Talk to me about solar panels.

The Hawk

Well-Known Forumite
20% vat on batteries but not if installed with solar...

So now I need to look at solar again!
Even with the 20% VAT on the battery only option, it still came out better for me than solar panel + battery option.

Providing overnight electricity remains relatively cheap, the marginal cost savings of adding solar just don't add up.
 

tek-monkey

wanna see my snake?
Even with the 20% VAT on the battery only option, it still came out better for me than solar panel + battery option.

Providing overnight electricity remains relatively cheap, the marginal cost savings of adding solar just don't add up.
Its the whole 'providing they stay cheap' part that worries me if I'm honest, but guess I could always install the solar later? Being self sufficient does have it's attraction, in my head this is all a blip and it'll drop back again in a year or 2 once we wean ourselves off the Russian supplies but I don't think we'll ever return to sub 30p/kwh and TBH once we hit 75p in January I don't think we'll ever go back to below 40p.
 

Gramaisc

Forum O. G.
A sudden (slightly embarrassing) thought has resulted in me realising that I actually have eleven* functional kettles here.

Does this mean that I'm due a £110 rebate?

Only three are electric, so is it just thirty quid?

Do I have to claim?

It's all so complicated.


* 3 copper, 3 stainless steel, 2 aluminium**, 2 glass electric, 1 plastic electric.

** one of those is the bespoke kettle in the Trangia cookset.
 

Gramaisc

Forum O. G.
I am wondering about getting a kettle to put on top of the wood burner...
I do it for 'free' hot water in the Shed. A full kettle is simmering by the time I would want any hot water from it, and it stores quite a quantity of energy, as well, long after the fire dies out.

In the house, I keep a full one on the hot plate as the oil boiler exhaust reaches the flue - again, it's largely 'free' waste heat and is useful for washing up, as it never really boils there.

If the stove top is properly flat, then it would probably be worth getting a kettle with a properly flat base. And stainless steel is probably worth it, too - Stafford water will find a way out through an aluminium one faster than you might like, if it's left full all the time.

I have, for reasons of protecting my sanity, not watched Johnson's energy advice regarding kettles, obviously - but I do wonder if he really believes that you can boil water with half the energy input, or does he just know that enough of the electorate are stupid?
 

tek-monkey

wanna see my snake?
We just did this. Panels on the roof and batteries in the garage.

I am not the 'details' guy.

I could get my people to talk to your people but not in the open.
If your people would be willing to send me a private message I'd appreciate it? Looks like we have been offered some assistance from abroad that makes it possibly feasible to install both solar and a battery so any info on suppliers and costs would be greatly appreciated.
 

BobClay

Well-Known Forumite
.........

I have, for reasons of protecting my sanity, not watched Johnson's energy advice regarding kettles, obviously - but I do wonder if he really believes that you can boil water with half the energy input, or does he just know that enough of the electorate are stupid?
I think the stupidity is all with him. How else could someone with a second rate degree in the 'Classics' believe they understand thermodynamics.
 

Gramaisc

Forum O. G.
I have a (very) small panel keeping an old car battery topped up in the Shed. It seems to get plenty in the summer, in its current 'propped up against the wall' arrangement. The Shed is very conveniently arranged in terms on its geographical orientation, with a 'porch' section of the roof sloping to the south.

When I get around to mounting the panel properly, my intention is to have it (more safely) on the Shed roof, facing south and at around a 70° slope, to (slightly?) increase the input in the winter periods, though at the expense of the summer input, which is a loss that I can afford, I think. It gets more input in the summer, in both time and intensity, and has slightly less outgoings. This may also keep it cleaner, although that doesn't seem to have been an issue in the four years that it's been running in its current location.

Most of the Shed roof has a slight slope to the north and, when up there to clean the chimney, I do find quite a few pieces of gravel from the drive - courtesy of the crows, I presume. I do often wonder how high they drop them from?
 

Lucy

Well-Known Forumite
We've got one on the greenhouse running a car battery too. It powers the automated watering system
 

Lucy

Well-Known Forumite
Whilst we're camping we've got a solar panel and a lithium battery hookup, and the OH adapted some USB C car chargers to go into the charge controller, which are working quite successfully.

PXL_20220903_125658693.jpgPXL_20220903_130152519.jpgPXL_20220903_130204550.jpg

Not sure it's sustainable to run from home, but we could use it to charge power banks that then charge our phones I guess.
 

tek-monkey

wanna see my snake?
Had a quote of 11k for 5.6kw of solar and 9.4kw battery, fully fitted and can do it in October. That is sounding the most promising so far, another quoted me similar price for double the size battery but went very quiet when I asked for details whereas this one gave me exact specs and links etc.
 

Cue

Well-Known Forumite
Had a quote of 11k for 5.6kw of solar and 9.4kw battery, fully fitted and can do it in October. That is sounding the most promising so far, another quoted me similar price for double the size battery but went very quiet when I asked for details whereas this one gave me exact specs and links etc.
Yeah that’s a pretty good deal to be fair.

I’m tempted myself, we’ll be moving in the next couple of years hopefully but I suspect solar and batteries will become a major selling point and increase house value after all this.
 

tek-monkey

wanna see my snake?
I'd definitely be interested in the name of the company
Can't yet give any assurances on quality but of the three quotes so far he's in the middle but 'feels' better if you know what I mean? Even gave me the number of a local guy that's just had a system fitted who was happy to talk me through his, which was useful as he raised a few points I hadn't thought about.

Will invite him for a quote anyway, looks like we can borrow the money we need. Annoyingly there is help if you don't earn much and have a low epc home but I'm a tiny bit outside the thresholds for everything I've looked at.
 

tek-monkey

wanna see my snake?
@Withnail (and anyone else with solar panels) any ideas what you get for exporting? Standard seems to be 4p but if a customer apparently octopus offer 7.5p, anyone else offer a good deal?
 
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