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Going solar without grant

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Comments

  • #62
    threeball
    Registered Users Posts: 7,906 ✭✭✭threeball


    unkel wrote: »
    I might have been confusing you with my numbers, apologies for that. I paid €350 for a roofer and his apprentice for not much more than half a days work. My install was complex

    For a straight fit of a 10 panel system a roofer and his apprentice should take about 2.5-3 hours. I think it is reasonable to expect to pay no more than €250 for that

    Did you provide the scaffold or did they? Who does the connection of the panels for the electrician to connect on to? Fair play if you got it for that but I doubt many would work for that. His day is gone regardless, hardly going to job number two at half 2 in the day.

    Just playing devils advocate here and trying to inject some realism into pricing as I doubt very many people will work for the rates you expect to pay. Was that cash or vat invoiced?


  • #63
    rolion
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,362 ✭✭✭rolion


    threeball wrote: »
    Did you provide the scaffold or did they? Who does the connection of the panels for the electrician to connect on to? Fair play if you got it for that but I doubt many would work for that. His day is gone regardless, hardly going to job number two at half 2 in the day.

    Just playing devils advocate here and trying to inject some realism into pricing as I doubt very many people will work for the rates you expect to pay. Was that cash or vat invoiced?

    I will love to see a roofer charging those money....and for his apprentice.
    I will install 10 panels naked on the roof if is "possible" to do it in 2.5 hours.

    Get few quotes around,ask for past work recomendations.
    Some of the handyman thinks is a very easy job but they will need to visualise the bracket and the drilling / positioning of that unit in accordance with the installer / supplier type of. Not hard but needs a bit of thinking... and hard to get going,once you started,easy repeatitive tasks.

    Is your roof and tiles and home.
    If a 2.5h job will nick one of the slates or brake a joist ,it will cost you more in time lost by your family(working time = money OR qood quality time=cant put a value) and damage to your house possible costing ten times fold and lots of arguments with the wife.

    I did DIY with a roofer,up there on the house,it cost me more than quoted above but i took all the associated risks.
    We did over three days , brackets,supports and 7 panels. As the weather just got bad when we were up the roof, it was too dangerous to keep working.
    We broke a joist, dunno how, but i found it after.
    Just reinforced it from inside and all ok now.
    Also,some of the tiles just didnt want to work with the metal bracket,dunno why,probable left overs from "paddys work" done 20 years ago.So,run the electrical cable and cut it and adjust it up there.

    Lots of fun and satisfaction overall.
    Wish you good luck...


  • #64
    Effects
    Registered Users Posts: 9,761 ✭✭✭Effects


    unkel wrote: »
    Did you not follow the case last year when a lady who had (neatly) plastered the full road facing side of her roof with PV? She was forced to take it down (after appeal)

    Linky

    Can't find any photos apart from google earth. It's not on Streetview though.
    It doesn't look too bad. I've seen worse things built onto houses!
    Was she running a battery system as well?


  • #65
    Effects
    Registered Users Posts: 9,761 ✭✭✭Effects


    unkel wrote: »
    I would have targets:
    electrician €200

    Would you get a sparks that cheap these days?

    I'm sure a lot of them also wouldn't be happy doing the connections end of things without knowing how the cables were installed, by doing it themselves.


  • #66
    rolion
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,362 ✭✭✭rolion


    Effects wrote: »
    Would you get a sparks that cheap these days?

    I'm sure a lot of them also wouldn't be happy doing the connections end of things without knowing how the cables were installed, by doing it themselves.

    Good Qs !
    Some people loves bargaining to the deep end when needs work to be done for him/her.
    But pushes as high possible when demand payment for his/her work.

    You could have it for a so low amount if a friend or relative AND if you can carry most of the dirty work yourself. BUT,well pointed, most of them doesnt like doing and certifying work if not started / finished by them.I have a friend ,good one, but he refused to sign and certify my EV charger cabling unless he was there to run it himslef,assisted by me.


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  • #67
    Effects
    Registered Users Posts: 9,761 ✭✭✭Effects


    It makes sense as when they certify it they take full responsibility for it.

    Why did you need the charger cabling certified? For a grant or just to do things properly/by the book?

    Kind of dreading when ours gets done. Cabling is there but the electrician didn't install the right fuse board so it's crowded for space.


  • #68
    rolion
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,362 ✭✭✭rolion


    @effects

    SEAI gives a grant for EV chargers installed at home.
    Electrician RECI needs to give a certificate otherwise you will not receive an email like below ! ;)

    482515.jpg


  • #69
    threeball
    Registered Users Posts: 7,906 ✭✭✭threeball


    rolion wrote: »
    I will love to see a roofer charging those money....and for his apprentice.
    I will install 10 panels naked on the roof if is "possible" to do it in 2.5 hours.

    Get few quotes around,ask for past work recomendations.
    Some of the handyman thinks is a very easy job but they will need to visualise the bracket and the drilling / positioning of that unit in accordance with the installer / supplier type of. Not hard but needs a bit of thinking... and hard to get going,once you started,easy repeatitive tasks.

    Is your roof and tiles and home.
    If a 2.5h job will nick one of the slates or brake a joist ,it will cost you more in time lost by your family(working time = money OR qood quality time=cant put a value) and damage to your house possible costing ten times fold and lots of arguments with the wife.

    I did DIY with a roofer,up there on the house,it cost me more than quoted above but i took all the associated risks.
    We did over three days , brackets,supports and 7 panels. As the weather just got bad when we were up the roof, it was too dangerous to keep working.
    We broke a joist, dunno how, but i found it after.
    Just reinforced it from inside and all ok now.
    Also,some of the tiles just didnt want to work with the metal bracket,dunno why,probable left overs from "paddys work" done 20 years ago.So,run the electrical cable and cut it and adjust it up there.

    Lots of fun and satisfaction overall.
    Wish you good luck...

    Is this aimed at me?


  • #70
    Effects
    Registered Users Posts: 9,761 ✭✭✭Effects


    rolion wrote: »
    @effects
    SEAI gives a grant for EV chargers installed at home.
    Electrician RECI needs to give a certificate otherwise you will not receive an email like below ! ;)

    How much does it end up costing for the charge point with the grant?

    I'm leaning towards buying and connecting my own, as I've already allowed for the cabling end.

    I'm also thinking about just charging granny style during the day, to take advantage of my PV panels output at peak times.


  • #71
    rolion
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,362 ✭✭✭rolion


    Effects wrote: »
    How much does it end up costing for the charge point with the grant?

    I'm leaning towards buying and connecting my own, as I've already allowed for the cabling end.

    I'm also thinking about just charging granny style during the day, to take advantage of my PV panels output at peak times.

    There is alot of feedback and recomandations H E R E,just take a nice cup of coffee and read through them.

    i have PVs ,an EV and best EV charger on the market for what i need,a year ago.

    My personal experience - and for which i got blamed and shouted and thrown under the car - i never had the possibility of charging the car from the PVs... first the car is not at home when output at maxim daytime and then when i had it connected and setup to use lower charging current,it took too long and a small charge, i end-up paying more for that charge day time than night time rates.

    I guess need a 5KW installed power and good charger that gives 3.3KW power back to the car. Ideal conditions for the PVs output, EV smart charger,type of car,owner working style... all these answers and more you can find on that topic ,as above. Take with your own opinion and do the best you can afford "today" as tomorrow is going to be too old...


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  • #72
    unkel
    Registered Users Posts: 64,684 ✭✭✭✭unkel


    If your EV isn't at home most days Rolion, a smart charger like a Zappi is a waste of money. Just charge it at the night rate and hope for a FIT or install a cheap big home attached battery

    It only makes (some) sense to install a Zappi if you are getting the €600 grant and / or if your car is at home during the day a lot...


  • #73
    Mr Q
    Registered Users Posts: 984 ✭✭✭Mr Q


    Does anyone know if you can oversize strings in Ireland like is common in certain parts of Australia. They would have a 5kw limit on the connection they can make so obviously use a 5 kw inverter. But then connect 6kw or more in panels.

    The ESB form conditions only mention 25 amps (5.75kw) so i assume once the inverter is below this you could in theory have more panels for more generation in the poorer months.

    It would not damage the inverter, just clip some of the excess power on the really good days. SMA even recommend you oversize the strings on their inverters.


  • #74
    quentingargan
    Registered Users Posts: 1,627 ✭✭✭quentingargan


    Mr Q wrote: »
    Does anyone know if you can oversize strings in Ireland like is common in certain parts of Australia. They would have a 5kw limit on the connection they can make so obviously use a 5 kw inverter. But then connect 6kw or more in panels.

    The ESB form conditions only mention 25 amps (5.75kw) so i assume once the inverter is below this you could in theory have more panels for more generation in the poorer months.

    It would not damage the inverter, just clip some of the excess power on the really good days. SMA even recommend you oversize the strings on their inverters.

    Yes - ESB doesn't care what is on the DC side of the inverter. In theory you can oversize your solar array and the production will flat-line at 6kw or whatever the AC rating of the inverter is.

    BUT - check the data sheet for your inverter and make sure you respect the maximum DC input for the inverter as a whole as well as for each MPPT. For example, a 5kw inverter may allow 4kw per MPPT, or a total of 6kw. You may have to ask the manufacturer about exceptions. For example, east-west will never be at full capacity on both strings.


  • #75
    Mr Q
    Registered Users Posts: 984 ✭✭✭Mr Q


    quentingargan wrote: »
    Yes - ESB doesn't care what is on the DC side of the inverter. In theory you can oversize your solar array and the production will flat-line at 6kw or whatever the AC rating of the inverter is.

    BUT - check the data sheet for your inverter and make sure you respect the maximum DC input for the inverter as a whole as well as for each MPPT. For example, a 5kw inverter may allow 4kw per MPPT, or a total of 6kw. You may have to ask the manufacturer about exceptions. For example, east-west will never be at full capacity on both strings.

    Thanks for that Quentin. I have checked some of the solar string calculators and find them very useful for checking the max amps, volts etc. I just wasn't sure of the ESBs view.


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