Solar panels and battery - any real world reccomendations?

Crew arrived about an hour ago and got stuck straight in.
Started at the front, rails have gone up and cabling been cut ready to fit to the panels. Spoke to one of them and he said they are still busy, but today will probably be their last job this week due to the change in the weather.
Said around 6hrs to complete all the work, but there are 4 of them :-)
 
Hi, can anyone give an opinion please regarding an estimate I've just received to have some panels and batteries fitted?

Solar Panels
Q CELLS
6.06 kW Total Solar Power
12 x 505 Watt Panels (Q.PEAK DUO ML-G11S.2+ 505)
4,866 kWh per year

Inverter
Sunsynk
5 kW Total Inverter Rating
1 x SUN-5KSG04LP1-EU

Battery
Sunsynk
10.24 kWh Total Battery Storage
2 x Sunsynk 5.12kWh

£9,889
Total System Price

Does it seem reasonable?
Is the equipment any good?

Thanks in advance for any replies.

-Paul
 
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Pyr0m@nI@]{ said:
Hi, can anyone give an opinion please regarding an estimate I've just received to have some panels and batteries fitted?

Solar Panels
Q CELLS
6.06 kW Total Solar Power
12 x 505 Watt Panels (Q.PEAK DUO ML-G11S.2+ 505)
4,866 kWh per year

Inverter
Sunsynk
5 kW Total Inverter Rating
1 x SUN-5KSG04LP1-EU

Battery
Sunsynk
10.24 kWh Total Battery Storage
2 x Sunsynk 5.12kWh

£9,889
Total System Price

Does it seem reasonable?
Is the equipment any good?

Thanks in advance for any replies.

-Paul
Click to expand...

Looks pretty good to me.
 
Thanks @BUDFORCE.

This is the first quote I've managed to get (from MyEnergy Solutions). They person I spoke to was saying there's currently a 10% discount in place and it would normally be over 10k.

I've also asked Octopus, who asked for photos, but they haven't followed up yet.
 
Chased Octopus up and they've sent an estimate over:

Your Solution

JAM54S31 AB Half-Cell
4.86kW of Solar Power
12 x JAM54S31-405/MR
405 Watt panels
12 Year Product Warranty & 25 Year Linear Performance Warranty
4,207kWh per year


GivEnergy Hybrid 3.6 Gen 3
3.6kW of Inverter Power
GivEnergy 1 x Giv-HY3.6 V3
12 Year Warranty

Giv-Bat5.2
2 x Giv-Bat5.2
10.4kWh of Storage
12 Year Performance Warranty

£13,094
Purchase Price

Opinions?
I think it seems a bit expensive for what would appear to be a lesser system than offered by MyEnergy Solutions.. But I'm a complete novice when it comes to this stuff. Are GivEnergy better than Sunsynk?
 
Last edited:
Pyr0m@nI@]{ said:
Chased Octopus up and they've sent an estimate over:

Your Solution

JAM54S31 AB Half-Cell
4.86kW of Solar Power
12 x JAM54S31-405/MR
405 Watt panels
12 Year Product Warranty & 25 Year Linear Performance Warranty
4,207kWh per year


GivEnergy Hybrid 3.6 Gen 3
3.6kW of Inverter Power
GivEnergy 1 x Giv-HY3.6 V3
12 Year Warranty

Giv-Bat5.2
2 x Giv-Bat5.2
10.4kWh of Storage
12 Year Performance Warranty

£13,094
Purchase Price

Opinions?
I think it seems a bit expensive for what would appear to be a lesser system than offered by MyEnergy Solutions.. But I'm a complete novice when it comes to this stuff. Are GivEnergy better than Sunsynk?
Click to expand...
You've also quoted different panel sizes, 505w vs 405w, not sure of a typo but the first quote does say system size is 6kw. Givenergy is good but I'd go for a single 9.5 battery over 2 smaller ones. But the price difference over the sunsynk is not worth it.
 
Pyr0m@nI@]{ said:
Hi, can anyone give an opinion please regarding an estimate I've just received to have some panels and batteries fitted?

Solar Panels
Q CELLS
6.06 kW Total Solar Power
12 x 505 Watt Panels (Q.PEAK DUO ML-G11S.2+ 505)
4,866 kWh per year
Click to expand...

Interesting choice of panels, did they send you an illustration/design drawing for the install? These panels are the larger ~2.1m x1.1m type and are a good few years old now in technology terms, so the W/m² is lower. Would like to see how they are making the most use of your roof space.
 
200sols said:
You've also quoted different panel sizes, 505w vs 405w, not sure of a typo but the first quote does say system size is 6kw. Givenergy is good but I'd go for a single 9.5 battery over 2 smaller ones. But the price difference over the sunsynk is not worth it.
Click to expand...
I did point this out to the guy from Octopus, along with the fact i thought it seemed a lesser system for a higher price and he came back with
"We work off of fixed prices, and the price would include all aspects of the install. This would mean panels, inverter, battery, cabling, scaffolding, bird proofing and aftercare are included in the price."
"At Octopus, we offer a premium service"
"what you are paying for with Octopus is the care that you get along the way"
and "It is worth noting that we aren't going anywhere"


Journey said:
Interesting choice of panels, did they send you an illustration/design drawing for the install? These panels are the larger ~2.1m x1.1m type and are a good few years old now in technology terms, so the W/m² is lower. Would like to see how they are making the most use of your roof space.
Click to expand...
It was 8 portrait with 4 horizontal below.
panellayout.jpg
 
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Pyr0m@nI@]{ said:
It was 8 portrait with 4 horizontal below.
panellayout.jpg
Click to expand...

So by my reckoning they've got 9072mm of panels across the top row, which would mean you could fit 5x of the smaller panels (1762mm) in a landscape orientation, but 3 rows of 5, so more panels but possibly less cost. A retail cost on the 425w panels is ~£88 (+VAT) each, where as the larger panels are more expensive (unless the installer got a good deal on some older stock) so the cost should be less even though you'd need 3 more panels. Even with a slightly higher cost of mounting you'll save money, and have a much neater looking install.

The Sunsynk gear is ok as well, not quite as well polished as some other vendors but not drastically difference if you just want to plug and play, with regards to costing (again retail) the 5.5kW ECO Hybrid inverter is ~£880-1000 (+VAT) and the battery modules are ~£1k (+VAT) per 5.12kWh.

All in the actual cost of the hardware (excluding mounting) is only ~£4.5-5k, as price have really dropped this year. I'd go back and ask the question about the layout and if there are any other any options as we are now in a buyers market.
 
Pyr0m@nI@]{ said:
Thanks @BUDFORCE.

This is the first quote I've managed to get (from MyEnergy Solutions). They person I spoke to was saying there's currently a 10% discount in place and it would normally be over 10k.

I've also asked Octopus, who asked for photos, but they haven't followed up yet.
Click to expand...
I have just had my install with MyEnergy solutions and it went really well.
All completed yesterday and apps installed for monitoring. Had a call today to say they are sending over my pack with MCS certificate and dno approval.
Let me know if you decide to go with them as I have a referral code :-)
So far everything has been great.
Great to see yesterday afternoon that I wasn’t pulling anything from the grid, solar and some battery kept us going until I slapped the Ev on charge last night.
 
Are there any peeps here with Home Assistant controlling their inverter for Octpus Intelligent?
At present my Solis is timed charge for the home batteries and EVs overnight. I have turned intelligent off in the octopus app. However, I am thinking I could make use of the intelligent hours during the day too…so switch batteries to charge should a slot come available at the cheap rate?
 
Isn’t the solis stuff ‘dumb’ in that you have to manually program it on the box itself?

Certainly my neighbours are and can’t be controlled via an APP, only monitored.
 
Not quite, you have to request Solis give the API and then it can be controlled through third party software ala HA etc.

I ll read up on it this week and see if I can get a script running, must be a way
 
Spoke to MyEnergy Solutions who seemed to think the advice i had received was rubbish (lol) but he listened and then told me they did have a good deal on the larger panels.

They have issued another estimate with 14 x 430w panels:

Solar Panels
LONGi
6.02 kW Total Solar Power
14 x 430 Watt Panels (LR5-54HTB-430M)
4,835 kWh per year

Inverter
Sunsynk
5 kW Total Inverter Rating
1 x SUN-5KSG04LP1-EU

Battery
Sunsynk
10.24 kWh Total Battery Storage
2 x Sunsynk 5.12kWh

£10,724
Total System Price

14panels.jpg


[edit] He has just txt to say after looking at redesigning the system, he can only fit 2 rows as there are vents in the roof stopping the installation of a third row. And if it was possible, due to being low on the roof, I may have some shading problems when the sun is low due to trees.
 
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Nathan said:
Not quite, you have to request Solis give the API and then it can be controlled through third party software ala HA etc.

I ll read up on it this week and see if I can get a script running, must be a way
Click to expand...
I’m intrigued, the solar together prices are looking much better than last year but the installer chose the cheap Solis system with pylon batteries. I almost discounted it as not being a smart inverter I can control with HA.

It would be a nightmare using Octopus intelligent charging otherwise as it will constantly empty the batteries when charging outside of the off peak period.

Do you have any further info on getting that set up?
 
Pyr0m@nI@]{ said:
[edit] He has just txt to say after looking at redesigning the system, he can only fit 2 rows as there are vents in the roof stopping the installation of a third row. And if it was possible, due to being low on the roof, I may have some shading problems when the sun is low due to trees.
Click to expand...

Not sure why they can fit two 1722mm tall panels in portrait layout but can't then fit three rows in landscape at 1134mm each, given that even a row of five would still be narrower than the originally suggested 505w panels with eight across in portrait orientation.

Going back to the costs, they've increased the price for the install even though the 14 panel layout would be quicker and easier to install, and the panels are easily available at retail under £100 each so do wonder how cheap those 505w panels were.
 
Hi @Journey, the first quote was one row of the tall panels in portrait (8) and one row of horizonal (4).

Would the first quote be the better option then considering it's slightly higher wattage for the panels and nearly 900 cheaper?
 
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Pyr0m@nI@]{ said:
Hi @Journey, the first quote was one row of the tall panels in portrait (8) and one row of horizonal (4).

Would the first quote be the better option then considering it's slightly higher wattage for the panels and nearly 900 cheaper?
Click to expand...

I know, the tall panels are ~2000mm each, so again if they can fit 3422mm of the 430w panels in portrait, then they can fit 3402mm of them in landscape, as that is what three rows would be.

I'm probably not the best person to ask to be honest, as I can't stand most of the solar install companies, they want to make life as easy as possible for themselves while charging quite a premium, not offering what may actually be best for the customer/building etc.
 
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