Help Me Decide Which Solar Panel/Inverter to Purchase

tomlikesbeetroot on 23/11/2023 - 13:47
Last edited 23/11/2023 - 13:51

I'm looking at a lower cost solar installation in Perth, not planning on staying in the house for 10+ years so don't want to overspend.
It is currently just 2 of living here, I work from home 2-3 days per week, and we will be upgrading to an EV very soon.

I've sourced a few quotes from reputable suppliers, and narrowed it down to the combinations below.

From what I can learn googling it seems the Longi or Risen Panels are best but they are priced the same so not sure which to choose - it seems longi is usually more expensive than risen so its probably better going to longi if the price is same?
Also unsure about the inverter if Goodwe is worth the extra money? I can't see many negative reviews for the Growatt and it has a higher efficiency on paper, plus smaller size, so it seems this might be the best option.

Panel Type Inverter type Price Black Friday bonus
JA 15x 440w N Type panels 5kw Goodwe Inverter (model not specified but mentioned its non hybrid) $3,390 none
Risen 15x 440w N Type panels 5kw Growatt XH Hybrid inverter $3,290 Free black mounting system upgrade
Risen 15x 440w N Type panels 5kw Goodwe EH+ Hybrid inverter $3,590 Free black mounting system upgrade
Longi Hi-Mo 6 15 x 440W 5kw Growatt XH Hybrid inverter $3,290 Free black mounting system upgrade
Longi Hi-Mo 6 15 x 440W 5kw Goodwe EH+ Hybrid inverter $3,590 Free black mounting system upgrade
Electrical & Electronics Solar Energy System

Comments

  • avoidfullprice on 23/11/2023 - 14:01
    +1

    At that price range, anything but the first option is good because you cant tell if it is a hybrid inverter or not.

    From what I can learn googling it seems the Longi or Risen Panels are best but they are priced the same so not sure which to choose

    At that price range, roll the dice. Or pick one that look nicer

    we will be upgrading to an EV very soon

    As long as you charge the car during the day, and when sun is up high above the horizon…

    • tomlikesbeetroot on 23/11/2023 - 14:04

      Thanks for the reply, I also just noticed the Goodwe has an activiation fee for hybrid option which is around $900, while it seems to be included free in the Growatt. So I guess that swings it towards Growatt in case I ever decide to add a battery.

      • netjock on 23/11/2023 - 16:09

        You might want to check whether the hybrid is compatible with all batteries. I seem to recall the Growatt is only with Growatt batteries.

  • mskeggs on 23/11/2023 - 14:06
    +2

    You’re quibbling about 10c a day difference maybe.
    At this price point they are all much of a muchness.
    I’d choose on the reputation of the installer.

    • tomlikesbeetroot on 23/11/2023 - 14:10

      Thanks for the reply, the bottom 4 options are all the same installer, many good reviews online for them, and they seem to be one of the bigger companies here in perth (found them via previous deals posted on here).

      Out of the Risen vs Longi panels they seem basically the same on paper, but usually the longi is more expensive (at least when quoted from other places), so I guess at the same price just go for the Longi as the best deal?

      • mskeggs on 23/11/2023 - 14:47
        +1

        I 100% understand where you are coming from. You don't want to be stuck with a fee in 5yrs if you decide to add batteries, or feel annoyed if an inverter fails in a few years that you didn't choose the other one.
        But you're spending $3k that will almost certainly be repaid in a couple of years, so don't worry too much.
        Choose the one you like, or the earliest to be installed or the nicest looking!

  • intra on 23/11/2023 - 14:36
    +1

    I just went through the process of getting solar installed in Perth.

    Ended up buying enphase hardware myself (IQ8 & System controller) 13x 380w inverters
    13 x 500w Trina solar panels from the solar wholesaler

    Organised contractors to come and install, claimed 71 STC rebate, ended up saving like 40% compared to all included quotes

    It’s more complicated but now I have panels facing 3 directions, getting 2kW early in the morning and can easily connect enphase 5kW batteries (6000 cycles/15y warranty)

    • tomlikesbeetroot on 23/11/2023 - 14:44

      Was this sourced through PSW? Also how did you final price compare to what I've quoted above?

      I wouldn't be totally against an option like this, but I am by no means an expert in this field.

      • intra on 23/11/2023 - 15:13

        Panels from luxco energy @landsdale
        Enphase HW via my friends.

        I went for most advanced microinverters hardware on the market today, so it’s hard to compare the price to the cheapest stuff on the market.

        I don’t like the idea of having high voltage DC lines in my roof, this is a main reason for staying away from traditional string inverters.

        I your case I reckon inverter costs approx $500, panels are covered with STC, the rest is a cost of actual work.

    • Gowrie29 on 23/11/2023 - 15:14

      I''d love to hear a little more detail about where you got the panels - how you knew what to get and then how to claim the STC rebate.

      Good effort.

      • intra on 23/11/2023 - 15:15

        Panels are from luxco energy in Landsdale. All STC info is in Google, not hard to find

        • Gowrie29 on 23/11/2023 - 15:19

          Just had a quick search. Very helpful website. Not something I had considered.

      • intra on 23/11/2023 - 15:18

        There are some rules on sizing. E.g panel can’t be above 1.33x inverter rating, but it’s easy to find too, as long as total inverter capacity is under 5000 western power is ok with that.

        You can also apply for permit yourself on synergy/western power websites

  • Paul Atreides on 23/11/2023 - 14:40
    +1

    fwiw Risen panels are used in some Australian solar farms, not sure about Longi

  • Gordon61B on 23/11/2023 - 17:54

    You can learn a lot from this web site - link is to the battery comparo… https://www.solarquotes.com.au/battery-storage/comparison-ta…

    • tomlikesbeetroot on 23/11/2023 - 19:56

      That site doesn't even have growatt in their comparison table, but offers a fairly negative write up. Also they rate the JA panels higher than the other brands.

      • Gordon61B on 23/11/2023 - 20:52

        Column 9 lists three Growatt batteries. Unless you're referring to another table.

        • tomlikesbeetroot on 24/11/2023 - 12:32

          Correct, I was referring to the inverter or hybrid inverter tables.

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