You can install our site as a web app on your iOS device by utilizing the Add to Home Screen feature in Safari. Please see this thread for more details on this.
Note: This feature may not be available in some browsers.
Not got any optimisers. Only Tigo's which don't work like those - don't seem to help my shading issue!
You can have panels just facing straight up and you'll get 50-60% of the ideal orientation. Yesterday with white clouds and no sun beaming through I was still doing 3kW off my 7.7kW - and bare in mind I've never seen more than 6.5kW. You can generate 25% of the rated power even off the panels facing the wrong way - especially if the sky is white clouds as the light is bouncing all around.
Google for "solar graph for orientation" and you'll see that facing North and you'll still get about 30% of due south. But 30% isn't much. You'll get about 70% for East or West. If the roof is at a low pitch like 20 degrees it'll do better if it's North facing.
Sounds like you should fill to the South as much as possible. Then the East, avoid the North. Check the measurements of the different panels - some vary. Old size was 1.6x1m. But most now are 1.9x1.1 or 2.1x1.1 - remember they're not supposed to fit them closer than 30cm to an edge - but most will go closer. Matters more if you're in a wind exposed area. The greatest issue is not the weight but the uplift if they stick above the roofline. You want to work out the best way to get as many as possible on the south roof. And make sure you get black framed panels. The silver framed look rubbish in comparison. Get black back-sheet as well if you're worried about what they look like. Black-on-black is going to look better than black-on-white if they're in an odd layout.
I was lucky - I've got 22 panels on a SW facing roof. 4 panels on a NE facing roof for some morning sun.
You could look at micro-inverters if you've got some that are going to be shaded when others aren't. Micro-inverters are guaranteed for 20 years I think.
Hah. Same for me. I put my deposit down last week and was told up to 60 days to get DNO approval then a 15-20 week lead time after that. Which takes us quite nicely into less optimal solar season.Install should be done within the next 3 months, just in time for generation to start dwindling off and electricity prices to come back down again
interesting. Otovo, when I placed the order, said that DNO approval takes 30 to 40 working days. however, why it should be additional 20 week (4 months) lead time?
after approvals are received - you need scaffold and installation. I would presume installer car get order for panels/inverters/batteries more or less at the same time as submission of the approval application as in general - this is a standard equipment. They should have a very high degree of confidence if you will get approved or not almost instantly (due to location, DNO, past experience).
Yes. This. My installer said it's their timeframe to book installers. Not sure how long ordering the equipment takes but I think they are just swamped. Frustrating, but I'm at least happy I am doing something toward cutting my requirement from the grid.Installers are -really- busy, and stock isn't being shipped over anywhere near fast enough.
So the 20 week lead will be either they're waiting for the panels/inverter to ship, or that's the earliest free install slot. Back last year I signed and paid a deposit in June. The panels didn't arrive until Dec, and fitting was another 5 weeks as that was the earliest they could fit it in. And batteries, end of this year if I'm lucky.
It's defo not a "buy it off the shelf" experience at the moment.
Otovo?!if installers are big enough and doing multiple installs you'd think they'd have stock being delivered continously and not wait to order install by install?
I'm apparantly being installed May 2 which means scaffolding next week but lets see..
Hah. Same for me. I put my deposit down last week and was told up to 60 days to get DNO approval then a 15-20 week lead time after that. Which takes us quite nicely into less optimal solar season.
Hopefully electricity prices do come down but I have a fixed deal to next September so the crazy prices aren't affecting me yet. Investing in the solar panels was my way of protecting myself in the future. Plus we are a high energy usage house so anything to cut our bills is a plus.
if installers are big enough and doing multiple installs you'd think they'd have stock being delivered continously and not wait to order install by install?
Otovo?!
5.2kW Solar Array (13x Trina Vertex S 400WI was told DNO can take up to 45 days but usually coming back in 4 weeks.
Their lead time is 3-5 weeks after that and expect install in 8-10 weeks from now.
I don’t know why they can’t order stuff before the DNO comes back, after all that’s only for export. You’re gonna get 3.6kW export anyway, so it’s just a matter or limiting the inverters export to 3.6 if it comes back with less than they applied for.
High user here too. What kit have you gone for?
That's my understanding of the long lead time. In some ways frustrating we won't get install till much later this year. On the other hand I would have been suspicious if they had said they could do it next week.I would interpret that as the installer has a queue of installations booked and customers have to wait. Perhaps worry about any installer that doesn't have a backlog
Very similar to my setup. I also have an Eddi solar divert for excess energy into immersion heater and this kicks in every day now so I use no gas water heating. Most days I draw nothing from the grid apart from charging the car on Go overnight.5.2kW Solar Array (13x Trina Vertex S 400W
Panels),
GivEnergy 5.0kW Hybrid Inverter,
Consumer Board, Circuit Protection,Bird
Protection
1 GivEnergy 9.5kWh LiFePO4 Battery storage
system
Another company quoted a larger panel array which was tempting but we got into a discussion about how far the panels would be from the edge of the roof. Second company were going beyond the recommendation. I read the guidelines and said this was technically ok as long as steps were taken to secure more and address any potential wind noise issues. When I asked about what additional steps they planned to take, they never responded so I took that as a bad sign.
I found this whole process slightly confusing and I'm not sure I fully understand all the ins and outs of having our own solar set up (this thread mostly confuses me!) But financial calculations from different companies all came out positive and savings were to be had from reducing reliance on the grid so I'm hoping to learn as I go.
Currently I am on fixed tarrif so don't need to be too clever about when and how the battery gets charged. But my fixed deal ends next year so I will need to get a bit smarter on managing being on potentially different rates during day and night.
I intend to look into the solar to heat water. I did discuss with my plumber (getting new boiler fitted soon) and I think he said it wouldn't work with the boiler I have selected but I'll need check.Very similar to my setup. I also have an Eddi solar divert for excess energy into immersion heater and this kicks in every day now so I use no gas water heating. Most days I draw nothing from the grid apart from charging the car on Go overnight.
You need electric immersion heaters to heat water using electric. I don't think this is a function that a boiler performs, but I am probably wrong.I intend to look into the solar to heat water. I did discuss with my plumber (getting new boiler fitted soon) and I think he said it wouldn't work with the boiler I have selected but I'll need check.
Edit: the boiler we intend to install isn't compatible with solar set up. Oh well.
One of the options we looked at said it was possible. Not the one we did settle on. Nevermind. The boiler that is getting replaced is nearly 30 years old so we will see much better efficiency anyway.You need electric immersion heaters to heat water using electric. I don't think this is a function that a boiler performs, but I am probably wrong.
the boiler we intend to install isn't compatible with solar set up