Solar Panels
- Thread starter Danny
- Start date
Dansouthcoast84
Private Member
i dont know mate.
my mates firm i fareham has company who installs. give me a bell if you wanna talk through with him
my mates firm i fareham has company who installs. give me a bell if you wanna talk through with him
smoother09
Well-Known Member
I've got the underground solar panel system! Ain't had power for 6 months don't know what I did wrong fit um myself!
ChrispyUK
Well-Known Member
I’ve helped my mate on a few solar installs and repairs. Work out what power you roughly use from appliances during the day and convert into kWh’s and multiply by going rate. Will give you an idea if there is any saving.
Each panel is roughly 250Watts, so rule of thumb, is that you get 1kW produced for every four panels depending on operating efficiency etc.
One job, lady had had a system put in when they were subsidised a few years back. All the sales paperwork was still there and they basically had promised the Earth. Think she’d paid about 9k for an 8 panel system and it was suggested that she’d save about 30k over the lifespan, making it seem very attractive, but obviously complete bullshit. My mate got the call because it had stopped working. Shoddy wiring on the roof and the inverter had packed in. Luckily for her, it was just in warranty and the manufacturer replaced it FOC. Still cost her price of scaffolding a d Labour to sort out the wiring on the roof panels.
Another one was when he got a call from someone who’s elderly parents had a system and then been conned a year or so later out of an additional 6k saying they needed to update it with some new optimisers to make it run even more efficiently. Long story short, he got their money back, but the system at best would save £120 a year, so for a couple in their 80’s, they were completely missold it in the first place.
Not be negative Danny, just be careful as they are often sold based on 100% theoretical output, but in the real world etc!
Ive got a 5 panel system sat waiting to go on my house but it didn’t cost me anything so it’s a no brainier.
Each panel is roughly 250Watts, so rule of thumb, is that you get 1kW produced for every four panels depending on operating efficiency etc.
One job, lady had had a system put in when they were subsidised a few years back. All the sales paperwork was still there and they basically had promised the Earth. Think she’d paid about 9k for an 8 panel system and it was suggested that she’d save about 30k over the lifespan, making it seem very attractive, but obviously complete bullshit. My mate got the call because it had stopped working. Shoddy wiring on the roof and the inverter had packed in. Luckily for her, it was just in warranty and the manufacturer replaced it FOC. Still cost her price of scaffolding a d Labour to sort out the wiring on the roof panels.
Another one was when he got a call from someone who’s elderly parents had a system and then been conned a year or so later out of an additional 6k saying they needed to update it with some new optimisers to make it run even more efficiently. Long story short, he got their money back, but the system at best would save £120 a year, so for a couple in their 80’s, they were completely missold it in the first place.
Not be negative Danny, just be careful as they are often sold based on 100% theoretical output, but in the real world etc!
Ive got a 5 panel system sat waiting to go on my house but it didn’t cost me anything so it’s a no brainier.
If you forget any feed-in cash benefits, would you use the power it produces yourself ?- e.g. lots of IT, an air-source heat pump, hotwater tank etc. If yes, size the panels to that as suggested, if not then don't bother.
It used to be the case you could buy abroad cheaper and bring it back in the van and self-install. Probably not possible now.
It used to be the case you could buy abroad cheaper and bring it back in the van and self-install. Probably not possible now.
SmoothCriminal
Well-Known Member
Green energy’s a hoax.. don’t know why people keep buying into the bullshit on the daily. Don’t take my word for it.. listen to the salesman an adverts who’s selling the pitch ha!
donnasfanning
New Member
Green energy???
essexandy
The Lake Governor
How much did it cost to have eight panels fitted mate?We had 8 panels fitted. saving about £4 a day so far...
When our plannning gets approved I will be adding another 16/20 to the system....
Coupled with log burners I will hopefully have very little fuel bills
Danny
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essexandy
The Lake Governor
Lovely, how so if you don't mind me asking?
Cockney1
Well-Known Member
Danny
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no idea jane sorted it. I think because our property had teh lowest energy rating and 2 toddlers and and one being ill all helped the cause.
We got free central heating and 300mm of loft insulation...
We never get anything so it has been somewhat of a result
essexandy
The Lake Governor
Oh nice result mate.
JFPlastering
New Member
You can get used panels so cheap now that, if you have a decent south facing roof, there's little reason not to fit them.
I bought two sets within the past couple of years - 3kw of panels cost me £600 ish, and then, a while after, i found a 4kw set with inverter and mounting hardware for £400.
I mean at £400, the break even point at todays power costs is pretty close. Or would be close, if i actually got the roof finished up that they're going on!
FITS etc are non existent now, but you wouldn't get them for a non MCS install anyway.
I bought two sets within the past couple of years - 3kw of panels cost me £600 ish, and then, a while after, i found a 4kw set with inverter and mounting hardware for £400.
I mean at £400, the break even point at todays power costs is pretty close. Or would be close, if i actually got the roof finished up that they're going on!
FITS etc are non existent now, but you wouldn't get them for a non MCS install anyway.
theclemo
Private Member
We have 8 on my house to it's looking good so far after a year I think I'll have a good look and I'll go for moreWe had 8 panels fitted. saving about £4 a day so far...
When our plannning gets approved I will be adding another 16/20 to the system....
Coupled with log burners I will hopefully have very little fuel bills
John j
Mono Don
You need em as your home all day
Im thinking of converting a truck to Electric, and was thinking i could build a bed cover out of solar panels to help maintain the battery packs. My truck bed is ~ 70in x 80in. Just have a couple of questions. How effective are solars panels in recharging battery packs? Is it possible to use solar panels to help extend the range of an EV? Is it possible to run an EV exclusively off of solar panels at highway speed?
essexandy
The Lake Governor
Think (work out) how much power a solar panel generates per hour, also work out how much energy the battery in said vehicle stores and how much power the vehicle uses whilst in motion.
You'll soon realise that your idea is a non starter.
FreeD
Private Member
If you are lucky you might boil the kettle at the end of the day.