Thread: Solar Panels - What to get??

I’m still a noob with solar but we are still in the process of installing a 5kw system, with Q-Cell and Fronius inverter for $5700. I ordered in December got the panels installed in Feb and now just waiting for my electricity supplier to update my meter, which will be sometime in March. So patience is required. There seems to be a lot of companies out there. The one I’m using is ok just slow. I had a quick look at micro inverters but it was out of a price range.

Originally Posted by goofyr

I’m still a noob with solar but we are still in the process of installing a 5kw system, with Q-Cell and Fronius inverter for $5700. I ordered in December got the panels installed in Feb and now just waiting for my electricity supplier to update my meter, which will be sometime in March. So patience is required. There seems to be a lot of companies out there. The one I’m using is ok just slow. I had a quick look at micro inverters but it was out of a price range.

Thanks Goofyr,

Are they a well known company? That's a pretty good price for Q-Cell and Fronius gear.

Originally Posted by Disco-tastic

I would like a bigger system in the future but not sure if the local government will allow bigger than 5kw (apparently they will allow up to 9kw)

...Looking forward to hearing your thoughts, Brains Trust.

Some considerations perhaps

1) Usually the 5kw limit applies to what is potentially able to be feed back into the grid and therefore applies to the inverter, not to the total output of the panels. For instance you may be able to install 6kw of panels hooked to a 5kw inverter. You can get away with this because most of the time you will actually be producing less than 5kw total from the panels even though you have installed greater capacity. When you do produce more than 5kw the inverter just wastes the excess as heat. The advantage is you always produce more available power from 6kw than by installing only 5kw. How much extra power above 5kw your inverter can handle depends upon the inverters specifications. Whether this is worth it depends on your power needs and time of use.

2) Battery power banks are coming down in cost all the time and may justify adding panels in the future. Which ever way you go (string or micro inverter) will your current inverter purchase support a battery bank in the future without having to replace / repurchase already installed hardware?

Originally Posted by Ferret

Some considerations perhaps

1) Usually the 5kw limit applies to what is potentially able to be feed back into the grid and therefore applies to the inverter, not to the total output of the panels. For instance you may be able to install 6kw of panels hooked to a 5kw inverter. You can get away with this because most of the time you will actually be producing less than 5kw total from the panels even though you have installed greater capacity. When you do produce more than 5kw the inverter just wastes the excess as heat. The advantage is you always produce more available power from 6kw than by installing only 5kw. How much extra power above 5kw your inverter can handle depends upon the inverters specifications. Whether this is worth it depends on your power needs and time of use.

2) Battery power banks are coming down in cost all the time and may justify adding panels in the future. Which ever way you go (string or micro inverter) will your current inverter purchase support a battery bank in the future without having to replace / repurchase already installed hardware?

Thanks Ferret,

All good with Number 1 - I have my head around that.

Number 2 is a bit trickier - if I go bigger with a string inverter I will either need to install separate system or purchase a new inverter. For the micro inverters I just need to plug in the extra panels/inverters. All inverters I'm looking at a battery compatible. It is something we would think of in the future, however isn't affordable at the moment.

Originally Posted by Disco-tastic

Thanks Goofyr,

Are they a well known company? That's a pretty good price for Q-Cell and Fronius gear.

I went with Skylight Energy. They gave me the best quote and package configuration. They’re just not great with comms but they installed everything pretty well and once I got hold of someone on the phone, they were ok to deal with. I found them on solarquotes.

You can get export limiting inverters. They cpuld he say 10kw but limited to export only 5kw.

Originally Posted by Vern

You can get export limiting inverters. They cpuld he say 10kw but limited to export only 5kw.

Isn't the issue there that the inverter requires more voltage to start converting DC to AC? so it ends up being less effective?

No, most inverters (except for micro inverters) have a start up voltage of say around 100v dc from memory, i can't quite remember, have been out of the solar industry for a couple of years now.