All things Solar (merged threads)

[CJR09]

Before making a decision ask the supplier/installer if they will match the Delta warranty with the SMA - depending on the inverter size and model they are pretty similar TBH but the Delta comes with a factory 10yr warranty where the SMA is only 5yr. Whether it is justified or not the SMA have a better rep - there is about a 40% price difference between comparative inverters - they should be offering the Delta controlled system $500-$1500 cheaper than the SMA.

[CJR09]

If it was my own place with a basic install I would go with the Delta - they do the same thing and you get twice the warranty at almost half the price.

It is only when you move to transformer-less multi string complex installs where the SMA come into there own IMHO.

[zilo]

Originally Posted by CJR09

If it was my own place with a basic install I would go with the Delta - they do the same thing and you get twice the warranty at almost half the price.

It is only when you move to transformer-less multi string complex installs where the SMA come into there own IMHO.

I have a side by side comparison on the wall of two inverters, one with transformer based design the other a solid state design.

The one with the transformer makes a varying humming noise that resonates through the weatherboards and can be very annoying especially as it is starting up in the morning,

Also the transformerless one weighs a LOT less.

Both are SMA.

[poppa smurf]

Originally Posted by Sam_Boss260

Quick question....
Got two quotes. Same ballpark in price. One is using a Delta inverter the other SMA inverter.

Is one better than the other?

very similar in performance and reliability, delta has a better warranty but whether that is needed or not I don't know.

we use only SMA around here, never had a failure YET!.........but it is early days, my system is only 3 years or so old, and the installs I have been involved in aren't much older, so........ early days.

either one would be quite acceptable I feel.

[CJR09]

Originally Posted by zilo

I have a side by side comparison on the wall of two inverters, one with transformer based design the other a solid state design.

The one with the transformer makes a varying humming noise that resonates through the weatherboards and can be very annoying especially as it is starting up in the morning,

Also the transformerless one weighs a LOT less.

Both are SMA.

This is to be expected - need to make sure comparing apples

[poppa smurf]

http://www.solarcitizens.org.au not sure if they can do anything but I and a few friends have just joined.

perhaps if enough of us get onboard someone somewhere MAY listen.

[Sam_Boss260]

guys, I'm really confused here.....

I've got two quotes for a 5kw system, and they are pretty much the same price.

No. 1 - Planet Care Solar - Delta Solivia 5.0 inverter with sunlink panels
No. 2 - SAE group - SMA sb5000 inverter with Schutten panels

like I said, same sort of price.

Now I here that SMA's are one of the best at the moment, so too are the sun link panels.

Any suggestions?

[poppa smurf]

much of a muchness.......SMA is the better inverter........shame you couldn't match the the sma with the sun link's.

check the warranty (should be 25 years) and if they are the same go with either.

[supershifty]

Originally Posted by poppa smurf

http://www.solarcitizens.org.au not sure if they can do anything but I and a few friends have just joined.

perhaps if enough of us get onboard someone somewhere MAY listen.

I've browsed this forum a few times for info: http://www.solarfreaks.com/ A bit over my head at times - that's not hard to do though!

Cheers!

[poppa smurf]

yes those places can be a mine of information.......

[CJR09]

Originally Posted by Sam_Boss260

guys, I'm really confused here.....

I've got two quotes for a 5kw system, and they are pretty much the same price.

No. 1 - Planet Care Solar - Delta Solivia 5.0 inverter with sunlink panels
No. 2 - SAE group - SMA sb5000 inverter with Schutten panels

like I said, same sort of price.

Now I here that SMA's are one of the best at the moment, so too are the sun link panels.

Any suggestions?

I would keep shopping - I don't think either of those panel manufacturers are tier 1 - do you have a link for info on the sun-links? I stand corrected if they are tier 1...

you need clarification that the SMA is/isnt transformerless (pretty sure they only do TL in that size now anyhow) - if not then the Delta is every bit as good with better warranty and cheaper price that you can spend balance on better panels - in theory

until I saw info to say otherwise I would not go with either of those panels

[Sam_Boss260]

Ok, the SMA inverter is SMA SB5000TL-21, so transformerless.

The Sun Link panels are SL220-20. Apparently Tier 1, but that is only what they have said to me.

Delta inverter is 10 year warranty. SMA is 5 year warranty.

[CJR09]

Originally Posted by Sam_Boss260

Ok, the SMA inverter is SMA SB5000TL-21, so transformerless.

The Sun Link panels are SL220-20. Apparently Tier 1, but that is only what they have said to me.

Delta inverter is 10 year warranty. SMA is 5 year warranty.

that being the case - roll with the sma but ask for a panel upgrade - I suspect that is how they compete with other in similar price bracket - they are trading off the supposed SMA brand rep/public percption to get sales but using lower quality module to keep cost down.

Sunlink - tier 1?
- vertically integrated? - maybe
- invests in r&d? - maybe
- advanced robotic assembly? - probably
- manufacturing panels for 5+yrs? - I don't think so, started 2010?

Those sunlink panels you quoted are only @ 13% efficiency with a power tolerance +/- 3% - most modules these days are 15%+ with a tolerance of 0+% - meaning they wont rate below stated but may produce above


edit:

the only info I can find on the Schutten panels suggest they are no better - same spec's

If the SMA dudes can't offer a reasonable upgrade at an acceptable cost go elsewhere - reasonable cost diff on modules would be approx 20-30%

[EgoFG]

Anyone seen any pricing on a Microinverter setup in NSW ?

I have an offer of 6k for a 4kw Yingli with APS microinverters (includes web monitoring).

[poppa smurf]

Originally Posted by Sam_Boss260

Ok, the SMA inverter is SMA SB5000TL-21, so transformerless.

The Sun Link panels are SL220-20. Apparently Tier 1, but that is only what they have said to me.

Delta inverter is 10 year warranty. SMA is 5 year warranty.

SMA inverter for me as well with a panel upgrade to a better spec.

how much research have you done on quality/output/reliability/price comparisons?

there is a lot online, solar is so competitive right now there are bargains galore.

try EM solars website just for a ball park comparison.

[davenl5l]

just got a text from agl that said they are sending me a cheque for my solar credits WTF .so I rang them and said I want it left on my account they said no problem and changed it . whats that about ? tax time ? buggered if I know but im glad they changed it cos I wasn't happy

[deesun]

Originally Posted by davenl5l

just got a text from agl that said they are sending me a cheque for my solar credits WTF .so I rang them and said I want it left on my account they said no problem and changed it . whats that about ? tax time ? buggered if I know but im glad they changed it cos I wasn't happy

I am with agl in QLD, thats what they do. You have 3 options, accumulate, cheque or bank account. If you ticked the keep it box then it must not have been transferred into computer. I have never had an issue with agl, whatever I wanted they gave me. Phone operators are very good. I used to have cheques sent out but now it goes straight into an account. Getting a cheque in the mail is nice for a while.

[davenl5l]

had solar for 2 years never wanted or had a cheque before came out of the blue

[NAK302]

we built a new home around a year ago and included was a 3.5kw solar system. the problem i have is i have to sell the local greedy energy mob my excess electricity during the day for .08c and in return they sell me electricity for .27c when the sun goes down.
storing our own energy will be priority over the next 12 months, ready for no bills come retirement.

[poppa smurf]

Originally Posted by GT-0733

we built a new home around a year ago and included was a 3.5kw solar system. the problem i have is i have to sell the local greedy energy mob my excess electricity during the day for .08c and in return they sell me electricity for .27c when the sun goes down.
storing our own energy will be priority over the next 12 months, ready for no bills come retirement.

with the recent rise and another in the pipeline we are looking at disconnection and on site storage as well.

[davenl5l]

well I just got my agl bill and im shocked I will need a second mortgage to pay for this excessive bill its a wopping $4.54 im ruined lol oh yeah it came off my credit so still have $537.64

[poppa smurf]

Originally Posted by davenl5l

well I just got my agl bill and im shocked I will need a second mortgage to pay for this excessive bill its a wopping $4.54 im ruined lol oh yeah it came off my credit so still have $537.64

Hah!! well done.......

[LG17]

You blokes who got in on the 44c are sooooo lucky!
Why is it they can't change your feed in tarriff but us poor folk on 8c they can do what they like with?
I assume it's in law somewhere and it would cost them more to get out of it...

[fnm17]

LG17 no doubt someone will state the exact phrase from the contract (and probably date, time, etc) relating to the feed in, but the government guaranteed the 44c feed in rate to 2028 or something like that up to a certain point in time, so for the government to go back on that would be legal eagle type scenario of breaking a contract.

[EgoFG]

I have said before - when there was 60c feedin in NSW I could not cost justify solar, because of the 6 year payback on a 2kw system.

But as the Gross FIT dropped, so did the Solar setup price, and the 2kw system dropped back to a 3 year payback

[poppa smurf]

Originally Posted by LG17

You blokes who got in on the 44c are sooooo lucky!
Why is it they can't change your feed in tarriff but us poor folk on 8c they can do what they like with?
I assume it's in law somewhere and it would cost them more to get out of it...

funny you should say that..........I was on the $0.44c FIT with a retailer FIT of 9.8c Per Kw.

I just got notice from Lumo that my cost per kilowatt is to rise by $0.02c per kilowatt and my FIT is to drop by $0.02c per KW.

an effective rise of $0.04c per kilowatt.........second rise (on top of my supply charge rise) in 4 months since i resigned a "contract"......

time I went off grid I think and time the useless bloody Government got off their collective ***** and did something about these lying, thieving bloody power companies.

[supershifty]

Originally Posted by LG17

You blokes who got in on the 44c are sooooo lucky!
Why is it they can't change your feed in tarriff but us poor folk on 8c they can do what they like with?
I assume it's in law somewhere and it would cost them more to get out of it...

I don't think the 44c FIT is set in stone. Yes, I think at the time it was guaranteed until 2025 set in legislation, govco made the legislation and I wouldn't be surprised if they can change the legislation. I don't recall many successful legal challenges being made against govco on the state or federal levels - have seen some wins against local councils though.

I've got the 44c FIT which I think is very generous, another 8 months and that will have paid for my system. The 8c FIT is unfair. I would really like to see a balance struck where if say your cost per kW on your main usage tariff was 30c, then your FIT was 30c. That is, I'd be happy to lose my 44c FIT if those on the 8c FIT moved up.

Originally Posted by poppa smurf

with the recent rise and another in the pipeline we are looking at disconnection and on site storage as well.

I'd like to see how you go about doing that poppa, not a step by step guide, but what basic changes/additions/costs are incurred when you decide to tackle it.

Cheers!

[Franco Cozzo]

Would be fairly expensive I reckon, big inverters and lots of deep cycle batteries unless you converted your house lighting to DC, you could take some load off inverters that way.

I'd assume you'd also want a decent sized diesel generator too if you get a large period of crappy weather.

[poppa smurf]

I'd like to see how you go about doing that poppa, not a step by step guide, but what basic changes/additions/costs are incurred when you decide to tackle it.

Cheers![/QUOTE]


I've been involved in a few now and it really isn't that hard, a few simple changes are all that is needed.

the inverter has to be changed (to regulate charging of the batteries as well as direct supply, any agent can advise on size and the details) and a sparky can fill in the details, luckily I have a good friend with 30 years plus electrical experience and fully trained on solar, he fixes my wayward nuances.

a battery bank, we currently buy "used" GEL or AGM batteries from ebay that were previously used on commercial solar installs and are past their "use by date".

then the best part is the notification to the power company to "disconnect".

hopefully, if all the sums have been done correctly then we have "free energy".

cost is the prohibitive factor ATM even using 2nd hand batteries and even with more cost effective converter chargers it is not cheap...... YET!.

then a generator backup as well for the not so sunny days.

if/when the new graphite technology hits the market then costs will plummet.

[xisled]

Originally Posted by poppa smurf

funny you should say that..........I was on the $0.44c FIT with a retailer FIT of 9.8c Per Kw.

I just got notice from Lumo that my cost per kilowatt is to rise by $0.02c per kilowatt and my FIT is to drop by $0.02c per KW.

an effective rise of $0.04c per kilowatt.........second rise (on top of my supply charge rise) in 4 months since i resigned a "contract"......

time I went off grid I think and time the useless bloody Government got off their collective ***** and did something about these lying, thieving bloody power companies.

That sucks Poppa at least you are on a higher rate than the minimum. I guess thats why they can drop it because it is higher than the minimum rate.

(Before 1 October 2011) Retailer 7.6c/kWh SA Powernetworks 44.0c/kWh