All things Solar (merged threads)

[prydey]

Originally Posted by flappist

You mean this mob

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQ5qVwQL848

there is a lot of negativity around about TVS but they have really lifted their game in the last 12 months or so. most of the issues were to do with the installations from what i can gather and those installers have been sacked.

my system is a TVS system. they are all accredited products and i'm very happy with how its gone so far. the install is nice and neat, no exposed wiring etc and the communication and response time leading up was great.

but of course, if its on the internet, or ACA or TT, then it must be true.

[xisled]

Originally Posted by prydey

there is a lot of negativity around about TVS but they have really lifted their game in the last 12 months or so. most of the issues were to do with the installations from what i can gather and those installers have been sacked.

my system is a TVS system. they are all accredited products and i'm very happy with how its gone so far. the install is nice and neat, no exposed wiring etc and the communication and response time leading up was great.

but of course, if its on the internet, or ACA or TT, then it must be true.

Before they were TVS they were known as another company and had to change names.

They also got done for advertising the systems to be 5kw, when the only thing that was 5kw was the inverter, the panels were only 1.6kw.

[4DBOSS]

Originally Posted by SB076

I should have held off and bought one last year I could have a 4kw system for the same price I paid for the 2.1kw system

everything is cheaper now coz there is no government incentives.

installers were ripper us/government off

[rancidpunx]

Solar is on and connected to the grid. Energex came in less than a week. No idea what the scrolling numbers all mean yet but I think its made 4kw peak so far in the last hour.

[Captain Stubing]

Today was the day I got my first Electricity bill since having my panels installed. Energex installed the new smart meter partway through the billing cycle, so I haven't got accurate results. However, I ended up with a bill for $30 in credit!

Last bill was just short of 500 bucks, so I'm pretty happy.

The system is 16x190W panels, with a 3.02 inverter. On a good day (today) it will collect 30kW of power.

[rancidpunx]

Had the system on and pumping power back to the grid since Monday arvo and it seems to be going well. Seen a peak of 5.1kws generated although it drops of quicker in the arfternoons than I was hoping but ramps up fast in the morning. Its been hot here but also slightly hazy. I just have a few questions some of your guys might be able to answer. I am about to hit 100kws generated according to the inverter but my metre I believe only says 40, the same as it said yesterday. (it flashes between 1 and then to 40) I assume that the metre would read minus what power we have used or is all the power generated fed to the grid and household usage is the same as its always been?
Cheers

[xisled]

Originally Posted by rancidpunx

Had the system on and pumping power back to the grid since Monday arvo and it seems to be going well. Seen a peak of 5.1kws generated although it drops of quicker in the arfternoons than I was hoping but ramps up fast in the morning. Its been hot here but also slightly hazy. I just have a few questions some of your guys might be able to answer. I am about to hit 100kws generated according to the inverter but my metre I believe only says 40, the same as it said yesterday. (it flashes between 1 and then to 40) I assume that the metre would read minus what power we have used or is all the power generated fed to the grid and household usage is the same as its always been?
Cheers

The meter will read how much power you have put back into the grid. The inverter will be higher because that is the total amount your panels have generated. According to what you have said your house has used 60kw and you have put 40kw into the grid.

[saam]

Swanny, you ended up with a bill of $30 credit. Now how does that work. Does that mean the utility company will send you out a $30 cheque? Or are you always in credit and will never pay an electricity bill again ?

[prydey]

yes, the provider will give you the option of receiving the credit in money (cheque etc), or keeping it as credit on your account or if you have gas with the same provider, you can transfer the credit to pay off your gas as well.

[xisled]

Originally Posted by prydey

yes, the provider will give you the option of receiving the credit in money (cheque etc), or keeping it as credit on your account or if you have gas with the same provider, you can transfer the credit to pay off your gas as well.

It depends in the company policy, not all companies refund customers credits for solar. Some just keep it and it just sits in the account.

[poppa smurf]

in order to receive your credit in the form of cash or direct deposit into a nominated bank account you must approach the provider in writing stating you wish to withdraw your credit

as has been stated some will not wish to do so but with a little "persuasion" they will pay

be aware this is taxable income and mr tax man will want to know about it.......currently only aged pensioners are exempt

since having my system installed (just over 12 months) my accounts are running consistently late.....the latest is over a month overdue, yet before when I owed Lumo money the accounts were early.....strange that????

funny how I look forward to my energy accounts now!

[supershifty]

Originally Posted by saam

Swanny, you ended up with a bill of $30 credit. Now how does that work. Does that mean the utility company will send you out a $30 cheque? Or are you always in credit and will never pay an electricity bill again ?

Saam, I don't know what state you're in. If you're in QLD then this applies:

How do customers receive the Solar Bonus?

If the Solar Bonus payments are greater than the total grid-connected electricity consumption charges over a 12-month period, the customer is entitled to have this balance refunded, rather than maintaining an ongoing credit.

Source: http://www.cleanenergy.qld.gov.au/de...gn=redirection

On another note: Welcome back Poppa! I was getting a little concerned about your absence - where's your note!

Cheers!

[poppa smurf]

yeah! my apologies to the class.......she who must possess all things shiny and expensive made me take her for a break so we shot off into La La land for a little while (otherwise known as Victoria where they give you warnings about upcoming potholes and stuff, hah, all our roads are built with pre-existing man size potholes)

never mind at least it was a bit cooler over there, 39 when we left here........Ford went like a dream for once, returning 16.5 ltrs per 100 kilometres pulling around 1850 kilos plus "girl stuff"

[Captain Stubing]

Originally Posted by saam

Swanny, you ended up with a bill of $30 credit. Now how does that work. Does that mean the utility company will send you out a $30 cheque? Or are you always in credit and will never pay an electricity bill again ?

Saam,
I haven't explored the credit part, but I imagine I'll eat into the credit during the winter months.

I thought I read somewhere that you can claim your credits after 12 months?

Others on here have a lot more knowledge than I do in this area, though.

[paule11]

The heat up here really knocks the output down to around 26 to 27kw a day this week from 30kw a day a few months ago

[poppa smurf]

Originally Posted by swanny

Saam,
I haven't explored the credit part, but I imagine I'll eat into the credit during the winter months.

I thought I read somewhere that you can claim your credits after 12 months?

Others on here have a lot more knowledge than I do in this area, though.

this is basically what I do and I recommend others to do, create a "credit" then when the temp is not so co-operative use your electrical appliances with impunity......

when you claim your "credit" is not an issue although I think there MAY be a critical mass of finance, I don't reckon they would send a cheque out for $0.20c, however once again I am not sure on this, it would pay to give your retailer a buzz

I am finding that we are becoming, what I would have described pre-solar, as being wasteful, 32 or above and on goes the air con, bit chilly.... hit the switch...disgraceful behaviour

paule11 you will find the output from solar will "peak" at around 26 degs in autumn/spring, drop off will be incremental with temps over that depending on the angle of your panels......these things dont like the heat, light cloud SEEMS to work in their favour as well but I cant prove this

I produced my best ever output yesterday....24 kilowatts over a 24 hour (6pm yesterday to 6 pm today) period with dirty panels ......not bad for a 3.5 kw system

almost $12.00 clean profit for the day.....take that you power moguls

[rancidpunx]

Pretty happy with the system, its been on for a week now with 98hrs clocked up and 187kwh produced with a peak of 5.1kwh.
I am finding the same as Smurf as well that now its up and running the missus is using it as an excuse to be wasteful.

[davenl5l]

poppa $12 a day profit you're the mogul!!!

[poppa smurf]

Originally Posted by davenl5l

poppa $12 a day profit you're the mogul!!!

quite chuffed....but then I just spied the mistake in my post.....it should read from 6pm sat til 6pm sunday

but I am very pleased with the output, makes me wonder what it would have produced if I hadn't been so lazy and give them a clean on friday....may have given me a couple hundred watts extra, but it doesn't matter about the profit as long as it covers our usage

a similar day today as far as weather goes, a touch warmer, so mayhap another $10 - $12

still haven't got my account, maybe I'll sling them an email

rancid I'm pleased for you and yours....I was speaking to a feller just this morning who I advised and helped with his install.....his neighbour (pensioner) is about to get the power turned off unless her family or the salvos comes to her aid

bloody disgusting when people cant afford, what used to be, "essential services"

[supershifty]

Originally Posted by rancidpunx

Pretty happy with the system, its been on for a week now with 98hrs clocked up and 187kwh produced with a peak of 5.1kwh.
I am finding the same as Smurf as well that now its up and running the missus is using it as an excuse to be wasteful.

Hmmm, I take it that you don't have kids yet James?

Pre solar and with kids I gave up educating (screaming) to my family about power wastage. I gave up educating them and just silently went about the house turning off the wastage - it's better that way, you'll never win.

There is some satisfaction that can be earned in silence. (solar is quiet)

Cheers!

[rancidpunx]

No mate, no kids yet. I have just been finding lights left on or lights being used that dont need to be that sort of thing. Came home on Wednesday last week and the house was freezing, the air con had been cranking for a few hours yet the missus was out in the paddock. We were being really careful when we moved in before we got the first bill and solar. I do the silent following her round turning off stuff, lol, she knows what im doing.

[sgt_doofey]

I'm forever getting in to trouble for turning off lights that the wife likes left on for "Ambiance"

Grrrrrrr.............

[xisled]

Hi Poppa currently learning the S.A retail market as the company I work for is owned by a S.A retailer. So I will be working for both companies. I was surprised at the cost of power in S.A I must say.

[poppa smurf]

Originally Posted by xisled

Hi Poppa currently learning the S.A retail market as the company I work for is owned by a S.A retailer. So I will be working for both companies. I was surprised at the cost of power in S.A I must say.

G'day mate, yeah look its pretty cruel in south aus at the moment and people are hurting

a lot are going solar in an effort to reduce the toll a bit even though the incentives aren't there anymore

Northern territory have or soon will have massive increases in power and water for no apparent reason,

seems to be the way of the world that the almighty dollar must take precedence over everything including life itself

studying the market you would see the massive take up of solar in south australia.....I'm amazed at just how many systems are going up

[MWTB]

Dad's having a 6kw (I think) system installed tomorrow.

I think my idea of hooking his XR6 turbo up to a dyno which outputs to a number of batteries and capacitors and running it for 10 minutes flat stick would be a cheaper way to do things. If only my ideas worked in real life as well as they do in my mind.

[prydey]

Originally Posted by xisled

I was surprised at the cost of power in S.A I must say.

i'm guessing its expensive.

[xisled]

Originally Posted by prydey

i'm guessing its expensive.

I was surprised at the high cost. It is expected in NSW and VIC, but in S.A i was a bit shocked.

[stevejg33]

Originally Posted by rancidpunx

No mate, no kids yet. I have just been finding lights left on or lights being used that dont need to be that sort of thing. Came home on Wednesday last week and the house was freezing, the air con had been cranking for a few hours yet the missus was out in the paddock. We were being really careful when we moved in before we got the first bill and solar. I do the silent following her round turning off stuff, lol, she knows what im doing.

My house is the same, a wife & daughter who have no idea that the same switch that turns the power on, also turns it off.
I always joke to them that when the International Space Station passes over Adelaide the astronauts look out the window & say to each other " there's Steve's house" that would the the glowing one, from all the lights on.

[sgt_doofey]

Originally Posted by stevejg33

My house is the same, a wife & daughter who have no idea that the same switch that turns the power on, also turns it off.
I always joke to them that when the International Space Station passes over Adelaide the astronauts look out the window & say to each other " there's Steve's house" that would the the glowing one, from all the lights on.

I've got my Christmas lights up at the moment, so they might think you own two houses at the moment Steve.

[stevejg33]

Originally Posted by sgt_doofey

I've got my Christmas lights up at the moment, so they might think you own two houses at the moment Steve.

You never know, sometimes I think my house is almost like the Griswalds house in the Christmas Vacation movie, just need that cable to the nuclear powerplant