Well, i have had 6 quotes, with exception if the original £9k offer including free micro inverters (allegedly worth £1250.00), the others advised string inverters as reliability was higher and obviously cheaper.
Seems as we are near East/West orientation there is differing opinions with seemingly equally strong arguments, as to put all the panels along the East facing roof slope, or halfe on each slope.
We have plenty of room, no shadow issues and we are in area 12, one argument is all panels on the West slope as this has the longest period of daylight.
Opposing argument is to get the morning charge from the East facing slope, then the later day charge from the then stronger West slope.
If i based it on who's rep impressed the me most i would go with all West advice, i'm applying the rashionel to use as much as you can of what you generate, chanted by all.
If my paeks were wirjing at peek, all have said do not switch on two heavy usage units at once, so do i soread out the generating time window allows me to use more equipment sequentially due to the longer availability of day slot?
In our case say i'd likely switch on the washing machine before leaving home, which runs about an hour, then the dishwasher as we return half hour run (if we are not at home all day).
We were advised as we cook all electric to per-cook meals in bulk during the generating day, tbh this just don't appeal to either of us, My wife is a very good cook and Tv type meals are simply not attractive with soggy ingedients, to cater fir stirage we would need a further freezer, that cost money to buy, space taken up and running costs.
I tend to feel there would be little surplus savings doing all that.
Alan
What sort of price were they quoting mate just out of interest?
I also have an East/West facing roof and have 8 panels (2K) on each.Works for me as I work from home so benefit from the free electricity all day long.Did you have them provide you the SAP calculations on what each configuration would provide (in theory)?
East
West
East/West
I had them done, and and all East configuration would have generated more FIT's, but as I work from home, I preferred all day free electricity, plus, I've done all right out of FIT's and don't miss the odd £20 here or there.
Also, with an East/West configuration, you'll need a dual string inverter, like Power One Aurora 3600 (maybe an old model, but you get my drift).You can't have a single string inverter, as while one side is in sunshine the other is in shade (apart from around 11-3 during the summer months) and will stop the opposite aspect panels from working to full efficiency.
HTH.
In all i had 8 quotes, two were done without making a home visit, i'm not to disturbed by this they viewed my home using my post code and Google Earth. Last year i sold my first security system using facetime to view the property remotely. That saved me a late evenning sales call, and sparred me from another long sales pitch ,data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7, but no savings were offered to me by using this method where i make it clear it increases their warranty terms.
The cheapest was actually visiting company rep, initially stated the highest at £7100.00, having been told they were far dearer than the guy before - which was true, and after a 'special call to the office manager' who price matched and knocking of a further £50.00 quoted £5350.00 like for like.
Not sure how i really feel about this, either indignant at a brazen attempt to overcharge me, or happy to make the possible savings tbh. I did not go back to the other guy, likely i could beat him down a but more, but then i'd have to sign up now to get it.
I feel i am at the point of understanding the advantages offered thanks to the membership and would go ahead, the wife is not as onboard as yet. dinner table battles will likely ensue. She has not done as much research as i have, conciders it another mans toy, and cussedly stubborn by nature. So i have decided to shelve Solar installation for now just for the sakes of matrimonial peace over Christmas data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7.
Alan
Thanks HTH,
House occupancy has been a part of discussion, while i'm able i will continue to work, the wife will likely retire in a few years being at home more during the day having gone part time recently. i am at home at quiet periods or i can be out over 18 hours, so in some ways it is too soon to instal solar to use all we generate, or not use machines while not generating.
If we buy outright now that drains our available desposable funds, use finance then buy out say in 3 years attracts penalties, why to me it is not so simple to make a sane decision, and as said above the wife has yet to get on board or my life will be miserable every rainy day low generation day.
Alan
Had a survey done today through Solar Funding Incentive - Funding is Limited Apply Now ... quoted £9k for an 11 x 285w panel system ... no upfront costs and no 'roof rental' ... seems v expensive for a small SE/SW facing semi but wonder how much is tied up in the financing ? ... we seem to get the FITS and Export tariffs and use 'refund savings' to pay back the financing with overpayments of £400 in year 1 reducing to £0 in year 5 ...
Anyone had anything thing similar form anyone else ?
£9k is at least double for that size system.
I paid £6k for a fully installed 4kW system in May so the £9k does sound expensive. However, if you do not have the money up front to pay for it then you may end up having to pay more if you want to get solar. The payback for my system is around 7 to 8 years so looking at your system and cost yours is going to be closer to 15 years.
on a different tack,
currenty companies iffer free systems, basically you rent them your roof in exchage. But with drastic tarrif cuts planned the take uo i think will be severly slowed after the panic uotake.
This will see many installers going to the wall, so what happens then for warranty and ownership?
If they went to the wall though they wouldn't then receive all those feed in tariffs from the ones they have already fitted so unlikely.