PJ87
Journeyman Pro
Not crass DW if you don't ask never know
It cost me orginally 17k but with vat cut 16k but 8k of that is the battery (to be installed yet) so 8k Ish for 12 panel set up
With battery 8 year payback as I'm high usage
Solar panels , would you ?
- Thread starter spongebob59
- Start date
Not crass DW if you don't ask never know
It cost me orginally 17k but with vat cut 16k but 8k of that is the battery (to be installed yet) so 8k Ish for 12 panel set up
With battery 8 year payback as I'm high usage
HowlingGale
Head Pro
Brill cheers. I guess it is the long game. That's more than I would have envisaged but I wouldn't have thought the battery would cost that much. How big is it?
PJ87
Journeyman Pro
13.5kw telsa powerwall, there are cheaper options but pound to kw it's the cheapest just because it's so big
I will charge it at night off my 5.5p a kw tariff and use it to top up where solar doesn't cover
Year one £1 a day bill down from £3
Year two when fix ends £2-3 a day down from 7-9
Powerwall also is one of few that enables you to use solar during power cut as it takes you off grid and you become your own network until grid comes back
It can support 20amp output continuous and up to 30amp in spikes
Another feature other batteries wouldn't offer
Just want to be able to reduce my bills, reduce usage from grid and also back up house if required
I will add my panels (12) are a 4.5kw system
Which is a good size
Obviously smaller systems would come at less cost , 3 is a good size aswell
Last edited:
HowlingGale
Head Pro
It's definitely something we'll consider. Might leave it a year or so to see how the newer tech fares.
My neighbour's had solar panels for over a decade but it stopped working a number of years ago. They just use normal electricity now.
PJ87
Journeyman Pro
We have 25 guarantee on the panels and inverters for 80% efficiency or something which is good
Yeah always worth seeing new tech
I ordered in January, the company in march stopped taking orders due to price of electric they got so many orders
Even more want it now VATS gone off it
Can't wait for battery to arrive as I produced roughly 10.5 today and used 7.5
That's 3 dead units the grid got back for free .. in few months that will be 4p per unit which considering they charge 30p plus for it isnt great
Battery will enable me to store my excess to use now
cliveb
Head Pro
I presume you mean 4.5kw?
Panels are obviously getting more efficient. When we had a system installed in 2011 it had 14 panels totaling 4kw.
PJ87
Journeyman Pro
Quite right corrected now lol
6 on flat roof rated 380w each 6 front 370w each
Only because front had black trim (Mrs wanted that to improve look but it's slightly ,10w, less efficient) flat roof is out sight so got the white trim which reflects the sun into panel
PJ87
Journeyman Pro
So it's been a few days now of varying production by the panels
Monday 4.2kw (came online 15:00)
Tuesday 10.4kw
Wednesday 11.6kw
Thursday 24.5kw
Friday 21.5kw
Obviously it's very sunny ATM. Winter I'd still expect a good 5-10kw during the sun hours
I mean we came online 6am this morning and it's 9 and already 3kw produced
Definitely need the battery , I'm exporting enough still (even with shoving on tumble. Washing machine and trickle charging car) to half fill the battery .. so normal day to day would fill it to last the evening etc
Winter I'd use less when we out so it would still top up.
Made the correct choice for our house usage for battery but less thirsty houses could manage with a much smaller kw battery for sure
Big shout out to JPS energy in Maidstone Kent .. been fantastic from the start, had an issue with pigeons on flat roof panels getting under and waking us up at 5. They don't normally bird proof flat roofs but to their credit they came back free of charge and put the bird proofing all the way round for me.
Just waiting for scaffolding to be removed and battery to arrive then the system should just take care of itself.
Had a nice moonsoon Wednesday evening that cleaned the panels for me.
Monday 4.2kw (came online 15:00)
Tuesday 10.4kw
Wednesday 11.6kw
Thursday 24.5kw
Friday 21.5kw
Obviously it's very sunny ATM. Winter I'd still expect a good 5-10kw during the sun hours
I mean we came online 6am this morning and it's 9 and already 3kw produced
Definitely need the battery , I'm exporting enough still (even with shoving on tumble. Washing machine and trickle charging car) to half fill the battery .. so normal day to day would fill it to last the evening etc
Winter I'd use less when we out so it would still top up.
Made the correct choice for our house usage for battery but less thirsty houses could manage with a much smaller kw battery for sure
Big shout out to JPS energy in Maidstone Kent .. been fantastic from the start, had an issue with pigeons on flat roof panels getting under and waking us up at 5. They don't normally bird proof flat roofs but to their credit they came back free of charge and put the bird proofing all the way round for me.
Just waiting for scaffolding to be removed and battery to arrive then the system should just take care of itself.
Had a nice moonsoon Wednesday evening that cleaned the panels for me.
Last edited:
cliveb
Head Pro
Did JPS bird-proof the pitched roof panels too? It's not just flat roofs you need to worry about.
We had pigeons nesting under our panels on a pitched roof. Two doors down had squirrels get under theirs and gnaw through the wiring.
PJ87
Journeyman Pro
That was part of the quote, bird proofing of the pitched roof. If you look at the picture you can just about make it out .. it's defo there I've had a good look out the velux lol
Flat roof normally you don't worry about but because it's the loft room it's the noise when they wake up in morning
Luckily we noticed within a day, called them. Scaffolding still up and they came back free of charge to do it for us
PJ87
Journeyman Pro
Well over a week into the system now
Saturday was My best day at 26.1kw produced but yesterday was My best for moving the load of usage into the solar hours 25.1 produced . Managed to get 15% of the car battery charged on a slow charge. Couple of heat pump tumble loads done and apart from a couple spikes when I fired up the air fryer for the girls (still much more efficient than pre heating oven and then cooking longer) tea I didn't touch the grid from 6-6.
Once the battery is here I could run without the grid in the summer (bar charging car overnight) and winter just use the overnight charge to run the battery topped up by solar
Or move to the TEP (Tesla energy plan) and have a flat rate of electric (11p in 11p out for solar sell back)
Weighing it up as whilst it's a good deal I like self managing and it is slightly cheaper to self manage
Saturday was My best day at 26.1kw produced but yesterday was My best for moving the load of usage into the solar hours 25.1 produced . Managed to get 15% of the car battery charged on a slow charge. Couple of heat pump tumble loads done and apart from a couple spikes when I fired up the air fryer for the girls (still much more efficient than pre heating oven and then cooking longer) tea I didn't touch the grid from 6-6.
Once the battery is here I could run without the grid in the summer (bar charging car overnight) and winter just use the overnight charge to run the battery topped up by solar
Or move to the TEP (Tesla energy plan) and have a flat rate of electric (11p in 11p out for solar sell back)
Weighing it up as whilst it's a good deal I like self managing and it is slightly cheaper to self manage
PJ87
Journeyman Pro
First full month of solar was completed last week
Now the out going tarif is set up but only mid month so haven't seen the returns on that that .. it's only 4p a kw so won't be huge
Anyways June's bill £51. That sounds normal to a lot of people but my normal is £85-100
If I compared it to what I would be paying if I wasnt locked into a fix until Feb I would have paid £110 this month instead of £195 .. so it does make a difference
Lower usage people defo would benefit from just solar , but as I'm high when the battery comes and I move to the Tesla plan I'll save £150 a month and level the bills at around £50 a month but that's without solar.. so solar on top in summer will get no bill as My exports will be same rate as my buy ins so it will level out usaged wise
Now the out going tarif is set up but only mid month so haven't seen the returns on that that .. it's only 4p a kw so won't be huge
Anyways June's bill £51. That sounds normal to a lot of people but my normal is £85-100
If I compared it to what I would be paying if I wasnt locked into a fix until Feb I would have paid £110 this month instead of £195 .. so it does make a difference
Lower usage people defo would benefit from just solar , but as I'm high when the battery comes and I move to the Tesla plan I'll save £150 a month and level the bills at around £50 a month but that's without solar.. so solar on top in summer will get no bill as My exports will be same rate as my buy ins so it will level out usaged wise
need_my_wedge
Has Now Found His Wedgie
Our council recently put out a "Solar together" action. Basically they get interested homeowners to sign up their interest, then put the tender out to auction. They give a ball park figure based on a few guesstimates and current installation prices. The hope is the uptake is good and the price actually comes in a fair bit lower. I signed up to it, the auction has completed, we're now waiting for the company that won the tender to contact us and give us an accurate quote.
bobmac
Major Champion
There's a small development of 9 houses being built near me, it will be interesting to see if any of them will have south facing roofs and charging points fitted.
GreiginFife
Money List Winner
Last phase of a development in the village's south field here. 8 bungalows and 7 "cottage style" houses. Bungalows are all being kitted with panels and will include charge points on the driveway. The houses will have panels, charge points and battery storage included as standard. All seems pretty sensible.
Only downside seems to be the builders taking the proverbial with the pricing. Exact same bungalow in phase 3 (last phase complete last month); 3 bed, 2 bath, 2 reception room priced at £295,995 (high for round here). New phase bungalow with same rooms etc but solar & charge points... £349,995. I appreciate house prices are on the increase but that's just ridiculous.
They know they will sell though as the village has been infiltrated by Edinburgers not wanting to pay Edinburger prices. (that £349,995 will probably buy a 2 bed flat over there).
Foxholer
Blackballed
When I was working in Edinburgh, the Grounds Super, part of the job being optimising the car park, was proud to be a 'Man of Fife' and seriously disliked 'Edinburgers'! I got a 'free pass' from his ire as a foreigner and with a Gran from West Calder.
Last edited:
PJ87
Journeyman Pro
Apart from the price point this is how it should be, really give future proofing and gives the grid less demand
They had one in another London borough, does seem a good idea to get as many people at once done .. only takes about a day per house
I'm finding the way of thinking about electric now it's here is weird. For example the tumble didn't go on overnight I forgot to start it.
I said to wife nevermind it's a sunny day It will be free.. not free on the line just start in 30 mins time .. using the solar as it's heat pump and uses 0.5kw per hour to run it will be free.
Beats selling the solar back for currently 4.1p a kw
PJ87
Journeyman Pro
So my install was 9th May 2022
so a bit of an insight into summer usage
now bear in mind im a very heavy electric user (9155 kw a year so triple the typical)
4 full months worth of solar now
also should note until feb 2023 im still fixed at 14p day rate
despite this to date my total savings from just solar is £229 , thats not bad for the 14p rate , change that figure to 34p that the gov is capping at my saving would be £500 thus far
onto the battery
the battery I have been told will finally arrival into the installer tomorrow , (not bad for a powerwall, ordered in feb. lead time atm is 12-18 months)
In feb my octopus gofaster deal expires and the new one currently on offer is 8.25p night (currently 5.5p for me) and 40p day
I have done the sums, run worst case figures based on using zero solar and just the battery with the solar being paid at the tiny 4.1p rate (when in reality what will happen is on big solar days the house will go off grid and battery wont charge at all overnight at the cheap rate)
anyways with load shifting my energy bill (electric only) will be £1098 averaging about 12p a kw total
obviously because of my high usage I had to go for the biggest battery I could and a 4.5 kw system
certainly eye opening how much savings can be made from the roof, if you can afford it I highly recommend it
for full disclosure if I didnt have the battery or solar , just on the go tariff for next year the bill (based on the smart metre figures) would be £2756 (electric only) and if It was at just the gov cap with no night rate would be £3112 (obviously would be lower slightly for these as the solar will knock off a lot of the use april-october
gas wise £1200 a year under the gov cap by looks, we use little gas compared (9000kw, which for gas is below average)
so a bit of an insight into summer usage
now bear in mind im a very heavy electric user (9155 kw a year so triple the typical)
4 full months worth of solar now
also should note until feb 2023 im still fixed at 14p day rate
despite this to date my total savings from just solar is £229 , thats not bad for the 14p rate , change that figure to 34p that the gov is capping at my saving would be £500 thus far
onto the battery
the battery I have been told will finally arrival into the installer tomorrow , (not bad for a powerwall, ordered in feb. lead time atm is 12-18 months)
In feb my octopus gofaster deal expires and the new one currently on offer is 8.25p night (currently 5.5p for me) and 40p day
I have done the sums, run worst case figures based on using zero solar and just the battery with the solar being paid at the tiny 4.1p rate (when in reality what will happen is on big solar days the house will go off grid and battery wont charge at all overnight at the cheap rate)
anyways with load shifting my energy bill (electric only) will be £1098 averaging about 12p a kw total
obviously because of my high usage I had to go for the biggest battery I could and a 4.5 kw system
certainly eye opening how much savings can be made from the roof, if you can afford it I highly recommend it
for full disclosure if I didnt have the battery or solar , just on the go tariff for next year the bill (based on the smart metre figures) would be £2756 (electric only) and if It was at just the gov cap with no night rate would be £3112 (obviously would be lower slightly for these as the solar will knock off a lot of the use april-october
gas wise £1200 a year under the gov cap by looks, we use little gas compared (9000kw, which for gas is below average)
fundy
Ryder Cup Winner
amazing how affordable electricity could be if you could actually get solar panels and a battery installed without having to wait, at a reasonable price (not the current inflated ones) and if they paid you a proper rate rather than the current derisory one (it should be tied to rate theyre charging their highest rate tariff ie 80% of cost). If only we didnt have to worry about corporate profits and shareholder dividends lol