Solar roof panels - anyone got em?

[eps]

I'll jump on this one if I may...

We're looking to move in the next 2 months and I'm quite keen.

Are there any companies people would recommend in the South East / Oxfordshire area? (feel free to PM as opposed to naming and shaming if there are some to avoid!) I've found luxco from an article on Houzz, but would be interested in hearing about companies that come recommended.

How many panels do people have fitted? I think 12 - 16 seems to be about the optimum. I'll have to do some sums to see if we can fit that many tho.

We'd be fitting them to the rear roof on the property and it seems to be a no brainer. Payback within 6-8 years and we're planning on staying there for at least 10-12 years.

cheers

[Paul Drawmer]

I had mine in Deddington fitted 4 years ago by this company:
http://www.nextgenerationsolar.co.uk/

At that time they used a roofing contractor to oversee any actual roof work like lifting and replacing tiles.
So they had electricians and roofers on the job.

Good bunch, happy to recommend, I dealt with Greg.

[zygalski]

Are most people still having mortgage issues because of the rented roof space for the free schemes, or is that issue sorted now?

[mikeiow]

eps said:

How many panels do people have fitted? I think 12 - 16 seems to be about the optimum. I'll have to do some sums to see if we can fit that many tho.

We'd be fitting them to the rear roof on the property and it seems to be a no brainer. Payback within 6-8 years and we're planning on staying there for at least 10-12 years.

The number of panels will depend on the KW rating - for FIT tariff payments, you can have up to a 4KW system, which for our 4.5year-old system meant 18 panels. Not sure if "more modern" ones are higher output. IMHO, you want to put the maximum you can get feedback for ;-)

I tend to disagree about them being "ugly" - but beauty is of course in the eye of the beholder. Sounds like the costs have come down suitably to keep the "return on investment" still around 6-8 years, which isn't bad: solar water heating had something like a 25-year payback when we did out PV panels!!

[covmutley]

Trevor450 said:

Elsdin66 said:

not opposed to technology but be honest if they made the panels to look like roof tiles then maybe

I'm with you on this. I am sure the tech is great for many but I do think they look awful. Thankfully, I live in a conservation area in an AONB so there wouldn't be a hope in hell of any houses in the village getting ones visible from a road.

you can get solar tiles.

http://www.theecoexperts.co.uk/solar-roof-tiles

[Hugh Jarse]

We have a south facing 3m x 3m berooved 33dg to horizontal side portion on the house begging to have a wodge of solar panels.
Looking for a ready made kit, the final mains connection can be sorted by an electrician, but the rest is dooable DIY I reckon - although getting pros in is not ruled out. Anyone done similar?
Just to prove I have googled a smidge:
http://www.buypvdirect.co.uk/PV_Packs?page=2

[Hugh Jarse]

I can see some that are @1.5m x @1m which is an array of 2x3 = 6m sq. Cheap.
But curious what the different power output densities are, seems a bit daft to put low effectiveness ones up, especially in the UK climate.

[Paul Drawmer]

Unless the installation is done by an approved contractor, you won't be able to get paid for any generation or allowed to feed in to the grid.

Therefore a DIY installation will only have electricity savings to pay for itself.

I have calculated my savings over the past year as: (units generated - units exported) this works out at about £170 per year at present. If you could heat your water or charge your car during the day, you would be able to use more of the power you generate.

My system is 3.88kWp and I don't have it linked to a water heater as I already have solar thermal.