Solar panels….?

[CXRAndy]

Batteries if correctly sized will enable the user to run appliances at night from the solar they charged up during the day. That's why it's better to have a bit more solar so you can charge and run equipment during the day. This works well for folk who work in the office, come home, solar has charged the batteries and they can then use this storage to run the equipment. If you also have a hot water tank, again this can take excess solar and heat the water.

This is where sophisticated control of solar/battery/grid is extremely useful.

Now cost, is very debatable, because if you can get a super low overnight tariff like 5p/kW. A user would then need to calculate how long it would take to recoup battery costs compared to cheap overnight electric.

The question is, how long are you going to be able to get 5p overnight electric??

 

[Alex321]

What I don't get is why batteries are necessary in most circumstances. It seems like a lot of cost compared to just using the grid as a buffer. Obviously it's better for the distribution companies not to have big surges of supply and demand, so I'd imagine a setup like yours they'd be keen to see batteries. But smaller domestic setups where it's a question of notification rather than permission?

Solar only generates during daylight, and only a decent amount in bright daylight.

So the battery stops you having to take power from the grid when you aren't generating enough for your use.

And taking power from the grid is usually more expensive than what you get paid for sending power to the grid, which is why it makes more economic sense to store as much as you can of your surplus.

 

[Chislenko]

I came to this thread with an open mind and keen to look into this.

However I am now just confused 😟

Seems to be a lot of permutations and I accept one size does not fit all but I am getting to the point where I don't know my inverter from my elbow 🙂

I suppose one big consideration for us advancing in years is how long are we going to live!!

 

[Alex321]

I suppose one big consideration for us advancing in years is how long are we going to live!!

It is, but if you have descendants, it could affect their inheritance.

I've seen estimates that solar adds between 1/3 and 1/2 of the cost to the value of the house. So if you live until it has paid back more than 50% of the cost, your kids will be better off.

 

[Deleted member 26715]

It is, but if you have descendants, it could affect their inheritance.

I've seen estimates that solar adds between 1/3 and 1/2 of the cost to the value of the house. So if you live until it has paid back more than 50% of the cost, your kids will be better off.

Funnily enough I've just had another guy here giving me a quote, they used to use the old formula of 8% increase in value of the house, which is fine if your house costs £150K but as a single roomed flat in that there Lardun costs over £1/2 million it's not right, he claimed that they now use the average of about £16k increase in price for having PV

 

[MrGrumpy]

Interesting , I’ve got some one coming out Monday to do a quick survey and cost up . Already had one quote , local business which I’d rather hand out business too . As long as not out of the park . Think there are also interest free loans available to cover some of the cost .

 

[Deleted member 26715]

This is the quote from today

Your Panels DMEGC 400W All Black x 12
Your Battery Growatt 3.3Kw battery x 2
Your Invertor Growatt 3.6 Hybrid Inverter x1

Other Products
Scaffolding
PV on Roof and Hazard Labels Pack Panel Installation
MCS Building control Registration Installation
HIES Warranty
Generation Meter
EPVS Validation
Electrical connections
DC cable
D/C 80A isolator
A/C Isolator 32A
3D Model Design
24 Month Workmanship Warranty

Total: £12,131.36

Although not mentioned above he claimed that there was a 25 year warranty on the whole instal, anything that fails in that time would be covered, which I think is the HIES Warranty

 

[kipster]

This is the quote from today

Your Panels DMEGC 400W All Black x 12
Your Battery Growatt 3.3Kw battery x 2
Your Invertor Growatt 3.6 Hybrid Inverter x1

Other Products
Scaffolding
PV on Roof and Hazard Labels Pack Panel Installation
MCS Building control Registration Installation
HIES Warranty
Generation Meter
EPVS Validation
Electrical connections
DC cable
D/C 80A isolator
A/C Isolator 32A
3D Model Design
24 Month Workmanship Warranty

Total: £12,131.36

Although not mentioned above he claimed that there was a 25 year warranty on the whole instal, anything that fails in that time would be covered, which I think is the HIES Warranty

Prices must be going up with demand.
I got 18*390w panels
3*3kw growatt batteries
1*5kw growatt hybrid inverter

Installed with all the bits, warranties and documentation (yet to show up)

I paid £11,500

 

[irw]

Prices must be going up with demand.
I got 18*390w panels
3*3kw growatt batteries
1*5kw growatt hybrid inverter

Installed with all the bits, warranties and documentation (yet to show up)

I paid £11,500

Would you mind letting us know what company it's for please?

 

[kipster]

Would you mind letting us know what company it's for please?

It was Infinity renewables via a solar together scheme. The original company on the scheme couldn't deliver and infinity renewables took all the customers on.

 

[jowwy]

So i have had a price for a 3kw system consisting of

8 x 385 JA solar panels
1 x Solis 5kw Hybrid inverter

all the cabling, fixings, installation, scaffold, certs etc etc

for £5995

So far since midnight, we have only used 1.55kwh upto now, im working from home and partner retired and downsatirs watching the Tv..

 

[MrGrumpy]

5kw for £6100 here, 340 JA panels however . I really want the max number of panels I can fit . Maximise on full days .

 

[jowwy]

5kw for £6100 here, 340 JA panels however . I really want the max number of panels I can fit . Maximise on full days .

i get that......at the mo, im only using 269watts of power, so thats fridge freezer, chest freezer, TV, sky box, soundbar, BT router. so with a 3kw system on the roof i would wasting 2700watts if it was producing at 100% which we know doesnt happen.

I could got to a 4kw system for £6995

 

[jowwy]

Just checked and so far this month i have used 151kwh of electric.........which is pretty damn low to be fair, so thats £45 + SC

if solar allows me to get that down to below 50kwh, i'll be a happy bunny.

 

[kipster]

Just checked and so far this month i have used 151kwh of electric.........which is pretty damn low to be fair, so thats £45 + SC

if solar allows me to get that down to below 50kwh, i'll be a happy bunny.

So far this month I've produced 876kwh of solar, consumed 405kwh and imported 60kwh from the grid.

The batteries where installed mid way through the month and since then I've imported about 8kwh from the grid, so in a summer month I should only import 15-20kwh from the grid plus standing charges, so about £20 a month.

I WFH about half the week, my wife is retired and about most of the day, two sons at home at the moment. One WFH everyday, the other a student home from uni and as the electric is free he seems to think that leaving every electrical appliance he has on is ok.

A lot of the consumption is for the batteries charging. We seem to deplete the batteries by 60% between 6pm and 7am but the boys are awake until silly o'clock in the morning.

We run the dishwasher, washing machine and tumble dryer (for towels) during the day.