Hi guys,

I am considering to get 1.5kw solar electricity system for my house.
There are many vendors that offers very cheap quote ranging $1500 - $2000.
But, vendor like Origin, or maybe go to builder directly, their quotes are in $3500 - $5000 range.

Out of curiosity, I called Origin to clarify, and they couldn't tell me why their quote is more expensive apart telling me that they have 15 years warranty on the product and their business is more established compared to the competitors.

The answer didn't satisfy me at all.

Do any of you guys have any experiences in getting one?
why is the quote so much different?
What's wrong with the cheap quote? Is there any catch?

What to consider when choosing panel?
What is the recommended brand?

Any advice will be greatly appreciated?


Many thanks,

Hazza

Ive had my system for almost a year now.

I took my average daily usage (written on the account) and doubled it and went for a system size that I could just barely afford, would cover all my usage, pay the gas bill and give me a small income each quarter. I chose Suntech panels and an SMA Inverter which are above mid-range quality, then looked for a reputable company to install them.

Have a read on the Whirlpool website in the Green Tech forum as it depends on which state you live in and what Feed in Tariff (FIT) is paid on the electricity you put back into the grid. In SA the base FIT has dropped from 44c down to 16c/Kwh and the bottom fell out of (another) local industry because its hardly worth installing now.

Be warned that simply asking which brands are best, before doing your homework and forming your own opinion, could see you being advised to use poor quality components that wont last the distance. Its a task fraught with danger as many elcheapo companies have moved on after making a bundle, and many customers with dead Inverters and yellowing panels, with no local agency are left up the creek without a paddle

Good luck

Arfur, I hardly think that Hazza is worried abut feed-in tarriffs if he is going to get a 1.5 kW system.

Hazza, do any of your friends or neighbours have a recently installed system that you could ask them about? There is also a website that should be able to answer many of your questions regarding inverters, panel types, installation etc. It also gives a rundown of hundreds of solar installation companies, complete with customer testimonials:
http://www.solarquotes.com.au/

From my experience a 1.5Kw system would generate such a small percentage of Hazza's electrical usage it would probably be a waste of time and money, hence my reference to selecting the size of my system

EDIT -- I would take the reviews on Solarquotes with a huge 'pinch of salt' as it wouldn't be the first site thats had questionable solar companies insert lots of lovely positive comments about their own company to drum-up business -- Beware

Not everyone wants to be a nett generator - those that want to go for a small system that is comparitively cheap to install, knocks a few hundred a year off the electricity bill, and gives the feeling of 'doing your bit' - good on 'em, I say.


Yes, I tend to agree, but they still provide a wealth of information on the compnents themselves. Imagine buying inferior panels or being stuck with an inverter with a noisy transformer in it due to not educating yourself about them!

[/quote] Imagine buying inferior panels or being stuck with an inverter with a noisy transformer in it due to not educating yourself about them! [/quote]

Its why I suggested Whirlpool where genuine installation contractors take the time to advise newbies.

I think you will find the above-average brand of Inverters no longer have transformers for that very reason

Since I am now heading down the process of getting a system installed, I have been doing a heap of research lately. Solarquotes is handy because it provides links to hundreds of companies and from there you can work out what products they use. Whirlpool has been handy too. I will not even consider using an installation company that do not state what they use.

Panels generally fall under the guise of Category 1, 2 or 3, depending on whether they are built in-house or just assembled, and the quality of the bits themselves including the mounting systems and method of assembly too, which is important for weatherproofing (IP rating) of the junction box underneath them etc. An installation company who offers budget systems will normally not advertise exactly what the panels are, and they will not be Category 1 for example. Sure, they will still generate electricity, and probably last just as long as others, but they will probably have less inbuilt efficiency and may be flimsy.

An example of Category 1 monocrystalline panels are what Origin Energy offer; Suntech or Trina. There are probably others Cat 1's on the market but this is just off the top of my head. Sun-earth and NESL are good Category 2 panels, just as efficient but assembled from components from all over the place - hopefully they all comply to a minimum standard and fit together properly etc. One thing to remember is that are very few manufacturers of the cells (the 5" squares) themselves, but many, many manufacturers of panels from the same cells.


From researching data sheets, and anecdotaly, Aurora and SMA ("Sunny Boy") seem to be the better inverters. The HF range of SMA's, suitable for a 2 to 3kW system, do have transformers in them and emit noise to the level of 38 dB(A). This is akin to a desktop computer which could be annoying if it is otherwise silent in the house, depending on where it is located obviously. For me, an SMA inverter was offered but if it was located externally next to the meter box, which has our bedhead on the other side of the wall, the noise might be an issue for me trying to sleep after a night shift for example.

To cut a long story short I am presently looking at a 1.9kW system with Suntech panels and an Aurora inverter for around $6k on a tile roof. I am going for quality over quantity.

Which Aurora are you getting? The outdoor unit is the newer and more efficient unit.

I chose SMA 3000TL because of their bluetooth connectivity, and quieter transformerless (hence the TL) operation and it hasn't missed a beat. This might have been the option for you.

And they are lockable by padlock as it seems Inverters are on the hit list for thieves.

As an aside-- I was told by my solar electrician who came to replace a burnt out isolator, that many of the Solar companies who earnt a quick quid have now moved on leaving many people in the lurch with warranty problems.

A lot of the price differences often come down to signing away RECs. Basically for a certain amount of energy generation, you're awarded so many STCs, which you can sell off. Certain installers/energy companies come up with ways by which you sign off your rights to these STCs, in exchange for a discount.

be very careful I have a solar system which is a complete waste of money and have gotten little benefit from it

Please expand?

ok well have a 2.7 kilowatt system had installed jan 2011 all i have recieved off my bills is a total of $300 of my bills in total over that time i am in qld

Still not enough info. Are you a heavy user of electricity? What is you daily average use? Something sounds amiss here, have you had your system checked? Do you have panel-shading?

I live alone and watch my usage, without going overboard. I turn things off at power points, but still run my R/C A/C when its hot. My system is only a little larger than yours Yvette and it covers all my electricity usage with enough credits to pay my gas bill and give me around $450/quarter, excluding concessions. Naturally its less in winter, but at this rate I will pay off my system relatively quickly.

Some whiz with numbers suggested the return on investment (ROI) is around 19%, but I have yet to prove this

my electricity use is the same pre solar as after solar .our bills are around $350.00 a quarter just for electricity before you add gst and charges etc.the system is a sharp panels and fronius inverter from orgin just over one year old.Have fighting with them to came out and check the sytem since begining dec.2012

I'm afraid that doesn't help either. Whoever designed your system should have taken into account the amount of Kwhrs you use on average per day, which is usually on your bill. Dollar costs mean nothing in attempting to work out the amount of Kwhrs you use per day, compared to what your system generates.

If you are a heavy user with around (and these figures are a guess because I dont know how many people are in your house) 20 --30+Kwhrs / day a 2.7Kw system will have little effect.

With your current rate of return you be pushing up daisies before your system is paid for

Origin have all the figures anyway that is our energy supplier anyway around 12kwh a day but that should go down as we had five people living in the house now there is 3.As I said 12kwh a day before solar 12kwh day after solar

well complaints have been listed with both fair trading and ewoq.through the local state member,so see how that goes.

Hazza,
Head on over to the whirlpool site, plenty of experts over there who have heaps of knowledge about your local area.

http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum/143

Cheers
Tippy Toes

honstely donot touch origin for solar power that is who i when with and there after service(what after service) I have been trying to get them to come and have a look at my system since nov last year.