Home Solar Panels/batteries.

[Skids]

There may already be a thread on this but I couldn't find it.

I've had solar on my house for just on 3 years now and it has been fantastic! Summer time bills pre the install were close to $1000 for 2 months. 2 RC air cons (that run 24/7 when required), a swimming pool pump and more TV's than your local TAB ensure power consumption is quite high.
Most bills now are under $200.

I'm considering adding battery/batteries to the system but I can't really find any overly compelling info to suggest this would be a good option. I'm thinking of the imminent increase in power costs though.

Just curious as to others systems with or without baterries and any general info. Victoria obviously gets a lot less sunlight than we do here in WA and nowhere near as warm in summer, I guess Queenslanders would be the best comparison wise?

My most recent bill for 64 days is $190.
Apparently I exported 755 units to the grid, they give me 7.13c/unit
I used 604 units @ 26.7c/unit.

I generated enough to be totally self sufficient... if I'd stored it.... i think.

[think positive]

Definitely, I’ve looked at ithere, if we were not looking to do a sea change in the near future I’d have them by now. Solar has saved ussoooo much money! And we are in the second coldest hell, only tassie colder. Except Ballarat but that doesn’t count!

Just do your homework, lot of solar companies areascam, changing names etc.

Research the batteries too.

[roar]

I'm looking into a battery, mainly due to the continual power outages we get out here. Don't have any AC & run only 1 fridge so a 5KW should be ample. Looking at about $8K as don't qualify for the rebate.

[stui magpie]

Up in the Riverina you get plenty of sunshine, hot summers with lots of 40+ days (usually) and really cold nights over winter.

My uncle has about $30k worth of solar panels on his roof. 3 full arrays. Has a split system in just about every room of the house, has them running 24/7 summer and winter and hasn't paid a power bill in years.

[Skids]

REGEN, the company who installed my system just got back in contact with me. They advised against it at the moment saying the state government (WA) are considering subsidising the batteries.
Without a subsidy they advised it wasn't worthwhile.

[stui magpie]

Yeah, wait a bit, batteries are getting better and cheaper. If you've got a spare $10k put another lot of panels up instead for now.

[Skids]

Yeah, wait a bit, batteries are getting better and cheaper. If you've got a spare $10k put another lot of panels up instead for now.

We're not allowed to do that in WA. I don't think you're even allowed to have an AC/DC tattoo visible when in public now.

I can put a seperate system in for the battery only or connect a battery to my existing panels. We can't have over 6.6kw of panel and maximum 5kw inverter.
Different for commercial set ups.

[Bruce Gonsalves]

Solar panels and batteries have just become a thing in my life. We're a week or two from moving to a coastal rural location. Currently there is 6kw of power on the roof, looking to double that and add a battery. I don't believe it's beneficial going bunta on panels as the Feed in Tariff is so low it will benefit the power company. Best to store it for after dark.

Another thing I'm checking out is the existing hotty is a electric mains pressure. I'm shopping around atm for a Heat Pump hws with the rebate I can claim and also as a licenced plumber it will cost bugga all.

[stui magpie]

Good stuff but you lost me with the heat pump hws

[Bruce Gonsalves]

Good stuff but you lost me with the heat pump hws

Heat pump hotties are a bit like your fridge. I'm not going to try to explain the principle but it is the most economical form of hot water heating. It doesn't rely on sunshine like solar but more so ambient air temp.

[stui magpie]

OK, Ta, I'll take your word for it.

[Skids]

Heat pump definitely the most efficient to go with a solar/battery set up. Pricey though.

I've always been a big gas HWS fan. Have gas for cooking, 2 x BBQ points out the back, 2 x bayonets for space heaters and 2 x hws's.
Gas prices in WA are very cheap (see how long that lasts). My gas bill would be under $400/yr.

[stui magpie]

So I did a bit of looking at these Heat Pump HWS, I get the principles, any idea how well they work when it's really fkn cold in winter?

When you're getting -2 overnight, it would have to struggle or burn more energy wouldn't it?

[Skids]

They still work, not as efficiently. It's all about the refrigerants boiling temperature. I think around -200°, so they still extract 'heat' from the air.

With solar and a heat pump, with timer set for the warmer part of the day, you'll have the best system.... I think. I'm no expert on them.in crazy cold climates.

[stui magpie]

Think like the desert where it gets really cold at night.

Around the Riverina it's all flat land, lots of sun even in winter, regular stretches of mid 40's during summer and sub zero overnight lows in Winter.

I plan to put Solar on the joint in the next few years but have a few other priorities while it's still a holiday house. Getting a $30k shed built, then want to extend the kitchen and in between probably put in under floor ducted heating.

Logic says to me that heating the hot water during the day with Solar leaves it a long time to get cold overnight. I think I'll stick with the continuous flow gas that only heats when you use it rather than chewing energy to keep water warm.