Thread: Home solar power questions

Originally Posted by Disco4Dave

Be sure you are better off using solar power for your hot water. We are on the solar-savers plan with AGL which pays a feed-in of 20c/kWh, and charges approx 14c/kWh (inc GST) for off peak. For us, it was better to keep the hot water connected to off peak, and export instead.

My FIT is 20c incl GST whereas off-peak is 20.7c incl GST so marginally better to use the solar power but the real benefit is that I still have surplus power to export which can be in excess of 3kW while using 3.6kW.

I have noticed that linemen now use a big cable to short the wires to earth, via a big earth stake. Must have had a few close calls with wrongly connected solar.

Our youngest son has just signed with Origin for 6.6kw of solar panels and a 20 rebate for $6000 after a $3000 state government subsidy which is predicted to totally eliminate their power bill. Installation is next month after the reno on their house is completed.

You might find useful information at this site:

Renew - Leading in Sustainability

Grid-interactive solar - Renew

This is the solar company our son is using.

Instyle Solar - Queensland's Leading Solar Supplier

Originally Posted by rover-56

Backup generators seem to be usable in that situation, why not a solar system?
Can someone explain please?

You also can't connect a generator to the house when there's a power outage, unless you have a switch to isolate the house from the grid, for exactly the same reasons - you'll electrocute the linesmen.

I want to add batteries to my solar but at the moment the cheaper option would be to get a manual switch fitted and use my new generator to run the house when the power goes off.

Originally Posted by fredd63

I have noticed that linemen now use a big cable to short the wires to earth, via a big earth stake. Must have had a few close calls with wrongly connected solar.

That has been SOP for years. Long before direct feed in solar was even viable. Too many potential sources in a grid without even considering something being back-fed from a house. It was just less obvious in the past as stuff wasn't painted safety yellow.