| Solar panels are go... 14:36 - Apr 12 with 7246 views | Bent_double |
Sorry, bit of a 'look at me' post, but my solar panel system has just been installed, commissioned, and is generating electricity....yipeee!!
It's only been working for about 3 hours, and it's generated 10kwh already...
Not bad for April! |  |
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| Solar panels are go... on 14:40 - Apr 12 with 5642 views | itfcjoe |
Have you got a battery? And can you get paid for what goes back to the grid? |  |
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| Solar panels are go... on 14:41 - Apr 12 with 5640 views | catch74 |
Do you mind giving a rough idea of cost and also what you reckon your monthly bill will go from and to? Really must do them on our house. |  |
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| Solar panels are go... on 14:51 - Apr 12 with 5622 views | Bent_double |
| Solar panels are go... on 14:40 - Apr 12 by itfcjoe |
Have you got a battery? And can you get paid for what goes back to the grid? |
Haha, funny you should ask..
I initially got a quote to include batteries, but the extra £8k was a bit off-putting, so I told them to re-quote just for a 'battery-ready' inverter, so I could add batteries next year if needed.
They came and installed everything last week, and at the end of the day the guys came to me and said, "Right, that's everything done in the loft, inverter and batteries installed..."
At which point I stupidly said, "Er, what batteries, I didn't order them?"
They of course realised their mistake (someone had looked at the initial quote) and then had to lug each of the 40kg batteries back down, all the while saying, if I'd kept quiet, I would have got them for free!! Unlikely....
I now need to apply to my electricity company so I can actually get paid for what's going back to the grid...will probably need a change of meter first...the whole process can/will take a few months apparently....grrrrr. | |
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| Solar panels are go... on 14:55 - Apr 12 with 5586 views | Bent_double |
| Solar panels are go... on 14:41 - Apr 12 by catch74 |
Do you mind giving a rough idea of cost and also what you reckon your monthly bill will go from and to? Really must do them on our house. |
14 panels (385w each) and inverter, a little over £10k
No idea about savings atm, but they've already generated 11kwh in a little over 4hrs - that's my average daily usage over a year. I was hoping for at least a 60% reduction in bills, at this rate it could be a lot more, plus the earning potential of what's sent back to the grid. | |
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| Solar panels are go... on 15:34 - Apr 12 with 5489 views | NeedhamChris |
We bought a house with solar panels 18 months ago, they'd been installed 11/12 years ago.
Eventually managed to get us registered with British Gas and they sent us a cheque for the first 16 months we'd been here - £1800!
Thought it was a mistake but seems we get paid for what we use as well as what we send back. Were solar panel tariffs so different back then? Have to say its something that I don't really understand.
Not complaining, although assume that will not last forever and has an expiry |  |
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| Solar panels are go... on 15:43 - Apr 12 with 5446 views | BarcaBlue |
| Solar panels are go... on 14:51 - Apr 12 by Bent_double |
Haha, funny you should ask..
I initially got a quote to include batteries, but the extra £8k was a bit off-putting, so I told them to re-quote just for a 'battery-ready' inverter, so I could add batteries next year if needed.
They came and installed everything last week, and at the end of the day the guys came to me and said, "Right, that's everything done in the loft, inverter and batteries installed..."
At which point I stupidly said, "Er, what batteries, I didn't order them?"
They of course realised their mistake (someone had looked at the initial quote) and then had to lug each of the 40kg batteries back down, all the while saying, if I'd kept quiet, I would have got them for free!! Unlikely....
I now need to apply to my electricity company so I can actually get paid for what's going back to the grid...will probably need a change of meter first...the whole process can/will take a few months apparently....grrrrr. |
I had solar panels installed last Summer and went for solar storage heaters rather than batteries. This was a house with no central heating so was easy to start from scratch. They are programmable so when I'm here I get all the heating from the panels, it's actually a holiday let so when guests stay I program them for off peak electricity as well.
Now the days are a bit longer I get about €2 / day from the excess sent back to the grid. I didn't need any special meter and the new tariff was set up in a couple of days. |  | | |
| Solar panels are go... on 15:45 - Apr 12 with 5445 views | Crawfordsboot |
| Solar panels are go... on 15:34 - Apr 12 by NeedhamChris |
We bought a house with solar panels 18 months ago, they'd been installed 11/12 years ago.
Eventually managed to get us registered with British Gas and they sent us a cheque for the first 16 months we'd been here - £1800!
Thought it was a mistake but seems we get paid for what we use as well as what we send back. Were solar panel tariffs so different back then? Have to say its something that I don't really understand.
Not complaining, although assume that will not last forever and has an expiry |
We are in the same situation. Back then the contract on offer was very favourable so as to promote the idea to the general public. On older systems you get paid something for how much your system generates and then extra for how much is fed back into the grid. Again on older systems they couldn’t easily measure the feed in so worked on the assumption that 50% of what’s generated gets fed back in and they paid for that. We of course ran dishwasher, washing machine and charged wife’s car while the sun was shining so not a lot got fed back in, though we got paid the same 50%!
Now with a smart meter they can measure what gets fed back in and we no longer get paid for the notional 50% of what’s generated.
It still though results in us getting a small net payment annually. |  | | |
| Solar panels are go... on 15:49 - Apr 12 with 5414 views | homer_123 |
| Solar panels are go... on 15:34 - Apr 12 by NeedhamChris |
We bought a house with solar panels 18 months ago, they'd been installed 11/12 years ago.
Eventually managed to get us registered with British Gas and they sent us a cheque for the first 16 months we'd been here - £1800!
Thought it was a mistake but seems we get paid for what we use as well as what we send back. Were solar panel tariffs so different back then? Have to say its something that I don't really understand.
Not complaining, although assume that will not last forever and has an expiry |
Yup....the rents had it installed years and years ago....honestly, the feed in tariffs back then were unreal....they are literally coining it in right now!!!! |  |
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| Solar panels are go... on 16:02 - Apr 12 with 5350 views | catch74 |
| Solar panels are go... on 14:55 - Apr 12 by Bent_double |
14 panels (385w each) and inverter, a little over £10k
No idea about savings atm, but they've already generated 11kwh in a little over 4hrs - that's my average daily usage over a year. I was hoping for at least a 60% reduction in bills, at this rate it could be a lot more, plus the earning potential of what's sent back to the grid. |
Sounds very reasonable! | |
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| Solar panels are go... on 16:04 - Apr 12 with 5342 views | factual_blue |
13.09kWh for us today....
And a cumulative environmental impact equivalent to 1.72 trees being planted (that's since installation in January).
Still waiting for approval of our SEG application. |  |
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| Solar panels are go... on 16:12 - Apr 12 with 5322 views | factual_blue |
| Solar panels are go... on 14:51 - Apr 12 by Bent_double |
Haha, funny you should ask..
I initially got a quote to include batteries, but the extra £8k was a bit off-putting, so I told them to re-quote just for a 'battery-ready' inverter, so I could add batteries next year if needed.
They came and installed everything last week, and at the end of the day the guys came to me and said, "Right, that's everything done in the loft, inverter and batteries installed..."
At which point I stupidly said, "Er, what batteries, I didn't order them?"
They of course realised their mistake (someone had looked at the initial quote) and then had to lug each of the 40kg batteries back down, all the while saying, if I'd kept quiet, I would have got them for free!! Unlikely....
I now need to apply to my electricity company so I can actually get paid for what's going back to the grid...will probably need a change of meter first...the whole process can/will take a few months apparently....grrrrr. |
We went for the hybrid inverter as well and might look at the battery next year. Our quote is for around about £4k for the battery IIRC.
We're part way through the SEG application process. It takes a while for the bits of certification to come through. When you've got all that (plus a photo of your smart meter in action), it still probably takes a couple of months as the energy companies are reliant on an unnamed third party (the local energy network people at a guess) to provide you with an export MPAN. Apparently.
You also have to have a smart meter, which we had done just after the panel installation | |
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| Solar panels are go... on 16:33 - Apr 12 with 5248 views | Meadowlark |
| Solar panels are go... on 16:12 - Apr 12 by factual_blue |
We went for the hybrid inverter as well and might look at the battery next year. Our quote is for around about £4k for the battery IIRC.
We're part way through the SEG application process. It takes a while for the bits of certification to come through. When you've got all that (plus a photo of your smart meter in action), it still probably takes a couple of months as the energy companies are reliant on an unnamed third party (the local energy network people at a guess) to provide you with an export MPAN. Apparently.
You also have to have a smart meter, which we had done just after the panel installation |
Had the panels for nearly four years now, and the batteries since last December.
With the batteries charging overnight on E7 tariff we don't use any full price daytime electricity any more. I hope to switch off the night-time charging in the next few weeks and our electricity will then be free all summer.
We don't have a smart meter. Don't know why you'd need one?
Still have to pay a daily standing charge though, which pisses me off no end. |  | | |
| Solar panels are go... on 16:43 - Apr 12 with 5208 views | factual_blue |
| Solar panels are go... on 16:33 - Apr 12 by Meadowlark |
Had the panels for nearly four years now, and the batteries since last December.
With the batteries charging overnight on E7 tariff we don't use any full price daytime electricity any more. I hope to switch off the night-time charging in the next few weeks and our electricity will then be free all summer.
We don't have a smart meter. Don't know why you'd need one?
Still have to pay a daily standing charge though, which pisses me off no end. |
It's to do with the energy companies being able to pick up your reading on their WAN. If I've understood it correctly, there is probably an export meter in your inverter gear, but it may not be compatible.
Whether that's true/correct I have no idea. | |
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| Solar panels are go... on 16:49 - Apr 12 with 5190 views | Meadowlark |
| Solar panels are go... on 16:43 - Apr 12 by factual_blue |
It's to do with the energy companies being able to pick up your reading on their WAN. If I've understood it correctly, there is probably an export meter in your inverter gear, but it may not be compatible.
Whether that's true/correct I have no idea. |
I just read my export meter and email the numbers to them and they send me a cheque. | | | |
| Solar panels are go... on 16:54 - Apr 12 with 5161 views | Unitunit |
| Solar panels are go... on 16:49 - Apr 12 by Meadowlark |
I just read my export meter and email the numbers to them and they send me a cheque. |
We are looking to get solar panels, can any of you recommend a good provider/installer?
Thanks | | | |
| Solar panels are go... on 17:01 - Apr 12 with 5139 views | factual_blue |
| Solar panels are go... on 16:54 - Apr 12 by Unitunit |
We are looking to get solar panels, can any of you recommend a good provider/installer?
Thanks |
Ours were done by these guys
http://www.solarairuk.com/?gclid=CjwKCAjwrdmhBhBBEiwA4Hx5g2sfUtQtykGemxCVQsZltdk
We went through the scheme run every September by Suffolk CC. I think many other councils use the same scheme.
https://solartogether.co.uk/landing
Basically all the expressions of interest the council gets are put out to tender in bulk, so you benefit from better prices. It won't necessarily be the same provider every year, but you've got the added backing of the County Council carrying out due diligence on the suppliers. | |
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| Solar panels are go... on 17:33 - Apr 12 with 5091 views | Meadowlark |
| Solar panels are go... on 16:54 - Apr 12 by Unitunit |
We are looking to get solar panels, can any of you recommend a good provider/installer?
Thanks |
I did the solar together thing for both panels and batteries.
No real complaints..... | | | |
| Solar panels are go... on 17:54 - Apr 12 with 5041 views | BanksterDebtSlave |
| Solar panels are go... on 15:45 - Apr 12 by Crawfordsboot |
We are in the same situation. Back then the contract on offer was very favourable so as to promote the idea to the general public. On older systems you get paid something for how much your system generates and then extra for how much is fed back into the grid. Again on older systems they couldn’t easily measure the feed in so worked on the assumption that 50% of what’s generated gets fed back in and they paid for that. We of course ran dishwasher, washing machine and charged wife’s car while the sun was shining so not a lot got fed back in, though we got paid the same 50%!
Now with a smart meter they can measure what gets fed back in and we no longer get paid for the notional 50% of what’s generated.
It still though results in us getting a small net payment annually. |
Why did you let them put a smart meter in. I'm led to believe that the old spinning wheel type ones run backwards when the sun is on the panels!
https://www.which.co.uk/reviews/feed-in-tariffs/article/feed-in-tariffs/electric [Post edited 12 Apr 2023 17:56]
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| Solar panels are go... on 18:23 - Apr 12 with 4980 views | Durovigutum |
| Solar panels are go... on 17:33 - Apr 12 by Meadowlark |
I did the solar together thing for both panels and batteries.
No real complaints..... |
Solar together has been ok unless, like us, you live in Cambridgeshire. I signed up March last year, waited 6 months for a survey which then recommended the panels going onto the NNE facing roof (not the SSW facing roof) and then the day before the installation date they postponed, then three days later had their MGS certification cancelled and are therefore essentially bust. Same people in the London scheme, but instead I’m spending some of the money on a trip to some German football this weekend and might buy a Town season ticket too… |  | | |
| Solar panels are go... on 19:48 - Apr 12 with 4787 views | Bent_double |
| Solar panels are go... on 16:04 - Apr 12 by factual_blue |
13.09kWh for us today....
And a cumulative environmental impact equivalent to 1.72 trees being planted (that's since installation in January).
Still waiting for approval of our SEG application. |
Hehe, I win...15.50kwh today, and that's from 11am onwards 
The guy who completed the installation today said 6-8 weeks for SEG, but my smart meter is at least 10yrs old, so I wouldn't be surprised if they said that needs to be replaced first. | |
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| Solar panels are go... on 09:20 - Apr 13 with 4313 views | ScotBlue |
Getting ours installed in sunny Scotland at the beginning of June. Luckily here there is a 10 year 0% loan available from the government so have gone the full hog and included a battery. Within the quote of £8600 for a a 10 panel 4.2KW system the battery is £2600.
With the loan ending up at only around £75 month I will be either quids in or about neutral but work have just put me in an electric car so will be getting some free mileage as well. | | | |
| Solar panels are go... on 09:28 - Apr 13 with 4302 views | clive_baker |
For those with a battery, how much energy can it store? |  |
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