Solar Panels by a Novice- Too Many Considerations?

blankscreen

I think a big concideration in any fircasts ir calculation is what age you are in that what you will reap the benifuts after paying off any finance, and your life style, it would seem little point for a holiday home you don't let out as an extreme example.

Alan

IronGiant

I only pay for electricity coming into the house from the grid.  Any electricity the panels generate I get to use for free.  Since they were installed I have had approx £1625 of completely free electricity off them.

blankscreen

Breaking News,

just been told by my nephew, his old house (which he sold a month ago), the Solar kit is suffering from birds nesting under the panels, and is being blammed for setting off the intruder alarm.

The house is on a modern newish estate, and several other houses had the same solar kit installed by the same firm, and all are suffering from birds nesting under the panels.

As an alarm engineer by trade (who did not these alarms btw as they came within the build), it is possible the standby batteries have now failed (likely after 5 years of no maintenance), so i guess as the panels change over from/to charging cycles there is a transent voltage change causing the activations.

But now get this, the installers have said as they are not in the area they will all have to wait until JANUARY!!!!

Not forgetting this is in Hull, the dire weather predicted for January, thats what i call 'service with a crocodile smile' guys lol!

Alan

phillyd1981

How long have you had the panels Ig?

phillyd1981

is there no mesh screening between the roof and the panels? The houses round my way have a fine chicken wire running between the gap of!

IronGiant

End of June 2011, so let's guess £500 a year? This is purely the reduction in my electricity bill, nothing to do with feedback tariffs.

phillyd1981

If you do not mind Ig how much was the install cost?

blankscreen

rubbing my crystal ball at a guess - end of June 2011?

I read cost if installations used to 12-14 £k with very high FIT, but that has dropped as has the installations to an average of £7k (MCE Site). So unfortunately i think it is hard to make meaningful comparrisons.

I accidentally came across one site today called Eco-Master.co.uk, suggest you take a look as the installed price suggested will blow your socks off!

anyone had experience of them? (for the sakes of the site's coffers no defamation please).

Alan.

IronGiant

Ah now that's a question

Back then installations were approx 20K with a "guarantee"  that they would pay for themselves and unicorns would personally deliver golden eggs every other day.

So I picked a company with a "free" installation whereby they got the feedback tariff and I got the electricity.  So I haven't paid a penny, but have had the £1625 worth of electricity.  

They have made about £5300 from the 46p feedback tariff so they are doing very well out of it.

blankscreen

That seems about right, my nephew said £660.00 PA saved on bills from his 'free' installed system.

Our usage atm (with gas heating and all electric cooking) is about £60.00 PCM. We woukd need to be careful as mentioned earlier to when we use significant power sucking items, perhaps we could match our bills the same as you?

Alan