All things Solar (merged threads)

[poppa smurf]

Originally Posted by XD 351 Ute

I've been following this thread from the start, and the last few pages have taught me one thing: beware of the fine print!

Ed

go in with your eyes open........don't take for granted the hype from places like this, good or bad

the one thing I REALLY want to get through to everyone is do your bloody homework

the information is out there, all you have to do is search!.......I've put reference info in here that can be used to inform anyone who wants to go solar, there is swags of it out there

ring your supplier, be prepared to change suppliers......don't take the first quote, look around

take stock of what you are using, how much your tariff is, what is your likely production needs, what tariff you can attract

bottom line.......get to know your power bill and your energy retailer!.....every state is different as far as charges, rebates and tariffs are concerned

without the knowledge of what is needed you cant proceed or even guess at what you require to alleviate your accounts

power is about to jump again, I've heard 36% mentioned!......take this into account when planning a future system!

[MNM96]

Originally Posted by poppa smurf

gee! argumentative thread killer aren't you!

I agree that a ban is indeed in order!.....you have proven yourself to be a problematic member on many occasions!


lets just look at a few misconceptions you have placed in here,

you don't know the size of his system array so you cant comment on that..........and yet you do!!

you don't know what state he's in so you cant comment on any tariff costs or tariff rises..............and yet you do!

you don't know any of his standard tariffs so you cant comment on that......and yet you do!

you don't know how much power he was using last year.......yet another bad assumption

you don't know how much power he has used this year........another bad assumption

you have not taken into account ANY feed in from the solar array at a size unknown at the rate of .44c per kilowatt ( an assumption on my part) that was made that would probably offset the .10c rise in his account.......but you still say that it is too small to make any difference!....I can prove it will

you have no idea of his usage before the array was placed .........yet you continue jump to conclusions

you don't know his usage after the array was placed.............yet you blame this for the increase in his account

you dont know if he has a smart meter or just a normal one.......once again a bad assumption!

all of your so called facts are based on conjecture........you cannot prove one thing.....nothing.....nada! yet you are willing to argue a point that you cannot possibly win......you have NO information of this particular circumstance!

I have done the sums on this (based on a few assumptions) and I suggest you do the same!........you have placed a lot of misconceptions in here and just caused unnecessary trouble.......being in business my daily life is largely taken up by facts, figures, charts and paperwork of all descriptions .........so I am VERY conversant with facts and figures......this solar study is a hobby of mine and is one that is very easy to follow

now go away!

[z80]

Originally Posted by ute83

Can't complain about that. Do you get a cheque or can it only be used as a credit on your bills?

I just leave it in there to keep growing.

The next drought we get here in Geelong, and we will get a drought soon enough, I then will use the credit to run my desalinator (48kw a day for 6000L)

If I take a cheque it's income and then will have to declare it as income.

Better to mitigate the water bill as well as the power bill aye?

(they won't let me pump water onto the grid...already tried...LOL)

Originally Posted by poppa smurf

who's account is this,.....where are the solar credit's.....where are the usage details ......where is the comparison usage details.......I can produce accounts as well that prove as much as this!!

It's my account, all those details are on the back page of the account.
If I posted those details that would defeat the privacy of people not on this forum....so you don't get that posted, sorry.

Originally Posted by poppa smurf

where is the current tariff.....where is last years tariff!!

It's on the back page of the statement with the NM number of my meter which can be used to identify someone and compromise their privacy.

Originally Posted by poppa smurf

the one thing it does prove is that the tariff had risen on January the 1st.......no mention of this from you and you show no mention of it in your statements anywhere!!!

I didn't mention that the price had risen simply because it would have been an even higher credit...so what was the point?

In any event the text posted clearly says the rate had risen, it's TruEnergy, you can find the new rates by going to their website yourself.

Originally Posted by poppa smurf

I dont mind someone disagreeing with me but with no evidence of your claims I can see no reason to allow it!!!

I reckon I can post my electricity bill If I feel like it without your permission.

Originally Posted by poppa smurf

this has gone beyond farcical.....this account could be anyones and proves nothing!

It's my latest bill statement from a system I put together myself....I am happy with it.

I can redesign your system if you like?

[davenl5l]

getting excited combined are coming to quote tomorrow feel sorry for them as i have a thousand questions i will let you all know what they say

[poppa smurf]

I wasn't talking about allowing your electricity bill, i was talking about allowing the false statements that you gave earlier and that you have still not provided evidence for.......that's the last you'll hear from me on this matter...you can live in your dream world where everything you say is gospel, doesn't need evidentiary proof and is not allowed to be challenged in any way shape or form

MNM96......not saying I'm right and not saying anyone else is wrong.....I just wanted the statements made to be verified....for my own piece of mind and for others information, obviously the evidence is not there so now it is about as important as batdung and I've moved on



daven151.....exciting times....you should have a million questions for them.....make sure you get more than one quote from one company though and ask about your tariffs....let us know the outcome.....I really hope that out of this pea soup, shambles of a thread that you were able to glean just a little bit of knowledge to arm yourself for such an event....good luck!

just as a comparison I had a quick look at EM solar's website, they run specials every now and then and I found these

if you are in S.A. they have a 3.995 KW system out for $9,999 and a 1.52 KW system out for $2,999

if you are in Vic the 3.995 KW is $10,499 and the 1.52 KW is $3,399

you could use these as perhaps a base to gauge the price of the quote that you receive, i'm sure there are better deals out there and if I had the time I'd track some more down.....good luck!

[BLKWDW]

Alright got a quote from a place called jims solar. They quoted me for a 3kw system that will supply 12kw a day with a larger inverter to upgrade later for $6000 incl government rebate(apparently cost $12k without the rebate).

Now got my elec bill and we use on average 12.3kw a day for a family of 6 so like i originally thought i'll need a 4-5kw system.

Also said the infeed tariff in nsw is on hold at the moment.

[Franco Cozzo]

With solar systems, they sell them in packages, for example 3KW etc, can you add to it later if you wanted more power?

[xisled]

Originally Posted by BLKWDW

Alright got a quote from a place called jims solar. They quoted me for a 3kw system that will supply 12kw a day with a larger inverter to upgrade later for $6000 incl government rebate(apparently cost $12k without the rebate).

Now got my elec bill and we use on average 12.3kw a day for a family of 6 so like i originally thought i'll need a 4-5kw system.

Also said the infeed tariff in nsw is on hold at the moment.

That is correct there is no Feed in tariff for solar in NSW. The gov will release a new tariff in the next few months but it will be small, around 6 or so cents for your excess usage.

The days of making money from solar unless you already have it installed are over.

Also in NSW if you change your retailer you lose the current feed in tariff and drop down to the 0 buy back.

If anyone is interested the Tariff code in NSW for the 0 cents buy back is GENR.

In Victoria if you are on the PFIT tariff (60 cent buy back) and you add more panels to your system you will lose the 60 cent buy back and drop to the TFIT tariff ( the current 25 cent tariff).

[davenl5l]

hmmm combined called today $17,899 for 3.5kw cant believe they are so cheap lol dont know how they sell any even sales person said $10,000 too much oh well time for more quotes trouble is finding a good company that i can trust that are good to deal with...or am i just dreaming?

[EgoFG]

Originally Posted by xisled

That is correct there is no Feed in tariff for solar in NSW. The gov will release a new tariff in the next few months but it will be small, around 6 or so cents for your excess usage.

I am sorry but I cannot predict the future.

Right now if you are with Origin in NSW you will get 6c.
If you are with Integral you will get 0c.

I designed my system taking 0c into account.

You need to graph your daylight hours usage, and compare that to an estimate graph of your power generation.
Too much time with your power generaton above your power usage is throwing away power (giving it for free to your provider).
Too much time with your power generation below your power usage is throwing away money.

Given the likelihood of electricity price increases you are better off to size your system to throw away power, rather than to throw away money.
Then you have the flexibility to do a delayed start on your dishwasher/washing machine to be at the time when you are generating more electricity than you need. Same with your airconditioner - have it set to cool/heat your house for you during the day, and then evening temperature maintenance will be cheaper.

I would guess that to allow a peak electricity generation to be about 10-20% above your average 11am-2pm power consumption would make sense - but I will only know for sure in a year or so.

[poppa smurf]

Originally Posted by Big Damo

With solar systems, they sell them in packages, for example 3KW etc, can you add to it later if you wanted more power?

if you buy a 3 kw system now and wish to add to it later be sure to tell the sales team that is what you intend to do

if you buy a 3 kw system as a "standard" then a 3 kw inverter will come as standard....to expand it at a later date will mean you will need to either replace your inverter or place a new one alongside it

purchasing a larger inverter now before system upgrade will, by my reckoning, save you money

as far as feed in tariffs are concerned I think the days of making a profit off them are either over now or soon to be......when purchasing a new system now I would be looking to simply cover my bill plus an extra, say, 40% for future power rises, this figure is not scientifically backed but we are about to receive a 36% increase in power costs here shortly so I think 40% tolerance would be lenient, I'm going to expand my system as soon as I get my documented figures back from lumo

I think the payment of infeed tariffs will soon be over, and if they reintroduce them in the future then I would treat that as a bonus, personally if the payments equalled the charges that the supplier was asking then I'd be happy

daven ....good companies are out there but like you say, finding them is not easy....go with a company thats been around a while and is a reasonable size, still no guarantee but go with your gut, end of the day it's about all you've got

[poppa smurf]

here is a bit of light reading to further the knowledge base......there is a lot of facts to be found in the sub sections including feed in tariffs of every state and panels angles and likely production figures

http://www.solarchoice.net.au/blog/s...-in-australia/

[davenl5l]

gonna give cool or cosy a try waiting for my bro to call me back with his costs as he just had one installed by them and said they are good we shall see

[davenl5l]

Originally Posted by poppa smurf

here is a bit of light reading to further the knowledge base......there is a lot of facts to be found in the sub sections including feed in tariffs of every state and panels angles and likely production figures

http://www.solarchoice.net.au/blog/s...-in-australia/

thanks dave good site with a lot of info all in the one place

[poppa smurf]

Originally Posted by davenl5l

thanks dave good site with a lot of info all in the one place

no worries, only too glad thats it's of some use to someone else, a lot of info in there through sub searches......I stumbled across it as I was researching the possible cumulative production percentage loss of an incorrect facing solar array!

my next lot would potentially be facing west, not good as all signs point to a minimum 50% - 85% loss or a 3.5 kw system will only produce a maximum of 1.7 kw or there abouts (my rubbery figures)

I got to rethink it a bit, may build my own stands out the back of the shed, or it may be a good excuse to extend the shed again, facing due north,.....then mount the next lot on there

I've seen a few installs around here by cool and cosy, haven't heard anything about them, good or bad

[MNM96]

Originally Posted by poppa smurf

I got to rethink it a bit, may build my own stands out the back of the shed, or it may be a good excuse to extend the shed again, facing due north,.....then mount the next lot on there

I've seen a few installs around here by cool and cosy, haven't heard anything about them, good or bad

So I'm a little vain I guess, but I was only considering Solar if I could put them upon a particular roof area, because I didnt want the panels to be visable from the street. My house was a display home and is quite a well presented home to the street, and I considered that the panels would ruin that.

The Guy from Solar Farmers was in my street friday when I came home at about 1.45pm. I asked if he was looking at my home but he hadn't got my address yet. He decided to look at mine while he was here, which probably moved me up the list by 2 weeks.

Turns out I can get it placed where I want it, with a surface 30degrees east of North. Very Happy.

They are going to remove a Pay TV Dish and will need to shorten the vent tube, but otherwise perfect. All panels lay on the same level as the roof. No trees impacting. I am very happy.



Cool or Cosy. Many years ago I worked for them as a Contract Sales Person.

I am a firm believer that CFI (Cellulous Fibre Insulation) works very well. OT somewhat, my home was already done when I purchased it.

Only advice I have is that when the salesman comes to give you a quote, it will be well overpriced. Bargain up to almost 40% off of him. From memory there was a price where it was uneconomical to sell, like $6 a square meter iirc.

[poppa smurf]

yep! sounds good, I have the house facing direct north but I wont have the panels on the roof, last thing I want is a mob of panels up there

the roof is iron, my house is 80 plus years old and needs repainting every 7 - 10 years, seems to be more frequent as the years progress, I cant see myself taking all the panels off, repainting then replacing all the panels, big job

getting too old and that roof gets higher and steeper every year

much rather expand the shed and put more up there!....more workspace as well!

[Iggypoppin']

We just got solar, 3kw system. Looks good on the roof, hopefully does something for the power bills. Around 3k I think we paid.

[xisled]

Originally Posted by Iggypoppin'

We just got solar, 3kw system. Looks good on the roof, hopefully does something for the power bills. Around 3k I think we paid.

Are you sure you got a 3kw system and not just a 3kw inverter with a 1.5kw worth of panels. 3 Grand seems very cheap for a 3kw system.

This is one of the biggest things people get caught out with. Solar company advertising in huge big letters 3KW inverter, in tiny print it says you get a number of panels that equal to 1.5kw.

So many people daily get caught with this. I have to advised them to make sure they are getting 3kw of panels and not just the inverter.

[Iggypoppin']

Well I just checked and it seems I was a bit off with the price. Add another grand or so on top, and yes it is a 3kw system. I didn't pay for it I just watched it get installed

[BLKWDW]

Well got my written quote today from one mob. We use an average of 12.3kw a day so you do the maths with this one and yes i told them my usage.

"Hi Darren

It was really good to speak to you today. Like i said on the phone, we do have a special on at the moment, i have included the prices below. We do really want your business so if there is anything i can do please do not hesitate to contact me.


2.3kW Classic System- 8.9kWh per day average
12x 190W Mono Crystalline Panels (A-Grade)
Suntwins 3000TL Dual MPPT Inverter

2.3kW Classic System $4,990.00

Includes full Installation, F.I.T Meter & Grid Connection

5 Year Inverter Warranty, 5 Year Installation Warranty(Provided by Jim's Solar), 25 Year Performance Warranty on Panels

Quote is strictly valid for 7 Days"

[BLKWDW]

http://www.hpsonline.com.au/solar-pv-systems/

off grid solar for those interested

[opto]

Bought a 4.2 Kw System , 22 panel 190Watt NESL Mono Crystalline Split Array 12 on North facing roof and 10 on Northwest facing roof with a JFY / JSI 4000TL Multi Tracker Inverter. The software supplied says we are producing 32 KwH per day currently. We currently use 24 KwH a day on average. I told my friend who was an ex Solar panel system designer, he was surprised how much I was making. System cost $6,890.00, very professional install, Local Aussie company, very happy.

[poppa smurf]

Originally Posted by BLKWDW

Well got my written quote today from one mob. We use an average of 12.3kw a day so you do the maths with this one and yes i told them my usage.

"Hi Darren

It was really good to speak to you today. Like i said on the phone, we do have a special on at the moment, i have included the prices below. We do really want your business so if there is anything i can do please do not hesitate to contact me.


2.3kW Classic System- 8.9kWh per day average
12x 190W Mono Crystalline Panels (A-Grade)
Suntwins 3000TL Dual MPPT Inverter

2.3kW Classic System $4,990.00

Includes full Installation, F.I.T Meter & Grid Connection

5 Year Inverter Warranty, 5 Year Installation Warranty(Provided by Jim's Solar), 25 Year Performance Warranty on Panels

Quote is strictly valid for 7 Days"

are you looking to defeat your power usage altogether, if so I dont think this system will suit......much rather see at least a 3.5kw system

warranty is a bit light as well......

[poppa smurf]

Originally Posted by opto

Bought a 4.2 Kw System , 22 panel 190Watt NESL Mono Crystalline Split Array 12 on North facing roof and 10 on Northwest facing roof with a JFY / JSI 4000TL Multi Tracker Inverter. The software supplied says we are producing 32 KwH per day currently. We currently use 24 KwH a day on average. I told my friend who was an ex Solar panel system designer, he was surprised how much I was making. System cost $6,890.00, very professional install, Local Aussie company, very happy.

that is a very impressive production figure for that angled array.....very good price as well....well done!

[BLKWDW]

Originally Posted by poppa smurf

are you looking to defeat your power usage altogether, if so I dont think this system will suit......much rather see at least a 3.5kw system

warranty is a bit light as well......

Yeh i figured that will be looking elsewhere.

Originally Posted by opto

Bought a 4.2 Kw System , 22 panel 190Watt NESL Mono Crystalline Split Array 12 on North facing roof and 10 on Northwest facing roof with a JFY / JSI 4000TL Multi Tracker Inverter. The software supplied says we are producing 32 KwH per day currently. We currently use 24 KwH a day on average. I told my friend who was an ex Solar panel system designer, he was surprised how much I was making. System cost $6,890.00, very professional install, Local Aussie company, very happy.

What company?

[opto]

What company?

Greener Housing Solutions in South Australia

http://www.greenerhousingsolutions.com.au/

[flappist]

There is a lot of good info here but remember who you are dealing with. The rebates and credits can disappear instantly and energy companies are no different to petrol companies. Solar only works for part of the day and does not contribute to base load. Once the solar input is high enough that it interferes with the operational efficiency of the coal systems, that is, starts to increase costs there will be some sort of excuse and they will nail you all to a cross.

Anyone who believes they won't and hold the interest of the people foremost should look at the last couple of LPG threads and read about the carbon tax and GST.

[Scott]

Originally Posted by flappist

....there will be some sort of excuse and they will nail you all to a cross.

This is the #1 reason I haven't taken the step. It all makes sense, it all looks possible, attractive and feasible but I just don't trust the bastards.

The only way I can see to commit and "guarantee" yourself a result is to worry about kw, not dollars. And in doing so, I need to hunt northward of 10kw... ouch.

I am interested to see what happens to the price of solar installs in Europe though, it could follow the footsteps of so many other Government initiatives and drive the prices down to well below pre-rebate prices.

Still sitting on hands...

[poppa smurf]

I'm not concerned about the rebates, credits etcetera, I have already stated I would settle for price parity with my energy charge, anything less would be unfair

I have already defeated my energy bill and have also reduced it considerably simply with a 3.5 kw array, I am already thinking of an expansion to possibly 5 or 6 KW to insulate against further rate rises,

these small "add on" arrays are cheap.....1.52 kw currently $2,999 and falling, I can easily add two of these systems on different sheds

I used to use a consistent 12 kilowatts per day, this has been reduced, by solar input, to an average of 7kw per day, when the internal house usage is low then solar takes over from grid power thereby reducing my usage, when my power draw is higher I "bight" in to my credit, I have yet to use my 12 kw old daily average since installing the array

I have a wireless monitor and i watch it like a hawk and i take daily readings

I am exporting roughly 2-3 times the amount I am drawing so even if they double the cost of power (which I am sure they will as a way of maintaining profits then I, and many others, are still way ahead)

nobody can foretell the future and this includes foretelling the tariffs the energy industry are going to charge, the one certainty is that the cost will continue to rise, there is only two ways to insulate against this, either

further reduce our usage or

self generation

realistically the only option of "affordable" home power generation at the moment is solar

whether we embrace solar or condemn it we are doomed to higher energy charges, that is a fact.......the general cost of living is exploding

water rates......I've already done everything I can there including rain water tanks, automatic computer controlled watering systems and reduction

gas......reduction already taken place, cant reduce any further

electricity.......ah! I can do something about that!!!.....so I am!

food bill......my thumbs are black, cant grow a bloody thing, I kill every plant I contact so I just buy local and it hurts

I estimate 50% of my city area has gone solar with more going on everyday

people are totally fed up with being simple cash cows! and are doing something about it

the future will tell us if we are right or all the doubting thomas's are

if someone can truly foretell the future please send me next weeks cross lotto numbers so I can pay off my accountant!