Soldato
I would so the vast majority wouldn't have a clue.
Hope you get good news tomorrow.
Hope you get good news tomorrow.
Solar panels and battery - any real world reccomendations?
- Thread starter GinG
- Start date
I would be interested what people think of the following system installed for a few pennies under £13k ?
16 x 405w All Black JA Solar (PERC)
1 x 5kW SunSynk Hybrid Inverter
10.64kw Sun Synk Storage
Bird Protection
We probably have space for 18 panels so was thinking of bumping the count but keeping the same inverter to avoid DNO delays. Appreciate it will be confined by the inverter at peak but I figure for the cost of a couple extra panels it will help boost overall production when there is less light. The roof is south facing with no obstructions. Power consumption wise we use circa 5,500kwh hours and have just added an EV so that figure will go higher.
Also, does anyone have any real world experience of SunSynk?
16 x 405w All Black JA Solar (PERC)
1 x 5kW SunSynk Hybrid Inverter
10.64kw Sun Synk Storage
Bird Protection
We probably have space for 18 panels so was thinking of bumping the count but keeping the same inverter to avoid DNO delays. Appreciate it will be confined by the inverter at peak but I figure for the cost of a couple extra panels it will help boost overall production when there is less light. The roof is south facing with no obstructions. Power consumption wise we use circa 5,500kwh hours and have just added an EV so that figure will go higher.
Also, does anyone have any real world experience of SunSynk?
Soldato
5k is G99 anyway, so 16 or 18 panels - won't make any difference to DNO approval.
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If you can fit 18 I’d go with 18, assuming it’s within spec for the inverter… don’t want it to blow up! Check the max ratings it can take per string and compare to the panel specs.
You’ll obviously clip at peak (you will anyway with 16), but on less perfect days and during the winter you’ll be glad for the extra panels for very little extra expense imo. Also very easy to replace with a bigger inverter when it invariably dies long before the panels.
Given the small relative cost of adding extra panels I’m a big believer in maxing it out while you’re paying for all the scaffold and roof work.
I paid a little over 15k for 18 Qcell panels, 6kw Solis inverter and 15kw of puredrive II battery storage (plus bird protection), so your quote doesn’t seem too unreasonable in the current market… Definitely worth getting a few quotes to compare though.
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Soldato
@Required as it makes no difference for DNO application why not upgrade the inverter to next size up?
PS Inverter might be rated higher on the solar side of things anyway.
PS Inverter might be rated higher on the solar side of things anyway.
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If I read the DNO notes correctly, for an inverter between 16A and 32A (i.e. the 5Kwh) the application is a fast track with a turnaround in 10 working days but for anything greater than 32A (i.e. the 8Kwh option) it could be three months. Happy to be educated otherwise but that is what the quote inferred and what I found when I looked at the DNO (National Grid for us).
Thanks again, any input appreciated!
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Man of Honour
better to wait for the DNO now (if you need it) than compromise on something you're going to be using for 10years at-least 
Soldato
I don't know with reagrd to fast track, but DNO times do vary greatly, depends a lot on the DNO as well.
A quick google would suggest the 5kw Sunsynk inverters have an MPPT rated higher than 5kW, some 7kW, some 6.6kW. This would mean you would not suffer much clipping, if any until the battery is full, then as it can only export at 5kW you'd get clipping. Obviously this depends on the exact model you are getting.
If in South Essex area, ICM Electrical.
I had quotes from Cahill Renewables and Green Energy Electrical, both for 8 panel (375/400W) 10kwh battery systems, both north of £15k. ICM quoted and installed me a 9 panel (500W each) system (so 4.5kw overall) with 10kwh batteries, solar i boost thing for less than £12k.
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Associate
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Got a reply to the price difference on the batteries
The difference in the battery price is partly delivery costs, partly the external cabling and mounting brackets that need to be purchased separately, and lastly but most importantly the margin I put on them for sourcing and ultimately being responsible for them.
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16 might be solid tbh, if they decide to get more battery storage down the line they can just add a panel on for no vat
saving on that should cover a panelEdit
I really should not get ahead of myself, just saw the info about scaffolding and whatnot hehe
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Soldato
Yep, circa £400 to fit two extra panel's now,. Do it later, with scaffolding, revisiting the site etcetera well over £1000 I would guess. No brainer to do it now, and will help with winter production.
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How much of a problem you think that shading from chimney is going to be, am I going to have to go with an individual optimizer setup?
Soldato
I don't think it will make much difference especially if using half-cut panels/cells, its quite late in the day, as for winter the sun will be a lot lower, so may have even set before the shadow gets on that bit of roof.
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I just didnt want to cripple whole row of panels during summer for SEG for octopus to get as much money as possible back after filling batteries.
Soldato
Going by your photo's the shadow is only just on the roof at 5pm, so powers dropping off a bit anyway, a large chunk of your generation will be before then. Its dificult to say with certainty, but I get shading on my garage system, and it doesn't seem to impact that much, although that is four strings of 3 panels.
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7pm
Generation will be lower considering sun wont be directly on them but I was hoping to get as much return as possible and hopefully that doesn't destroy it. I had not thought the chimney would be that much of a problem as it really isn't that tall.
Generation will be lower considering sun wont be directly on them but I was hoping to get as much return as possible and hopefully that doesn't destroy it. I had not thought the chimney would be that much of a problem as it really isn't that tall.
Soldato
On my system 10% of today's generation was after 5pm. Yes it will have an affect, but I think it will be relatively minor, see what others say as well.
Soldato
Irrelevant at that angle. The panels will only be generating a dribble of energy at this point anyway.7pm
Generation will be lower considering sun wont be directly on them but I was hoping to get as much return as possible and hopefully that doesn't destroy it. I had not thought the chimney would be that much of a problem as it really isn't that tall.
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