Newbie wanting to install solar panels. Advice appreciated.

[Discombobulate]

I'm looking to install solar panels on the roof but I'm completely new to this.

Anybody recommend a supplier and type of panels to go for and an approximate cost?

I have a south east facing roof at the back of the house that I was thinking of putting the panels on.

I'm looking to save on my energy bills. I'm also looking to buy an electric car next year so I'm hoping the panels will save on the cost of charging this.

Hopefully this is enough information but let me know if you need anything else.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Discombobulate]

Forgot to say I'm near Hull / York.

 

[PSM1]

Look up some local firms to you.
My 4kW system (max you can get for Feed In Tariff) was £6.5k fully fitted and I had an extra bit added that diverts power to my immersion heater when I am not using it elsewhere. Anything more than that and you are paying too much in my view.
We have a Leaf and during the day in the summer you can be generating enough electricity to fully supply the charger hence charging it for free. This is fine if you are in the house but not so good if you work during the day. I am hoping the home batteries come down in price as this would be a good addition to panels and mean I could be 'off grid' for quite a few months during the spring/summer.

 

[Discombobulate]

Thanks for your advice

 

[SteveCritten]

I used Green Solar I think from Donny. Did a quick efficient job. Different prices for more efficient panels depending what you want.

 

[Discombobulate]

Thanks. Will check it out.

 

[neilhop76]

Sunpower panels - a bit pricey - but very efficient. £7.2k

 

[SteveCritten]

Sunpower panels - a bit pricey - but very efficient. £7.2k

If you want the most efficient then Sanyo/Panasonic are the best at the moment but the difference is probably 1-2% from ones that are 30% cheaper. If there was no feed in tariff I would have gone for the most efficient, as it was I went for the ones with most bang for buck. It depends on your priorities.

 

[Discombobulate]

I've just got a quote for the following:

3.99 KWp

14 modules SE-R285-KMC-38

£6,900

Seem ok?

 

[SteveCritten]

Is it the Silvanis module by sun Edison? If so looks quite efficient at 17.7% but it depends how easy an installation it will be. Sounds a tad expensive to me but as I say depends on any complications.

 

[Discombobulate]

I don't know if it's the model you mention. Will check it out.

 

[Discombobulate]

It's a SolarEdge, silvanis by sun edison . Immersun II controller.

I can also buy a Tesla powerwall battery for an extra £5k. Not sure if this is worth it.

 

[SteveCritten]

I am waiting for the Tesla battery to come down in price then I will think about it. To be honest all it would be good for is if we start having black outs I don't think you would ever recoup the cost.

 

[Trollslayer]

What is the service life of a powerwall? That is a a lot of batteries to replace.

 

[Discombobulate]

The tesla battery is $3500 in the US. Not sure why it's £5000 here.

Suppose it's supply and demand.

 

[Trollslayer]

Probably a smaller market in Europe.

 

[neilball]

Just read that Tesla are discontinuing the 10kWh model as its 500 cycle 'life' makes it less suitable for the majority and are concentrating on the 7kWh version instead. This model is designed for daily charge/discharge cycles and has a 10 year guarantee.

 

[Cocksure]

It's a SolarEdge, silvanis by sun edison . Immersun II controller.

I can also buy a Tesla powerwall battery for an extra £5k. Not sure if this is worth it.

I have an Nedap battery storage with mine, and frankly wouldn't get solar panels without it.

If you are going for battery backup then make sure they will still give you mains power in case of a power cut, their are a few out their that dont! Nedap do

I used Gavin at Leeds solar who was very good and i'm sure he covers the York area. He really had to work on my one so if you want a "custom" he is use to it

 

[Cocksure]

Just read that Tesla are discontinuing the 10kWh model as its 500 cycle 'life' makes it less suitable for the majority and are concentrating on the 7kWh version instead. This model is designed for daily charge/discharge cycles and has a 10 year guarantee.

Just bare in mind that you only get 45% of the battery storage size when you order them, so for a 10 kwh storage you get 4.5 kwh of usable power

 

[stephenc]

And as 4.5kwh costs me about 42p plus standing charge, batteries are going to have to come down in price and up storage and efficiency before I'm in.

 

[Discombobulate]

Does the Fit rate go up?

The proposal I have shoes a steady increase on the Fit rate I'd receive each year.

Is this right?

 

[Cocksure]

Does the Fit rate go up?

The proposal I have shoes a steady increase on the Fit rate I'd receive each year.

Is this right?

Treat that with a pinch of salt, the promise is that it wont go down but will keep up with inflation

When i double checked the figs, i just times the current yearly rate by 20 to give me the worse case fig and it still covered the cost of the install, then you need to add factors like it will add value to your house etc.

The only things you can say for sure is that elec rate will go up, so your saving on that will get bigger

 

[Cocksure]

And as 4.5kwh costs me about 42p plus standing charge, batteries are going to have to come down in price and up storage and efficiency before I'm in.

You could say the same about get just getting panels

For me, i use 90% of my power at night so it was worth it in my case. Last year my elec bill was around £100 with £60 of that being standing charge

 

[SteveCritten]

Mine has gone up with inflation each year and is now just over 48p a unit but I believe this year inflation is 0.1 or 0.2 so very marginal.

 

[stephenc]

You could say the same about get just getting panels

For me, i use 90% of my power at night so it was worth it in my case. Last year my elec bill was around £100 with £60 of that being standing charge

Yeah, but how much were your bills before your battery? I pay £29pcm, and like you use most of it at night. With batteries in the thousands and a shelf life of 5 to 10 years, the saving of £300 per year is not enough to justify......yet. In a few years it will be and I'll jump in.