Solar Panels

Discussion in 'Renovation & Home Improvement' started by Hwangers, 4th Mar, 2021.

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  1. Never giveup

    Never giveup Well-Known Member

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    One of my colleague mentioned about Micro inverter recommended by a company due to roof fires

    Solar panel fires caused by DC isolator switches jump 500 per cent


    Enphase Micro Inverters or DC Optimisers (MLPE Devices) is that they don’t require potentially dangerous DC Isolators on the roof

    Do you know if home insurance goes up with solar panels ?
     
  2. inertia

    inertia Well-Known Member

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    I am going through this at the moment, and had been under the impression that the options were string inverter, or micro inverters. Turns out there is a another option - the optimiser. I got 3 quotes - 1 quoted microinverters, 1 quoted optimisers, and 1 quoted microinverters that were actually optimisers (when reviewing the quotes and reading more info, 1 article commented that this happens a bit).

    My roof is multi-faceted, and has a little bit of shade, so I figured string line inverter would be no good, but am still struggling between microinverters and optimisers. Based on cost, I could go optimisers and get a bigger system for the same price as if i went microinverters...

    Here is an article on the different sorts of setups:
    Microinverters Vs. Dc Optimisers: Which option is best? - Solar Quotes Blog
     
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  3. SatayKing

    SatayKing Well-Known Member

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  4. spludgey

    spludgey Well-Known Member

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    Rooftop isolators were such a stupid rule!

    I did not know that you did not need them with DC optimisers, is that true?
     
  5. Never giveup

    Never giveup Well-Known Member

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    @SatayKing

    you are an expert in every field of life...hats off to you!!

    I am going to get some quotes via solarquotes and also privately to compare.

    re 2 X 5KW systems - may I please confirm if a company will install 2 inverters with associated panels on 1 property and when not in use owner be getting $$4 back from electricity providers for both systems?

    and doing 2 separate 5kw is beneficial compared to putting one 10kw bcoz no rebate for 10kw?
     
  6. Never giveup

    Never giveup Well-Known Member

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    sncapshot of my energy consumption since Apr 2020 to June 2021:-

    upload_2021-6-16_18-10-2.png
     
  7. SatayKing

    SatayKing Well-Known Member

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    Have a read of this, especially on limitations. Doesn't say you cannot have two separate systems both of 5kW each.

    upload_2021-6-16_19-5-43.png


    Solar system size limits explained by state | Solar Choice

    Regarding tariffs.

    Solar Feed-In Tariff Rates And Information - Australia
     
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  8. SatayKing

    SatayKing Well-Known Member

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    A friend of mine did this (Canberra). Both are 5kW single phase. Panels for one was placed over an area which wasn't shaded at all so no DC optimisers. The panels for the other 5kW single phase system got shade at various times so had the mirco-inverters or maybe the optimisers. His deliberate annual outlay for electricity is $156.

    Cunning bugger. Has ducted reverse cycle. During Summer builds up so much credit most of it is used for Winter heating. The reason he pays the $156 by monthly instalments is last year he used the provider's calculator on what his average monthly payment would be. As the numbers were done at the end of Winter it falsely assumed the Winter usage would apply for the entire year. So he is using it as a buffer of sorts.

    Also has solar hot water and that system is sized (300 litre tank) for a four-bedroom home even though it's only him and his wife. While he has electric boost it's only been used two or three times over about two years as the tank retains heat for quite a while, they don't use that much hot water each day and there is usually only few days where the sun doesn't heat the water sufficiently. Don't go off-peak for the boost he reckons because if in the unlikely event you do run out during the day, off-peak usually only is applicable during the night. Cold water until the next day. Not a good idea for a morning shower in Winter in Canberra

    I, however, am made of sterner stuff!

    PS: He did work out the cost difference between a three-phase 10kW system with the micro thingys and two single-phase 5kW systems he has. Numbers came down in favour of the two separate systems. So best to crunch them thoroughly for your specific circumstances.
     
    Last edited: 16th Jun, 2021
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  9. Never giveup

    Never giveup Well-Known Member

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    Thank you @SatayKing will read those links. Currently we have 3 phase and pool clorinator also runs 4 hrs in winter and 8 hours in summer (i am using avg bill of $150 pm +/-$20).
     

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  10. SatayKing

    SatayKing Well-Known Member

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    I'm sure you won't hang off anything I post and will do your own research. I'm a total amateur and on the periphery of this stuff. My only involvement was helping out sometimes with a group who do assessments and paperwork for installations and that was quite a while ago.

    By the way, that switchboard looks a mess. My OCD couldn't stand it and I'd get a good, qualified electrician to rationalise the whole thing and neaten it up. Probably help later and reduce potential errors if another electrician had to to some work too.

    And also best to check to see what the electricity provider is actually receiving from any system you install. Easy enough to register for access. I've helped a lady out using it when she thought her solar system wasn't working for about a week. It was as I checked the provider was receiving the export but there was an incorrect firewall setting in the modem which was preventing WiFi communication with the inverter. Took me over a day to figure that one out. Got a nice dinner out of it so there was an upside.
     
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  11. Never giveup

    Never giveup Well-Known Member

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    Will do
    Re
    The elextrician who came to put sensor lights when we bought this place was saying good things about the way this meter is, he liked 4 different sets running and can easily see whats running home lights, whats running pool filter etc. But will find someone experienced- Is it going to be costly? Perhaps, I can bunfle this work with solar electricians ;)

    Can I even register now when I do not have solar?
     
  12. SatayKing

    SatayKing Well-Known Member

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    More than likely. Go to your provider's webpage and have a poke around.

    As a general observation, one thing I have noticed is the quality of the panels have improved and overall prices have come down. Not so many moons ago 250W was the norm and now they are up around 400W mark. Usual outcome with technology.
     
  13. spludgey

    spludgey Well-Known Member

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    Little bit of apples and oranges.
    250W panels were 60 cell panels, 400W panels tend to be 72 cell panels. There are some exceptions, but even then, the panel is physically bigger and heavier than the 250W panels were.
     
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  14. SatayKing

    SatayKing Well-Known Member

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    While that is probably true, the efficiency of solar panels has also increased to around 20%. So more bang for the buck so's to speak. MIT has been working on even improving that with the concept of using waste heat which is generated by the panels themselves.

    And some are exploring solar skins which is similar to that wrap around film used for advertising on on buses.

    It is a very interesting area I think.
     
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  15. Never giveup

    Never giveup Well-Known Member

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    2 installers booked for physical inspection via solarquotes

    Let's see what happens.

    @SatayKing - once I get the solar and smart meter then I don't have to worry about the existing 4 seprate meter ;)
     
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  16. Chabs

    Chabs Well-Known Member

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    I got quoted $5500 for a 13.3k system with approx 33 panels or so, JA solar with 1x Solis inverter. It sounded too cheap, so shopped around

    Have seen the work done for another builder, but can’t say I’m an expert in what to look for .. thoughts?

    received a few other quotes for similar size system, the one with Trina panels and optimizers under each panel came out to $10k

    a quote for Trina panels with 2x Solis inverters came out at $8700

    some big differences in pricing and you get conflicting advice! One said Solis inverters are fine, others say they are too cheap, etc..

    can anybody shed some advice? A little bit confused in this whole process.
     
  17. SatayKing

    SatayKing Well-Known Member

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  18. Yann

    Yann Well-Known Member

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    Hi there
    Quality of the inverter is very important for its efficiency to convert DC into AC. Quality of the panels not really important. Go for a good inverter (fronius or equivalent), and whatever for the panels.

    Note that solar panels installers have customer cancelling at the last minute, which means they can be left with no work for the day or half day but still have to pay their guys. So if you can, while picking your installer, negotiate with them a nice discount for a same day install for whenever they have a last minute cancellation in the near future. I got about $500 off just for this, it benefits both the company and the customer.
     
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  19. spludgey

    spludgey Well-Known Member

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    Solis and Fronius have virtually no difference in efficiency. Both of them are over 97% efficient.
     
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  20. twobobsworth

    twobobsworth Well-Known Member

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    How did you go?