Just want to check that a quote for solar that my father received is any good.
12 x 250watt ASP 250 Silver Panels
1 x JFY 5.0TL 2MPT KW inverter
Price $4,049
I have two questions.
1. Is the gear any good?
2. Is it good value?
Solar quote any good?
(21 posts) (10 voices)-
Buzzman
MemberSaw in the local rag this week a front page add for EOFY Sale of PV at 5.0kW for $3,999.
Included Inverter and install.
That's less than $1 per kW...!!!
It's actually what I paid for my 2kW system 5 years ago.
Who says the price isn't coming down???
Posted Friday 5 Jun 2015 @ 12:52:50 am from IP # -
David
MemberHusker said:
I have two questions.1. Is the gear any good?
2. Is it good value?Read this and then decide, however if it's the panels I think they are, run away run far away. There is plenty of stories of panels going brown under that so called brand name. JFY can be ok but they are at the cheap end of the market. If you do go for it absolutely ensure it's installed in a place that is always in the shade and is not a west wall, no matter what someone might say, it's very bad to put inverters where heat either direct or indirect will impact them.
http://www.businessspectator.com.au/article/2013/5/9/solar-energy/murky-side-australian-solar-panelsIn Solar particularly grid-connect systems at the really cheap end of the market you pay peanuts you almost always get junk.
Posted Friday 5 Jun 2015 @ 2:55:52 am from IP # -
Buzzman
MemberI wnet looking for the paper but couldn[t find it, so chased it down online.
Advertised in "Your Local Independent" Port Macquarie newspaper last week.
"End Of Financial Year Sale - 5kW for $3,999. Extra 2 panels an extra $200"
Website says anything over 5kW gets a $100 EFTPOS card as well.
Can't read the logo on the inverter, if anyone's interested, look at their website, give them a call, and report back here.
Posted Friday 5 Jun 2015 @ 6:01:29 am from IP # -
Sunshine
MemberJust want to check that a quote for solar that my father received is any good.
12 x 250watt ASP 250 Silver Panels
1 x JFY 5.0TL 2MPT KW inverterPrice $4,049
I have two questions.
1. Is the gear any good?
2. Is it good value?
...
Haven't heard of either brands.
Any reason why you are going for unknown brands other than price..
not for mePosted Saturday 6 Jun 2015 @ 5:31:09 am from IP # -
David
MemberSunshine said:
12 x 250watt ASP 250 Silver Panels
1 x JFY 5.0TL 2MPT KW inverterHaven't heard of either brands.
Any reason why you are going for unknown brands other than price..
not for me"ASP" stands for "Australian Solar Panel" also badged "Amerisola" I think it is, made in china don't let anyone tell you other wise. Eurosolar, they're just cheap c..p
JFY cheap, lots sold, do work, work best if strings are operating at the top end of their voltage range otherwise ....., only install in permenantly shaded position or will cook and die fast.
Posted Saturday 6 Jun 2015 @ 5:48:06 am from IP # -
megamont
MemberHusker,
Be wary of that offer/quote!!I checked with my supplier who installed my recent solar set up.
I asked him for a 5Kw Solar install for my neighbour.
In short the quotes were;
$4000.00 "El Cheapo", (5 years if your lucky without out problems).
$5000.00 (Guaranteed and supported).
The choice is yours.
Posted Sunday 7 Jun 2015 @ 8:32:35 am from IP # -
Lance
Key MasterJust make sure your system doesn't end up looking like this: https://www.flickr.com/photos/133359058@N08/sets/72157650553959244/with/17700966352/
Posted Monday 8 Jun 2015 @ 12:33:40 am from IP # -
Buzzman
MemberSorry, Lnace, what am I missing? The one with the Commodore out front it looks like the installer has set the array as high as possible to avoid the shadows from the chimney and TV antenna, the shadow from the former which is even visible on the roof in the photo, and would probably have largely negated the efficacy of the install.
Sure, overhanging the ridge is not optimal, but it looks sensible in this case.
Posted Monday 8 Jun 2015 @ 1:28:56 am from IP # -
David
MemberBuzzman said:
Sure, overhanging the ridge is not optimal, but it looks sensible in this case.Not the way that array is mounted it isn't. If the installer of that array had actually read the installation manual, he would have found that generally should not be overhanging any roof edge as a minimum.
Posted Monday 8 Jun 2015 @ 1:43:10 am from IP # -
Lance
Key MasterThanks David, you beat me to it, half the array is overhanging the ridge, in my mind that's just nuts, the wind loading on the mounting points would be huge. Would have been much better to move the TV antenna, though not much you can do about the flue without a bit of expense.
I would never mount any array like this, maybe because we see very high winds here, but everywhere gets storms with high winds occasionally. That array is just asking to be ripped off the house.
Posted Monday 8 Jun 2015 @ 1:47:14 am from IP # -
Buzzman
MemberYeah, my point. Can't move the chimney. Can't put the array on a different roof plane....what's the solution...???
But I agree it's not safe as installed. Should have additional bracing back down to the opposite side of the roof.
Sloppy install, but not as bad as some I've seen installed with shade trees overhanging most of the day.
At least the installer had half a clue about the shading issue of the chimney, and probably had no financial support from the supplier company to do anything extra, like additional bracing, and the homeowner probably stuck to their "I've paid all I'm going to pay" guns and so got a sub-optimal install.
An investment of an additional cuppla hundred could have enabled the installer to add bracing not included in the 'package price' and made it much safer. Still ugly, but at least working, and safe.
But at least it will be generating power, which it might not have been had the chimney shadow been on it following a 'more normal' install position lower down the roof.
Best of a bad job probably sums it up.
Posted Monday 8 Jun 2015 @ 1:57:05 am from IP # -
David
MemberLance said:
That array is just asking to be ripped off the house.Particularly since it appears there are only 2 support points on the back of the array. I have installed arrays with reverse tilt frame or legs on roofs before, not overhanging a ridge-line. However the minimum is N number of panels per row + 1 more tilt leg, to properly support the array so it's held onto the roof correctly and the load is spread over the whole area as well, still depends on how exposed the roof is.
For instance, my own personal array mounted on my shed is one of the biggest sails you will ever find for a domestic installation, with the highest point of the array being just under 3m above the roof. To counter the issue of it all flying away and taking the roof with it, the array is anchored through the roof to additional steel sections that are directly anchored to the concrete slab (+20 Tonne) specifically to stop it all flying away. The shed roof holds it all up, the concrete slab is what really keeps it from flying away.
Posted Monday 8 Jun 2015 @ 2:06:38 am from IP # -
Bushwalker
MemberWouldn't cost a lot to have the flue re-aligned with a dogleg so it exits via the southern face of the roof. Then they could have installed the panels correctly, and have room for more.
Posted Monday 8 Jun 2015 @ 3:08:21 am from IP # -
Buzzman
MemberDon't be so sure. Difference in my roof is about $800, straight vs kinked-in-roof flue.
Probably more than the homeowner had/was wiling to shell out.
But really should have been covered by the person who quoted the system in the first instance.
"Does your roof have a chimney?" "TV Antenna?" "Trees overshadowing?"
But do they actually ask.....????
Posted Monday 8 Jun 2015 @ 3:11:07 am from IP # -
Bushwalker
MemberI think you were getting ripped off there...
http://www.pivotonline.com.au/category/wood-heater-flues-and-accesories/galvanised-flue-bends
~$40 per bend.
Pipe lengths
http://www.pivotonline.com.au/category/wood-heater-flues-and-accesories/galvanised-flue-pipe-lengths
~$25 per 900mm
Through roof flashings, $100.
Posted Monday 8 Jun 2015 @ 4:14:06 am from IP #
