Thread: Solar Electric for the home

Yep, once again political spin on the real facts behind electricity rate rises means Keneally blames solar for price rises, rather than the fact that successive governments bled the energy distributors dry of the necessary funds to perform ongoing maintenance and upgrades of the distribution network over the past decade or so.

Well, at least I managed to get around all my potential clients who were thinking about their quotes and get them signed up before the deadline....never seen so many undecided customers make a decision on the spot that quickly before.

So, couple of months work for myself and the apprentice, then I suspect we'll be looking for work other than solar.....what a farce.

How on earth can they justifiy paying less for solar energy exported to the grid (especially at peak times, e.g. mid-afternoon) than what they are charging us for coal-fired?

Ah well, *Rant OFF*.

This scheme was always insane as Public Policy.
The nail in the coffin was the $640 per tonne abatement cost.

It was fine for the individual so enjoy it while you can.

BTW the cost of coal generated electricity is about 5 to 6 cents per kw from the generator not 20 not 60.
Regards Philip A

Our 5kW system hits the roof tomorrow!

We will get $0.52 per kWh we "upload" and pay $0.26 per kWh down (peak rate)

Based on our recent power bills - we will make approx. $4000.00 profit annually at current rate.

Add to this all the power saving items were fitting at home and it should improve over this year.

Going to full Led lighting in house, shed and games room. Efficient appliances everywhere and next step is a disconnect from Mains water to reduce water costs...

Will post pics of solar tomorrow.

Sent from my iPhone using Forum Runner

Originally Posted by Tombie

Our 5kW system hits the roof tomorrow!

We will get $0.52 per kWh we "upload" and pay $0.26 per kWh down (peak rate)

Based on our recent power bills - we will make approx. $4000.00 profit annually at current rate.

Add to this all the power saving items were fitting at home and it should improve over this year.

Going to full Led lighting in house, shed and games room. Efficient appliances everywhere and next step is a disconnect from Mains water to reduce water costs...

Will post pics of solar tomorrow.

Sent from my iPhone using Forum Runner

Great stuff! The single biggest drop in our house consumption was when we replaced the Fishy&Paymore cyclic defrost fridge/freezer with a Vestfrost fridge-only and a tuckerbox freezer. We haven't had an electricity bill for 3 years with a 1.5kW system so yours should rock & roll.

Originally Posted by bee utey

Great stuff! The single biggest drop in our house consumption was when we replaced the Fishy&Paymore cyclic defrost fridge/freezer with a Vestfrost fridge-only and a tuckerbox freezer. We haven't had an electricity bill for 3 years with a 1.5kW system so yours should rock & roll.

Noone home in the day at your place!

Originally Posted by rovercare

Noone home in the day at your place!

Nup, I work from home, have lots of windows, wood heater, kitchen skylight, gas cooking, solar heat pump HWS, led lights. My job is mainly spanner work, no heavy machinery, occasional machining cutting & welding. Drills are 12V charged off my backup solar system.


and no plasma screen TV or monster a/c system.


and the computer is switched off unless I am at it!


Like I said the F&P fridge went out, it used to run up 4kWh/day on its own, the new fridge about 0.7, the freezer about the same. Oh and the Adelaide Hills climate is the best in the world.

My system has been operating for just over a year. On Christmas Day the inverter failed and that took three weeks to get replaced (Xmas isn't a good time for a failure).

Whilst I've been monitoring the power usage and PV generation using EnviR current cost meters, and also the PV output using software looking at the inverter, I've had to do my logging to the PVOutput site by hand.

However, I finally have live monitoring of my solar generation up and running.

See p38arover's 3kW 3.040kW | Live Output for live production and p38arover's 3kW 3.040kW for historical data.

BTW, AGL pay me 68 cents/kWh for the power I provide to the grid.

Sad to hear your inverter blew up, what brand was it?

My Sunny-Boy inverter has produced nearly 6400kWh over 3 1/4 years peaking at 12kWh a day under ideal conditions near the solstice, usually around 10/day. The tracker has paid for itself, I think.