Solar... who's clued in?

So, the fat skin sack threw a pretty pile of coin at solar... just had a 8kW solar and a filthy elmo battery installed..... Interesting journey! The meter box on the fat sacks house also has an amazing back story.... serious arking can be seen where someone cut the mains power (and probably needed new underpants and a skin transplant) as discovered from the recent install...... We will need a new meter box (for future proofing and safety)....... Currently enjoying all the electrons from the suns power.... so, where too next? Who is a good supplier for those with electrons for sale?

S
 
Spanky_Ham said:
So, the fat skin sack threw a pretty pile of coin at solar... just had a 8kW solar and a filthy elmo battery installed..... Interesting journey! The meter box on the fat sacks house also has an amazing back story.... serious arking can be seen where someone cut the mains power (and probably needed new underpants and a skin transplant) as discovered from the recent install...... We will need a new meter box (for future proofing and safety)....... Currently enjoying all the electrons from the suns power.... so, where too next? Who is a good supplier for those with electrons for sale?

S
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WHy the filthy elmo battery?
Did you do the numbers and they work out? (Numbers don't work for the ACT due to EvoEnergy's pricing)
 
bear the bear said:
WHy the filthy elmo battery?
Did you do the numbers and they work out? (Numbers don't work for the ACT due to EvoEnergy's pricing)
Click to expand...
When you say the numbers don't work out with the battery, how so?

I'm very new at this solar caper and trying to get my head around everything...
 
wkkie said:
When you say the numbers don't work out with the battery, how so?

I'm very new at this solar caper and trying to get my head around everything...
Click to expand...
The cost of the battery vs power drawn from the grid at night.
When we looked 4 years ago a battery was going to be $20K (almost double the cost of the rest of the system).
The price of power in the ACT is the lowest in the country.
To recoup the cost of the battery was going to take decades and longer than the life of the battery.
 
Also, for those on the fence - power companies have ' advised prices will increase 25% on July 1 '

www.abc.net.au

'Obscenely high prices': Customers and businesses brace for surge in power bills from July 1

The Australian Energy Regulator confirms electricity price rises will increase by a rate higher than its draft offer, which will come into effect on July 1.
www.abc.net.au www.abc.net.au

www.abc.net.au

Why price hikes are masking an energy divide that threatens to leave poor Australians behind

Headline price increases of 25 per cent barely tell the story of struggling households at risk of falling behind in the energy transition.
www.abc.net.au www.abc.net.au

I'm not doom and gloom , but that is a kick in the balls .
 
bear the bear said:
WHy the filthy elmo battery?
Did you do the numbers and they work out? (Numbers don't work for the ACT due to EvoEnergy's pricing)
Click to expand...

At the moment, the numbers dont really work out, but yeah, the day after it was all switched on.... power prices here are set to go up 25%... and they aren't coming back down soon... plus we wanted to move to an off grid system..... and the majority of the power will go back to the grid (at a pathetic price we're sure.....)

S
 
rextheute said:
Also, for those on the fence - power companies have ' advised prices will increase 25% on July 1 '

www.abc.net.au

'Obscenely high prices': Customers and businesses brace for surge in power bills from July 1

The Australian Energy Regulator confirms electricity price rises will increase by a rate higher than its draft offer, which will come into effect on July 1.
www.abc.net.au www.abc.net.au

www.abc.net.au

Why price hikes are masking an energy divide that threatens to leave poor Australians behind

Headline price increases of 25 per cent barely tell the story of struggling households at risk of falling behind in the energy transition.
www.abc.net.au www.abc.net.au

I'm not doom and gloom , but that is a kick in the balls .
Click to expand...
Interesting.....
I got my energy plan renewal the other week from Evo and struggled to notice any changes. I'm assuming because I am renewing before 1st July, I am safe for 11 months?
 
So...I keep getting spammed with ads telling me I should get me some free solar from the NSW government. With the surging power prices it may almost be a reality! But...

I had a look all over the NSW gov energy site and the only information I can find about free solar installation or a rebate for it seems to be for pensioners or low income households.

Is there a reputable dealer of this stuff in the newcastle are? My average daily consumption over the last year swings between 2.5 to 5.7kw, so I am not expecting much.
 
About to embark on this journey. Had a gutful of $900-1200/qtr bills, and that's before the massive hike. Solar was always on the list for us but kept getting pushed back due to other expenses.

We use around 40-50kw/hr according to the bills. Skillion roof, 11 deg pitch, 415sqm total roof area, one side faces east the other west.

The missus wants an EV for her next car as well. Basic google research seems like I'm looking at something like a 12-16kW system. Obviously not that simple to calculate. House already has three phase.
 
MasterOfReality said:
one side faces east the other west.
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I had a split E/W system on the old house and it certainly has it's benefits. Find a good installer (obviously) and go 1/2 on each.

MasterOfReality said:
Basic google research seems like I'm looking at something like a 12-16kW system.
Click to expand...

Go big. 16 is good, I have 16.65 and have not had a bill since it was installed (including when I had two houses and would use the feed in tarrif to pay for the other house bill)
 
indica said:
Go big. 16 is good, I have 16.65 and have not had a bill since it was installed (including when I had two houses and would use the feed in tarrif to pay for the other house bill)
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That's what I'm thinking too. The better half keeps seeing ads for 6kw $7k systems and has it in her head that's all we need. I'm like fuck no we need to get as much on there as possible and its gonna be closer to $20k than $10k.............of course she doesn't believe it and arguments ensue :p

Better get someone around to have a look I suppose.

Edit - Neighbour across the road filled every square cm with panels, including all the street facing parts, looks absolutely shithouse in my opinion. At least we have the skillion roof and won't see the eyesore from the street which is a bonus, I like the discreet look.
 
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MasterOfReality said:
I'm like fuck no we need to get as much on there as possible and its gonna be closer to $20k than $10k
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I covered my roof. The builder had to strengthen the roof as there is a fair bit. 45 panels and we get over 100 kWh on a good day. Good having 3 phase because you can (depends) feed in more.
The feed in tariff is not always heaps but it pays us.
 
MasterOfReality said:
Wow I never even considered this!
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It's also worth checking to see if your area isn't already loaded up with solar. If it is then there's no point going big as your inverter will just dump the energy because the local grid won't take it. So you've got to be able to put it somewhere else. A reputable system designer (as opposed to just an installer) will be able to help you out. It's not straightforward but have a squiz at the clean energy council website to find accredited service providers in your area.
 
MasterOfReality said:
Wow I never even considered this!
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New build so was all good.
silentbutdeadly said:
A reputable system designer (as opposed to just an installer) will be able to help you out.
Click to expand...

YES. Mine did.
We had the line voltage too high for a bit and my installer had it sorted well fast - he had Ergon fix their side, sort some setting in the transformer, and I have a mate that had the same issue and Ergon would not sort it.

@MasterOfReality - issue being, if the line voltage is too high (which can occur with too much solar in the area - your inverter detects this and will shutdown, as it does not have enough voltage to "push" power to the grid. This means you don't get any solar at all until the voltage difference changes
 
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