Solar Panels?

[NMNeil]

Griffith4ever said:

FYI - assuming your panels are pointing at the right angle, you should get around 80% of rated wattage, but that's at midday summer, so your numbers are probably more realistic overall.

Fortunately my roof faces dead south, and is just about the perfect compromise between ideal summer and winter sun angles.

[SDK]

I’m looking for an installer in the Worcester area - can anyone help please?

After some research I’d like an 8+ kWh storage battery, roof solar panels and an integrated inverter with immersion water heating. Similar to the GivEnergy systems but open to advice on other options.

Thanks in advance

[Griffith4ever]

Jambo85 said:

How is it wasted? Hot water tanks are pretty well insulated.

If I heat mine in the morning (which I do) and don't use it, we have to "boost"/reheat if in the evening if we want a hot bath, not a tepid one.

If you are heating it during the day (which you have to with solar diversion), you are basically relying on using it for a bath (who showers at night?) and your laundry/dishwasher. Even then, for the numbers to stack up, you have to use all of it.

Quoting "putting 7kw" into a hot water tank as a "battery" is all well and good, as long as you use it, or at least, most of it.

[Jambo85]

Griffith4ever said:

Jambo85 said:

How is it wasted? Hot water tanks are pretty well insulated.

If I heat mine in the morning (which I do) and don't use it, we have to "boost"/reheat if in the evening if we want a hot bath, not a tepid one.

If you are heating it during the day (which you have to with solar diversion), you are basically relying on using it for a bath (who showers at night?) and your laundry/dishwasher. Even then, for the numbers to stack up, you have to use all of it.

Quoting "putting 7kw" into a hot water tank as a "battery" is all well and good, as long as you use it, or at least, most of it.

Something wrong with your tank then old chap, if I heat mine during the day when the sun is shining there is still plenty of red hot water the next morning for showers.

ETA - regardless of the above, it is reducing the need for your boiler to run. It should be equally wasteful if you get me. If you are firing your boiler every day until your tank thermostat clicks off and instead do that with a solar diverter, then - give or take - the same x kWh is being saved. Whether or not you use the hot water is actually secondary to the fuel and emissions saving, as you're currently being equally wasteful with your boiler, unless you have devised a method for only heating what you need (with a cylinder before some smart arse mentions combis!).

Edited by Jambo85 on Monday 21st March 21:39

[EddyP]

So zero VAT for solar now, will help with some of the pay back times.

Has anyone here got panels that are facing South East, I've got a good roof area that I could easily use for panels but they start to enter the shade around 6pm. Need to find out if it's worthwhile.
Personally if you rely on the FIT I don't think they're worth it so much now but if you can put some storage in then with the 32p/kwh current tariff prices then it potentially drastically changes the pay back period.

[AW10]

On a previous page there was a link to a site that calculated expected output - what does it say?

Shading after 6 pm on a SE facing roof will have a minimal affect on overall output.

[g40steve]

Biggus thingus said:

Can anyone explain to me if a 3kw system on the roof and a 5.2kw battery with night charging is a good idea at £10.5K?

Would a fully charged battery be enough power for everything till bedtime? Providing that dishwasher and washer are going through the day

That’s very high!

Mine was 13 panels, (4800kwh yr) inverter, solar immersion, 5kw battery fully fitted £8.4K. (Not including removing the 5%VAT from yesterday)
Having survey this Friday.
I asked why only 13 panels & not 16 like my neighbour, told neighbours will be a 4KW system from years ago & domestic single phase they recommend not going above 4-4.5KW.
I have been monitoring my readings taken 7.30-8am & 6pm my evening/night usage has not exceeded 5kw.
Colleague at work ‘reader renewable engery’ has been crunching my data & reckons no brainer, with price rises next week & in Oct break even time is also reduced.

[g40steve]

Sheets Tabuer said:

Notice a few struggling with figures, this might help

https://www.pvfitcalculator.energysavingtrust.org....

I don’t see this site having options for battery storage or solar immersion, think some of the pricing options are totally out of date in this current market?

[SoliD]

g40steve said:

That’s very high!

Mine was 13 panels, (4800kwh yr) inverter, solar immersion, 5kw battery fully fitted £8.4K. (Not including removing the 5%VAT from yesterday)
Having survey this Friday.
I asked why only 13 panels & not 16 like my neighbour, told neighbours will be a 4KW system from years ago & domestic single phase they recommend not going above 4-4.5KW.
I have been monitoring my readings taken 7.30-8am & 6pm my evening/night usage has not exceeded 5kw.
Colleague at work ‘reader renewable engery’ has been crunching my data & reckons no brainer, with price rises next week & in Oct break even time is also reduced.

Rubbish, they're just trying to avoid getting a DNO done, you should get it done and go for the bigger inverter/panels as thats where the majority of costs sit as all the cabling etc is the same. so the labour to put up 13 or 16 panels is much of a muchness but in winter when you want to maximise generation you'll be thankful you have those extra panels.

I've recently gone for a 18 panel (370w) 2x8.2kw batteries for 12k.

[g40steve]

SoliD said:

Rubbish, they're just trying to avoid getting a DNO done, you should get it done and go for the bigger inverter/panels as thats where the majority of costs sit as all the cabling etc is the same. so the labour to put up 13 or 16 panels is much of a muchness but in winter when you want to maximise generation you'll be thankful you have those extra panels.

I've recently gone for a 18 panel (370w) 2x8.2kw batteries for 12k.

Surveyor mentioned upgrading cables between distribution box & electric box to get more panels, can you explain more?

[NDT]

I want to go solar but we're likely to move in the next couple of years.
Assuming we won't get much/anything extra for having solar fitter when we sell the house, I'd be interested in removing the expensive bits (panels, battery and inverter) and moving with them.
Is this batsh@t crazy?

[Condi]

NDT said:

Is this batsh@t crazy?

No, but it's not cost effective either.

[Rosscow]

Sorry OP for thread hi-jack... I'm interested in this, too!

Currently using around 16kwh a day. We have a large bungalow, with an open air central courtyard (imagine a rectangular polo).

I've not gone down this road before mainly because I don't want to ruin the look of the house - being a bungalow the roof is more noticeable than that of a house. However, we're lucky to have quite a large garden so could potentially site a ground array somewhere.

Question is, what size installation would we need? Haven't really looked into it at all so don't have a clue about cost, FIT's (or not, as it appears), etc.

Thanks!

[Gareth79]

Had the day off, so picked up some project supplies from Swindon. Apparently they are from a solar farm in Durham which was damaged in Storm Arwen (and is presumably being removed/replaced entirely, given they have 10,000 panels available). REC260, £40 each.

[EddyP]

Gareth79 said:

Had the day off, so picked up some project supplies from Swindon. Apparently they are from a solar farm in Durham which was damaged in Storm Arwen (and is presumably being removed/replaced entirely, given they have 10,000 panels available). REC260, £40 each.

Is that grass stuck to them or cracks in them?

They are very cheap but only 260w so not that efficient for the space, great if you've got loads of space though.

[jgmadkit]

Gareth79 said:

Had the day off, so picked up some project supplies from Swindon. Apparently they are from a solar farm in Durham which was damaged in Storm Arwen (and is presumably being removed/replaced entirely, given they have 10,000 panels available). REC260, £40 each.

Do you mind me asking where you got them from. Noticed Bimble selling the same panels for 52.99 + VAT so a nice saving if I could get some for £40 a pop.

Cheers John

[Gareth79]

EddyP said:

Is that grass stuck to them or cracks in them?

They are very cheap but only 260w so not that efficient for the space, great if you've got loads of space though.

I don't have *loads* of space, but mostly that I don't have any major power needs and would rather have a cheap but imperfect system to play with.

jgmadkit said:

Do you mind me asking where you got them from. Noticed Bimble selling the same panels for 52.99 + VAT so a nice saving if I could get some for £40 a pop.

Cheers John

Oh ha, they must be the ones buying the bulk, the guy mentioned they are going out as soon as they come in and anything left is being sold to those who collect. It's https://cirenscrap.co.uk

Edited by Gareth79 on Sunday 27th March 12:41

[essayer]

So if those 260 panels were mounted at the perfect angle at peak summer they would each supply just over 1A at 240v? Or is it not that simple?

[jgmadkit]

cheers, thanks for that, will contact them.

[Chris Type R]

essayer said:

So if those 260 panels were mounted at the perfect angle at peak summer they would each supply just over 1A at 240v? Or is it not that simple?

Theoretically the output of these has reduced with age. ETA Manufactured 2016, so not too bad.