Solar Panels

Mnq so many options and opinions


My take from someone who was hippiesparx's (anyone on whirlpool will know) first apprentice...


Enphase is the only smart long term option. It's safer, proven reliability and the only downside is cost. Nothing else compares on domestic solar. Solar farms and commercial are different beasts.

Panels wise I'm convinced that having 500V run through them is a whole lot more stressful than 40V. I think cheap panels and enphase are better than a fronius and better panels for the same price.

I went with REC n type. They were far less than similar tech from LG, I wasn't short on space (15kw of space) so didn't need the density.

2.5 years on since I installed them I'm paid off, making $4500/yr of power tax free and still have 10years warranty on the panels and 7.5 years on the inverters. Madness to go anything else imho.

 

Agl has been good to me!

 

But cost has to be a huge deciding factor for investment. It's about 2k extra for me to go this way based on my current quotes so far.


- 10kW - 26 x Trina ‘Vertex’ 390 Watt PERC Half Cut panels (TSM DE09.08) +1 x SolarEdge Genesis Inverter (Including 26 x SolarEdge Power Optimisers) - $8,950

- 10kW - 26 x Trina ‘Vertex’ 390 Watt PERC Half Cut panels (TSM DE09.08) +26 x Enphase IQ7A Micro Inverters - $10,990

- 10kW - 28 x LG ‘Mono X Plus’ 370 Watt PERC Half Cut panels (LG 370 S1C-U6) +28 x Enphase IQ7A Micro Inverters - $12,590

- Premium Plus 11.6kW system 3-Phase including 29x400watt Trina Panel & 1x10kW Fronius 3-Phase inverter $10,3950

 

Hi @twobobsworth,

I have read numerous pages on solar and other available information to understand the industry however information is biased at times and have a lot of caveats.

I have met with 3 companies and all have their pros and cons when providing info around panels/systems etc. and here is a high level analysis and I think I have shortlisted one company (not here) for the String System due to various factors including cost and recouping the spent with potential upgrade after certain number of years. Also, I need to get roof restoration done first before I can put new system so please let me know if you are interested and you can meet the company owner may be we can do bundle deal . One of my friend got the European inverter-Fronius however I got 3 phase and Solis inverter has great rating and also have local (Aus) office and support so will finalize after roof restoration is complete.

 

The 11.1kw system combo, I am thinking to get is going to cost me under $6K with all the guarantee/warranty if system is down Company will pay whatever it should be generating until it is fixed.

 

I find it amusing there's still faith in warranties from local companies selling cheap systems. Even for me the free labour I didn't cheap out. I could have put a 15kw system on for like 3k. Instead I spent top dollar to be the best set and forget setup.

$2k is literally nothing over 10 years. Plus you'll make more power on enphase regardless.

I guess it's first hand experience. I

 

Perc panels Will suffer degredation. My winaicos are slowly dying (I had 6 on a carport before the main roof was replaced). They're only 4 years old but no where near the impressive numbers they did beforehand in the first year. Trina's are garbage in general but they have a decent warranty process.
The bottom quote are using commercial 72 cell panels which are cheap but they're also specific on mounting spacing. So most times they don't meet install requirements!

The lg panels are 2x the price of a Trina so no wonder they're more expensive with micros. Go get a quote for rec/enphase. It will be less and they're better than the Trina's.

 

I guess various things play part such as companies backed by various energy councils, also available customer reviews and demonstrated difference in systems/production etc.

But I do get your point and not denying the usefulness of enphase etc. just not for me.

 

The CEC are about as credible as batman.

It's a huge shame as they had a chance to really make a difference and keep us innovators rather than the dumping grounds for cheap garbage from China no one else wants.

They don't do anything for the industry and being CEC accredited takes nothing more than a few dollars. So it's completely worthless imho.

 

I'm with @Clean Cookie
It may not always be the case that you get what you payed for, but with Solar you have a better chance of getting a warranty honoured by spending a bit more and going with a company that has it's own installers that has been established a while, this usually comes at an additional cost

My original 5kw ($12,500) system was Tindo, the inverters failed within a few years but the panels are still going strong 9 years later (and almost compete with the higher watt 18 month old panels).
Tindo honoured the long since folded installer warranty (because that is who you usually have to claim via, not the manufacturer) and replaced the micro inverters with Enphase

I expanded to 9.6kw (added 4.6kw last year for $3,700 what a cost difference in 8 years !) and I now have a mix of panels with Enphase inverters, management and monitoring (am making $500pa from FIT)

 

Solar Panels Brisbane - Best Residential & Commercial Installers

I am planning to buy from these guys 11.1 system for 3phase syatem ....inverter choice is still pending

Edit- I can choose Jinko or Trina etc but no LG in my price range

 

My 2c. This photo tells me enough:


Firstly. No harness, yet a hardhat.
Secondly. Those nicd Makita drills haven't been used for 10 years.
Thirdly. You dont ever need to drill anything when mounting panels aside from cable entries, which don't go there.

You'll get an underpaid subby who probably won't care at all to install it. But that's ok because you'll get a full "demonstrat ion ion" (sic)

Man I hate these sales companies.


I'd find someone else.

 

Lol

May be website is created by someone in ICT who doesnt know solar

But I got ur point though...

Who do you recommend in Sydney?

 

Someone who's employing sparkies not subbies and been around longer than 10 years.

 

Will do more searches

But my understanding is these companies change name etc...but fair point

 

There's 5 guys in brisbane who are still directly involved in their business, have built a name for themselves as a premium reliable company. Look on quality solar FB page.

 

Thx will check it out

Re 10 yr old company :- it does help to know that the company is doing somethingbright hence they are still in business nut someone would have given them a chance when they originally started.

 

I'm amazed how poor the websites are of so many companies, stock photos, no installs etc..

 

Yeah it's funny right! Not a day goes by that I don't take a photo of what I'm doing to show the SO what I'm up to!

 

maybe you don't need the business.