Solar panels , would you ?

[Tashyboy]

Climate change: Last year's UK heatwave 'a sign of things to come'

Last year's record breaking heat, driven by climate change, gives a snapshot of the UK's future weather.

www.bbc.co.uk

This story is one of the reasons why you and many others should be installing solar. The world is going to get hotter and sunnier . me I would go for the largest Battery storage you can afford. My system which I installed in 2011/12. Cost £8.5K. The last feed in tariff was just over £1K. That was for three months.
On another note, a pal sent me video footage of the weather in Re was hailstones the size of golf balls. Smashed up thousands of cars and every solar panel in the region

 

[road2ruin]

About a month ago we had a letter from Surrey County Council about a new initiative whereby they invite installers to bid on jobs from prospective residents, I assume through the amount of available work available this would result in more competitive costs. Anyway, today I had the email of what they think for our place.

It would be a 12 panel Solar PV System with a 3.2kWh storage system.

The quote was....

Shading Optimisation - £600
Scaffolding for additional roof - £500
Solar PV System - £5,752
Battery Storage System - £2,823
Total price - £9,675

 

[PJ87]

About a month ago we had a letter from Surrey County Council about a new initiative whereby they invite installers to bid on jobs from prospective residents, I assume through the amount of available work available this would result in more competitive costs. Anyway, today I had the email of what they think for our place.

It would be a 12 panel Solar PV System with a 3.2kWh storage system.

The quote was....

Shading Optimisation - £600
Scaffolding for additional roof - £500
Solar PV System - £5,752
Battery Storage System - £2,823
Total price - £9,675

Depending on your usage I'd say that's a good price and should provide for the average house to use its electric in summer from the sun

 

[road2ruin]

Depending on your usage I'd say that's a good price and should provide for the average house to use its electric in summer from the sun

Would you say there is any value is upgrading the battery to a 6.4kWh variant? I have an EV and I'd put us in the higher usage category.

The additional costs would be about £1,900 so whilst it's a considerable amount I don't want to pay the small amount and then regret it!

 

[PJ87]

Would you say there is any value is upgrading the battery to a 6.4kWh variant? I have an EV and I'd put us in the higher usage category.

The additional costs would be about £1,900 so whilst it's a considerable amount I don't want to pay the small amount and then regret it!

How much non EV electric do you use? If you are on octopus go you can almost take the EV out of the panel usage because you will always charge it from the grid during the cheap night hours.

Our set up is as follows

00:30-04:30 the battery charges up (13.5kw battery however in summer is about 8-10kw needed to fill) during these hours any house or car use is done via the grid

04:30-00:30 the battery runs the house with the panels either powering house when their is enough or charging the battery when there is even more

We use 25kw on average a day which is a lot so for us the battery is needed

If your usage is 6kw then I'd get the battery that's 6.4 as you could charge off the grid at night for the winter

Inverter size is important for the battery the Tesla can supply 5kw (20amp) at once where as others are about 3kw

So you may get some cost off grid but it wouldn't be huge

 

[bobmac]

Would you say there is any value is upgrading the battery to a 6.4kWh variant? I have an EV and I'd put us in the higher usage category.

The additional costs would be about £1,900 so whilst it's a considerable amount I don't want to pay the small amount and then regret it!

My friend who lives alone has the 5 kwh battery and he has an EV and he loves it.
If you can afford the 6.4kwh, do it. Better to have extra storage available than not enough

 

[road2ruin]

How much non EV electric do you use? If you are on octopus go you can almost take the EV out of the panel usage because you will always charge it from the grid during the cheap night hours.

Our set up is as follows

00:30-04:30 the battery charges up (13.5kw battery however in summer is about 8-10kw needed to fill) during these hours any house or car use is done via the grid

04:30-00:30 the battery runs the house with the panels either powering house when their is enough or charging the battery when there is even more

We use 25kw on average a day which is a lot so for us the battery is needed

If your usage is 6kw then I'd get the battery that's 6.4 as you could charge off the grid at night for the winter

Inverter size is important for the battery the Tesla can supply 5kw (20amp) at once where as others are about 3kw

So you may get some cost off grid but it wouldn't be huge

Cheers, will have a look at our overall usage today!

 

[PJ87]

Cheers, will have a look at our overall usage today!

One extra bit of advise, and this is to everyone considering it

Get bird proofing, it's £500 odd .. worth it tbh stops them getting under and damaging cables

After 1 day they didn't fit on our flat roof ones and bird nested under it was loud in our loft

Lucky the scaffolding was still up and they came back to fit some for free

 

[road2ruin]

One extra bit of advise, and this is to everyone considering it

Get bird proofing, it's £500 odd .. worth it tbh stops them getting under and damaging cables

After 1 day they didn't fit on our flat roof ones and bird nested under it was loud in our loft

Lucky the scaffolding was still up and they came back to fit some for free

That's actually the one thing I did know! I've seen some horror stories in our local FB group about those who didn't put it up as we've got loads of pigeons in our area and they'd be all over it. People have also had issues with squirrels so I guess anything that acts as a deterrent.

 

[Mudball]

What's your usage? Don't worry about Tesla the common view is they are overpriced .. other batteries are good options

Cover your entire day with a battery, however you can set up to make money off the battery by charging at cheap rates (octopus flux) and selling back at expensive rates , so bigger might be best

When you get an EV your battery usage won't Ness go up as you charge it overnight normally when the battery would be either not being used or charging off grid (say winter)

If your worried it's not tesla least the 11.5 is nearest In size to that

I m not entirely sure.. It does fluctuates, but given the weather at some point, i am assuming we will end up with an air-conditioner. Most appliances other than the tumble dryer are now A.

Electric underfloor is ok but problem is when you need it most is when you get least solar

That is indeed my biggest concern. otherwise it was a no brainer

My friend who lives alone has the 5 kwh battery and he has an EV and he loves it.
If you can afford the 6.4kwh, do it. Better to have extra storage available than not enough

Other things remaining the same, the battery charges are
4.9kWh.. 2k
6.9kWh.. 2.7k
11.5kWh.. 4.1k

So 6.9k is affordable option. I wonder if addditonal battery can be added at a later stage if needed.
16 panels + battery is about 11k. I am assuming it will go up a bit after the final survey

 

[PJ87]

I m not entirely sure.. It does fluctuates, but given the weather at some point, i am assuming we will end up with an air-conditioner. Most appliances other than the tumble dryer are now A.


That is indeed my biggest concern. otherwise it was a no brainer




Other things remaining the same, the battery charges are
4.9kWh.. 2k
6.9kWh.. 2.7k
11.5kWh.. 4.1k

So 6.9k is affordable option. I wonder if addditonal battery can be added at a later stage if needed.
16 panels + battery is about 11k. I am assuming it will go up a bit after the final survey

Check out the brand of battery, you should be able to add a second one at a later date

For example I can add another powerwall but you have to pay VAT on batteries when not installed with solar so would cost like 10k for me to do the second battery

That's the most expensive battery ATM I believe tho. Some good batteries available cheaper

 

[Mudball]

Check out the brand of battery, you should be able to add a second one at a later date

For example I can add another powerwall but you have to pay VAT on batteries when not installed with solar so would cost like 10k for me to do the second battery

That's the most expensive battery ATM I believe tho. Some good batteries available cheaper

for what it is worth

Exiom 425W Mono All Black Module
Growatt Inverter
Growatt Ark Solar Battery Storage

 

[PJ87]

for what it is worth

Exiom 425W Mono All Black Module
Growatt Inverter
Growatt Ark Solar Battery Storage

Looks like you can add another battery at a later date just make sure you leave space around the system for another battery

Our battery is outside. Tech I can go all along the wall

 

[Tashyboy]

Would you say there is any value is upgrading the battery to a 6.4kWh variant? I have an EV and I'd put us in the higher usage category.

The additional costs would be about £1,900 so whilst it's a considerable amount I don't want to pay the small amount and then regret it!

For me it’s a six and two threes question re upgrade. My Bessie pal has a battery system
Where you can just plug in another battery into the system to increase capacity If it is similar to that. You could do it yourself and save a few quid. Ask if the battery system can be increased at a later date should you go for the system Quoted.
Re what has been quoted I would snap their hands off.

 

[PJ87]

I m not entirely sure.. It does fluctuates, but given the weather at some point, i am assuming we will end up with an air-conditioner. Most appliances other than the tumble dryer are now A.


That is indeed my biggest concern. otherwise it was a no brainer




Other things remaining the same, the battery charges are
4.9kWh.. 2k
6.9kWh.. 2.7k
11.5kWh.. 4.1k

So 6.9k is affordable option. I wonder if addditonal battery can be added at a later stage if needed.
16 panels + battery is about 11k. I am assuming it will go up a bit after the final survey

One thing I wish I could add to my system is an in-home display for battery level, just for the wife lol

She txts me I've done one load and dried and and second loads on put in tumble when you get in


It was an awful solar day only 7kw or something produced .. 9% battery left at 21:30

Might end up just taking a kw off the grid .. shame if she had just done one of them washes overnight and tumbled overnight wouldnt have been an issue

 

[full_throttle]

Since my last update on July 1st, I have had £86.78 credited to my account for electricity exported. (27/4 - 1/7)

I will update this months usage next week

 

[PJ87]

Since my last update on July 1st, I have had £86.78 credited to my account for electricity exported. (27/4 - 1/7)

I will update this months usage next week

We don't get much credited as our export is only 4p a kw but it's because we only pay 9.5p a kw most of the time

Anyways this month's bill after the little credit we got was £56

Cost without the system £274

Yet people will still pick holes because it's outstanding £13300 until break even

 

[Mudball]

Since my last update on July 1st, I have had £86.78 credited to my account for electricity exported. (27/4 - 1/7)

I will update this months usage next week

that looks small, but i am assuming, it impacted your leccy bill... so effectively there are 2 bits
a) there is money that it took off your bill, which you would have anyway paid to the grid - cost avoidance
b) Money overall you got credited - money made.

So in effect you 'made' a+b. Last year you were paying a to your energy provider and now you are paying to solar company. Also, you may have added equity into the house.

 

[cliveb]

that looks small, but i am assuming, it impacted your leccy bill... so effectively there are 2 bits
a) there is money that it took off your bill, which you would have anyway paid to the grid - cost avoidance
b) Money overall you got credited - money made.

So in effect you 'made' a+b. Last year you were paying a to your energy provider and now you are paying to solar company. Also, you may have added equity into the house.

You forgot to add in:
c) Interest you would have made from keeping the capital in a decent savings account

So the actual benefit is a+b-c

At current import and export prices and interest rates, the analysis for my own house means that getting panels would result in a small profit, and getting a battery is actually not worth it.
(Of course, we don't have a crystal ball about future electricity prices and interest rates).

 

[larmen]

Suddenly the misses is talking about solar panels. Out of the blue she is standing in the garden with her tools, looking at the roof and talks about the weather being good for solar.

We have about 6m width of a south/southeast facing unshaded roof. I have to try and work out how ‘high’ the rectangle would be to see what we could fit. If we get 2 high then it might be a decent size arrays available to us.