r/SolarUK

Is cost the only differentiating factor between panels under 500W and over 500W other than electricity generated?

Are they different in sizing and aesthetics?

Isnt panel with highest watts any day better if its not very expensive?

So i have agreed with a local installer for solar, batteries and ev charger.

I originally got quote for a hypervolt but he did mention sigenergy have a charger and from a quick google I see they have a new one released or soon to be.

Would I be sensible getting sigenergy as I see it does reverse charging or keeping hypervolt or even a different brand?

Been told sigenergy be about 175 less not sure if it old model but it lacks some features of hypervolt intelligence but it would mean 1 single app for my whole setup and prob speak better as whole system.

Anyone got any views on this how sigenergy integration with other ev chargers went, obviously wont be charging from my battery but I guess worried it just decide to discharge into my car lol

I was looking for a website where I can estimate what can go on my roof in terms of panels. I found several which use satelite photos but they don't get the roof size very accurate (under-sized). Is there one where I can enter the details like this:

The house is rectangular, 8.2m (in line with the apex) and 6.7m (at right angles to the apex). My roof is a symmetric pitched roof, one side facing 125° from North (i.e. approx SE), and the other facing 305° (i.e. approx NW). The roof has an additional overhang of 0.25m past all walls, making it 0.5m larger in both directions. The roof pitch is about 33°. Interlocking concrete roof tiles (if that matters), 1990 construction using premade A-frame roof trusses.

If you're with Octopus, and you earn free weekend electricity, how are you using it if you've got solar/battery?

Is everyone plugging the car in, or running the washing machine, tumble dryer etc all at the same time?

Just feeling my way along with this.

One of the major attractions with home storage batteries is that you can charge them for a few hours during the night at low rates (8p/kwh), and then use the electricity stored during the day/evening to avoid paying full rate (or higher). This benefit is likely increased if you can charge an EV on low rate electricity at the same time.

However I wonder if this will last. For as long as I remember low rate electricity has been available at night for the likes of storage heaters. This low price electricity was because the power stations cannot switch their turbines on and off each night, or their shafts tend to suffer cumulative damage, so they keep them turning at a lower rate, and give the electricity to suppliers at very low rates.

Fast forward to now when the electricity demand at night is growing hugely, and over the next 10 years, with the continuing uptake in EVs and home batteries, the demand overnight will be quite high. The power stations will need to run at a higher rate to supply the demand, and there will no longer be a reason for them to sell the electricity cheaply due to this demand.

So might this then negate this major advantage of having a battery, if it cannot me cheaply charged overnight, to offset daytime rates?

We’re on Octopus Intelligent Go. Last month we used:
- 900kwh charging two EVs
- 100kwh on house needs at cheap rates
- 200kwh on house needs at peak rates

Does it make sense to get any solar and/or batteries?

Hi everyone,

Thanks to Mike from the SolarUK moderation team for inviting us to host this AMA.

We’re the team at Eleven Energy. Over the next seven days, we’ll be here to answer your questions about our sodium-ion battery systems, energy management software and what we’re working on next.

Whether you’re a homeowner, an installer or simply curious about sodium-ion technology, ask us anything!

Dear All,

I have placed an order for Solar Panels and a Tesla PW3. I had intended to install the PW3 in the utility room (D1.9xL3.6xH2.4) which is essentially narrow and tall.

Utility room also has a water cylinder for the ASHP and washer/dryer.

I had thought this would be OK and the surveyor seemed to think so, however i am now worried about the heat, and the PW3 fan constantly cycling.

Should i move the PW3 outside..only space i have is 3m away on the outside kitchen wall away from fuse board .

I look forward to your advice.

Looking for a sense check.

System (North East, single phase):

- Fogstar x Luxpower GEN PRO hybrid (10kW) + Fogstar IP65 16.1kWh battery

- Whole-home backup

- 8 × LONGi 480W (3.84kWp) on a flat garage roof

- G99 + MCS (planning to go on Flux)

First installer quoted about £8,400 at 0% VAT as a few lump sums. When I asked for a requote, I asked for the battery/inverter bundle and the panels to be shown as separate lines, at no more than retail ex VAT (£2,808 for the Fogstar bundle, about £85–90 per panel). Everything else could be priced however they liked.

They declined to quote, saying they need their margin to cover long-term warranty and service. Fair enough, and they were polite about it.

My reasoning: at 0% VAT I wanted to see that the VAT saving on the kit actually reaches me, rather than being absorbed into a lump sum. I'm happy to pay a fair price for labour, G99, MCS and aftercare.

Questions:

1. Is that an unreasonable ask? How do installers normally handle margin on kit?

2. Does ~£8,400 sound fair for this scope?

3. Any MCS installers in the North East happy to fit Fogstar/Luxpower?

Happy to be told I'm being unreasonable.