Solar for Beginners [ask your questions here]

cobham · 27-01-2023 3:19pm

At last have the CT clamps corrected. We have a battery and so far see no point in switching provider so no day/night rates and no EV. Only after deciding on solar system did we realise the advantage of keeping on the old meter. What to do with the battery? we managed to disable it as it had been set incorrectly to charge up from 6 am from grid. Obviously when plenty of solar, it can feed battery after house then eddi. Is it OK to leave the battery at a low power level until then?

unkel · 27-01-2023 3:23pm

Why would you disable it? Either use it or sell it!

cobham · 27-01-2023 4:06pm

We disabled it from timed setting to fully charge off the grid from 6 am. Last September when first installed we were getting a full battery by lunchtime then afternoon solar went into water/Eddi. I prefer the water heated first. I think filling the battery would take all the solar generated these days. We hoped the recent electrician would reset to some proper setting but has not. I cannot think of removing the battery at this stage after months of hassle to get system working right. Sorry just a Dummy here and a lot of discussions on here are like a foreign language...😒

unkel · 27-01-2023 4:56pm

What ways can you heat your water, with gas and with electricity? You have a single electricity meter, what is your unit price? For most people their unit electricity price is now much higher than their unit gas price, so it makes a lot more financial sense to heat the water with gas and let whatever PV you have fill your battery.

If you give us details of the hardware that you have (inverter make and model and battery make and model), some of us will likely have the same combo and might be able to help you adjust the settings yourself

Mr Q · 28-01-2023 11:11am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120154827#Comment_120154827

You can, there are options for this. Have a look at K2 systems, that will give you an idea of what is out there.

graememk · 28-01-2023 2:56pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120154827#Comment_120154827

Like what goes on sheds? Curved or tapozid? (although it doesn't matter, Both have rails)

Yeah, There is the K2 Microrail, or Rensol have one too,

Its what hold on all my panels, A little rail, about 150mm long, 2 self tapping screws into the steel

If on a house, Id prob but a dab of silicone on before screwing down.

Very fast and cheap.

unkel · 28-01-2023 4:51pm

Same here on my shed. Brilliant stuff, super easy and quick to fit and the cheapest possible way of mounting panels. The self tapping screws that you should order with the little rails, have a built in rubber washer that creates a water proof seal. So no need for using any silicone or anything else before screwing down.

eclipsechaser · 29-01-2023 8:37pm

Couple of newbie questions on the first day with a new installation:

1) On a SolisCloud app, is Feed in Tarrif the price that I pay for electricity or the price I get paid for excess energy? Installer told my wife it's how much I pay for electricity but that isn't my understanding of what Feed in Tarrif normally means.

2) They installed 3 PureDrive 5kWh batteries but the Solis 6kW hybrid inverter only seems to be recognising 1 of them. The app doesn't specify 3 batteries but the battery charged 4kWh today and went up to 100% and then after that all excess energy started going to the grid. I could also see a solid green light on one battery but flashing green lights on the other. This apparently means the others are low on charge so it's clear they never got going. Anyone got an easy fix or is it a matter of getting the installer back?

3) I have 2 strings of 13 panels - one string each on two roofs. I have noticed, as I suspected, that our chimney casts a shadow onto the panels from around mid-day. I had mentioned optimizers but none were put up. Should I be going back to them looking to have this rectified? That string is an array of 9 panels in a row with a further 4 on a level below. 2 of these bottom 4 look like they're going to be shaded by the chimney - at least at this time of year. I practically feel like I'd be better off without them.

4) The sun came out today for a while and even though it's a 10.4kW system it tipped away at 4.x and briefly 5.1 for the those clearly sunny times. Is this normal not to be at 6 with such a system or is it likely because of shading?

jkforde · 29-01-2023 8:58pm

1) On a SolisCloud app - FIT is the Clean Energy Guarantee (CEG) payment that you receive for exported surplus PV to the grid. Bit of a concern if the installer doesn't know this.

2) PureDrive - get installer back at no cost to you. In fairness, they should have checked & walked you through the system before they left. Sounds like the master unit isn't hooked up the other two

3) Optimisers - I'd get them back

4) It's winter so can't expect rated kwp but based on point 3 above, maybe they're just installed\optimised incorrectly.

Are they SEAI registered? Have you fully paid them?

SD_DRACULA · 29-01-2023 9:54pm

No one can get optimizers in Ireland it seems, been looking for some myself for ages now so that would be why they skipped that part but make sure they will add them later if you asked/paid for them.

Unless you have your panels almost vertical you won't get full power this time of the year.

con747 · 29-01-2023 10:41pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120174680#Comment_120174680

When in the Solis cloud app you can press your Plant name, then press device, then press inverter, you can then see what your battery and string status is. I take it you mean in point 1 that it's the option to put a cost on the electricity unit you pay when setting up the app? If so then just put what you pay including vat and it will show in the app how much your generation is worth per day/month/year/all time.

eclipsechaser · 29-01-2023 10:48pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120174778#Comment_120174778

1) Many thanks. I did know what FIT meant and my wife also knows but apparently the electrician said it was what we paid. I agree it's strange for them not to know and also concerned me a bit.

2) Luckily they're due back tomorrow to finish the installation of another family member who lives very close by. I'll be getting the family member to send them back to me regarding the batteries. Hopefully it's a quick fix.

3) I'll be asking about optimisers although it's not for electrician really, more the installers. So I guess that'll have to go back to main office. This could be tricky as it'll involve scaffolding. And would the electricians need to come back to shut the system off too?

4) Yeah, it's the first day with the panels so I really don't know what's normal which is why I'm asking here. Obviously if I had 6kW of panels I wouldn't be expecting anything close to 6kW but I thought maybe with 10.4kW of panels, I would get better than a peak of 5kW when the Sun was out. But obviously I've nothing to compare that to and maybe it wasn't quite as clear as I thought.

They are fully registered (and well known here). Only a deposit paid so I can insist on everything working fully before they get the full amount. I'm going to post a picture of the chimney shade now to see what people think.

eclipsechaser · 29-01-2023 10:49pm

Attached is the a picture of the chimney. The shade also covers the bottom of the panel, which I couldn't capture with the phone. This is at 1.48pm for reference. It would definitely be handy to know what people think.

eclipsechaser · 29-01-2023 11:10pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120175227#Comment_120175227

Thanks for that. Here's what I'm see on that page. Is there a way to check the production difference between the 2 strings? That would help a lot in terms of figuring out the impact of the shadow. Thanks!

I can see there's definitely 1x 5kWh battery detected but I think the other 2 aren't registering from how to behaved earlier when at full battery.

For the FIT, I can see where to change that number. I can't seem to find where to put the actual price that the electricity costs us. The electrician set the app up with my wife so I wasn't there at the time.

con747 · 29-01-2023 11:23pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120175392#Comment_120175392

I think others will need to advise on the tech end of that, you can see during the day if the strings are all active and various values. The 3 batteries will only show as a single unit AFAIK. I have 2 of the same and they show as 1 but when they get to my cut off point one flashes green. I have my state of discharge set to 30% in winter due to power cuts so I can utilise the rest to keep essential stuff powered via the EPS (emergency power supply).

graememk · 29-01-2023 11:44pm

Re optimisers, have a watch of this:

https://youtu.be/9GvhDhCSJgo

Its been posted before, but it's very informative.

It's likely optimisers won't effect it too much. I wouldn't be getting them.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120175254#Comment_120175254

Re the battery, is there a display or lights on them? If the state of charge lights on them change in step with each other it's likely they are working fine, keep an eye on it.

It's still only January remember and the shadows are still long. Sun is still low.

The most you'll prob see is 6ish kw out of the oversized array.

You can pull up the voltage and current on the solis of each string and do the math to compare.

eclipsechaser · 30-01-2023 12:19am

Good to know that several betteries show up as 1 battery.

However I still think the others aren't registering on the system. My battery went from 100% to 20% by discharging 5kWh for the day (and that included when it went up down down earlier in the day).

If it's a 15kWh battery, it wouldn't be going from 100% to 20% by using 5kWh.

Just to be sure, I've now set it to charge the batteries overnight to see how many kWh that uses up. The lights are on but are blinking asynchronously.

Edit: it's gone from 20% to 62% in 40 minutes at a charging rate of 2.5kWh. That doesn't sound like a 15kWh battery connected properly, does it?

con747 · 30-01-2023 1:06am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120175689#Comment_120175689

Put all your concerns to the installers when you get them back after doing your family members house. If it's the people I think from Enniskillen they will sort it in my experience. Just make sure you are 100% happy before they leave and pay the final payment. I left it a couple of weeks before paying the balance to be sure all was working.

eclipsechaser · 30-01-2023 1:20am

Good advice. I just wanted to check here in case I was being stupid and all the batteries were connected.

Thespoofer · 30-01-2023 1:26am

Looking for opinions here please on this quote.

Recently got quoted €16,800 ( before grant ) for

- max size set up allowed ( 9 khw, 22 panels ?)

- ground mounted

- 3.6 kwh battery

- hybrid inverter

- hot water diverter.

- digging for cable done by myself

Seems high to me, are they trying it on?

Thanks

unkel · 30-01-2023 2:01am

There is no max size allowed of number of panels or wattage. It's unlimited. The installer was telling you porky pies!

And we have a dedicated thread for comparing quotes, have a look at it here:

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058219537/domestic-solar-pv-quotes-2022-no-pm-requests-see-mod-note-post-1

slave1 · 30-01-2023 4:04pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120175264#Comment_120175264

If that is just Winter shading I would not be bothered as there's (relatively speaking) not much PV being lost.

If it's through the year (when the sun is higher) then optimisers would be advised but that would require lads going back up on the roof

slave1 · 30-01-2023 4:05pm

3) I'll be asking about optimisers although it's not for electrician really, more the installers. So I guess that'll have to go back to main office. This could be tricky as it'll involve scaffolding. And would the electricians need to come back to shut the system off too?

Electrician not required as you have a number of safety switches to isolate the panels

ELM327 · 30-01-2023 4:15pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120175842#Comment_120175842

Ground mounted would usually make it more expensive. Doesnt seem tooo bad but it's not the best at all.

There is no max on the amount of panels

Mr Q · 01-02-2023 4:58pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120175842#Comment_120175842

Others have said there is no max amount of panels, which is true.

But I think it's fair to assume that the installer is only fitting one inverter and he is taking about the maximum amount in your particular situation.

Did they give you any specs on the ground mount or breakdown of costs? It could be a very big part of the cost

micks_address · 01-02-2023 5:37pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120187839#Comment_120187839

There is a max you can get for the standard esb connection though? If you go over a certain amount you have to apply for a different esb connection which costs around 1k

con747 · 01-02-2023 6:55pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120188048#Comment_120188048

You can have as much as you want as long as you have it set not to go over the 6kw fed into the grid. Then after 6kw you need an NC7 form costing near enough 1k. A lot here have multiple inverters and god knows how many panels no problem once within the NC6 guidelines afaik.

Ginger83 · 01-02-2023 7:08pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120188461#Comment_120188461

What does NC7 allow to the grid?

con747 · 01-02-2023 7:41pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120188528#Comment_120188528

Up to 50kw.

Thespoofer · 01-02-2023 8:17pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120187839#Comment_120187839

No there wasn't any breakdown of price just the overall figure.

I'm really considering going down the self install route ( bar the connecting up of course ).

Is it a big hoohah to get someone to commission and self installation at the end or is this a straight forward process ?

Thanks

Ginger83 · 01-02-2023 9:50pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120188800#Comment_120188800

I reckon many would want to supply their own materials.

There is a list of installers on the SEAI website.

Mr Q · 03-02-2023 2:08pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120188800#Comment_120188800

I didn't go down the installer route and had massive savings by going this way. Plenty of others here would have done similar.

At the time the NC6 was slightly different so I filled it out in full myself and just put the electricians details on it.

He had no issue completing the AC side of the install for me. But he was the electrician who originally wired the house too.

slave1 · 03-02-2023 6:36pm

I was the same, everything up to consumer unit hook up, I also don't have the required testing equipment so need to rely on friendly leccy for that, downside is huge waiting time

Thespoofer · 05-02-2023 9:22am

Thanks for that lads.

Is there any place I can see a simple diagram of my quoted set up, reasons being, I'd like to visualise what goes where ( and where I can locate them in terms of my own house ).

For example , can/must the batteries be located in an outhouse or can they be put in an attic space etc etc.

I suppose a guide and within irish regs to what can/can't be done.

Apologies for being a bit needy!

micks_address · 05-02-2023 1:13pm

Off topic but was watching Sundays room to improve last night. They had added probably six panels to the house which probably equated to 2.4kwp per seai grant.. it might do something in terms of generation but felt like such a waste not to cover the whole roof..

con747 · 05-02-2023 7:27pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120204002#Comment_120204002

Have a look at these threads https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058282400/best-location-to-put-pv-inverter-and-batteries#latest

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058257528/renewable-energy-photo-thread/p1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058234646/interested-in-solar-pv-read-this-faq-first#latest They should have most of the information you need.

Harika · 07-02-2023 2:26pm

Dummy Question: I got solar panels installed in January. BER was assessed in 2019 as B3. Will I need a new BER?

kevin101 · 07-02-2023 2:27pm

Yes of you are availing of the Seai grant.

micks_address · 07-02-2023 2:31pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120211224#Comment_120211224

yes you will need a new ber.. if you know the person who did the last and there have been no other modifications to the house you might be able to get them to 'update' the ber.. which could be cheaper than starting from scratch

peadarmac49 · 09-02-2023 1:42pm

Apologies if this is the wrong forum. I recently got solar panels installed and am with electric Ireland and have a smart metre in place. Looking at my electric Ireland account online, should I be able to see how much if any power has been exported to the grid? I see some credits on the actual bill for micro generation, but no where online can I see how much was generated. I can do the maths and work out how much generated based on the credit, but do electric Ireland surface such data on their online usage portal?

Thanks in advance.

micks_address · 09-02-2023 2:52pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120219681#Comment_120219681

Sign up for an account here and you can see export

https://myaccount.esbnetworks.ie/

dumb_parade · 09-02-2023 3:29pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120219681#Comment_120219681

EI seem to be paying deemed export payments, even on smart meter plans.

Blues14 · 10-02-2023 5:38pm

Was getting solar installed this month I was thinking does the Internet need wifi as it will be in the attic and there’s no reception there.need to know if I need to get wifi extenders?

Old Jim · 13-02-2023 11:09am

Could I get some feedback on my proposed installation?

House: A-rated with A2W Heat Pump, zappi, Day/Night EV fixed tariff from Energia

Usage: House: ~5500kWh/yr; EV: ~3000kWh/yr; Currently charge EV and run HP on night rate so consumption is about 70% night. Daily consumption was about 13kWh before the EV came along.

Plan is for 6.4kWp system, hybrid inverter, no battery initially, no Eddi.

Am I correct in saying that with this setup (without batteries) I could use daytime PV to consume in the house and if any left over charge the car? The house is occupied and EV is at the house during the day mostly. How would I calculate what would system generate and what would be fed back to the grid, if any?

Anything else I should consider? I guess this setup will help during the summer but won't do much during the winter until I add some battery storage?

unkel · 13-02-2023 11:21am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120234957#Comment_120234957

If your car is there most of the time and you have the discipline to plug it in, it will take a lot of your excess. So why the hybrid inverter? A standard inverter is €1200-€1300 cheaper. I would rather max out on the panels you could place. A battery + hybrid inverter is expensive. It is useful if you have high day usage of electricity (so you could peak shift), but that's not the case for you as you are already on 70% night rate

You already have A2W, so cheaply heating water, so indeed not much point in getting an eddi. If you are in a good area for PV in Ireland and your panels are purely south facing at a good angle, you would need 8.5kwp to produce per year the same as you use: 8.5MWh. If you can go even more panels, go even more panels.

moonshadow · 13-02-2023 11:20pm

Hi there, signed up for a 7.2 kw , 6 kw hybrid and eddi ,battery ready system my question relates to the meter .

currently we have a payg meter will this still work with the system or will I be forced to have a smart meter?

westernfringe · 16-02-2023 5:53pm

Hi all, just got solar installed, job finished yesterday. I have a backwards turning meter but have had no chance yet to see it in action (cloudy). I got a battery and eddi as I figured that eventually I might be forced to change meter eventually and so decided to get it all done at the same time for less hassle. I had planned to maybe turn off the battery and eddi as long as i had the old meter and try keep the old meter as long as possible. Now over a year ago, before I had even planned to get solar, I wrote to the ESB and refused the installation of a smart meter. They acknowledged this by saying:

"I can confirm your MPRN is no longer included in our current meter replacement plan. ESB Networks will inform your electricity supply company of your preference.

Please be advised, if you wish to avail of smart services (time-of-use tariffs or the electrification of heat & transport) available from your energy supply company, or to take part in any future micro-generation scheme launched by the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications, that you will require a smart meter. Further, our replacement meter stock is now comprised of smart meters, so please be aware that if your current meter: develops a fault, or you wish to relocate it, or if for any other reason a new meter is required then a smart meter will be installed."

Well I have just received a letter from the ESB acknowledging receipt of my NC6 and saying that they will be exchanging my meter for a digital meter. The date of the letter is actually the day before the installation job even started!

Anyhow, from what I know (and I'm a novice in this area), If you have previously refused a smart meter, you are not eligible for the FIT?

So I have a good few questions hopefully someone can help me with!!

1) Is a digital meter the same as a Smart meter? (I don't want a smart meter)

2) Because we previously refused a smart meter, will we now not be entitled to FIT even when they put in this new meter?

3) Can I get in touch with ESB and continue to refuse a meter change? (Unlikely huh!)

4) If they just arrive and put in a meter, what sort of meter will they put in? We are currently on a 24 hour tarif

5) If smart meters and digital meters are different? and I wanted a Day/Night meter (which seems to be the best option for me if I have to change), can I contact ESB and request this? Even if I do this, will I still not get the FIT?

Agggh it's such a headwreck. The system is only in one cloudy day and I still haven't gotten my head around it. I thought I'd have a bit more time before having to try figure this one out.

Any help or advice would be very much appreciated. Thanks in advance if anyones kind enough to take the time tom advise a bit.

yankinlk · 16-02-2023 10:47pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120249476#Comment_120249476

I think you should ignore any past messages and ask your supplier for a day night meter to be fitted. You might get lucky and you might get FIT anyway. You won't get FIT at all with backwards meter and you might get a SM sooner if you do nothing.

They might say no, but maybe you get lucky. It's a pity you didn't ask for DN meter earlier knowing your solar install was coming. But I suppose keeping a backwards meter is tempting too.

westernfringe · 17-02-2023 9:15am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120250760#Comment_120250760

Thanks for the input. Appreciated. I hadn't really planned any solar or at least looked into it properly when I refused the smart meter. We just didn't want it for other reasons.

yankinlk · 17-02-2023 9:37am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120251514#Comment_120251514

If you manage to get a DN meter fitted, will you come back and let us know please. Good luck!

Solar for Beginners [ask your questions here]

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