Solar Panels

I only mow lawns, and I take pics of every job
It proves I was there (location, time, date) and often shows what was done
You would be surprised how many complex's (people without a life/weren't home when I attended site) assume I never showed (even though the green bins are full )
Often it's pics of vehicles illegally parked on common property limiting my access (but I won't post those number plates)...

 

Haha we're going bananas. Hard to find quality tradesmen to work.

Customers are the worst part of the job!!!

 

Hey speaking of solar - which energy providers would you guys recommend?

We are with AGL and they are avg at best

friends recommended us ReAmped - unsure if that’s any good?

 

Origin, 22c FIT, 29.428c use, 14.859c CL, 86.103 daily supply
Only got that from the retension team after switching to AGL

 

This to me is the most important thing, time in business and reputation

I had an argument the other week with one solar provider “I’ve never seen any warranty issues with panels” but when asked turns out only been in the industry for 5 years, red flag

 

Hi mate, hows the solar project going?

 

This x100. If you haven't seen an issue in 5 years you don't own a flir camera/drone and you're not educated. I would put $100 on the line with him that the first systems he installed are failing in one way or another. Micro cracks are a thing.

 

I am all about getting things from someone who is established and have been in industry for long period (10+ yrsetc) however when they started they were New too so there has to be other parameters to select someone.

My understanding is that many comoanies who established 4/5 years ago were working in the field and have experience but decided to be their own boss.

Online free company guvibg info on Solar quotes arranged 3 quotes from me and one comoany opened in 2009 and i saw they have very good reviews and same site have another company from Penrith opened in 2017 and they also have same rating.

I was on independent solar quotes site and was looking at various options. Many customers went with Triana and enphase combo and some with Rec and enphase. Good amount was Trina and fronius. Junko is also thr in panels.

From the rating point of view they are all within 17% to 21%. Alao Solis was there and they have local office in Melb (I think).

My aim is to not have any ongoing issues and enjoy the solar benefit. If enphase system going to cost lets say 10K with approx 2k per annum return - it be 5 years to get ROI however good string tech system make cost $6K and ROI be 3 years that means if the new tech come, I can upgrade if required.

Again, I am no expert and many people I know they are going with String system (different installing companies).

Edit- we have 3 phase so please recommend the best cost effective, long lasting option

 

1 phase or 3 doesn't have any bearing on the type of system (limited to under 5kw per phase), your roof pitch, direction and size matter more

Further it also depends on what you want out of a system, we have panels on ENE, NNW & SSW (largely due to roof design, so Enphase micro inverters) and this gives us solar energy from very early morning to late in the day (rather than a spike at midday) so we actually import far less If the sun is above the horizon we are self sufficient, even on a largely overcast day.

If you upgrade after 6 years it is kinda defeatist, panels are designed to last 4-5 times longer than that, doing so would almost be anti environmental
Sure technology will change over time, it doesn't make an older functioning system obsolete.

 

I went to another 10 yr old established comoany website and tgere is different guy witg tge drill

May be they beed to screw panels onto the railing

 

Roof design and potential panep formation from different quotes 8 and 10kw system.

Sun hits directly on our meter and ine company said they may need to put some short of covering if going with String system to give shade on inverter.

I do like enohase as it gives flexibility to be under each panel and you can cover roof + effucent but cost is nearly 14K with Lag NeonH panels ...ouch!

 

One of my colleague went with 10.36 Sys- suntech mono 370w and 8kw solax wifi smart inverter from arisesolar and another friend went with 6.6 Trina and fronious from solarworldpower.

Both are very happy (so far)

 

Most of them are just websites built specifically for farming out leads.
Was a very popular business model a few years ago.
Make website.
Get ranked on google.
Make deals with local tradies and farm out calls for a fee.

 

Two of them got overpriced systems, arise is literally the worst company out there.

Apart from the fact arise is literally the worst retailer around, I'm sure. Sounds like blind leading the blind in your workplace.

 

Lol that is what worked for them, I am still doing my due deligence

 

I've use Beyond Solar for about 6 installs, 2 directly for myself (6.6Kw & 24kw) and 4 for neighbours / family, offer great service and install and products to suit my budget.

 

Found this while searching online

 

Good to see a review like this
Smashes the idea of string systems losing far more production due to shadowing/leaf/poo
Still, I don't believe it all, like the chimney comparison, why do the shadows look different ? (Is it panel angle ? Sure looks like it, the front array looks less angle bassed on the lhs shadows.......A few deg of pitch can make a big difference also.)

The other comparison of "micro cracks" in a panel....
Blank out a few cells, hitting a panel on each system is NOT scientific

Still, if you have one big roof go a string system
If you are putting panels over various different facing rooflines go micro

 

Is there any science when they say the Sun shouldn't be hitting Inverter ?

 

YES, absolutely !

The inverter is just like the power converter (box in the lead) for your laptop....

It produces heat during conversion, if it gets HOT enough it shuts down.

So on a hot SUNNY day converting loads of power add in heat from the sun hitting the inverter (and it's possibly mounted on a brick wall radiating heat back) and the inverter can shut down due to overheating

A shade is often recommended if the inverter is mounted in a full sun position