Solar panels and battery - any real world reccomendations?

[Ron-ski]

@As per above, I kept the generation payment with British Gas (otherwise it slows the transfer down), and Octopus pay me for my actual export. British Gas were on the ball, so I don't still get paid deemed export.

Yes, you still get 100% of the generation payment, only thing that changes is you lose the deemed export, and are then paid by what your smart meter says you've exported.

I think I just contacted Octopus and said I want to move my exports payments to them and keep my generation payments with BG, and they then handled every, but it was around 18 months ago, so the memory is hazy.

 

[~Divine~Wind~]

Worth checking your mortgage lender quite a few are offering things.
Natwest also do a 0% loan I think for people with mortgages

Edit, assuming you have a mortgage that is!

Oooh ?

Do you knwo what this is called at all? We're with Natwest

Had a missed call from octopoid earlier, 1k of for orders in sep and no deposit.

 

[Mercenary Keyboard Warrior]

Oooh ?

Do you knwo what this is called at all? We're with Natwest

Had a missed call from octopoid earlier, 1k of for orders in sep and no deposit.

No sorry and a quick look looks like its only commercial now. And its £50K+

It looks like natwest have moved the green residential to being green mortgages for better insulated properties or to fund the change.

 

[Ron-ski]

Has anybody here got vertically mounted panels and if so how do they compare to your traditionally mounted panels?

ty

Ohhh, @Ron-ski Do you have any stats that show how well they do vs. your others? TY

I'll reply in this thread as it's more appropriate.

You can see all the data on my VRM (link in my signature) and also PV Output, if you click on my combined system, there is an option to see the child systems. The panels haven't even been up a week yet, and the scaffolding is shadowing the wall panels, which are at 84 degrees, although I haven't checked the angle. Under permitted development they can be no more than 200mm from the wall. Pictures in my build to thread, link in my signature.

The best way to compare though is via https://re.jrc.ec.europa.eu/pvg_tools/en/ as this allows you to alter the angle of the panel and see the difference. I have multiple different parnels at different angles and orientation so very hard to compare.

Wall mounted panels will always perform worse, as they are not at the optimum angle, my panels face just off south slightly west, and in December and January the 1.5 kWp of panels should produce more than the 5.22 kWp of panels at 30 degrees on the WNW roof.

@94JDH also has wall mounted panels, these are vertical at 90 degrees.

 

[Mercenary Keyboard Warrior]

Wall panels will probably be more efficient in winter though as the sun is so low.
Some of the scandi countries they mount them at 90 degrees on rooves as the sun is low and winter is when they want to maximise the efficiency.
As we all know in summer the efficiency goes sky high (pun intended) anyway.

 

[200sols]

In my opinion winter is where it matters more, even the smaller systems are pretty self sufficient in summer.

 

[john_smith]

Thanks for info Ron, that link is great. For my location a vertical panel will generate 5 units more over Nov,Dec,Jan,Feb than the same panel roof mounted at 35 degrees.

My mate has offered me "as many as I can fit" on my flat roof for £200 a panel installed. JA 430w panel, SolarEdge optimiser and flat roof mounting wedge. Going to have a measure up when I get home. Potentially i'll put some vertical ones on as well.

 

[Kyle009]

Has anyone got experience with installers called "Egg"?

They've been advertising on my social media feeds and are offering 0% over 5 years which appeals.

The quote is 10 panels and a 9kwh battery for £161pm for 5 years.

Is a 9kwh battery big enough for a house with 2 adults and 2 kids under 5? How does this price compare? Any horror stories? Egg seem to get good reviews on TrustPilot.

 

[tamzzy]

The quote is 10 panels and a 9kwh battery for £161pm for 5 years.

Basically, that's £9660 in total
I paid £8.3k for an equivalent system

So, that's basically a 5 year loan at 6% interest

 

[Ron-ski]

anyone got experience with installers called "Egg"?

They've been advertising on my social media feeds and are offering 0% over 5 years which appeals

Golden rule, don't engage with any PV companies advertising on social media.

 

[Kyle009]

Golden rule, don't engage with any PV companies advertising on social media.

Ok thanks, any companies that you would recommend? Ideally with financing available.

 

[Welshman]

Ok thanks, any companies that you would recommend? Ideally with financing available.

0% credit card might be a good option

 

[Kyle009]

0% credit card might be a good option

Thanks for the suggestion but it might be difficult to fine one with a high enough credit limit, and normally the 0% only lasts 12-18 months in my experience.

 

[tamzzy]

Ok thanks, any companies that you would recommend? Ideally with financing available.

0% credit card might be a good option

this is what i did and put the £8.3k on a 19 month 0% CC (natwest)
i had the funds to pay it immediately but i would've been better for me to earn the interest on the £8.3k for the 19 months lol than to pay it straightaway
stoozing: https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/credit-cards/stooze-cash-credit-cards/

 

[Kyle009]

this is what i did and put the £8.3k on a 19 month 0% CC (natwest)

What company did your solar install?

 

[tamzzy]

What company did your solar install?

spectra solar
(just run a thread search, a few of us have gotten systems/parts from spectra)

 

[Kyle009]

spectra solar
(just run a thread search, a few of us have gotten systems/parts from spectra)

I'll have a look, thanks.

 

[Ron-ski]

Ok thanks, any companies that you would recommend? Ideally with financing available.

I also did 0% but for my cinema build, had £11k on it, moved it to another after about three years. Put the money in premium bonds.

As for who I'd recommend, I mainly did my own, and the only company I've used in the past (apart from the electricians I've been using) are The Little Green Energy Company, but they are in Kent.

 

[kevinpat]

Just had a quote from Solar Xpress for £8k for sunsynk 5kw invertor and 2xG5.3 batteries with 14 panels (sunrise 440w) spread across an E/W roof - any feedback on the company or the quote would be appreciated.

 

[tamzzy]

Just had a quote from Solar Xpress for £8k for sunsynk 5kw invertor and 2xG5.3 batteries with 14 panels (sunrise 440w) spread across an E/W roof - any feedback on the company or the quote would be appreciated.

the quote is good, assuming it includes scaffolding, bird protection and the g99 application
never used solar express so cannot comment on the company