Solar PV (1 Viewer)

[egg_]

Wasn't there someone here who got (or at least was looking into getting) solar panels? What set up did you get in the end? Toying with the idea now myself ...

 

[magicbastarder]

IIRC pete was getting prices anyway.

 

[egg_]

@pete ? Maybe @rettucs too?

 

[pete]

@pete ? Maybe @rettucs too?

i haven't got it done yet. i hate talking to salespersons so i contacted a load of companies last year by email / contact us forms - and ONE of them replied. first quote was not unreasonable but i wanted more panels, which they didn't think was possible. got them to send A MAN out who agreed with me that more were possible, and got a revised quote, but even though i dropped the battery requirement (expensive) and added a few extra panels (relatively cheap) the quote was almost the same. decided to wait until i got more quotes but despite (eventually) going through the process again, again i only got ONE reply - i followed up on that, and.... nothing. All very frustrating, but might end up saving a few quid if/when the VAT is removed. We shall see.

 

[seanc]

In set building it only has to look good from one side though I suppose. I'd do it where i can. because the abovementioned shed (mine, not the more recent centrist thumped dad shed) is a not going to all that pretty kinda project i'm literally painting things and screwing them in while they still wet.

I had a little look back through the thread, because there's a couple of solar panels sitting unused on the roof here, so I wanted to see what I could glean from the persons of Thumped. I don't really know what to do with them. It will be a project we'll do ourselves, but I'm just the worker monkey. From what I can see, what you'll all thinking of doing is different to what we plan on.

But with regards to the post I quoted, I don't recall ever reading that reply.
Indeed, the aesthetic is more important than the quality in set-building. In that particular case, the guy wasn't doing set-building, he was doing some permanent-ish work in the local pub. I guess, things can be assembled and then sealed later.

 

[ernesto]

Wasn't there someone here who got (or at least was looking into getting) solar panels? What set up did you get in the end? Toying with the idea now myself ...

Have paid a deposit. Getting 22 of them and a battery installed this summer

 

[ernesto]

I had a little look back through the thread, because there's a couple of solar panels sitting unused on the roof here, so I wanted to see what I could glean from the persons of Thumped. I don't really know what to do with them. It will be a project we'll do ourselves, but I'm just the worker monkey. From what I can see, what you'll all thinking of doing is different to what we plan on.

But with regards to the post I quoted, I don't recall ever reading that reply.
Indeed, the aesthetic is more important than the quality in set-building. In that particular case, the guy wasn't doing set-building, he was doing some permanent-ish work in the local pub. I guess, things can be assembled and then sealed later.

Be careful. They are high voltage when connected in series

 

[magicbastarder]

Mind me asking what you're paying?

 

[ernesto]

Mind me asking what you're paying?

I think about 12 and that includes a hybrid inverter and 5kwh battery

 

[seanc]

Be careful. They are high voltage when connected in series

None of it seems too hard, and unlike most boat people, my skipper knows where all the wrong electrics are, and he is pretty good at this stuff really.

These panels upstairs have been there since LONG before I moved in. They are just sitting there. But plenty of the neighbours have them, and it'll be an interesting learning experience.

 

[pete]

Have paid a deposit. Getting 22 of them and a battery installed this summer

i'll be lucky if i can ever fit half that within range of a sunbeam. not a hope with the current roof layout alone - i'll get 7 on the (100% south facing) front of the house but a stupid big seemed-like-a good-idea-at-the-time velux on the east facing side of the house that went in when the attic was converted will limit us to two or MAYBE 3 on that side. We'd get some use out of for the first half of the day, and down the line i might be able to get another two or maybe three west facing added that would catch a bit of sun later in the day, depending on an extension a. happening and b. its roof design....

 

[pete]

I think about 12 and that includes a hybrid inverter and 5kwh battery

i think that's a pretty good deal. who'd you go with?

 

[magicbastarder]

What does a hybrid inverter do?

 

[ernesto]

i think that's a pretty good deal. who'd you go with?

Efficient renewables based up in Donegal

 

[ernesto]

What does a hybrid inverter do?

We have two roofs (house and garage) so the inverter needs to be able to receive two sets of inputs ( both sets of panels ) .
That's all that's been explained to moi anyway

 

[rettucs]

@pete ? Maybe @rettucs too?

DM'd you there

 

[rettucs]

I think about 12 and that includes a hybrid inverter and 5kwh battery

thats deadly. whats the capacity of each panel?

the only issue is that I read somewhere that there's a limit on the amount of electricity that you generated, that you are allowed to use yourself. Since the clocks changes, on days that aren't pissy wet, my setup is generating more power than we use, but our usage is very low. I know there is a cutoff point that, if reached, you stop consuming what you generate and it all goes back to the grid.

a 5kw/h battery is deadly. I have an immersion timer connected to my 2kw/h battery so I can heat the water from the battery. You should look for something similar

Just on the inverter, that part isn't optional. The power generated from solar is AC while the power we consume is DC. The inverter changes one to the other. You'll get a second panel installed next to your fusebox, where all that will happen. ,

 

[ernesto]

thats deadly. whats the capacity of each panel?

the only issue is that I read somewhere that there's a limit on the amount of electricity that you generated, that you are allowed to use yourself. Since the clocks changes, on days that aren't pissy wet, my setup is generating more power than we use, but our usage is very low. I know there is a cutoff point that, if reached, you stop consuming what you generate and it all goes back to the grid.

a 5kw/h battery is deadly. I have an immersion timer connected to my 2kw/h battery so I can heat the water from the battery. You should look for something similar

Just on the inverter, that part isn't optional. The power generated from solar is AC while the power we consume is DC. The inverter changes one to the other. You'll get a second panel installed next to your fusebox, where all that will happen. ,

Solar generated DC.
We consume 230v AC in a house

Yeah we are getting some module that dumps surplus energy in to a water heater. Forgot about that.

There is no limit on the amount of energy you create that you can use.

 

[Deadmanposting]

thats deadly. whats the capacity of each panel?

the only issue is that I read somewhere that there's a limit on the amount of electricity that you generated, that you are allowed to use yourself. Since the clocks changes, on days that aren't pissy wet, my setup is generating more power than we use, but our usage is very low. I know there is a cutoff point that, if reached, you stop consuming what you generate and it all goes back to the grid.

a 5kw/h battery is deadly. I have an immersion timer connected to my 2kw/h battery so I can heat the water from the battery. You should look for something similar

Just on the inverter, that part isn't optional. The power generated from solar is AC while the power we consume is DC. The inverter changes one to the other. You'll get a second panel installed next to your fusebox, where all that will happen. ,

One of the most informative posts on here about the solar

 

[egg_]

Since the clocks changes, on days that aren't pissy wet, my setup is generating more power than we use, but our usage is very low

Curious about the low usage. We have a well (needing a pump), a water treatment system, a septic tank, a HRV unit, a fridge and a freezer that run constantly. And then in the winter we have a central heating pump and a boiler that needs a bit of electricity to run the electronics and start each heating cycle. Apart from the HRV unit probably every house in the countryside has all that - I wonder what it all costs to run? We use about 5000 kWh of electricity every year, probably it's a good chunk of that

edit: ah, you probably haven't moved to the sticks yet, so your low usage is in a suburb someplace I guess?