Thread: Household Solar power installation companies?

now when I go onto face book I get bombarded with Solar ads, even JIMs. Jim's energy, we'll cross that one off the list me thinks

Originally Posted by NavyDiver

Did the quote include batteries? That's more than I paid for very good quality solar 6 years ago. The Prices have fallen a lot. I would not trust that one at all unless they had 10kw or more of batteries in the price. That said If the tall trees shade that much I think putting most panels on the west side might work more cheaply? power capacity is higher during the afternoon If they quote you got numbers are roughly correct spending more than $5000 would not be suggested.

If you want the north facing shade affected issues they mention can be managed by MTTPs or mitigated. The issue with shading "a shadow does not necessarily need to fall on an entire panel – depending on the technology used in the solar panel in question, shading of even just one cell could flatten the output of the panel and in turn the entire string. Many modern panels, however, come equipped with devices called bypass diodes which minimise the effects of partial shading by essentially enabling electricity to ‘flow around’ the shaded cell or cells.Strategies and technologies for dealing with shaded solar panels


Although the performance and therefore the return on investment (ROI) from a solar power system can be severely affected by shading – especially shading that occurs regularly due to an object that casts a shadow at the same time every day as the sun passes through the sky – there are a number of ways to avoid or mitigate these effects. Use a string inverter that has MPP Tracking capability

Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPP Tracking or MPPT) is a technology that now comes standard in most quality inverters. An inverter equipped with an MPP Tracker (or several of them) is able squeeze the most usable energy possible out of a string of solar panels (even when shaded) by adjusting the voltage to always suit the inverter’s preferred input range. In a nutshell, an MPP Tracker helps to minimise output losses associated with partial shading and other panel output mismatches. Inverters without MPPT capability simply lose the output from the weaker string once it passes below the required output threshold."

Victron is one of the best brands period in my view. A MPPT 100/15 Using MTTPs like this is only about $150 a few can be used with almost any panels.

Do you know middy's Electical? https://mybranch.middys.com.au/products/391939FRONIUS INVERTER SB 5KW 2X MPPT -2019

and some of these https://mybranch.middys.com.au/product/397837
JINKO SOLAR AUSTRALIA CHEETAH HC 72M 400W MONO PERC , CHEETAH HC 72M 400W MONO PERC SOLAR PANEL

A quote for them from Middy's and installation from the Gents I suggested or Quotes via https://www.serviceseeking.com.au/electricians#

Most sparkies can install and commission for you. Some SOLAR companies are sale only who use Sparkies to do the work as that is required to connect to the Grid. Fronius are top rated inverters. I have one at work.

You need to be CEC accredited to claim the STC'S, which most sparkies aren't.

Also good luck getting a hybrid system for $14.5k installed.

Victron is for off grid stuff.

Fronius are a very good inverter (even though that middys add has a picture of an SMA inverter) but is it really needed, return on investment mario is probably better off with a cheaper one like Delta, Sungrow, or Solis etc...

Originally Posted by Roverlord off road spares

now when I go onto face book I get bombarded with Solar ads, even JIMs. Jim's energy, we'll cross that one off the list me thinks

Why cross Jim’s off the list so quick.....

Pretty big franchise company which probably has good after sales support.

Originally Posted by Old Farang

While there are some sensible useful reply's to Mario's question, it may be worthwhile if some of you bother to read the QUESTION!

As far as I know he does not have a helicopter, OR some other means of levitation for using some phone "app" designed for professional use, to take readings from the roof!

Also, as far as I am concerned, he is completely justified in commenting about some "person" of what ever persuasion or creed, calling him that cannot speak clear and PLAIN English! Maybe she is moonlighting from the ABC!

Rant over!

1. I read the question and had no direct experience to respond with in terms of the Australian solar sales industry but did respond to a subsequent comment using my experience of methods used in the field of system design and the regard to which this was received. Did you respond to the question or respond to subsequent comments? You appear to object to responses not addressing the original question while also not addressing the original question yourself.
2. If you read my post well enough I referred to exactly this situation where if he could get someone to get up there. Sun surveyor is a cheap app developed for photographers and used by me due to it having a pretty accurate solar geometry algorithm embedded in an augmented reality camera view. The results and knowledge gained about the solar access using this app are better than not knowing anything about the sun paths which are fundamental part of solar design. This advice can be accepted or rejected, as it is the individuals choice. You apparently reject it and so be it.
3. I did not actually deny him the right to comment but did draw attention to the knowledge being lost or disregarded on the basis of how a person sounded. I also included how I deal with accents as I deal with them all day every day. I find it interesting you defend the right to his comments but imply I have no right to comment on his.
4. I enjoy rants too, so I hope you got what you were seeking by yours.

Originally Posted by theelms66

but at a cost of $14,500 . they estimated power saving of $1500 per annum.

Mmmm. About 10 years before you break even.

Hmm. My power bills add up to about $950 per year!
I love it when they ring up guaranteeing to save me money on my power bill.

Originally Posted by W&KO

Why cross Jim’s off the list so quick.....

Pretty big franchise company which probably has good after sales support.

previous dealings with other jims and friends dealings. and other reasons.

Originally Posted by NavyDiver

Did the quote include batteries?

I've been looking at batteries for over a decade and they're still not cheap. A single Tesla set would cost about what the OP was quoted, and as I understand it that still doesn't get you a set-up that will isolate during a blackout.

Originally Posted by donh54

Hmm. My power bills add up to about $950 per year!
I love it when they ring up guaranteeing to save me money on my power bill.

My gas and electricity bills are pretty much zero. We use minimal electricity and as an early adopter I get the premium feed-in tariff of over 60c per Kwh. At the end of each summer we typically have a substantial surplus and we then use that to pay for winter gas bills. So, overall, we come out ahead most years.

The suppliers are however squeezing us - they can't really fiddle with the feed-in tariff but they are increasing their costs so the net balance is falling.