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DIY install

  • 05-01-2022 10:43pm
    #1
    Registered Users Posts: 73 ✭✭


    Hi I'm looking at options for my solar and obviously I want to make it cheap as I can.

    I'm very handy at DIY.

    Has anyone here installed their own panels, inverter and battery set up?

    I'm thinking of buying all from a supplier and doing it all myself in the early summer.

    What's do you think?



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Comments

  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 18,553 Mod ✭✭✭✭slave1


    Price via an installer first, you will get an idea from the Quotes 2020 and 2022 thread, then price yourself online and see is it worth it. To get the generous grant you will need Approved Installer signoff and that may be your biggest hurdle



  • Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators Posts: 5,640 Mod ✭✭✭✭graememk


    As you'll also have to pay full retail and 23% vat, but with it installed it's 13.5%

    Not saying don't do diy, but price it to be sure.



  • Registered Users Posts: 1,123 ✭✭✭kabakuyu


    Firstly know exactly what you want (size of system,battery or not)and then get at least three quotes from grant approved installers, then price up the equipment you need for a DIY install and also factor in the price of a sparks to commission system and send Nc6 form to ESBN.There are savings to be made by going DIY but weigh up all the factors.



  • Registered Users Posts: 1,534 ✭✭✭Pataman


    New toys arrived from China!!

    14 panels with all associated roof fittings, inverter etc.

    Now just need storm Eunice to bugger off so I can get started.



  • Registered Users Posts: 6,334 ✭✭✭SouthWesterly


    Can you give us details on spec cost supplier etc



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  • Registered Users Posts: 10,699 ✭✭✭✭the_amazing_raisin


    Out of curiosity has anyone done a partial DIY setup? I'm thinking of getting the panels installed on the roof and wired down to the inverter by a professional and then do the inverter and battery installation myself.

    Finally get an electrician to wire into the house and do the certification

    I'm not one for heights so I'd much prefer to send someone else up there

    "The internet never fails to misremember" - Sebastian Ruiz, aka Frost



  • Registered Users Posts: 5,528 ✭✭✭con747


    Don't expect anything from life, just be grateful to be alive.



  • Registered Users Posts: 73 ✭✭puntypower




  • Registered Users Posts: 5,528 ✭✭✭con747


    Don't expect anything from life, just be grateful to be alive.



  • Registered Users Posts: 1,534 ✭✭✭Pataman


    The supplier is Yantzse solar in China.

    14 Panels @410w each, 5.7kw hybrid inverter, roof brackets, wire etc everything you need.

    Delivered to my door for €3500 including all vat, duties carriage etc.



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  • Registered Users Posts: 6,334 ✭✭✭SouthWesterly


    Have you a link?

    Did they organise shipping and customs clearance



  • Registered Users Posts: 1,534 ✭✭✭Pataman


    No, when you email them they generally talk to you on whatsapp.

    Cardinal Maritime in Dublin organise everything including shipping



  • Registered Users Posts: 7 bumblebee22


    That is very good price, can you pm the seller details if you can not share here.



  • Registered Users Posts: 1,534 ✭✭✭Pataman




  • Registered Users Posts: 1,534 ✭✭✭Pataman


    Forgot to say they also sell batteries, but I didnt get any details off them.



  • Registered Users Posts: 73 ✭✭puntypower




  • Registered Users Posts: 64,546 ✭✭✭✭unkel



    That's a very good price for a 10kWh complete system, although most of us in the forum built our own for a good bit cheaper again. Where do you get that price and does it include shipping, import duty and VAT? We typically paid about €1300 plus a few hundred for a BMS and some cables and busbars. All landed including all taxes.

    Other question, did you price up your kit with Irish companies like solartricity.ie to see how competitive they were?

    And why did you go for a very expensive hybrid inverter if you did not add batteries?



  • Registered Users Posts: 2,730 ✭✭✭yankinlk


    @Pataman @puntypower Buy versus Build - this is a really great option for the likes of me. I value my time and a warranty much more than getting a battery cheapest.



  • Registered Users Posts: 64,546 ✭✭✭✭unkel



    Sure. But that could well mean that your battery system will never pay for itself. So what's the point then of installing it?


    The only two viable options of having a battery are:


    1. DIY and get cheap parts
    2. SEAI grant install. This option will not be available for ever, is it still even there now FIT is coming?




  • Registered Users Posts: 2,730 ✭✭✭yankinlk


    I disagree with you.

    I also question both of your statemennts "most of us in the forum built our own" and "the only two viable options are"

    Do i have the time to prove that buying a battery for 2000 versus building for 1300 + time + more parts + X factor ?

    No. Becuase you have your mind made up already. Please dont push others on the one path only.



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  • Registered Users Posts: 2,363 ✭✭✭bullit_dodger


    Not sure it's so binary. There are a lot of factors to consider when looking at "Buy verses DIY".

    First and foremost, I think the person has to have the basic skillset. Sure, not everyone is an electrical engineer, or just happens to know how to wire up a battery array off the cuff, but many of these things can be learnt from people on this forum, who I've seen time and time again, give excellent info. Or from others like Will Prowse on Youtube,etc. but the "basic skill set" needs to be there. Some "have-a-go-hero" who struggles to wire a 3-pin socket or just understand the fundamentals of electric circuit is just ASKING for trouble. Sure, considering they are ~50V and that in itself (probably) won't kill you, they are relatively safe, but.... you don't want to be accidentally short circuiting one those puppies. Lots and lots of joules = Bad-medicine(tm)!

    Then there's the willingness to take on the project it. I could (and still might) make a DIY battery, but as you say, it involved a certain amount of time and effort, and to be honest.....it's just easier to order one premade, like I did myself.

    The price equation though is pretty stellar. You mention buying a battery for 2000 verses building one for 1300, but what's missing there is capacity. For 2000 you'll probably get 2.5Kwhr, while the lads in the battery forum are knocking out 10Kwhr for that €1500. To buy an equivalent 10Kwhr prefabricated. you'd be talking ~€5-6K i reckon. That's a significant difference (5x the capacity for the same money)

    I'm not endorsing either. I bought a prefabricated one myself, but I certainly can see the appeal of a DIY if you have the skills.



  • Registered Users Posts: 2,730 ✭✭✭yankinlk


    @bullit_dodger Scroll up and read post #17 9600KW for ~2000 "buy". Thats a lot closer to the DIY discount.

    My plan this year (after spending a long time following the DIY forums) is to see how my new system performs and then check back to the battery market. If the difference is already that small - I will be buying for sure.

    Unless I meet someone willing to help me put it all together - i see the build is too risky for my "have a go hero" experience! :)



  • Registered Users Posts: 2,363 ✭✭✭bullit_dodger


    Apologizes - I missed that.

    Yeah, that certainly would tend to swing the argument in the favor of the prefab's. I did (quickly) have a look though as to how one would go about obtaining one of these batteries. Seems to be unobtainium as far as I can tell. Were you able to get a price/website where you could order one yankinlk?

    (I'm not interested in ordering one as I already have a 8.2Kwhr battery - but I'd be curious to know if this was a real option for people other than being a nice advert I did see....

    Supply 48V 100Ah Lithium Battery Wholesale Factory - Yangtze Battery Co.,Ltd (member of Yangtze Solar Power Group)

    but not sure if it's the same)



  • Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators Posts: 5,640 Mod ✭✭✭✭graememk


    Server rack batteries like that are getting v common in the US, (if you have been watching will prowse recently)

    and are closing the gap on completely DIY.

    That being said, my recent purchase of 20kwh came in at 2270.

    Technically i've build 4 batteries now. the 2 original sets of 10kwh and then the upgrade to 20kwh.

    It took me about half a day to build the last one. Disassemble old battery, Quick top balance, with added cells, Mount new (stronger) shelf, reassemble the battery, reconnect all bms leads and replace the power cables (upgraded from 10mm2 to 16mm2).



  • Registered Users Posts: 2,363 ✭✭✭bullit_dodger


    Yeah - I did see that recent Will Prowse video where he was saying "Why would anyone buy cells anymore....etc". Interesting video.

    Of course it's one thing to have a product out there which gives excellent value/performance, it's another thing to be actually able to get one. The graphic card situation for the last 2 years a good point in case! Those Eg4Batteries have sparked my interest in the past, but can't seem to find a supplier in Europe.

    20Kwhr for €2,200, I mean no matter what way you slice/dice it.....that's savage money for that capacity. I could do with it too..... :-)



  • Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators Posts: 5,640 Mod ✭✭✭✭graememk


    I had 10 for a year and by april, it was covering most if not all of my day use.

    Now in Feb/march, If i charge to 60-70 at night, Im coming into night rate at 30-40%. Even when putting in some large loads in the yard.

    For "normal" people ie not you or whoever who mine, 10 is for sure the sweet spot, maybe 15.

    Come may, I'm tempted to charge the car from the batteries.. at night... Just to use the power.



  • Registered Users Posts: 64,546 ✭✭✭✭unkel



    I haven't seen any link for a 10kWh battery for €2000 including shipping, duty and VAT. Can you please provide one? If you can then I will agree with you that's a good choice for only a few hundred more than DIY, with less work involved and probably some sort of comeback should it fail


    Linky please?


    I have seen good value second hand ones for sale in the USA alright but the price about doubles by the time you'd have them landed. And there are no companies like batteryhookup in the EU with decent prices afaik. Stand to be corrected though, but I doubt anyone will find that link...


    In the meantime, people here in Ireland with 10kWh installed have a few options like Pylontech, where a ready made system will cost north of €4000. In other words: it will never pay for itself (without thousands in subsidy)



  • Registered Users Posts: 2,363 ✭✭✭bullit_dodger


    Tempted?! Why tempted - I'd be doing it mate! For sure! Even if it was just setting a limit of 10Kwhr a day or something and then leaving the rest for the house.

    The whole thing about not "roundtripping" through various battery stores is good advice for most people, but in edge cases like yourself (or people like me mining where I can move loads timewise) there are different parameters at play that your average household wouldn't have. Yeah, you'll have some losses and you'll be cycling your battery.....but for the price you paid for that storage, easily worth taking that hit. Your payback will be measured in low single years! Jealous.

    Still to return to the question of DIY or buy off the shelf - if any of those options mentioned (like the one Yankinlk posted) or the Eg4Batteries, were actually available like they are in the states, I'd be signing up.....but unfortunately unkel is right .....they are just unobtainable in Ireland without slapping on customs duty (and then VAT) etc.

    That's why I was hoping to see if there was a European distributor, but alas.....our options are somewhat limited here.



  • Registered Users Posts: 2,730 ✭✭✭yankinlk


    This is what I think of most technology. Cost will go down, size will go up. Ill give you a link in a year when im buying! :)



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  • Registered Users Posts: 10,699 ✭✭✭✭the_amazing_raisin


    Tbh with the way energy prices are going it's almost impossible for the battery to NOT pay for itself in a reasonable timeframe

    Especially when it also gives you the option to shift all your grid consumption to the night rate which is both cheaper and cleaner

    "The internet never fails to misremember" - Sebastian Ruiz, aka Frost



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