Solar Panels

[Callum_62]

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That's amazing. How long till they have paid for themselves if you don't mind me asking, Callum?

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I think based on current usage was about 6 years

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[Kato]

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I think based on current usage was about 6 years

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Thanks

That's not bad actually.

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[Jones28]

Currently having a bit of trouble with our panels, data isn’t being reported accurately via our apps (ShinePhone, Growatt) so we have no idea what we’re actually producing.

The installers were meant to be out on Friday but were a no show so heck knows.

[Onceinawhile]

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Currently having a bit of trouble with our panels, data isn’t being reported accurately via our apps (ShinePhone, Growatt) so we have no idea what we’re actually producing.

The installers were meant to be out on Friday but were a no show so heck knows.

How do you know it isn't being accurately reported? What's the giveaway?

Our system has come into it's own the last few weeks, over 500kwh in May and already over 100kwh in June, so at 40p per kwh that's roughly a £40 saving in just the last 4.5 days.

[Jones28]

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How do you know it isn't being accurately reported? What's the giveaway?

Our system has come into it's own the last few weeks, over 500kwh in May and already over 100kwh in June, so at 40p per kwh that's roughly a £40 saving in just the last 4.5 days.

The app we have isn’t reading the same as the master version of the app out installer is using.

That and our export reading with octopus has exceeded the production of the whole system on certain days.

Overall the system is definitely working well, but I just want to get a read on how well!

[Onceinawhile]

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The app we have isn’t reading the same as the master version of the app out installer is using.

That and our export reading with octopus has exceeded the production of the whole system on certain days.

Overall the system is definitely working well, but I just want to get a read on how well!

Ahhh ok, I get you. Mind you if Octopus are paying you for more KWH that you've exported than you've produced, I'd see that as a win!

[Hibrandenburg]

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Really seeing the benefit now the weather is getting better

We have the electric car that we exclusively charge at home

Our electricity bill for the last month was £38 (£15 of which is the standing charge!)

Considering that it covers the car 'petrol' and our house is really pretty good

Its meaning the panels and battery are probably paying for themselves just about

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It's still officially winter and I've only paid for electricity 19 days this year and even then just a fraction of what I'd normally use. I'm currently producing nearly 4 times as much power than I use, my storage is normally full by 11:00 and the rest is fed into the grid. I was pleasantly surprised at how efficient the modern photovoltaic panels are. The storage I have can save 11.28kWh and the car charging system works both ways, so I can use the car battery to power the house too.

[Moulin Yarns]

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It's still officially winter and I've only paid for electricity 19 days this year and even then just a fraction of what I'd normally use. I'm currently producing nearly 4 times as much power than I use, my storage is normally full by 11:00 and the rest is fed into the grid. I was pleasantly surprised at how efficient the modern photovoltaic panels are. The storage I have can save 11.28kWh and the car charging system works both ways, so I can use the car battery to power the house too.

Even at 56.7 degrees north I'm selling excess energy to the grid. Battery gets charged overnight at my cheap rate and lasts me all day, solar being used during the day and the Battery once the sun goes down.

[Jones28]

With the sun we've had we're producing over 20kw per day. That's heating our water, charging the battery and covering usage through the day while I work from home, and any excess is being exported to the grid.

Working out at around £2 per day of exported energy while not paying for anything through the day.

Going to trial force export between 4pm and 5pm to catch the higher rate for exporting, so right now we are exporting 5kw to the grid.

[Ozyhibby]

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[Hibrandenburg]

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The money to be made is definitely not there anymore, it's money saved that makes photovoltaic systems worthwhile. I only get 8 cents per kilowatt that I feed into the grid but it costs me on average about 36 cents per kilowatt drawn from the net, however the systems are now so efficient that it's very rare that I have to buy electricity.

[Moulin Yarns]

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The money to be made is definitely not there anymore, it's money saved that makes photovoltaic systems worthwhile. I only get 8 cents per kilowatt that I feed into the grid but it costs me on average about 36 cents per kilowatt drawn from the net, however the systems are now so efficient that it's very rare that I have to buy electricity.

I've had mine about 6 weeks and the saving is amazing when it's bright. I pay 9p over night and 29p during the day. Sell to the grid at 15p.

[BSEJVT]

What's foreseen to be the break even term?

i.e how long is it envisaged it will take to recoup the costs ?

[danhibees1875]

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What's foreseen to be the break even term?

i.e how long is it envisaged it will take to recoup the costs ?

I think it can vary depending on your house orientation etc but I think it was around 10-12 years. Less if you get a favourable Octopus tariff though (although it's dependant upon them not pulling that tariff over the time period).

If you're interested you can get someone to come to your house and do a no obligation quote and answer all your questions.

Edit: just checked the quote I got, it says 14 years but with the intention of being c.half if I'd changed tariff.
That was for additional panels (I already have some) and a battery - £6,700 purchase price.

[Moulin Yarns]

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What's foreseen to be the break even term?

i.e how long is it envisaged it will take to recoup the costs ?

19 panels and 11kw battery quoted in December as 9.5 years, but that's going to drop as prices increase. Had mine for about 6 weeks and the reduced cost is astonishing. Most of my grid use is overnight at 9p and selling to the grid at 15p

[GlesgaeHibby]

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Decent explanation of the solar 'duck curve':
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYLzss58CLs

[Hibrandenburg]

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What's foreseen to be the break even term?

i.e how long is it envisaged it will take to recoup the costs ?

In my case, it's about 12 years. I was just about to get my system fitted for free with the company fitting it taking profit from what was fed into the grid, but I changed my mind at the last minute and bought the system outright. My main reason for fitting the system were environmental, however now I've bought the system, it adds the amount I've paid to the value of my property which in that aspect makes the break even point immediate.

[Moulin Yarns]

On Sunday I was 90% self powered. 45% solar, 45% battery and 10%grid.

[Jones28]

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What's foreseen to be the break even term?

i.e how long is it envisaged it will take to recoup the costs ?

Mines will be 10 years, give or take. I borrowed £10k from the Government loan scheme which is paid back at £80 per month, once thats paid off after year 10 then we will really start to see it pay for itself but what it's saving us day-to-day is making a difference.

We had about £400 sitting in our Octopus account which we decided to withdraw, saw over the winter we ran up a bit of a deficit which, if we can have it paid off by the end of the summer I'll be quite happy with that.

It's going to depend on the year. My first year was 2023, which was good for production. Last year was not great, and I started working from home full time so energy usage increased through the day and the weather being so dull meant that through the day I was covering my usage but not a lot more, so that was countered by charging the battery overnight on the cheaper rate.

I think if you really dial in when you do things like washing clothes and dishes you could reduce that term slightly.

The last 3 or 4 weeks has been great for my system, regularly generating 25-30kw per day, exporting when the rate is more beneficial between 4 and 5:30, but then getting the battery filled before the sun goes away.

I try not to get too hung up on when the system will pay for itself and focus more on the day-to-day and what it saves us now. Yesterday for example we imported £1.37 of electricity, but exported £2.60.

[Hibernian Verse]

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Mines will be 10 years, give or take. I borrowed £10k from the Government loan scheme which is paid back at £80 per month, once thats paid off after year 10 then we will really start to see it pay for itself but what it's saving us day-to-day is making a difference.

We had about £400 sitting in our Octopus account which we decided to withdraw, saw over the winter we ran up a bit of a deficit which, if we can have it paid off by the end of the summer I'll be quite happy with that.

It's going to depend on the year. My first year was 2023, which was good for production. Last year was not great, and I started working from home full time so energy usage increased through the day and the weather being so dull meant that through the day I was covering my usage but not a lot more, so that was countered by charging the battery overnight on the cheaper rate.

I think if you really dial in when you do things like washing clothes and dishes you could reduce that term slightly.

The last 3 or 4 weeks has been great for my system, regularly generating 25-30kw per day, exporting when the rate is more beneficial between 4 and 5:30, but then getting the battery filled before the sun goes away.

I try not to get too hung up on when the system will pay for itself and focus more on the day-to-day and what it saves us now. Yesterday for example we imported £1.37 of electricity, but exported £2.60.

Just to add to this, most panels are 25 year warranty now with some 30. Make sure you ask for the panel datasheets so you can check this yourself.

[Jones28]

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Just to add to this, most panels are 25 year warranty now with some 30. Make sure you ask for the panel datasheets so you can check this yourself.

My panels are 30.

The only concern I really have around the system is the battery, it's got an 8 year warranty and 10,000 life cycles. I do worry slightly that forcing export during the peak payment hours will shorten it's lifespan and that the money we generate from doing so will come nowhere near to paying for a new one.

In theory the panels could cycle through 3 batteries - probably at a reduced capacity by the end of their lifetime, but the batteries are expensive.

[Hibernian Verse]

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My panels are 30.

The only concern I really have around the system is the battery, it's got an 8 year warranty and 10,000 life cycles. I do worry slightly that forcing export during the peak payment hours will shorten it's lifespan and that the money we generate from doing so will come nowhere near to paying for a new one.

In theory the panels could cycle through 3 batteries - probably at a reduced capacity by the end of their lifetime, but the batteries are expensive.

Which manufacturers battery is it?

[Jones28]

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Which manufacturers battery is it?

Growatt, 6kw battery and one of my inverters is also Growatt.

[Hibernian Verse]

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Growatt, 6kw battery and one of my inverters is also Growatt.

Ok if Hibs.net is still around when your battery goes drop me a PM I'll sort you out with a proper trade price.

[Jones28]

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Ok if Hibs.net is still around when your battery goes drop me a PM I'll sort you out with a proper trade price.

really appreciate that mate, you're in the trade I take it?

If so, I was wondering if you're in a position of doing a system review? I've got some issues I need some professional input on and I don't trust the original installers, their service was great but they've sorted a problem in a way I don't think was ideal.

Send me a PM if it's something you think you could do, cheers.