Thread: Household solar

Did someone mention lumberjacks?
I mus resist.
I mist resist.
Oh, bugger!
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZa26_esLBE"]Monty Python- Lumberjack Song FULL - YouTube[/ame]


All the solar panel companies that ring me and come out to assess my possible installation agree solar is not for me. You get a benefit by using solar and reducing what you draw from the grid during the day, reducing your bill by more than if you fed in through the day and drew from the grid at night.
Due to how I used my energy, it is not cost effective for me to install solar panels. I'm happy for people to convince me otherwise.

Originally Posted by Mick_Marsh

What I would like to do is put on solar water. The panels are super efficient nowdays.

Hi,
if you have a working hot water system already, rather than throwing it out and having major plumbing and electrical work done (panels, pump and plumbing, new tank etc) consider adding PV to your existing system.

i.e. 2kW panels feeding (via inverter) straight to your existing system.

Now I'm not a tradie, but you may be able to have a change over switch to get power from the grid or solar.

Of course if you go this far, you are only a few steps (new meter and more wiring) to a conventional domestic solar install.

I guess you will have to get advice from some one qualified to give professional advice and be able to calculate your optimum value for dollar.

Cheers

Originally Posted by Mick_Marsh

All the solar panel companies that ring me and come out to assess my possible installation agree solar is not for me. You get a benefit by using solar and reducing what you draw from the grid during the day, reducing your bill by more than if you fed in through the day and drew from the grid at night.
Due to how I used my energy, it is not cost effective for me to install solar panels. I'm happy for people to convince me otherwise.

If you have had numerous companies say no, and generally they are horrendous at installing on people that wont get a good benfit, then I would consider it to be the case

Unless you can load shift into the day, its not viable

People with large bills, can easily load shift there energy requirements, A/C, swimming pool filtration and heaters are fantastic loads to shift, also Hot water can be, with a smaller element...but you are only effectively saving off peak prices here also......good to combine with large PV system though

Originally Posted by austastar

Hi,
if you have a working hot water system already, rather than throwing it out and having major plumbing and electrical work done (panels, pump and plumbing, new tank etc) consider adding PV to your existing system.

i.e. 2kW panels feeding (via inverter) straight to your existing system.

Now I'm not a tradie, but you may be able to have a change over switch to get power from the grid or solar.

Of course if you go this far, you are only a few steps (new meter and more wiring) to a conventional domestic solar install.

I guess you will have to get advice from some one qualified to give professional advice and be able to calculate your optimum value for dollar.

Cheers

Hence the comments I made previously in regards to HWS

I actively sell and install solar and 2 others that have replied also are atleast installing, I'm sure some views may vary slightly, but will generally be close.....although we all choose out own little bias for various reasons

I'll be looking further into this in the next 6 months or so as I plan to open up a shop and further move forward with this and a few other things.....I plan to test the HotPV on my own house over the course of the next year

http://www.google.com.au/url'sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=web&cd=2&cad =rja&uact=8&ved=0CCQQjBAwAQ&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.e asywarm.co.nz%2FHow-does-Hot-PV-work.html&ei=l0wnVJ3FL8qYyATO84KABg&usg=AFQjCNEv9E YxMHshauBhQGxbika25vJtAg&bvm=bv.76247554,d.b2U

Originally Posted by austastar

Hi,
if you have a working hot water system already, rather than throwing it out and having major plumbing and electrical work done (panels, pump and plumbing, new tank etc) consider adding PV to your existing system.

i.e. 2kW panels feeding (via inverter) straight to your existing system.

Now I'm not a tradie, but you may be able to have a change over switch to get power from the grid or solar.

Of course if you go this far, you are only a few steps (new meter and more wiring) to a conventional domestic solar install.

I guess you will have to get advice from some one qualified to give professional advice and be able to calculate your optimum value for dollar.

Cheers

What you suggest is less efficient than a dedicated hot water panel. The hot water panel ensures you get maximum energy from the sun at all times and is only boosted from other sources if required. A mate runs solely solar hot water and only boosts for two to three months of the year. He also has PV solar panels which he tells me would have been a big disappointment had he not been on a 60c/kWh feed in tariff.

Originally Posted by rovercare

Unless you can load shift into the day, its not viable

That's the PV killer for me. I can't load shift.
The bulk of my energy usage is in off peak times.

Originally Posted by Mick_Marsh

What you suggest is less efficient than a dedicated hot water panel. The hot water panel ensures you get maximum energy from the sun at all times and is only boosted from other sources if required. A mate runs solely solar hot water and only boosts for two to three months of the year. He also has PV solar panels which he tells me would have been a big disappointment had he not been on a 60c/kWh feed in tariff.

But you can simply overclock with more PV, also it doesn't boil off water if the system is poorly sized/orientated, does not add pumps, frost valves and other failure points....although it does add panels and an inverter, although panels are extremely robust.....the inverter on the other hand, be nice if SMA made one just for immersion

As for big disappointment, if he paid the same price and was on .08c tariff I'm sure he would, though its not the case

I have many customers with 4-5 year return on investment, but they are big load shifters and big consumers to enable them to do so

EDIT: by the way I'm sure you can find someone to tell you its a good idea and would suit you, if that's what you are after, it may not quite be the truth though....I'd put it in the category of "these new panels work fine in partial shade" sales tactic....the reason why I stopped doing subby work for lots of mobs, the Melbourne people were generally sharks and my mind could not deal with the guilt

Originally Posted by Mick_Marsh

That's the PV killer for me. I can't load shift.
The bulk of my energy usage is in off peak times.

So then PV is not for you, no point dwelling on it

You can always spend that money on other ways to become more energy efficient, what is your consumption from?