Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

Solar for Dummies.

14445474950102

Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 3,407 ✭✭✭Ginger83


    I reckon many would want to supply their own materials.

    There is a list of installers on the SEAI website.



  • Registered Users Posts: 977 ✭✭✭Mr Q


    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.



  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 18,559 Mod ✭✭✭✭slave1


    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



  • Registered Users Posts: 1,050 ✭✭✭Thespoofer


    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!



  • Registered Users Posts: 8,394 ✭✭✭micks_address


    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..



  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users Posts: 4,395 ✭✭✭Harika


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



  • Registered Users Posts: 162 ✭✭kevin101


    Yes of you are availing of the Seai grant.



  • Registered Users Posts: 8,394 ✭✭✭micks_address


    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



  • Registered Users Posts: 1 peadarmac49


    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.



  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users Posts: 8,394 ✭✭✭micks_address




  • Registered Users Posts: 193 ✭✭dumb_parade


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



  • Registered Users Posts: 175 ✭✭Blues14


    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?



  • Registered Users Posts: 176 ✭✭Old Jim


    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?



  • Registered Users Posts: 64,548 ✭✭✭✭unkel


    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.



  • Registered Users Posts: 1,217 ✭✭✭moonshadow


    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?



  • Registered Users Posts: 32 westernfringe


    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.



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


    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.



  • Registered Users Posts: 32 westernfringe


    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.



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


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



  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users Posts: 32 westernfringe


    Pretty sure I can get a day/night meter fitted, but will be unlikely to get the deemed export. If that happens, I'm not sure where that will leave me? Confused by the whole thing. I have a 6kwh inverter and 5kwh battery.



  • Registered Users Posts: 1,395 ✭✭✭DC999


    Can you not decline the smart meter install date and let them know you’ve some reservations about it and would like to be moved to a late install date? So you're not rejecting a smart meter (which means you would lose deemed export), just asking to go at the back of the queue. That’s approach I’ve taken (I asked to be put on the fast track for the install before I realised it was going to cost more on a smart meter). A backwards spinning meter is gold. Basically get paid deemed export plus get a full credit for unused units (unlike FIT which is a %). Ok, at this time of year you won't have excess (or very little).

    You’ll get FIT once on a smart meter. Won’t matter that you declined the smart meter in the past.

    I expect a smart meter and digital meter as the same thing (weird they are suing the term 'digital meter'). Afaik any new meter now will be a smart meter unless you request something different and it’s confirmed (like a D/N). 

    There's no cost benefit to using a battery while on a backwards spinning meter. Only benefit is learning how it works, how much of the house it can run.... Best you learn that now before getting into expensive time of use (TOU) rates on a smart meter (if you get a smart tariff plan).



  • Registered Users Posts: 32 westernfringe


    Thanks for all the input. I did refuse a smart meter a year ago, before I had solar planned. I talk to ESB today, they acknowledged I have previously refused a smart meter, tried to push it on me a bit again but then said they would just put in a meter with a backstop. In their words, the same meter I have but with a backstop. I'm on a 24 hr tariff. They wanted to schedule a date in but I declined and I said I needed to talk to my provider re. possibility of a day/night meter instead and if they would give me the deemed export. Provider said ok to day/night, but would not give me an answer on the deemed export. Said I would get a call back. I am aware of the benefit of the backwards meter and no cost benefit to battery. Just got it in as I figured this situation might arise.



  • Registered Users Posts: 1,395 ✭✭✭DC999


    If you lose deemed export when they replace the backwards spinning one with the exact same newer 24hr one (that won’t spin backwards), then you need to change to another meter. Or will cost you more.

    D/N will be best money wise if you qualify for deemed export (you’ve a battery so D/N is perfect).Energia told me it's free to swap from 24hr to D/N, but would be a cost to later move to a smart meter - which is fine with me.

    Or move to a smart meter if can’t get deemed export on 2 options above. If you get an EV tariff (like Energia one) you get 2 or 3 hours cheap rate at night. Charge EV, battery, load shift…. Less 'good' V a D/N but next best option. Don't stay on a 24hr meter that won’t spin backwards in the medium term. Not getting any benefit of a cheap night rate.

    Tbh, you’re where I’m be once the come looking to change my 24hr meter. But I don’t know the deemed export Qs you’re asking here. You’re the ‘pioneer’ here unless others can chime in with their experience.

    Actually, there is a 'do nothing' option which is fine and less stress as you're just live. What rate have you got on the 24hr tariff now? Will be 40c+ per kWh when you next renew. So if that still has a few months left and you’re on a decent-ish rate now and you’re stressed about making all these decisions, you can leave it all for now. Let them change the 24hr meter when they get to it (might still take a while). Solar will start to produce more soon and will have decent output in March. Meaning it will fill your battery so won’t be buying many units at the 24hr tariff.

    Then later this year when you know more about how it all works for you, how many units you buy and when (to know how much you can move to a cheap rate)…you can nail down the stuff above and see if the D/N gives you deemed export. Or you move to a smart meter if deemed export is gone. The cheap rate will be a benefit from end Sept when solar output drops way down. 



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


    Just want to add:

    A digital meter is not a smart meter.

    ESBN have every right to change their now "faulty" meter (as it's not meant to turn backwards), yes to a digital but it's not a smart meter

    As you have refused the smart meter you are not eligible for the deemed FIT.

    Switching to a day night, might make you eligible for the deemed fit again as day night tariffs (MCC02) are not compatible with smart meters currently. Although you could be already listed as "refused"



  • Registered Users Posts: 252 ✭✭foxatron


    Hi folks, I can't find an answer to this but someone here may have experience with it. I moved into a new build in 2020 which came with 1.8kwh system installed under part l of the building regs. but does anyone know if it's possible to still get the seai grant or can/would the builders claimed this already? Maybe they are totally separate things.

    Thanks



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


    You can get a grant for any new system you install.

    The requirement from the Seai that it was built and occupied before 2021, which they normally use ESB data/connection date.

    Can't claim the grant for new builds, when being built.



  • Moderators, Arts Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 10,564 Mod ✭✭✭✭Hellrazer


    Im in a similar situation. 2 years ago the ESB were supposed to install a new smart meter - I didnt know about all the crap tariffs at the time and said yes to it.

    Installer came out and the meter wouldnt fit in my meter box - Its in the garage and boxed in. He said Id have to either expand the box which is not an option as the garage is converted to a sitting room and it would involve a lot of work (removing an internal studded wall and getting in plasterers etc) or else he could ask if they could install the meter on its side or else I could pay to have the meter moved outside - again not an option as Id still have to get a hole in my wall replastered.

    I never heard anything back so stuck with my backwards spinning meter and didnt push it - Technically I havent refused the smart meter - it just wouldnt fit in my meter box.

    Roll on last month with the solar installation and the solar installer told me to keep that meter as long as possible. So my NC6 form went into Bord Gais energy and I got an email offering me 18.35 cent deemed export but in the T&Cs I have to have a smart meter installed or be "eligible" for a smart meter install.

    I havent signed up for the deemed export yet as Im in a better position at the minute and asked the question in another thread that if I sign up for the deemed export will it trigger the smart meter install again?

    Should I just say feck it to the deemed export and stay with my backwards spinning meter until Im forced to change or should I just sign up and push it based on this section of the T&Cs

    (iii) your meter type is not eligible for a smart meter installation as part of the ESBN led deployment approach under the NSMP at this time or they are eligible for a smart meter installation but unable to have a smart meter installed for other reasons outside of their control.




  • Registered Users Posts: 64,548 ✭✭✭✭unkel


    @Hellrazer - "Should I just say feck it to the deemed export and stay with my backwards spinning meter until Im forced to change"

    Yep. You effectively have net metering which is financially the best possible way to be metered if you have solar. Be a bit careful in summer, you wouldn't want two actual official meter readings in a row where the latter is lower than the former though!



  • Advertisement
  • Moderators, Arts Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 10,564 Mod ✭✭✭✭Hellrazer


    As the meter is indoors theres never anyone home when the meter reader arrives "cough cough"



Advertisement