Plug in solar

[ebee]

It would look absolutely cool (or uncool depending upon you viewpoint) in fact approad a firm such as "Ever Ready" (other firms are available & suggest it or better still build one and get it in the local press/TV then offer it to them to include in one of their adertising gimmiks and they might reward you - well oit does not hurt to ask them and you might gain a few quid.

 

[morqthana]

It would look absolutely cool (or uncool depending upon you viewpoint)

I guess coolness, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder...

 

[UKMICKY]

Ok hi all.
I just thought I would check in.

Just for completeness I thought I would let everyone know what I’m doing .
So I’ve decided plug in solar is not worth it . Prices are to high for to little return.

So I’ve bought an Anker solex e5000 with 10KW worth of storage and 12 x 500 watt panel to go with it .

I’m in the process of trying to find someone qualified to wire it up to my garage consumer unit and I will once that’s done fit the panels myself on the garage. They are a beast of a panel though so if anyone wants to help I won’t say no .

Once done I’m gonna go with octopus and pay them so I can export in the summer and import overnight during the winter .


I may add an extra 5kw battery at some stage also but as the Anker can only export at 2.5 KW I will need to do my sums to see if it’s worth it.

 

[morqthana]

I’m in the process of trying to find someone qualified to wire it up to my garage consumer unit and I will once that’s done fit the panels myself on the garage.

Does MCS certification work like that?

 

[UKMICKY]

Does MCS certification work like that?

Don’t need MCS . Just need building control and EIC from electrician then pay octopus 250 quid for the privilege of using their non MCS route . As I say you gotta pay 250 which adds to how long it takes to pay off the install but it will pay it off especially during the summer export and cheap import cost over winter.

 

[ericmark]

This seems to be the problem with all solar and batteries. I started another thread about this, the FIT (closed to new applicants on March 31, 2019) you were guaranteed a payment, so you could say in X years it will have paid for its self. The Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) replaced it, and it seems the payment is anything but guaranteed.

It seems the organisations Flexi-Orb and the like are not required to get the second MPAN number, but it is difficult to get it all sorted with the Flexi-Orb never mind without it.

The Octopus offer does make it easier, but is simply should not be required, but for first 20 months with British Gas, even with the Flexi-Orb number, I got no payment for export, so 2024 I exported 2625.7 kWh and 2025 it was 3054.7 and to date 2026 it is 2969.3 kWh, so average is around the 2900 kWh per year. At 15p/kWh 20 months is around £725 that British Gas swindled me out of.

OK, plug in will not produce as much, I have 6 kW of panels with 5 kW inverter, and 6.4 kWh of storage. But all which is guaranteed, it what I use myself, so at around 25p/kWh and the production - export. Since fitted approx 3 years used in house 9523.2 kWh so £2380.80 solar used at 25p/kWh.

This is a fraction of what has really been saved, as charging batteries overnight at cheap rate, and using during the day, plus the export so add another £1000 for electricity exported, and £600 for the off-peak used during peak hours, so for 3 years around £4000 saved. But of that £4000 only £2300 is due to solar directly.

When I consider running washing machine, tumble drier, and dishwasher at night the sum saved increases, but also a loss converting much more realistic is more like £3500. But I can say over £1000 a year saved, but just the panels, £750 saved.

 

[morqthana]

Don’t need MCS . Just need building control and EIC from electrician then pay octopus 250 quid for the privilege of using their non MCS route .

Well, I've learnt something new - thanks!

And they are not alone

Octopus is one of the few suppliers who’ll pay you for export without an MCS or Flexi-Orb certification.

 

[ebee]

ditto here too

 

[denso13]

MCS is only for the export tariff, which not all suppliers need. Not really applicable to plug in solar.

 

[UKMICKY]

So anker e5000 now installed by sparky .

G98 approved for. 2.5kw export and import ,

Just started installing solar panels to garage roof 12x 500 watt panels in total . Anker inverter can only use 5kw so I’ve over paneled by 1kw .

Everything going well and surprise how easy everything thing has been .so easy in-fact I can’t see why anyone would bother with plug in solar

Only issues I’ve had is finding decent fixing brackets for flat tile pitched roof and I also didn’t like the height off he roof the panels were gonna sit so I’ve had to mess about adapting brackets to lower then down a bit.

Shame it’s winter as I won’t see much benefit for 3to 4 months now

 

[ericmark]

I also have 6 kW of panels, with 5 kW inverter, and in my case 6.4 kWh of battery, which could be considered too small, depends on what the battery is being used to do.

To absorb peaks and trough it can charge at 4 kW and discharge limited by inverter to 5 kW and it is rare that the solar is producing over 4 kW when the battery is not already full. At 3.2 kWh so 2 kW charge and 3 kW discharge, I was seeing a 70% charged battery but exporting power.

But this time of year, once on UTC the time between end of solar production and start of off-peak is too long, so I do run out of battery.

Thursday I was still peaking at 3.9 kW export, but last two days, been well down. My panels are South-West facing so morning solar rather low. But it is the evening solar I need, so that is good.

2.5 kW export seems rather low, I have seen my system exporting the full 5 kW.

The main thing, before solar we had a standing order for electric of £130 per month, idea was over pay in summer and it would cover winter, today we are paying £20 per month, that's less than the standing charge. Just.

 

[UKMICKY]

Yeah that’s why I’ve did it. I’ve got a Koi pond so have pump filters and UV lights running 24 hours so even overnight I’m using 450 to 500 watts base load . Last year with standing charge my Lecci bill was £1900.

I’ve got 10KW of battery but wanna wait before I get more to see if I can actually use what I’ve got . I’m looking to at least eliminate at least £1200 plus of my bill ,hopefully more . which would give me payback in 3 years . My garden is south facing and using garage and roof of pond shelter Im mixing between SE,S and SE.