Domestic solar PV quotes 2018

I think people would be amazed at the difference in installation price when recruiting non-SEAI-affiliated registered installers.

garo wrote: »

It is there to tick a box. Not to actually offer any meaningful protection. A true DC switch disconnector that would do the job under load without arcing would be expensive ~ 200€. SEAI should ideally insist on those even if it drives up install costs a little bit. But they don’t.

You know the answer to that question as well as I do. It is first and foremost an installer grant. If you have the ability and the time, going self install is the cheapest way. But most of us don’t have the know how so we continue to let SEAI subsidise installers.

Albright make rated disconnects for the same price as three phase fuse carraiges so that doesn't hold any water for me.
Sadly the rates they are charging post subsidy are in excess of the going rate by a factor of 2. Spare me the driving up costs claim. Justify a €4.5k mark up on a straightforward one day install they copied from their child's colouring book.
What happened to €1.20 per watt installed? A princely sum when compared to the mainland in its own right.

No battery coupled system is a good deal because adding a battery increases payback time beyond the life expectancy of the installation for grid tie.

The SEAI can't certify the installations because they clearly don't understand their own requirements.eg. show me a B-type RCD in a signed off system because every other page of the installer notes stipulates the requirement of one.

wexfordman2 wrote: »

2.2kwp of solar with 4.8kwh battery ?

Sounds an odd setup, did the explain why a battery twice the size of your solar capacity was the way to go ?

What is the min charge/discharge rate of the battery, and what size is the inverter ?

Agreed that is an odd setup. Any reason why you are only getting 7 panels? Is it because of planning permission issues? If so note the case of the woman who appealed and won her case in court.

Sir Liamalot wrote: »

How does a switch-disconnect that is not to be used as a switch under load help to prevent problems in an emergency in a commonly flammable gaseous environment?

What is the difference between a switch-disconnect and a no-load isolator?

It is there to tick a box. Not to actually offer any meaningful protection. A true DC switch disconnector that would do the job under load without arcing would be expensive ~ 200€. SEAI should ideally insist on those even if it drives up install costs a little bit. But they don’t.

Sir Liamalot wrote: »

I received a quote of €6750 for the installation of a kit I could buy myself from a resident supplier for €1785 (before installer discount)...

...is it a home owner grant or an affiliated installer grant?

Why I could install the same system on a ground mount for €2000.

Why do I get a better deal to not accept the PV grant?

You know the answer to that question as well as I do. It is first and foremost an installer grant. If you have the ability and the time, going self install is the cheapest way. But most of us don’t have the know how so we continue to let SEAI subsidise installers.

wexfordman2

Nermal wrote: »

4.8kWh Moixa battery
Solis inverter
7 * Longi 315 panels, so 2.2kWp
€5K after grant - good, bad? Indifferent?

2.2kwp of solar with 4.8kwh battery ?

Sounds an odd setup, did the explain why a battery twice the size of your solar capacity was the way to go ?

What is the min charge/discharge rate of the battery, and what size is the inverter ?

How does a switch-disconnect that is not to be used as a switch under load help to prevent problems in an emergency in a commonly flammable gaseous environment?

What is the difference between a switch-disconnect and a no-load isolator?

I received a quote of €6750 for the installation of a kit I could buy myself from a resident supplier for €1785 (before installer discount)...

...is it a home owner grant or an affiliated installer grant?

Why I could install the same system on a ground mount for €2000.

Why do I get a better deal to not accept the PV grant?

Gumbo

Ginger83 wrote: »

Its excluding grant

No battery so sounds about right.

Nermal

4.8kWh Moixa battery
Solis inverter
7 * Longi 315 panels, so 2.2kWp
€5K after grant - good, bad? Indifferent?

Go for the Pylontech. It will be effectively free as you get 1200 more grant. The BYD is not worth the extra 800.

championc

Alkers wrote: »

Go with the smaller one with FIT coming down the line

Would FIT value not be less than the price we pay to buy electricity from the grid ? If so, storing your own would sound ** like a better option.

** Sound is one thing, economically is a totally different thing. It may be that the cost of the additional batteries may never be recouped.

That said, it could also be that spending €6k or whatever will never be recouped either.

Alkers

Go with the smaller one with FIT coming down the line

So I have been told by the company that a Pylontech battery will cost me €1200 but they recommend a 3.5kWh byd battery for €2000, both prices are before grant.

unkel wrote: »

Here's the Pylontech US2000 for GBP699 + VAT

Linky

Nice but that still comes to 1000 before shipping after converting to EUR and VAT. Same as on eBay. I am hoping to get a 3000 for around that in a few years to add to my install. An additional battery is trivial to add so hope to do it myself.

Ginger83 wrote: »

What sounds dear about it

It is not dear at all. Just harder to compare now that grants have changed and quotes should be coming down further. If I were you I would go for it but ask them for the quote with battery included. You should end up paying approx the same out of pocket. For reference I paid 6700 out of pocket for 4.8kW plus battery plus Eddi. On the old grant.

KCross wrote: »

No, I didnt, but just because you have installed a hybrid inverter up front doesnt mean you can then discount that from the figures.

It is in the case of the poster who asked, as that was exactly what he was going to do.

I was the first to post that that decision doesn't make a lot of financial sense though

In other news, I'm close to getting my own 20kWh battery connected myself, hopefully within a week or so. Not lithium, and I did not get any subsidy. Good old lead acid. But it didn't cost me anything. Just the inverter (EUR450) and about EUR150 worth of disconnects, fuses, etc. and cabling that I couldn't avoid because of the configuration of the pack within the steel cabinet.

KCross

unkel wrote: »

I doubt you got a quote with a hybrid inverter installed and configured (but without battery) and a quote from the same installer for the exact same thing + small battery installed.

No, I didnt, but just because you have installed a hybrid inverter up front doesnt mean you can then discount that from the figures.

Put another way, instead of saying the battery is completely free I'd say get a quote without the hybrid inverter, thats the true cost of a non-battery system and then get a quote inc hybrid inverter and battery and see what the cost difference is.

Its just man maths otherwise.

KCross wrote: »

I've got quotes from most of them at this stage and the battery quotes dont add up and dont cost what you are suggesting no matter how cheap or easy you think they are to install.

You didn't read my post properly. I doubt you got a quote with a hybrid inverter installed and configured (but without battery) and a quote from the same installer for the exact same thing + small battery installed. This is the question the above poster asked.

If you did, you would find the difference would be in the order of €1200 which includes VAT and a generous margin for the installer

KCross

unkel wrote: »

Not all SEAI installers are rip-off merchants. There are some good ones in there. See some of the recommendations in this thread.

I've got quotes from most of them at this stage and the battery quotes dont add up and dont cost what you are suggesting no matter how cheap or easy you think they are to install.

Sure look at whats involved in installing an EV charge point and what electricians are charging for that!.... your prices are DIY prices, not electrical contractor prices.

Lets see what Ginger comes back with if they get a battery quote.

KCross wrote: »

Have you got quotes where €50 for install was quoted? I was quoted €350!.. robbery, but thats what was quoted.

No, but I'd expect it to cost no more than that on top of a full installation that includes a hybrid inverter that the Pylontech is compatible with. So that already includes the CT clamp install and configuration of said hybrid inverter

It would literally take 2 minutes to connect the battery to the hybrid inverter and for an experienced installer, no more than 5 minutes to configure it, the Pylontech is usually a pre-set choice of battery, so no manual configuration needed at all

Also the battery costs about €600-€700 ex VAT at trade prices. Really any installer that would charge more than €1200 incl VAT would take the complete p1ss and should be named and shamed (or in other words completely free for someone who already decided to go for an SEAI install with or without a battery like Ginger83 who asked this question)

Not all SEAI installers are rip-off merchants. There are some good ones in there. See some of the recommendations in this thread.

Shefwedfan

Ended up with 19 panels myself....so 5.89 or so......not sure how I ended up with 19....hahahahaha

KCross

unkel wrote: »

1200

That includes VAT and about EUR50 to install it (takes no more than 30 minutes to install and configure it, provided your hybrid inverter is already installed) for a small battery like the Pylontech US2000 (2.4kWh)

What planet are you on?! Thats wildly optimistic!

Have you got quotes where €50 for install was quoted? I was quoted €350!.. robbery, but thats what was quoted.

@Ginger83, it will cost more than that to get a battery added.
The installers will add margin to the product so no point looking at direct buy prices, they will charge a "few hundred" extra for install and the hybrid inverter that is required for a battery system is another few hundred extra again over a standard inverter.

And ultimately a battery wont pay for itself so dont go that route if money is important to you.

wexfordman2

Ginger83 wrote: »

Is it a good quote

Based on what you are saying, Its 8k inc vat before grant for a 5.5kwp system with a 5kw hybrid inverter and eddi.

My system, which many here said was an excellent price, is a 5.85kwp system with 5kw hybrid inverter, 5kwh battery and eddi, and price was 12k inc vat before grant (cost to me was 8,200).

It sounds like a good price to me, but I would add the battery, it should be at worst cost neutral if you get the grant.

Note:- check if new grant or old grant applies to you, I know there are changes now, just not sure what.

garo wrote: »

6200 net is not bad for what you are getting. Not ridiculously good either. I would push to get a battery and get it all in under 9500 with the full 3k grant.

What sounds dear about it

Here's the Pylontech US2000 for GBP699 + VAT

Linky

6200 net is not bad for what you are getting. Not ridiculously good either. I would push to get a battery and get it all in under 9500 with the full 3k grant.

garo wrote: »

You certainly won’t get the 600 for the panels then. Not sure if you can get the 600 afterwards. Probably but someone will have to do twice the paperwork!

Is it a good quote

You certainly won’t get the 600 for the panels then. Not sure if you can get the 600 afterwards. Probably but someone will have to do twice the paperwork!

unkel wrote: »

1200

That includes VAT and about EUR50 to install it (takes no more than 30 minutes to install and configure it, provided your hybrid inverter is already installed) for a small battery like the Pylontech US2000 (2.4kWh)

If a battery is installed at a later date is it eligible for a grant?