Hi All,
I am in the process of building my home and I am thinking of putting solar panels. There are so many companies offering so many different panels and invertors I need help/Inputs from Local South Aussies
1)All who have recently bought/installed solar panels
2)Which panels/invertor to go for company to trust for after sales service
3)Positive/Negative experiences if any
4)Best Value for Money panels and peace of mind.
Regards
Pats
would you mind if I ask which panels/invertor they recommended and roughly how much ( approx. amount should be fine) it costed you and have u had any issues with the system?
I bought German inverter and Chinese panels, I thought that if the panels failed that the price of panels would have come down and would also be thinner, no problems with anything. My bills used to be roughly $600/$800 per quarter we installed a 3.5kw system and that covered our bills, this quarter we had a bill of $12(price rises) first bill in 3 years, we used to get anywhere between $20/$40 back. I can't remember the cost I do remember thinking it would be two years before we got our money back, I think prices have come down because the rebates have come down.
thanks mate
Be careful with this advice..
@gavin8761 is probably on some generous feed-in tarrif that is no longer available.
Current Feed-In tarrif (ie the power you sell back to the grid) for new systems is only worth 7.6c/kWh…
In SA we're paying ~35c/kWh, so for every kWh you draw from the grid, you've got to make 4.5kwh to sell back to break even.
As a result, you need a massive system to break even through winter especially.
The aim with systems under this scenario is to "time shift" as much power usage as possible to the daylight hours to use up the "free" power rather than sell it cheap to the grid and then have to buy it back in the night time.
I have a 5KW system and we're on the 7.6c feed in. We barely break even over Summer (generating 30ish kWh/day) and pay ~$200/qtr through Winter (generating 12ish kWh/day, 4kWh on an overcast day). This is with Gas hot water, heating and stove.
And we have young kids so my wife is at home through to day using heavy power appliances (cooking, washing clothes and dishwasher) while the sun is up.
It'll take me about 8 years to pay down my system with the savings.
I also went with German inverter (SMA) and Chinese Panels (ET Solar) for the same reason as @gavin8761.
Ace Solar and Electrical installed my system.. They came highly recommended on Whirlpool. The system was installed professionally, but I wish I'd stood my ground on the system layout that I recommend below. Instead I have North and West facing panels that they recommended.
If you're at work all day, I'd recommend installing some panels East and West. That way you should generate power during breakfast (coffee machine/kettle/toaster) and during dinner (oven/stove/air con) cooking times.
You'll make less power through the middle of the day than a north facing system (especially in Winter), but you're not at home then anyway.
If you don't use power at Breakfast time (ie skip breakfast) then go North and West.
Try to set washing and dishwasher on timer to start when you have good power generation. Cooking, you cant really do on timer unless you use a slow cooker.
@gavin8761:
The system prices have come down because the manufacturing capacity and quality for panels has increased dramatically.
The feed-in tarrif rebates have come down cause the feed-in tarrif system was designed to create demand in the market, and is no longer required because system prices are lower.
I'm not complaining that you're on a high feed-in tarrif, but your experiences are no longer achieveable. It's now impossible, or at least economically unfeasible, for someone to put up a system that would make their Electricity costs break even all year round without making significant changes to lifestyle.
@scubacoles: Pretty sure I get 16c feed in tariff, which is obviously more than the tariff offered now, but I think(cynically maybe) that the tariff has been lowered because the government did not expect such a high take up of solar systems so once they realised so many people were taking advantage they scaled it back. My panels all face North, today at 13.00 it has achieved 8.4 kw with an average this month of 19.4kw per day, as you said the idea is to use your appliances during the day when the system is generating.
The real dilemma is to get a few quotes and sift out the BS. Good luck to the OP.
@gavin8761:
Absolutely right.
By Contrast, my 2kW North and 3kW West had generated 5.4kWh by 1pm.
But due to shading, my West Panels only get going after about 1pm anyway..
They'll add another 19-20kWh by sunset (for a total around 25kWh) this afternoon (assuming the cloudless day continues).
http://pvoutput.org/intraday.jsp?id=32886&sid=30143
You can see where the shade clears the North Panels in the morning and again on the West Panels in the afternoon.
It's another consideration OP..
Check out what shade might cut across your production area. Shade kills output if you're running a standard DC system. Your installer should do this for you and if there are any problems, it might be worth looking the extra cost of Microinverters.
we researched and installed 4 1/2 years ago.
we tried using 2 different 'quote websites', so we ended up having four companies visit for quoting.
went with http://www.solarsouth.com.au/
not the cheapest or most expensive, just seemed the most genuine.
aurora inverter, trina panels.
work was carried out as expected, neat, prompt
Being previous farm land cleared for housing development so luckily there is no shade/trees issues where I am planning to build. My scenario would be working during the day and evenings and weekend spent at home.
So work out what your daily consumption is and/or can be between 10 and 5pm for Winter, and 9 and 7pm for Summer.
Start taking some meter readings when you leave for work and get home. Try to schedule dishwasher and washing machine to run while the sun is up so you can see the power usage they introduce.
Also consider installing a Heat Pump hot water system that runs off your solar power.
thanks mate that sounds like a brilliant idea especially Heat Pump Hot Water System
+1 for that
Could anyone please suggest on the LG Solar Panels and Fronius inverters.Would that be money well spent?
http://www.acesolarandelectrical.com.au/uploads/files/LG_Mon…
Both very highly regarded.
plus one. Just got LG/Fronius installed. Not the cheapest, but IMO the company had a much better business model than the others. Guy that came to inspect had been installer, arrived in a work ute, inspected the site properly and the quote was site specific. Unlike the other where the salesman was dressed like a salesman, arrived in a prado, didn't really want to see the roof and got the price off a list.
I am being offered $6899 for 2O Panels and 5KW Fronius Invertor.My thoughts are it would take close to 10 years for repaying the whole system but the guy at ace solar suggested 3 years on the basis of 50% paying back to grid and 50% usage.
I used these guys about 3 years ago http://www.myenergysolar.com.au/
I went to get four quotes, one didn't turn up, one wouldn't come unless both myself and my wife were there?? these guys turned up when they said they would and gave good advice,(I did end up getting 4 quotes they weren't the cheapest and they weren't the most expensive I just like the honesty) they arrived on time on the day of installation and completed the work leaving the area clean and tidy. They were a father and son team, I think they were in Hallett Cove.