Off topic Home Solar Systems!

[D4D Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close D4D]

Thanks for the info Leigh, given I am just up the road from you good indicative numbers. We cracked over the $1000 this quarter for the first time. I might wait until you get some summer numbers before I commit to solar.

[barajak Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close barajak]

Your pretty well sorted now. We went for SMA inverter and chinese made panels (as most are from any brand) and went solar for economic reasons as well $2,400 a year for electricity from the grid at last years rates vs five years power cost up front and free power forever more. In Victoria if you have less than 5.0kw, your energy retailer must buy the power from you at $0.35kw ours is 5.7kw so the retailer must pay us what we pay them by law. This may be better in the long term with power going up like it is. Another thing to check out is the ability of the grid to handle your proposed solar. They can only handle a certain number of KWs before the grid becomes uncontrollable. ie. they have to keep the voltage within a narrow range in spite of the sun popping in and out from behind cloud and dropping over the horizon. One more little thing make sure the deal you get is one were you pay the bill when the system is completed and working. It can take six months or more and if you are holding the cash, at least the installer will work hard for you.

[mjrandom Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close mjrandom]

Leigh 6.2 kWh (I assume that's what you mean) seems too low. What did you make today? If it didn't rain should have been double that (mine punched out 13.6 kWh) today, fine and dry.

Best solar generation is autumn and spring because as the panels get hotter the output falls.

Bara 6 months? Really? Mine was ordered and installed in a couple of weeks, meter upgrade was a week after that.

Michael

[Steve M Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close Steve M]

Im getting a quote next week for a 3kw system. It looks like it will be around 6k supply and fit.(this does not go back the grid or anything hence why I need to work out how it all works) I can pay an extra $800 for Japanese panels but will look into it more next week after they have been around and quoted me. I'm very limited for roof space so even with the 3kw system they will be split. i can mount them all on my pergola roof if need be but extra costs due to stands required so will see what they say..........Cheers Steve

[LeighW Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close LeighW]

My unit produced 4KWh today, heavily overcast day with rain at times.

Cheers

LeighW

[LeighW Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close LeighW]

Thanks for the info Leigh, given I am just up the road from you good indicative numbers. We cracked over the $1000 this quarter for the first time. I might wait until you get some summer numbers before I commit to solar.

And I though my power bill was high!

[mjrandom Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close mjrandom]

Im getting a quote next week for a 3kw system. It looks like it will be around 6k supply and fit.(this does not go back the grid or anything hence why I need to work out how it all works) I can pay an extra $800 for Japanese panels but will look into it more next week after they have been around and quoted me. I'm very limited for roof space so even with the 3kw system they will be split. i can mount them all on my pergola roof if need be but extra costs due to stands required so will see what they say..........Cheers Steve

I wouldn't pay extra for Sony or Kyocera panels unless the shape is critical to the install. Get decent name Chinese panels and use the extra $800 to overclock the inverter with a couple of extra panels, again assuming they can be fitted.

[letsgoplaces Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close letsgoplaces]

Get decent name Chinese panels

What are the decent name chinese panels?
Cheers
John

[Torrie 72 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Torrie 72]

Thank God I don't get electricity bills any more - or water or sewer! Our stand alone solar / wind system may be relatively small but if you are energy conscious that's all you need.

Off the grid and loving it.

Cheers, Ben.

[letsgoplaces Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close letsgoplaces]

Suntech.
The Roo.

Cheers. I like a straight to the point answer

[mjrandom Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close mjrandom]

Whirlpool. Lists the good, the bad and the ugerly. (sic) find out what your supplier is suggesting and then check what is written about them.

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

Thanks for all the info guys. I like what I am hearing here and elsewhere about the payback time, makes it seem like a great idea. Like D4D us cracking (smashing) the $1000 mark got me all fired up to go solar. Space for panels shouldn't be an issue for us, I have around 130 swaure metres of unshaded, north facing roof space, and thats not even using the house!

Big is beautiful and within reason money isn't an issue if the payback is fast enough. I just need to find some good reputable dealers and get some quotes.

Ben, I do recall you mentioning you had wind as well when you were here, do you have any advice about wind as well? If its cloudy, chances are its windy so would help to even things out and also produce power at night.

Cheers Andrew

[Guest Close Guest]

What are the decent name chinese panels?
Cheers
John

ET are also very good.

As for inverters, stick with SMA (German) or Aurora (Italian) I have the Suntech and Aurora combo.
And here is my solar generation and energy usage
http://pvoutput.org/intraday.jsp?id=4091&sid=3211

[mjrandom Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close mjrandom]

Xantrex inverters are also good and my panels are blue something or something blue, cannot remember except one is good and the other............................................. .................................................. ...........not.

[Geoffury Find all posts View Profile Close Geoffury]

Check out a mob called Chromagen. We use them thru our work in W.A.(they are australia wide) for hot water system, they also do the P.V panels and seem to have a good quality system for reasonable prices. From memory the panels come from Israel