Solar Panels

Whitewavemark2

I reckon wind turbines for the winter when there is insufficient sun.

Wind turbines need a fairly strong amount of wind, consistently, and there are regulations about minimum distance from your neighbours' homes.

We had our solar panels professionally installed nearly 7 years ago. Cost us £5500. Have had about £4500 back in FIT payments so far.

The money was earning peanuts in the bank/building society.

The fitters said our roof was ideal, south facing, not shaded from trees, neighbours roofs etc.

The payments were lower than if we had had it done years earlier, but the installation costs had gone down in the meantime, so evened out I suppose.

I did install a good sized solar panel myself to light an outbuilding, put a copper conducting rod into the ground in case of lightning, installed a leisure battery, lights , switch and an inverter. Worked very well

There are different types of solar panels with different efficiencies, the best are monocrystalline but they are the most expensive and it is a good idea to get the array pigeon proofed

rough costings now, £6000 to fit for a 4kwh array, electricity savings might be £300 pa. Maintenance is minimal, inverter lasts between about 10 years and costs £800 or so. Best to do the maths ie is it worth it. The £60-70 pa seg payback would be counted towards a new inverter. All in all payback is roughly 20 years

I lived in a proper eco house for 10 years, had a 4kwh array and my fit payment then were 43p a unit. I had 2 solar thermal panels which were fanstastic at providing very water from march through to october

re electric cars, my sil has a tesla, he is lucky to now get 70 miles on a full charge as the battery degrades over time. This is without running any lights or heating ie very much less in cooler weather

The inverter generates heat so needs to be in a ventilated position

Thanks Oops. As I said, we have had the panels for more than 10 years. The battery would have to be installed by a qualified contractor, if we go down that route.
DH is not 'handy' , although very techy otherwise , and too long in the tooth for clambering around .
I appreciate your replies and look forward to any other contributions to this thread.

Auntiflo MzOops partner had friends help him to install the panels on the roof, but did everything else himself.

So they just paid for equipment, everything else he did.

It is very expensive to get Contractors in.

Thanks for all the extra info. My husband is knowledgeable about things electro/ techno so I tend to trust him as I am useless.
I've calmed down now.
I was imagining a month or so of roofs/rooves falling down and rain pouring in.. It wouldn't bother him.

Whitewavemark2

Son had his done a couple of weeks ago. He is so smug.

Yesterday the sun completely fuelled his car (all electric, 300+miles per full battery), he did all the washing and drying free plus cooked his dinner as well as working at home.

I’m not sure we will live long enough for it to be economic.

OH is smug every day he can charge the car at 5p a kw that’s just £4 for 250 miles and no up front investment.
With no FIT payback will take a very long time and if you have home batteries probably never, because the lifespan is around 20yrs if you are lucky.

Oh thanks Oops. We had a chap here earlier this week and he quoted approx £5000.00!!!

Auntiflo I will email MzOops and ask her , she has 4 and they are approx £750 each and live in their own shed.

I’ll come back when she replies.

Pittcity

We are looking into having them fitted and would definitely get a battery. You are only apod a tiny amount for any energy that goes back to the grid so it makes sense to store it in a battery for you to use. This saves you rushing to use electricity when the sun shines and paying for any extra you might need.
There are grants available for those on certain benefits, but otherwise it is quite a big outlay.
Our local council have gathered the details of a large group of interested people and hav einvited companies to bid for our business. This way we should get a competitive quote from a reputable firm...hopefully!

Yes that’s right, but in my sons case I think all the spare electricity goes into his car.

We are looking into having them fitted and would definitely get a battery. You are only apod a tiny amount for any energy that goes back to the grid so it makes sense to store it in a battery for you to use. This saves you rushing to use electricity when the sun shines and paying for any extra you might need.
There are grants available for those on certain benefits, but otherwise it is quite a big outlay.
Our local council have gathered the details of a large group of interested people and hav einvited companies to bid for our business. This way we should get a competitive quote from a reputable firm...hopefully!

Auntieflo

*Oopsadaisy1*, We are considering having a battery, to store surplus electricity from our Solar panels.
Could I ask, Did MzOops, have one of the 'smart' batteries fitted? Also , which make did she buy?
(Apologies for being nosy)
We have had our panels for over 10 years, and they have done us well, but now that we are both in our 80th year, wondered whether it would be worth it.

It might be worth seeking advise tbh.

My son was keen to fit a battery but the fitters said no point. Don’t know why but might be worth finding out.

Oopsadaisy1, We are considering having a battery, to store surplus electricity from our Solar panels.
Could I ask, Did MzOops, have one of the 'smart' batteries fitted? Also , which make did she buy?
(Apologies for being nosy)
We have had our panels for over 10 years, and they have done us well, but now that we are both in our 80th year, wondered whether it would be worth it.

Photovoltaics, although most efficient on sunny days, will still produce as long as it’s light.
Not sure what the current heat incentive payment is. We had them installed on a previous house when the payment was 43p per kilowatt hour. Well worth doing then, not so much now I gather.
No disruption internally, a few slates removed to find rafters and replaced once fixings in place.

I can’t have them because I live in a conservation area
Couldn’t afford them anyway

I reckon wind turbines for the winter when there is insufficient sun.

MzOops had it done last year, she also has large storage batteries to save the Electricity.
She is scrabbling trying to get all of her washing done whilst the sun shines.

I don’t think we would live long enough to recoup the costs and we have dormer windows which means we wouldn’t get enough panels on the roof.
We could have a load of them in the garden I suppose, but they wouldn’t be much of a feature.

Maybe small wind turbines would be the answer?

MayBee70

Didn’t the government do away with some sort of grant for solar panels a few years ago?

Yes

Didn’t the government do away with some sort of grant for solar panels a few years ago?

Oh, I forgot to mention. It didn’t involve stripping the roof, in fact they were up and running in a day.

His house is a big arts and craft property so over 100 years old.

Son had his done a couple of weeks ago. He is so smug.

Yesterday the sun completely fuelled his car (all electric, 300+miles per full battery), he did all the washing and drying free plus cooked his dinner as well as working at home.

I’m not sure we will live long enough for it to be economic.

I doubt it.

We had a solar water heating panel installed years ago. It didn't involve stripping the roof

He's having a laugh, I think..

Some tiles have to come up so that the panels can be fixed to your roof (rafters) they are then put back.
Plus you have all the gubbins coming into your home.

No need to panic if a reputable company are involved