r/SolarUK

We are quite a small energy use household - currently 2,674 kWh per annum (for a 4 bed detached property). Our gas is currently LPG (we use around 800 litres a year).

However, the quotes I've had back from suppliers are predicting a mixed approach making comparison tricky. One quote assumes 2,674 ongoing.

But there's a likelihood we add Air Source Heat Pump in the future (or something that does both cooling and airing) which effectively will mean we lose our LPG tank. I've read that 800 litres with a 7.11Kwh/litre calofific value with a 90% boiler efficiency will give around 5,120 KwH of energy output. With a seasonal COP of 2.8-3.5 for a ASHP we'd be looking around 1,600KwH per year.

The other thing is that I want to give headroom for Car EV - around 10,000 miles a year (so looks to be around 3,000KwH per year).

I've assumed aircon is largely solar offset so around 400KwH per year.

So should we be asking for an estimation of around 8,000 KwH (e.g. 2,674+1,600+3,000+400)?

How have others approached this?

…or perhaps something else?

Install is happening this week and I’m finding it hard to work out which tariff to switch to.

I’ve looked at Tim & Kate’s Green Walk, which suggest IOG, but it doesn’t include Agile. I’ve also tried Octopus Compare and it suggests Agile is slightly cheaper that IOG, but this is historical and doesn’t factor in the forthcoming panels and battery.

Is it best to play safe and just do IOG until I get some data about my actual use? Is there any better way of calculating this?

6kWp solar + 9kWh battery. Often work from home. EV, usually needs about 50kWh/week, flexible about when that happens.

Hello,

Before my solar install can proceed, apparently I have to get a (battery?) isolator switch installed at my meter (100A double pole) and the installer can't do this for us.

My current meter has a standard red fuse on/off switch in it for the whole house, but I guess this isn't enough.

Does anyone know how I get one of these & approx costs? Do I ask the National Grid, an Electrician, electric supplier? Is there any better wording I can use so I get the right thing fitted?

And what does it actually look like at install time? Just an isolator outside the meter box with the output going to export tails and an empty input, that the battery will connect to in due course?

Waiting on a response from my installer about this …

Just come back from holiday to a bunch of emails

Scaffolding was meant to go up Wednesday ( 2 days time ) and install was Monday of next week

Emails state new install date 5 September!!!
Scaffolding going up 28th August

What am i missing here ? Already waited since april 8th to hear back from DNO

Just venting here but is
Bluddy jokes to wait another 8 weeks

Should i cancel the whole agreement? Prices have gone up
In the meantime so the installer got me over a barrell right ?

TIA

My solar/battery install included one of the above and it’s been almost two months now since my installer told me they were out of stock.

They asked me if I wanted to move to untethered instead but I said now as my EV isn’t actually due to arrive until the end of July. I have a private driveway so not overly concerned about security of the tether.

Anyone else facing this issue? I’m starting to worry that this stock issue will continue all year and not sure if I should just plump for untethered or a non-sig option.

I would appreciate any other info or advice you might have heard from your own installers.

Ideally I would like to stay with Sig to keep in the same ecosystem but as a solar/EV newbie not sure if I am being overly cautious.

(Wasn’t sure if this forum or the EV forum would have been better for this post.)

# edit to show correct inverter size

I have a technical survey happening soon and the more I look into my needs, the more conflicting things seem

We use 2350kwh per year in a 4 bed detached new build. We are low users. Two young children so the usage will rise eventually. Mrs works from home.

EV on the way (sept)

I’m getting 14 panels (full roof)

6.720 kW Total Module Power
14 x 480 Watt Panels
5,718 kWh per year

7kw inverter
2x Sunsynk 5.1kW ELITE HYB
Battery (1ph) IP65
10.24kWh of Battery Storage

POD point solo 3 EV charger point

£11.4k inc scaffold/ bird protection

It’s likely I won’t be getting the most out of this system and I’ve seen that this may not be good for the battery..

I thought future-proofing and even charging the EV off the battery as well as using an EV tarrif could have benefits.

I could lower the battery to 5kwh and cut some costs today although at some point, adding a second battery is going to obviously cost in labour later.

I guess I’m just needing to know if this bigger battery has a place here. I’m hoping to export some energy to offset the whole price over time and my DNO has approved with no restrictions.

I’m after opinions and if possible, anyone in a similar situation

Hi,

I hope the post is allowed.

I'm starting the journey to get quotes. I live I. The greater Manchester area. My idea is to get 5 / 7 quotes for solar and batteries.

Any recommendations of suppliers in the greater Manchester?

Any obvious do's and don't while asking for quotes.

Technically and commercially speaking?

I will likely get the 0% loan with my mortgage provider.

The house does not have the best orientation. Space for a maximum of four panels in south and ten or more in east side.

No EV as of yet. But I would consider it in future.

Thanks to whoever wants to give your tips!

Hello,

Recently had a hanchu 8Kw inverter and 2x 9.4 batteries with 18 panels.

I'm seeing a consistent 200w draw from the grid, shown in both app and on my smart meter. It is generally in 4-5 watts of 200 even when there is plenty of PV and battery.

Anyone else got a similar setup, what draw do you usually see?

Thanks

We're getting a battery installed this week (no PVs yet BTW), and are currently on the Octopus standard variable tariff. Am I right in thinking we should switch to Agile a day or so before the battery is commissioned so that we can get the API working once it's in? Or is there some hidden gotcha?

We are trying to decide between two quotes. Both are reputable installers, from first hand recommendations. Both prices seem fair to me. The main difference (apart from agreeing how many panels should fit where) is Fox vs Sigenergy. Would you pay roughly £1200 more to have a Sigenergy SigenStor 8kW instead of a Fox ESS EP6 Plus 5.76 kWh?

Hi, as the title says, am looking for the above.

Has anyone had any installs or quotes done by companies around this area and what was your experience with them?

And any companies to avoid?

Have had a quote already but it seems expensive compared to what others are posting of their quotes on here.

Thanks

Quoted £12,500 for this:

https://preview.redd.it/upoazqre9kbh1.jpg?width=1240&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=27279b88170cf9667e8a0e455230fdddf5e1a078

Hey everyone, just looking for a quick sanity check on this quote.

• Location: Cambridgeshire
• Panels: 16 x Astronergy 460W (7.36 kW total). Upgrades offered: LONGi 480W (+£22/panel) or AIKO 495W (+£42/panel).
• Inverter: LuxPower 10kW Hybrid (GEN 10K) - Single Phase. (no warranty specified)
• Battery: 1 x Fogstar Energy 5.12kWh Stackable (4.1kWh usable). Extra 5kWh blocks are £675 each. (6year warranty)
• Expected Generation: 7,154 kWh/year
• Total Cost: £7,850. Includes scaffolding (installer says it's higher than usual due to bridging a lower flat roof).
• Extras: No bird proofing included. SEG tariff is on me to set up.
• Company: Uk Solar

The installer swapped to the LuxPower 10kW because Solis is having stock issues right now.

I haven't asked for changes yet. Does £7.8k look reasonable for this setup? Also, is it worth paying the extra for the AIKO panels, or using that cash to add a second 5.12kWh battery module right away?

Thanks!

Location south London.

We have some quotes for panels and batteries based of an estimated use of 4500kwh. It's hard to judge as we moved a few months ago to this larger house, bought an EV, and plan to get AC installed over winter. We will also extend in a year or two. So energy use is probably going up. House is a detached Victorian with no external wall insulation so not suitable for a heat pump right now.

The quotes are quite a range but they're all quoting different specs of equipment. So is it worth just going with the cheaper stuff or paying more for a premium brand? This is the forever home so I'm open to paying more for something that will last, but is it necessary?

On panels we can get 12-16 on each face of the roof (east/west). Most quoted for just one side but I'm minded to max the roof space whilst scaffold is up. Although scaffold to both sides of the property would also cost more.

Quotes:

Boxt - 15x 475w aiko panels, 7kw sunsynk inverter, 3x sunsynk 5kw batteries. £12.5k.

Local supplier 1 - 28x 470w infinity RT type N panels, Sig energy 12kw inverter, Sig energy 8kwh battery. £20k. (This also includes an EV charger and the home gateway)

Local supplier 1 can also do a cheaper system which I think is using fox but I haven't asked for that quote yet.

Local supplier 2 - 14x480w aiko panels, 11kw Tesla inverter, 13kwh Tesla pw3 battery. £15.5k. includes Tesla gateway.

Local supplier 2 cheaper option - 14x480w aiko panels, fox ess h1 6kw inverter, fox ess ep12 plus 11 kWh battery. 11k. No gateway.

Local supplier 3 - 12x 480w aiko panels, Sig energy 8kw inverter and 10kwh battery (this includes the home gateway option) £18k but also including 1.5k for an EV charger. So about £16.5k without it. But this doesn't include any scaffold which would be about 1-1.5k extra.

I want to be able to account for future expansion which puts me off the Tesla a bit, and I read their app isn't that great for smart programming. But really I just want to get as much power as possible for running the house and have the option to upgrade the battery in future.

We are already on an EV tariff with 8p overnight so could charge batteries on this too.

No idea about export, one local supplier told me 6kwh set up could be approved within a week but larger systems can take a bit longer and depends on location. But they said they recently installed a 30 panel 20kwh battery system close by. Tbh I am not sure I totally understand the export part yet.

Thanks for any advice!

If you were truly off grid with enough solar and battery storage you would not have to pay a standing charge so my question is if I had enough battery and solar to power it, could I disconnect from the grid/supplier for say 3-4 month a year and avoid standing charges would it be worth the hassle to save £65ish a year?