Solar Panel Recommendation

gar44

Hi All,

I'm interested in buying some solar panels and getting them installed and was wondering if people could recommend a few good companies that i could look at ? thanks in advance

gar44

Forget to mention if you could PM them to me that would be great, dont think company names are meant to be posted. Thanks

JB81

PM'ed you

gar44

Thanks JB,

And I also forgot to mention I'm based in Dublin , cheers again guys

darkstar06

Hi I am looking at getting a company to install Solar Panels too, so if anyone has any experience of companies to go to, (or to avoid!) could you please PM me with your experience.

Thinking of installing 2 panels on south facing roof, to lower electricity costs.

What should I look for when talking to a company ?

Thx.

burnsie1

Me to. anyone got some recommended installers they could PM to me!

ccsolar

Hi Guys
I are you looking at PV to generate electricity or ST for domestic hot water ?

Cc

RTT

I'm also looking for recommendations by pm please. With so many options out there it is hard to know. Thanks

lud

hi,
we just had a sales rep of one of the companies and were quoted €10k (2flat panels) on a bungalow. It looked very professional but perhaps a bit dear?
could you PM me please your experiences, recommendations, what (who) to avoid.. every info will be helpful

thanks

ccsolar

Hi Lud
Was this guy wearing a mask?
Dick Turpin was a highway robber and he wore a mask!
I would think that 10K is just crazy for 2 flat panels
You should be looking at a figure of around 4k for 2 flat panels.
Did he stay for 4 hrs and offer you a discount for introducing other house holds to his company, a discount for a sign in the garden and another discount for been the 1st person in the area for buying solar panels from his company?

Cc

RTT

ccsolar wrote: »

Hi Lud
Was this guy wearing a mask?
Dick Turpin was a highway robber and he wore a mask!
I would think that 10K is just crazy for 2 flat panels
You should be looking at a figure of around 4k for 2 flat panels.
Did he stay for 4 hrs and offer you a discount for introducing other house holds to his company, a discount for a sign in the garden and another discount for been the 1st person in the area for buying solar panels from his company?

Cc

Ha! Its funny you say that. About two years ago I had a guy like that quoting €11,000. Said I would get money back for every neighbour who also got it done provided I allowed my house be used as a demo house and the sign in the garden. Anyway when I said I was not interested he dropped to €5000 with afew minutes. Crazy!

Been getting afew quotes over the past few days for solar tubes, a 200L cylinder, 2-3 people in the house and they're coming in about €3000. Its hard to know what to go for with so many options out there.

lud

ccsolar wrote: »

Hi Lud
Was this guy wearing a mask?
Dick Turpin was a highway robber and he wore a mask!
I would think that 10K is just crazy for 2 flat panels
You should be looking at a figure of around 4k for 2 flat panels.
Did he stay for 4 hrs and offer you a discount for introducing other house holds to his company, a discount for a sign in the garden and another discount for been the 1st person in the area for buying solar panels from his company?

Cc

hehe yeah he did offer those discounts but he wasn't wearing a mask
He said that tube panels aren't that strong and showed us pictures of broken tubes. The flat one they offer is made of special self-clean glass (I read that the casual flat ones collect dirt), and the way they install them looks really neat, it doesn't sit on top of the surface of the roof but they kinda build the panel in creating almost even surface with the roof. the price included all the installation, twin cylinder, controller, 2 flat panels 2.3 sqm, BER cert, 6? years warranty (could have been 10, cant remember).
If I recommend 8 installations I get full refund. the discount was almost €3000 (€880 from grant - I don't know why only €880; ~ €1,600 for hosting a presentation at your house and some for advertising and quick payment).
It looked really good just the price at the end put me off. Unfortunately he didn't drop the price to €5000, if he did we would have got it..

quentingargan

lud wrote: »

If I recommend 8 installations I get full refund. the discount was almost €3000 (€880 from grant - I don't know why only €880; ~ €1,600 for hosting a presentation at your house and some for advertising and quick payment).

I suspect that the company name has a number in it? This is a sales style that is familiar, and reminds me of the early days of double glazing.

We have had numerous people trying to exit solar contracts they signed under duress during a sales pitch - including two aged sisters living toegether using electric showers and hardly any hot water.

Here is the rub - if someone cold-calls, and you sign a contract, you have a period of time in which to change your mind. But if you invite them into your home, that doesn't apply. Responding to a leaflet drop constitutes inviting them in law. Caveat emptor. :mad:

By the way, the grant is now down to €800. But you will still save a lot more money by buying elsewhere...

championc

Hey Gar44

So are you talking about solar panels for Electricity of Solar Tubes for Hot Water ?

I looked at solar for electricity a few years ago and from what I could make out then, it would have taken me about 30 years to pay for itself - and then I discovered that the life of panels could be down to 15 years so I'd only end up doing my bit for the environment but that would be about it.

Given the low feed in tariffs, can anyone confirm that potential payback period for an average PV system now (if one cost about €5k) ?

quentingargan

championc wrote: »

Given the low feed in tariffs, can anyone confirm that potential payback period for an average PV system now (if one cost about €5k) ?

The cost of PV panels has come down dramatically, but there isn't enough competition out there to bring down the price of installations. If you can self-install, you can buy PVs in Ireland for about €1.70 per watt.

That said, the total hardware cost for a 1.2kw DIY system would be about €3,500 to €3,700. it could be expected to produce 1200 units per year worth an average of (say) 17c. That's €204 per year on a €4,250 system.

20 year payback on panels with a life of 25 years. But that system would probably cost about €6,000 to €7,000 installed. So you're still about right I'm afraid...

championc

I also heard that if some cells on a panel are not functioning very well (maybe covered by dirt) that then lowers the performance of that whole panel by as much as 50% so it sounds like they need to be very accessible to keep them cleaned, which is something which Solar Tubes would be less susceptible to - not sure how true this is though.

So to make them pay for themselves and actually save you money, would the PV units need to be well under €1 per watt ?


C

quentingargan

championc wrote: »

I also heard that if some cells on a panel are not functioning very well (maybe covered by dirt) that then lowers the performance of that whole panel by as much as 50% so it sounds like they need to be very accessible to keep them cleaned, which is something which Solar Tubes would be less susceptible to - not sure how true this is though.

So to make them pay for themselves and actually save you money, would the PV units need to be well under €1 per watt ?


C

This relates mostly to shading. In some situations, if part of a panel is shaded, it can knock out the production of that entire string of panels. I haven't heard of dirt being a major issue, but I suppose if crows dive-bomb on particular cell, that would have an effect until the next good drenching came along.

Yes - if PVs come down to €1 per watt, or if oil goes over €400 a barrel, we'll all be looking a bit closer at PVs.

In the meantime though, they are a very cost effective way of meeting Part L compliance on apartment blocks, holiday homes etc., if only we were back building them again:rolleyes:

deco87

Hi All

I just got a very impressive sales talk and yes there was a number in the name!! 11.000 for 2 solar panels. Intro friends etc ..some money back....its hugely expensive...any recommendations appreciated..


thank you


Deco;)

quentingargan

deco87 wrote: »

Hi All

I just got a very impressive sales talk and yes there was a number in the name!! 11.000 for 2 solar panels. Intro friends etc ..some money back....its hugely expensive...any recommendations appreciated..


thank you


Deco;)

Someone should video that act. I'd love to see how people try to sell a €4K system for €11K without getting fits of the giggles:)

PM Sent

Radiotower

Check out here:

http://forms.sei.ie/calc/seicalculator.html

will give you an indication of panel size, cylinder size, cost of installation and payback period. The kind of information you'd like to have before they call to the door.

Not sure if figures include grants but from what i've been reading in here it seems to be hard to qualify for the grant these days.

championc

Wow, that's pretty good. It tells me I need 4.75m2 with 300l but I have 180l store with 3m2 so that's roughly the same ratio. However, more importantly, I had reckoned it would take 10 years to pay me back and that's exactly what the calculator reckons too for me.

Nice to see an independent source agreeing with my calculations

prospect

I did a DIY install with my relation (qualified plumber trained in installing solar panels), of 2x20 evacuated tube panels, 300L tanks and all the various gubbins. Came ot at around €3K + a couple of beers and a BBQ....

The tubes are the wide angle ones (not sure of the proper term) that receive sunlight at almost every angle. We only start to get direct sunlight on the panels from around 11:00 to 11:30 am. Bar a minor issue (caused by me), we have had constant hot water since February.

championc

prospect wrote: »

we have had constant hot water since February.

Are you sure you don't have a coil from your central heating doing the job too ?


C

ccsolar

deco87 wrote: »

Hi All

I just got a very impressive sales talk and yes there was a number in the name!! 11.000 for 2 solar panels. Intro friends etc ..some money back....its hugely expensive...any recommendations appreciated..


thank you


Deco;)

Just seen this company putting up a sign in a house out side Tipperary Town, you have to feel sorry for the home owners who get caught with this sales pitch.

CC

PM Sent

trixyben

ccsolar wrote: »

Just seen this company putting up a sign in a house out side Tipperary Town, you have to feel sorry for the home owners who get caught with this sales pitch.

CC

PM Sent

my mate had a very bad experience with the same company, he did buy a 2 panel system for 11k after agreeing to putting an advert sign out the front got it for 9k, has had nothing but problems since, there is leaks appearing in all places, no water pressuire in hot tap, the pump was installed tight up against the wall and when it activates it vibrates through the whole house and the list goes on, he did call then to explain the problems and someone called a week later to say they will need their head engineer to inspect, only he never called and after loads of phone calls, emails noone ever gets back to him! that is some after sales service he was promised...complete joke beware anyone who gets a letter in post once you part with your cash your forgot about...

Radiotower

Would there be any benefit in reporting this company to SEAI as they must be on their list of registered contractors and so must adhere to a Code of Conduct. SEAI must have some inspectors to ensure that their registered contractors are maintaning a standard of quality or maybe you have to go to NSAI as I think they also have to be registered with them.

Take photos of leaks, bad workmanship, etc., record all correspondance including date, time and person you were talking to and what their response was.

The more complaints, the less chance of these people getting away with it.

quentingargan

Radiotower wrote: »

Would there be any benefit in reporting this company to SEAI as they must be on their list of registered contractors and so must adhere to a Code of Conduct. SEAI must have some inspectors to ensure that their registered contractors are maintaning a standard of quality or maybe you have to go to NSAI as I think they also have to be registered with them.

Take photos of leaks, bad workmanship, etc., record all correspondance including date, time and person you were talking to and what their response was.

The more complaints, the less chance of these people getting away with it.

Good suggestion. Whoever signed the commissioning report for the grant was effectivly giving a five year warranty on the system as far as I know.

NSAI only has a role in new builds of <125 sq m. They have no brief in relation to this.

galwaytt

Radiotower wrote: »

Would there be any benefit in reporting this company to SEAI as they must be on their list of registered contractors and so must adhere to a Code of Conduct. SEAI must have some inspectors to ensure that their registered contractors are maintaning a standard of quality or maybe you have to go to NSAI as I think they also have to be registered with them.

Take photos of leaks, bad workmanship, etc., record all correspondance including date, time and person you were talking to and what their response was.

The more complaints, the less chance of these people getting away with it.

In my personal experience, based on my own house, no. All you'll do is increase your blood pressure.

I found the SEAI unhelpful, and did everything possible to avoid any culpability for 'approving' someone who patently (to my expense), wasn't up to the job.

The 'correction' to my system ultimately cost me €3700 in 2010 - I would have been better served by steering away from the whole SEAI process entirely........and used the money involved in using an SEAI 'approved installer'......to go on a holiday/buy another motorbike/etc.

The SEAI couldn't care less - it's another quango.

ixm1980

Hi,

I'm starting a self build in a few weeks. I'd appreciate if anybody could recommend to me good soalr panel companies that i could look at ?

Thanks

championc

Kingspan

ccsolar

championc wrote: »

Kingspan

There is a lot of other systems out other than kingspan with just as good a performance and a lot cheaper.

Cc

ixm1980

ccsolar- Could you please recommend any that have received good feedback? Maybe PM some companies?! Living in the Dublin area. Thanks

championc

ccsolar wrote: »

There is a lot of other systems out other than kingspan with just as good a performance and a lot cheaper.

Cc

Interesting. I posted a graph of my system output in another thread and asked / challenged others to do the same but nobody ever did. What I can say for the Kingspan is that once it gets hit by sunshine, it's generating heat and there's verry little difference between sun at 09:00 and when directly overhead at noon. FOr my own peace of mind, I have all the stats to prove it.


C

quentingargan

championc wrote: »

Interesting. I posted a graph of my system output in another thread and asked / challenged others to do the same but nobody ever did. .... FOr my own peace of mind, I have all the stats to prove it.


C

The fact that you have a datalogger doesn't mean that your panel is any more efficient than anyone elses (and I am intentionally leaving brands out here by the way). There are other good systems out there that perform extremely well, and the proof of the pudding is in the heating:o.

The EN12975 certificate provides independent research on various panels, and T-Sol software provides independent simulations of how various systems will perform based on their geographical location, roof pitch & orientation, distance from panel to cylinder, cylinder size etc.

The important thing is that there isn't a "one size fits all" system that is perfect in all situations. But there is a wide range of very good panels out there that perform well, and then there is some hype from a few companies who distort the reality (I have even seen one forged TUV certificate from a particularly cowboy outfit).

I would ask to see EN12975 certificates and legitimate computer simulations and decide on a combination of that, price, and the installer's reputation. That latter bit is probably the most important bit, as most system failures have nothing to do with the hardware, and everything to do with the installation.

championc

Good advice indeed although I can't see many installers going armed with a laptop to a prospective client bamboozling them with all sorts.


C