Yes exfarmer, if you have grid power available batteries can't compete. Seems like you have much the same pricing system we have here. Nothing under 6kw is worth the effort. With your $3299 you should pay for it in 3.5 years but might be quicker in WA because of the sunlight. If you can manage to export 20 kwh a day you won't have to pay a power bill, that is the break even point. That also depends on your usage which should be around or under the 5kwh figure. We have 3 fridges running and we are around the 4 mark per day.
Hi Again guys Yes here in the West we can buy a 6.65 kw system of 19 panels at 350 W for $3299. installed with a 5kw inverter(we are not allowed more than a 5kw inverter on a domestic home) or the same system with a 6.5Kw battery for $7990.00.
Boy I wish they were that cheap here. They are nearly 2.5 x that price here for a 5kw system that output 240 vac and that is with the exchange rate difference figured in. I won't going solar anytime soon.
Hi AVB, The systems are heavily subsidised by the government in their aims for zero emissions by whenever, without it they shoot up in price. I was talking to a friend who paid not a cent to have his 18 panel system fitted, apparently the energy company sort of lease your roof for 10 years and they do this to a number of houses in close proximity and they are then able to use this as a small power plant. He doesn't get any feed in tariff but it has reduced his power bill to about $100 for 3 months which is about the supply charge only he is paying for. After 10 years the system becomes his. Now that was a good deal
Still trying to get more info on these small solar systems but at this stage I believe due to the way the power companies are basing their charges that anybody who has one that they would be better off by about $1 a day by having their system disconnected from feeding power back into the grid. By staying with the feed in it is costing them around $90 a quarter when they constantly spruke that by fitting solar it will save you money
There goes Aussie slang words again...OH well this time I looked it up.
Yes they perfume it up a lot but it is still bull crap a lot of the time. They don't like when they get caught either. On any thing new it is the enduser the one that get it stuck to.
But I am considering putting a solar setup; just not a 240vac system, to run my lighting and other 120vac equipment. My 240 vac equipment just draws more than any smaller system can supply. plus it looks all I need a 400w setup for those items but probably install 1 KW panel setup.
I actually use a 60 w panel now for battery charging and a little electrolysis that I do.
And here the local electric company just started installing a solar farm close by. Converting prefect good farm land in to it. I can see hilly land but not good flat farm land.
Hi AVB, yes they are building a few solar farms here in north western Victoria I believe. They are using the land for sheep grazing as it was used for previously and the sheep are able to graze around under all the panels and keep the grass in check. Also gives them some shade and protection so a win both ways I think. I would imagine they couldn't run as many sheep on the station as before but that is a small price to pay. As for Australia probably 90% is outback that can't be used for much so solar farms could be built out there but the problem power companies are now finding is they are getting an overload of solar power during the day but can't work out how to supply power during the night. Wind is just too hit and miss
I have had solar for 1 1/2 years and no battery and so far no bills. 6.6kw system (20 panels) my bills were around 450-550 per quarter BUT I live in Townsville and the sun today is directly above us and the solar output is good I'm allowed to export 5kw per hour and can do 4998kw per hour for most of the day My solar supplies the house first and what is left over is exported so working well Ian
That is a good system you have there Ian, at the moment we are exporting around 30 KWH per day with the odd one dropping down to 6/8 per day but that might be only a couple of days per month. We have 22 panels. During the winter months June/July/Aug our bill was $169 Still a big drop down from our $450 which is what it would have been
Ok so just a 12 month update on my system, my total power bill was $173.12 and my latest bill for Dec/Jan/Feb was a credit of $72.14 Finally got to a point where they owed me money, not the other way around. At this rate it will have paid for itself in a bit over 2 years so I have a very happy wife (for a change)
It looks like households with solar panels that export power to the grid could be slugged a fee under a proposal by the Australian Energy Market Commission .
Yes Max and AVB, Apperntly there is a device that can be fitted that prevents you from exporting power to the grid, I would sooner send my excess power to ground than give it to the power companies for nothing.
Yes Max and AVB, Apparently there is a device that can be fitted that prevents you from exporting power to the grid, I would sooner send my excess power to ground than give it to the power companies for nothing.
Kinda the way I feel too. Right now the only solar power I produce is just wasted unless I am either charging a battery or doing electrolysis.
I been doing that with mowers here that potential buyers wants me to sell them at below cost. I would rather either disassemble for parts or simply take a cutting torch to them and recycle the left overs. Kinda funny my brother could patch them up and sell them for the same price without a warranty where I repair them right and provide a warranty for the same price. I just got tired of getting insult offers. Now they are at the begging stage and I wouldn't do it now. Repairs only.
Paying a fair price for the surplus electricity would be nice instead of them trying to get it for nothing and then charging for it as it cost them a lot. To me what sounds like they want the solar producers to pay a subsidy just to help the electric companies make even more profits.
I've heard of people importing cheap second hand electric cars from Japan Norm ,but when the car battery is no good for the car it's fine for a house ,so you can just use an old battery.
