Suggestions for a top solar power system « Alternative Technology Assn Forums

Alternative Technology Assn Forums » Energy

Suggestions for a top solar power system

(14 posts) (10 voices)

Started 12 years ago by wandifred
Latest reply from shadow758

Tags:

wandifred
Member

Hello everyone,

I am seriously considering another solar power system to compliment my Conergy 1.5Kw system to try and get as close to the 5kw upper limit allowed in WA. I'm not really savvy to what's good and what's not on the market and with such a range of companies for both solar power panels and inverters, making the correct choice is not easy.

I'm considering a system using 14 Sunpower 225W panels running through a Sunny Boy 3800 inverter. My only concern is the shortcomings of the SP panels not being compatible with inverterless technologies and the necessity for the SB 3800 to be connected in pairs.

I look forward to all suggestions and advice. It is a hefty investment that I'm going to make and I'd like to do it right.

Thanks for your time.

Fred

Posted Sunday 23 Aug 2009 @ 6:19:31 am from IP #
Greenozi
Member

Hi Fred, You could consider Wind turbine as top up if you have right conditions. Vertical Axis or Horizontal still much cheaper / 1kW that solar. Regards GreenOZi

Posted Sunday 23 Aug 2009 @ 7:32:15 am from IP #
wandifred
Member

Hey Greenozi,

Thanks for your input. I live in Perth where the wind averages out around 3.40m/s and the quality is often poor being gusty when it's strongest. I did research wind power as an option but decided against it. If the upper limit is lifted in WA then perhaps I might add a 1Kw system but for now I believe a large solar array complimented by using smart power is my best option.

Cheers,
Fred.

Posted Sunday 23 Aug 2009 @ 7:57:51 am from IP #
Sunshine
Member

wandifred,

I have the Sunnyboy SB3300, and have 18 Schott 170w panels, in two strings of nine.
That's not an issue having the panels in two strings.
If the Sunpower panels are incompatible, I would suggest going for a different brand.
I am very happy with my system, peak output per day in summer is 19kWh, last month, August I averaged 15.3kWh per day in winter which is fantastic return.

Posted Saturday 5 Sep 2009 @ 11:15:53 pm from IP #
norbert
Member

I've got 12 SP 210w panels and a Fronius IG30.There was a bit of confusion before the installation as according to SP their panel need to be positivly earthed.
According to SP this only works with either a Fronius or Sunnyboy inverter.
When I bought the panels there was no word about it.Apart from that I'm really please with the performance.On a cloud free sunny day the inverter display goes up to 2755 watts so actually a bit more then the panels are rated for.Don't know why that is but I definately won't complain about it.
When we went onto the grid 3 weeks ago our meter was on 503 kw/h,it's now down to 495kw/h.
So it appers we generate enough to run our house plus a little bit extra.I think for winter this is great.

Posted Sunday 6 Sep 2009 @ 3:13:50 am from IP #
wandifred
Member

Hi Sunshine and Norbit,

Both of your systems sound like great energy producers. It will be interesting to see what sort of production I can achieve once the sun shines more often. I too have noticed that my Conergy panels have bursts at time usually when it's cloudy. My system is rated at 1530W but has spiked to over 1800W but only on broken cloud days. On a sunny cloudless day this doesn't occur and I get about 1200W Max in Spring so far.

Cheers,
Fred.

Posted Sunday 6 Sep 2009 @ 3:45:25 am from IP #
wandifred
Member

Sorry (embarressed look), I meant Norbert

Posted Sunday 6 Sep 2009 @ 3:46:36 am from IP #
Anonymous
Unregistered

Beware with liberated solar offers; there are plenty of miserable citizens since of them.

Helpful link:
http://www.clarysolar.com/index.html

Posted Friday 25 Jun 2010 @ 6:21:16 am from IP #
Mrs Cackle
Member

Have a peek at Suntech Pluto panels. v. efficient! we have then installed, so far so good.
Sunpower are very nice, I sure they need to be positive earthed tho.
Sungrid 250's are also read well. They are bigger and a bit heavier tho.

Happy Hunting

Posted Friday 25 Jun 2010 @ 11:55:58 am from IP #
Russell Moore
Member

Mrs Cackle, what was the extra cost of the Plutos over a 'standard' Suntech panel setup?

Also what size panels are they in watts? I would like to add some 205w or 225w Plutos to my system one day.

Did you have to wait long to get them, as I thought they were in short supply...

Thanks, Russell

Posted Friday 25 Jun 2010 @ 12:06:21 pm from IP #
cheneychapel
Member

We have a Sunny Boy 3800 running for 4 years now.It is connected to 4150 watts of panels (20 x BP 165 ,6 xbp 75watt and 5 x bp 80watt )and a Sunny boy 1700 to 10 x 175 Bp 1750 watt .These are by far the best inverters available having had in the past a Seletronic and a Fronius inverter.Do not worry about pairs or strings as long as you end up ith even strings eg if you instal the panels you want it is 2 strings of 7.Once installed the effeciency of these inverters is second to none and you will not be disapointed.
The bonus of the Sunny boy system is that being an AC bus system you can add a back up inverter later down the track when you can afford and no more black outs.
Good luck with your choice but remember hoe good German technology is.
Regards
Matt

Posted Monday 16 Aug 2010 @ 9:19:19 am from IP #
gully
Member

Excellent info cheneychapel - good to hear from someone with a long running system.
Can I ask how the SB1700 is setup with the 175w BP panels (2 strings of 5 or 1 string of 10)? I've got the same inverter.

Posted Monday 16 Aug 2010 @ 12:30:33 pm from IP #
cheneychapel
Member

Thanks Gully.We have 2 strings of five on the SB1700.If you want to see the stats go to this page http://www.sunnyportal.com/Templates/PublicPageOverview.aspx?plant=ef37c258-fef5-4be1-98b4-8cd2b2498734&splang=en-US.It is our Sunny Portal page.It has the last 2.8 years on it.The Sunny boy 1700 is from May the 10th this year
Regards
Matt

Posted Thursday 19 Aug 2010 @ 8:42:05 am from IP #
shadow758
Member

Hi Everyone,

I am in the same boat, I am looking to install a 3.2kw system. Their is so much to look at and choose between. So far I have quotes ranging from AUD$8,000 to AUD$15,000.
The system I am looking at has 14 x Sunpower E13 Serengeti 228watt panels with a Xantrax GT28 Inverter.
Has anyone had any dealigs with these panels and Inverter.

Regards

Shadow758

Posted Friday 17 Jun 2011 @ 9:40:23 am from IP #

RSS feed for this topic