All things Solar (merged threads)

[supershifty]

Psycho, I looked at an AGL plan as I'm a customer, but they were about 25% dearer on a comparable system - if you can get a staff discount then go for it!

Do you know the specs/components of the AGL system you're looking at?

Cheers!

[poppa smurf]

I checked out AGL on many occasions for many folks, I found them to be lower quality than most, more expensive than most and worse after sales service than most.

the "payment scheme" or "interest free" is basically the same as the purchase of any system, you have a one off setup charge, normally $50 or so then a deposit of 10% or whatever, they all differ, then the amount left owing divide by the length of the purchase price.

I have done the "paperwork" for many folks around here (out here not in the forum) so I know the comparisons between system costs, reliability and after sales service.

be wary of AGL is all I will say, however after saying all that......if you have truly done all your homework and AGL comes out the same or better then an EQUAL system then go ahead.

in the end it's your decision, don't make it lightly.

[DJL351]

Originally Posted by Struggo

Installed a 2.1KW system back in 2010 by taking advantage of the NSW GFIT of $0.60c.

http://www.pvoutput.org/list.jsp?userid=80

Nice output for that size of system.



Still can't crack 22 units. 21.9 still remains my highest output for my 3.04Kw system.
http://pvoutput.org/list.jsp?d=desc&...=3619&gs=0&v=0

[Sam_Boss260]

Interesting read lads. I haven't read the entire 84 pages, but only the last 4 or 5.

I'm now re-looking at this again, and received an 'over the phone' consultation whilst the guy tries to get an appointment to come out.

Basically he was offering two systems, both 5kw.

The first was a "standard" package, with all the gear (panels, inverters etc) made in China. This was $5,000 out of pocket to me, after the $3,700 Govt rebate.

The second was the "premium" package, with European gear and better warranties. For $7,100.

Looking at 20 odd panels and able to generate 23kw per day.

In Qld currently the FIT is 8c per kw, and if you go with AGL, they will match another 8c.

I checked our current bill last night, and our consumption for the last qtr is 21kw per day. Now I'm aware that you will lose a small fraction of energy as it goes down from the panels, but based on this and all things being equal, this should make my bills zero or close to it. And as we are considering putting in a pool in the next 12 months, that should go on the off-peak traiff11 to minimise that cost.

The next step is for the guy to come out and look at installation options, go over our recent bills and to the proposal properly. But is there anything else that I should consider or be looking at? I'm a bit new to all of this......

Cheers

[poppa smurf]

I would go "premium"......once the warranty is out the system is useless.

most decent system's will give a 25 year performance guarantee.......we've had a few failures of cheaper systems lately (46 degs for a week or two doesn't help)

[Sam_Boss260]

Originally Posted by poppa smurf

I would go "premium"......once the warranty is out the system is useless.

most decent system's will give a 25 year performance guarantee.......we've had a few failures of cheaper systems lately (46 degs for a week or two doesn't help)

Yeah, that is my thinking papa smurf, to go premium.

Only dilemma is the best spot is on my front roof, which is currently terracotta tiles, but the roof is potentially being changed to tin as part of our reno's in the next 12 months. But our deck on the back which is also a pitched roof is tin and will not change with the reno's. So I could put the panels on the deck roof now, or should I wait until I swap the tiled roof out?

[poppa smurf]

I would wait until the change has been made but arrange the install now, grab a date for completion of reno's then speak to the installers/sales people.

would be hard not to do some damage if the system was to be taken off and placed back on a new roof.

[zeuss000]

In Qld currently the FIT is 8c per kw, and if you go with AGL, they will match another 8c.


I am with Click energy at the moment and they are paying 18 cents FIT..
Could be worth a look.. (Brisbane)
Cheers
Ed

[Bushbasher]

I hope this link works but if it does you'll see what a 5kw system in the lower part of SA produces.
My system in Lipson.

If you explore the page you can see the daily/monthly and yearly outputs.

[LG17]

What a bummer!
The sparkies turned up with the Kaco about 8:00am and started putting everything together. They were told that the panels had left Brisbane at 5:00am and would be here in plenty of time. They finished all they could and still no panels at around 1:00pm. A couple of extremely blue phone calls later and they were just leaving Brisbane now (21/2 hr drive!)! They weren't impressed, I'm certainly not impressed but they will be back tomorrow providing the panels arrive. When you get stuffed around in the bush, it certainly adds a lot more time and inconvenience to things for everyone involved.

[poppa smurf]

did those panels get there yet LG ?

give mine a wash yesterday, I reckon I'll gain a couple million watts out of them now they were that caked up with bulldust, been over 40 for as long as I can remember.

[LG17]

They arrived this morning with the sparkies but wouldn't you know it - 2 broke on the way here. The sparkies are now waiting on the shop to deliver 2 more and they've almost finished fitting the 18 good ones.


EDIT: ...and the 2 replacements have just arrived!

[poppa smurf]

hell that was quick, transport broke two of mine (I think it was 2, memory is getting dim), took a week or more to get the replacements.

so the "observations" will begin shortly, good luck with it, hope it goes well for you.

on another note, my "contract" is coming up due with Lumo energy so I thought I would give them a ring, much the same as before as far as prices go but with an extra 5% "early bird" discount.

while I had him on the phone I asked him to put $1,000 in my account.......felt good to order a power supplier to "pay up" for once.

don't know why I wanted the $1,000 out, don't need it nor necessarily want it but I pulled it "just because".....still have $250 credit sitting there.

[supershifty]

An update about AGL billing. I recently got a letter from them stating that I no longer had to contact them to claim my credits as in the past, all I had to do was ring them to register for automatic crediting to my bank account at each quarterly billing cycle. I did, and it works. Dammit, some clever bugger at AGL has come up with a positive customer service initiative!

Also they were offering monthly billing as an option to quarterly - meter is still read quarterly, they just break up the bill.

If this keeps up the poor bastard who thought of this is gonna get sacked.

Cheers!

[poppa smurf]

does it have to be quarterly, I wouldn't mind annually, make a nice little "after xmas", "time to knick off" reserve.

but it's all good stuff, it shows that even in the power industry there are some folks who are thinking occasionally.

[LG17]

Eureka!
It works

I wrote down the reading on the meter to see what happens before Ergon come and change it.



It's offset so I can build a pergola over the front entry area - see the roof brackets.

[poppa smurf]

good job, is the inverter in the sun at all, if so it may pay to build a shade over it, the reading panel goes weird and unreadable if left in direct sunlight.

[LG17]

The pergola will fix that!

[davenl5l]

mine's in the sun and no problem........yet

[poppa smurf]

Originally Posted by davenl5l

mine's in the sun and no problem........yet

how long has it been in the sun, usually around 12 months and they get a weird bluey greeny "metallic" sheen to them and then the numbers go blank.

[davenl5l]

year and a half

[LG17]

Just after midday when the system started I checked the meter reading at 31142. About 6:30 when the sun was gone it read 31134 so it's definitely working!

[supershifty]

Originally Posted by LG17

Just after midday when the system started I checked the meter reading at 31142. About 6:30 when the sun was gone it read 31134 so it's definitely working!

You're one of the lucky one's like me - my old meter went backwards too before I got the new meter installed.

Enjoy the savings LG17 - welcome to solar. Nice array you've got there. House looks comfy too. Acreage?

Cheers!

[LG17]

Yeah acreage - it's over in the acreage thread.

[FoxtrotGolfXray 5.0]

Sorry guys, got busy last week and didn't have time to post up the specs as supplied by AGL. All the details are at work, and I'm on an RDO today, so I will try and post up the specs during the week.

Craig H

[Pepscobra]

Slightly off the main topic I know, but just wanted to mention my first foray into the world of solar power...
My new Casio G-Shock 'Tough Solar' digital watch.
It's a great watch, light weight and packed with features including a built-in compass and thermometer.
It only has a relatively small solar panel around the outside of the face, but after only an hour or so in the sun it's fully charged and lasts for quite a while.



My next proper solar project is to hook up a 20W solar panel and battery to the front automatic gates. Then we'll look at going full solar on the house.

[comagutsa]

mines better .. bloody good watches for the money



also the tied has turned and making less power now out of the solar panels ..only getting 17-18 units a day out of the 3kw system now :(

[Pepscobra]

Haha... yes, yours does look better Stu...!
if only I knew how to tell the time on one of those fancy things.

17-18 units/day still not too bad from a 3kwH system... means its still making power for 6hrs/day.
Could it be the extreme heat in Perth lately that's causing it to slow down a bit?

[comagutsa]

nah its cooled down atm only low 30s atm

[poppa smurf]

I got my credit from Lumo today, had to send a couple of "reminder's".......felt very strange to be ringing up to get money from them, but strange in a "good" way.

so this holiday is on Lumo.

apparently the solar industry is slowing down overseas and we are about to be hit with a "dumping" regime of cheap panels......those that may be tempted just be ware.