Attn Norfuckers - Solar Panels

[Rheumatoid]

Kicking myself, should have done this years ago, or when I got laid off, could do with Yorkshite council starting a scheme like wot the Carrot cruncher s have!! :dunno: most of my electricity is used during the day, keeping Snakes nice and warm!! :-0)

I can think of a cheaper way to keep your snake warm

 

[Stevebrooke]

Just had 4kw system fitted on garage for ?4.7k through the solar together scheme. Payback should be around 5.5 years or slightly less as me and the misses are at home most days so can try to use our own leccy most of the time. Approx 23% pa return slightly better than my best 2% Isas!

Check the usage details. I get paid for what I generate and can also use it as the meter they use to pay you is linked to the panels not the mains.

 

[Rheumatoid]

Check the usage details. I get paid for what I generate and can also use it as the meter they use to pay you is linked to the panels not the mains.

Eh?

Yes I still get FIT and generation payment whether I use the leccy or not. I get FIT for 50% of what I generate as feed in is deemed not metered.

 

[Jaws]

Beware the terms of the contractors providing the service, I have heard reports of people being unable to sell their houses, because the contacting company have a claim to your roof (or some such stuff).

My main objection to solar panels on the roof is that they look hideous and you have to live to be about 150 to recoup the cost.:dunno:

(or both of those urban myths?)

That refers to the 'we fit and retain ownership and grab the dosh they generate' schemes
If you have panels fitted and pay for them your self, solar panels on a house puts the value of the property UP ( though by only a very small amount, a bit like double glazing )

We had ours fitted back in the days before they got mean with the unit values.. We currently get 46p per unit generated plus a percentage of electric used paid for

Of course, the downside was we paid through the nose for the system ( ?10,300 ) because, as mentioned, it was done way back...
We have had it in for about 5 years now.. We average ?400 per quarter from them ( 2kw system ) but our house could not be better placed as it is south facing.
We fully expect the system to have paid for its self in about 2 to 3 years, after which time ( for the next 17 years ) it will all be profit

Would I recommend having them fitted ? Yes, absolutely

 

[Rheumatoid]

Nice day for first run of system. Just gone over 16kWh before 2pm. not bad for last day of September.

Norfukkers - council now doing same for energy supply if you want to sign up:

https://norfolk.ichoosr.com/Product/customizableinfo.rails?actionId=424

 

[Jaws]

And fuck me, after saying what a great system I have, the poxy inverter has just died !!!
Coming up with an internal fault.. Rang the installers and they are gonna have to send a fitter down ( from Scotland ) to replace the thing..

Just checked on the figures and it looks like it dies as we went away at the beginning of August.. Which means we will have ZERO generated power since then.. what a total balls ache

 

[Rheumatoid]

And fuck me, after saying what a great system I have, the poxy inverter has just died !!!
Coming up with an internal fault.. Rang the installers and they are gonna have to send a fitter down ( from Scotland ) to replace the thing..

Just checked on the figures and it looks like it dies as we went away at the beginning of August.. Which means we will have ZERO generated power since then.. what a total balls ache

Shame

at least the weather wasn't fantastic in august!

I guess you stop obsessively looking at monitors once you have had it for a while so that's why you missed it going down? I am sitting here looking at a pretty coloured display telling me what its doing and can look on my phone when I am out and about.

 

[Jaws]

Yup, after the first couple of years it all gets pretty boring !!
Just had a call to say the engineers will be here on Friday morning

 

[andyBeaker]

I transfer ownership of FIT to new owners.

Sounds good in theory but it might put buyers off? At the end of the day you have rented out your roof - this may not be overly appealing. I would think twice before buying a place with a contract on it.

 

[Murt]

This 'inverter' John.
Is it covered under some maintenance / insurance policy, or do you have to pay for repairs yourself.

Seriously looking at this stuff when (if) we move house, and the 'years down the line' costs are concerning.

Any other costs involved? Cleaning the panels, maintenance etc.

:dunno:

Murt

 

[Rheumatoid]

Sounds good in theory but it might put buyers off? At the end of the day you have rented out your roof - this may not be overly appealing. I would think twice before buying a place with a contract on it.

I have not rented out my roof. I own the system outright. I would never use one of these rent a roof schemes due to the likelihood of problems on sale or otherwise. I thought you were referring to the FIT contract.

 

[Jaws]

Same here Rheumy

 

[Jaws]

This 'inverter' John.
Is it covered under some maintenance / insurance policy, or do you have to pay for repairs yourself.

Seriously looking at this stuff when (if) we move house, and the 'years down the line' costs are concerning.

Any other costs involved? Cleaning the panels, maintenance etc.

:dunno:

Murt

10 year warranty on it Murt..

 

[Murt]

Got a bloke coming round Saturday morning to do a survey, and have a talk about Solar panels.
Our roof now has unobstructed sunlight ( when we get it) from sunrise to late evening.

Bloke setting the visit up mentioned a new battery system that stores excess power to a battery to run things at night?
Anyone got any more up to date info, advice, warnings, scare stories?..... :dunno:

I'm open minded, and have read up on the stuff a bit, but nothing better than being told a load of crap on here to make your mind up!

Thanks in advance.

Murt.

 

[Jaws]

Yes... made me larf when it was mentioned a couple of years ago.. Came across as being an all new system..
Yer right.. Motorhomers and the like have been using the system for years..
Solar panels on the roof charge up the batteries which drive an inverter..
What IS new is the type of battery used .. charges quicker and can deep cycle better.. LiPo tech is cool !!

Maybe one day I will add it but quite happy with what we have had for the past few years. Fully expect it to all be paid for well within the 10 year projection ( in fact 8 years should see it done and dusted )
Mind you, we coughed up over ?10k for what we had fitted but we do get the original very high unit value of about 46p a go.

 

[Rheumatoid]

Got a bloke coming round Saturday morning to do a survey, and have a talk about Solar panels.
Our roof now has unobstructed sunlight ( when we get it) from sunrise to late evening.

Bloke setting the visit up mentioned a new battery system that stores excess power to a battery to run things at night?
Anyone got any more up to date info, advice, warnings, scare stories?..... :dunno:

I'm open minded, and have read up on the stuff a bit, but nothing better than being told a load of crap on here to make your mind up!

Thanks in advance.

Murt.

Be very careful and visit here for a (long) read and post a question if you can't find an answer. Some very knowledgeable people on there - no not me!

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/forumdisplay.php?f=100

Battery technology is a way forward but is still very expensive and with FiT payments now reduced to diddly I'm not sure its worth it at the moment. BUT battery technology may come down rapidly with the drive from Tesla cars and it may not be long before panels with storage become economically viable due to savings in energy - particularly if energy prices start going up from their current lows.

R.

 

[Rheumatoid]

Yes... made me larf when it was mentioned a couple of years ago.. Came across as being an all new system..
Yer right.. Motorhomers and the like have been using the system for years..
Solar panels on the roof charge up the batteries which drive an inverter..
What IS new is the type of battery used .. charges quicker and can deep cycle better.. LiPo tech is cool !!

Maybe one day I will add it but quite happy with what we have had for the past few years. Fully expect it to all be paid for well within the 10 year projection ( in fact 8 years should see it done and dusted )
Mind you, we coughed up over ?10k for what we had fitted but we do get the original very high unit value of about 46p a go.

John, I know you don't keep a very close eye any more but do you find your output dropping a fair bit in the summer? On clear sunny days in winter and spring I have been getting outputs of 3.7kW for long periods. Last few days though the max I have seen has been around 3.2. I know temperature can have an impact up to about 10% and with no recent rain they may be dusty but I wouldn't have expected such a sudden drop. I don't remember it happening in the mini heatwave we had in May.

Jon

 

[Quiney]

Stepson has a windows cleaning business (water fed pole with electric charge in the water )
and he has just cleaned a large solar farm.
The owners were amazed just how dirty they were and how much the output had dropped off.

 

[Jaws]

John, I know you don't keep a very close eye any more but do you find your output dropping a fair bit in the summer? On clear sunny days in winter and spring I have been getting outputs of 3.7kW for long periods. Last few days though the max I have seen has been around 3.2. I know temperature can have an impact up to about 10% and with no recent rain they may be dusty but I wouldn't have expected such a sudden drop. I don't remember it happening in the mini heatwave we had in May.

Jon

The only way I can check on output is by counting the flashes on the meter !
Cannot say I have noticed any real difference though

One thing..
Last year I saw a big drop.. Called the installers and they asked what controller/ inverter I had.
Told them, they was out within 48 hours and a new inverter fitted
Seems there was a batch that failed over time and I had one of those.
All replaced FOC and they checked the rest of the install too.

With that in mind do keep a wary eye on things as you seem to have similar symptoms to me

 

[rob_1961]

Hi mine is a 2.5kw system fitted last july I paid cash for the system but I had problems for 7 months nearly ending in a court room. Ive got an east and west facing roof 5 panels on each but the company settled upgrading it to a solar edge system .I make power everyday now and ive got a back boiler with a solar I boost fitted giving me free hot water everyday .The only thing that switches the power back to the grid is when I put the kettle on its a no brainer really@tu*