep I think, I'd expect more like £12-13k for that at current sort of prices.

Utility prices indeed look to be coming down, but I think they'll be higher than we're used to for a while.

Happy with my system and potential ROI timescales given I paid £8.5K for 4.8kW panels and 8.2kWh battery, a much more palatable sum.
 
Bluecube said:
Just here to say goodbye to this thread! After the fiasco I had with the first installation company, I got a quote from another one which was a lot more professional I have to say. Unfortunately they want £16k for 6.5kw of panels and a 9.5kwh battery system. £10k for all the kit which I thought wasn't too bad and £6k install fee which I thought was a tad ott.

I did some more sums and it doesn’t make any financial sense to get solar even more so that electricity prices will come down over the next few months.

So I’m out!
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I had exactly the same issue. The first company(Effective Home) messed me about repeatedly so I cancelled the install. I went with Contact Solar in the end who charged quite a bit more but they were soooo much more professional. I now have solar panels up and scaffolding is coming down as I type this, according to schedule. OpenSolar forecasts that my 6.9kW of panels and 10.6kWh of batteries will have paid for themselves in just over 8 years once I am on Octopus Flux. Obviously energy prices are likely to fall so this will take longer but even if they halved(unlikely) it would be 16 years.
 
Welshman said:
my system is only small at 3.2kwh an no battery @5k......but its saving me money and sending a bit back to the grid and its clean energy
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Everyone has different use cases, prices paid for the kit, prices paid for install, etc. While I’ve no doubt it makes sense for others such as yourself, the sums just don’t work out for me. I’d love to have solar panels as a clean energy source but the current costs are excessive
 
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