Home solar power system is it worth it ??

[thedigger]

Those that have a solar system on the homes,that believe they are going to save some money are in for a bit of a shock.
About 9 years ago I istalled a 2kw system on the shed,which feed the house,at the time I thought it might be a fair investment,well that I now believe not so.
The inverter which converts the DC to 50 cycle 240v AC,packed up.I called up the people who supplied the inverter,the answer I got from them was how well i had to get 9 years from the unit,the average time is about 5 years.I then asked what if the unit could be repaired,well no we can sell you a refurbished unit for $650.00 with a 12 months warranty,or a new one $1280.00 with 5 years.As a old sparkie I can install the new one,so any one else will have to engage some one to install another,so that cost will be very much higher.
This is something at the time we were given the impression that the system would go much longer with no problems.
So given the time over again I would not have installed solar power.The only system that we are very happy with is the vacum tube hot water system,works brillant.
So my advise is to consider it carefully

Regards Frank

 

[Bazz]

Hey Frank

sorry to hear you had a bad experience

The place we are in at the moment is the first one for almost 30 years without some kind of solar, either hot water or power, we are so far in front that it's almost criminal, good for us

We know several families who have had solar for a while and they rave about the savings.

We have not had any troubles at all, except a wayward possum who chewed a cable (his last meal)

I suppose if you look hard enough you could find faults / flaws in any product, system or person

Truth is that we should all be looking at our own carbon footprint, because if we don't, bad crap will start happening to us all

Sorry for my greenie speech, but facts are facts

Cheers
Bazz

 

[condor22]

The thing I looked into was a low voltage Home solar system, similar to what you use in a caravan. Given today's choice of 12VDC LED lighting, TV, DVD, PVR etc etc many appliances could be converted to 12VDC in a home. That way you use Grid 240VAC for the heavy use items such as Aircon, Vacuum cleaner, microwave etc.

4 to 5 120 W solar panels, a decent controller/charger and 3 to 400 AH of battery could run many appliances with no need for an inverter, without feeding back to the grid and you get all of the savings instead of negotiating with large power networks.

For short term use a decent size system could use a stand alone 2kVA inverter ie microwave.

 

[thedigger]

Well hello BAzz,you think I have had a bad experience,I have had a realistic experience,when after a few years the owners get wacked with couple thousand dollars to replace these inverters,they will get the wake call.Another is they need to be cleaned,how many of these owners will climb on the roof to clean them,which I do,and which you would be surprised at the amount of grime that comes off them,which cuts down their efficency,and also the natural decline in the panels decline.
As for the carbon footprint,well plant life loves it,they put carbon dioxide into the hot houses to increase growth,and the idiots talk about reducing it way back down to zero,good luck,it is only a trace gas and plant life needs it.
I love solar power,but in the right application,I have solar pump on my lower dam,and it tops up the top one and it works brillant.Our van runs very well on the solar,we have 400 watts,with 180 amp/hr lithium battery,it runs 150 liter frig 40 liter engel,and the other power requirements.
So Bazz I have had a wake call,the inverters,are big unit that wear quickly,a lot of other people are going to find this out soon.

Regards Frank

 

[Nightjar]

Sorry to hear you have encountered problems Frank, is your inverter positioned in your shed away from the elements?
Have just received our first bill after installing same size system as yours, well I think it is, 8 panels?
Our power bill has halved and as we become more power conscious it will get better.
No we won't go down the carbon footprint path, the greatest con known to man. Al Gore stated all this and hopefully one day someone will follow his path and photograph again the doomsday photos he included in setting up the fear tactics and expose the scam.

Cheers
Peter

 

[Magilla]

Many of my neighbours had the panels fitted to their homes when the gov was offering very generous deals a few years ago, most have had problems of some sorts. I will cover my roof with the panels when the technology improves a bit but not just yet.

 

[Bazz]

Bad experiences aside, I don't feel qualified to comment on the cons, truth, rumours, smoke screens relating to the carbon footprint. What I do know is that producing electricity from coal or any other fossil fuel is just not sustainable.

Sure, that's not the only issue, but it's a start.

Looks like myself and the people I know might be the blessed, not having any major problems with solar, hooray for us !!!!

 

[Tathradj]

I have been having a close look at this.
A small 1.5 to 2kva system just to run the Telly and lights.
I have 480va available in batteries to do it.

The thing I looked into was a low voltage Home solar system, similar to what you use in a caravan. Given today's choice of 12VDC LED lighting, TV, DVD, PVR etc etc many appliances could be converted to 12VDC in a home. That way you use Grid 240VAC for the heavy use items such as Aircon, Vacuum cleaner, microwave etc.

4 to 5 120 W solar panels, a decent controller/charger and 3 to 400 AH of battery could run many appliances with no need for an inverter, without feeding back to the grid and you get all of the savings instead of negotiating with large power networks.

For short term use a decent size system could use a stand alone 2kVA inverter ie microwave.

 

[Jaros]

A few years back maybe 10yrs, the Brisbane City Council offered 800 Solar Power units for free to customers on a first in basis -if you qualified for it with you income-and we were lucky to spot it on the web the first day of offer. Since then we have been getting an average 10% of our power bill paid for.
We are now with " The Big Switch" which is another 15% off on top of the 10 % we were already getting. The power co. is Click Energy in Vic.
Jaros

 

[Havinago]

Just saw on the news a few weeks back that the Gov is looking into charging solar users who put back into the grid, mongrels

 

[thedigger]

There is no doubt that they will cut your power bills,that is for sure, but if down the track you have to hand back a wad of cash to keep the system going,well you could say that will take the shine of them.
Peter mine our in my workshop at the back of the meters.
But if I lived out,and there was no power availiable,I could set on 24volts dc very well,but the problem arise when you have to convert the voltage to 240v AC,that is the problem,put your hand on the unit feel the heat.
I am going to turn the unit off in the winter months because it generates very little power during then.
Our 2kw system can some days,when cool and about Nov & March on certain days can touch at times 2.5kw but winter not enough to run the TV or frig.
Only wish I was younger,I would go back into the electrical business again

Regards Frank

 

[AKA_RedRimmed_Desert]

I'm living with my aging parents (both 80s now) in a new home I helped my dad build several years ago. We have storms so, they always have had a gasoline generator as backup, to power most of the house until the power is back on. Then my dad got the idea to have a natural gas powered generator also, like hosppitals here use for emergencies. These start up soon as power goes off, only need to flip the switch to put the house circuit on it. Most things can run, not everything though, such as electric oven because important things get put on instead.

Now my parents added solar also, it was supposed to be for the well pump. A new pump was put in which can run on AC or solar. Then more panels added plus converter to make AC current. What we do is go solar during the day, switch over at night to the grid. Everything seems to run the on solar during daytime as it did while on the grid.

 

[AKA_RedRimmed_Desert]

Many of my neighbours had the panels fitted to their homes when the gov was offering very generous deals a few years ago, most have had problems of some sorts. I will cover my roof with the panels when the technology improves a bit but not just yet.

We have panels on our roof.....but there is now a right and a wrong way for them to be installed. The old way as light levels fluctuate, your power goes down or up. I'm not sure how to explain the new method or technology but lower light days shouldn't hurt your power output of the panels much or any.

I'll give the explanation a try. The old way during times of low light, the output was greatly reduced by some factor, the new hookup technology somehow the panels work independently, even though all hooked together. Just do your research and it will make sense.

 

[Jon]

My neighbours have had nothing but problems and wished they,d never heard about it. Carbon footprints happen when you go detecting after a controlled burn. I laugh my proverbial off when the Tv advertises turn your lights off for an hour or whatever it is, everyone yeeha,s how they are saving the planet. But the power station keeps pumping out the same oompf whether you turn them off or not, nothing changes. Hilarious, people just sit in the dark for nothing :lol: being conned into thinking, hey are saving the planet :lol:

 

[Bazz]

hahaha I know a spot that could use THAT carbon foot print

Yep! those power station continue to make crap, and electricity, even if it's not sustainable....... that gotta be f#@%d !!!!

 

[silver]

My parents had solar, batteries and inverter,.. lived like that for a decade using no fridge at all, just living a happy vegan life out of the orchard and the vege patch, with the very occasional trip into town ,... when they sold their place, the people who bought it just plugged their fridge in and away they went, worked like a beauty for them forever and ever.
I always think the new systems are just ripping people off, same system plus the batteries and you can live happily off the grid, just have a jenny for the fridge for if it rains for two weeks.
oh and they had both solar hot water and a coke stove with a hot water tank on it as well.

 

[y4k]

Just saw on the news a few weeks back that the Gov is looking into charging solar users who put back into the grid, mongrels

Was only a matter of time before they started making money from the solar, as soon as i heard all the nonsense about charging ppl to catch rainwater i figured it wouldnt be long before they would come up with some scheme to charge ppl for the suns rays...governments being as they are, im always sceptical when they offer grants as u can usually be sure they arent for the right reasons, they dont give a toss about the environment. Unfortunately now they have the names of all the ppl that took advantage of the grant. Conspiracy theory...maybe, but id bet its not as cut and dry as it all seems.

 

[limpalot]

You think that's a rip off, have a look at the increase in Service Charges for electricity. 2012 - $0.85 c, 2015 - $1.26 per day, 50% increase in 3 years. Not a bad inflation, 365 x 40 c = $ 146.00.Don't need to sell electricity.
Cheers LL

 

[Jon]

True Silver, a lot of con artists out there these days. Must admit I do know a couple of people here in CV that have their own set ups of solar and wind gen and are happy as totally off the grid.

 

[silver]

My Mum & Dad were happy only paying about $400 rates a year (they were out in the wild), and just a monthly phone bill was all otherwise that they had to pay.