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Thread: Adding solar panels to an existing grid.

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    Default Adding solar panels to an existing grid.

    Hi everybody,

    My wife and I have had an ORION Inverter with 6 panels on the roof for about five years. We were wondering if it is economically feasible from a cost point of view to add an extra couple of panels into the circuit?

    Obviously there are a lot of companies advertising inverters and panels for $3,500 - $5,000 approx for a whole set-up.

    Thanks.

    David.



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    Hi David,
    Over here in QLD, I'm with Origin with a very old 1.5kW system at the old 50c rate.
    Only recently, I found out that I was allowed LEGALLY to increase the 'amount' by 30%. I had 7 panels and the installers said i could have another 3. So I did
    Much better intake. Get a 'full' 1.5kW for most of the day now.

    If you're on the 6c-8c rates it may not be viable to pay (probably around the $1000), for the additional panels and/or the cost of a larger inverter. However, if you're on the 50c rate, it would be well worth it IMO.

    Depending on how you house roof is laid out, you could put the 'extra' panels in a sun aspect that your existing panels don't get or lose out on as the sun chugs around. The best deal is to have a continuous intake throughout the day.
    You keep your existing inverter, just add panels - within the rules

    Whatever plan you're on, you may not be allowed to change your inverter to a larger kW.
    Hope that helps.
    Last edited by GT250; 11-06-17 at 07:23 PM.

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    You might not need another inverter just for two more panels. Most inverters back then could handle 8 panels in series, check specs. Very simple to install. 250W Panels each $220 delivered on ebay. $100 for the mounts, maybe $300 for the installer if you need one.
    If you or somebody is home in the day to use the extra power, definitly worth it. If not forget it.
    Still 50c in QLD??? I have my doubts about anybody still getting 50c. I thought this all ended this year.
    Last edited by Uncle Fester; 12-06-17 at 12:31 AM.
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    After just putting 5kw on my roof and the time prior spent researching, why not get it all replaced with a new system. Why I say this, with an older system having new extra panels fitted, your new panels will only output per panel what the lowest outputting panel you currently have. In other words, all your panels are governed by the lowest outputting panel on your roof. Your current panels should be around 250 watts, and the new panels these days output from 270 to 350 watts, so you will limit them with your old system. Also, technology in panels and inverters have improved since the old 60c per kilowatt days. Nowadays people look to use the power they generate instead of selling back to the provider, so panel placement is more important, as in N/W or E/W placement instead of just north facing, so you get usable power spread over the day instead of a spike around midday type of thing. And I agree with nomeat, your 50c per kwh should be over, having ended December 2016, so you're most probably only getting 6 odd cents per kw. In NSW, a submission IPART is looking into means that 6c may be increased to 12 or 14 cent per kw hopefully around July. I'm sure someone more knowledgeable with solar may pipe up with more info and correct me if I'm incorrect.
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    Nomeat,Keith You are correct in that QLD is no longer 50c. However, the OP has had his system put in 5 years ago. I'm not sure when the 50c FIT ended (for me at least in QLD I'm still on it), but the OP might as well.

    I'm still on the 50c - as per my reference "...at the old 50c rate..."). But in my additional panels, legally to keep Origin and legislatively legally happy, I had to stay with a 1.5kW inverter and the extra panels had to be installed by a licensed Solar installer.

    The OP (whatever his FIT is), can add (well in QLD as in 3 months ago), 30% additional panels to the current array.

    Pending the OP's NSEW alignment he could add the extra panels to cater for a 'facing' exposure that is not currently being used, thus getting a 'full' 1.5kW [6 panels is probably 1.5kW), spread over the day and this of course allows 'maybe' a 1.5kW amount getting in on a clement day.

    FWIIW: I bought second hand panels that matched the open VCC and were the exact same size as the Origin (Sharp 'made in Japan'), panels I had so the mounting rails and brackets that the installers carried fitted ok - as for second hand, the installers didn't mind!!
    I regularly get on average 10kW per day according to the Fronius web site/app thing - My original Sharp inverter went bust a year ago.
    The $850 installation fee will pay for itself in approx 2 years.

    The damn govt solar tax here that eats away the FIT in QLD is 18c pd and 116c pd....

    IMO, having a FIT of 6c, even on a 6kW system is not worth it as my parents have found out. They still got a bill for $100 whilst averaging 37kW pd@6c.
    As mentioned somewhere, it might be benifical to use any 'hungry' appliances during the peak solar input...
    Last edited by GT250; 12-06-17 at 04:37 PM.

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    Thanks guys for all the informative information on solar panels and feed in tariff's.

    We are currently getting 40c for the net feed-in-tariff. I am not sure if there are any legislation changes after 1st July? If there aren't any changes I think we might add some more panels at the end of winter.

    We had a company called sun connect - connect the panels up in April 2010 and they are 6 sungrid 175watt panels. An installer said some years ago that there is room for another three panels.

    I am just wondering if it is worth installing any more solar panels or just forgetting about adding to this system?

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    David071,

    My inverter allows me to look at the solar input virtually live. I can see that since I had the extra panels installed I get what I call a 'flat line' in my input.
    NB: All times/power are approx.

    Going back to Feb/Mar, I can see that the sun 'hits' my panels at about 5:30am ish and then I get a nice curve up to 1.5kWph to approx 8:00am then it 'flat lines' all the way until about 4:00pm, then drifts down as the sun sets.
    My roof is angled approx 5 degrees off north. My extra panels were added next to them.

    Now in June, the panels get the sun @ 6:00am and hit the flat line at about 9:00am. Tailoring off at 3:00pm.

    It's this 'Flat Line' range you will see that having extra panels allows your inverter to get the input earlier and 'hold' it till later.
    Inclement weather also allows your extra panels to give you the Wattage.
    It also depends on if your panels are facing just West (as my in laws house is). If they added an extra 30% of panels on the North side, that would give them input way earlier, giving them a broader coverage through out the day, if that makes any sense.

    I see 12-12.5kW on super sunny days (UV is a big player in this). Now in mid June, I'm getting about 9.5kW pd - of course this is with a cloud free day.
    In my case for the 50c FIT, it was worth it - pay off is 2 years. As the 50c FIT ends here in QLD I think in 2028. NSW might be different.

    Provide more info as to your location and roof layout. PM me if you want with more detailed info.

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    Hi GT250,

    We have currently 6 panels facing north with room for three more with a chimney sort of at the back of the panels. We may eventually get the chimney removed and even be able to install more panels.

    I can also read what the panels are producing which on a good summers day is about a kilowatt from about 10.30 - 2.30p.m.

    My query was we have had the panels and inverter since 2010 and they are only sungrid 175w panels. How would we go if we had like 3 - 250w panels added into the mix? The existing panels are on quite a high steep pitched roof - the house is 1940's. We are just north of Perth at Mount Hawthorn - being in Perth we get some pretty hot weather over the summer months.

    David.

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    Any chimney/shadow that would cut cross any part of any panel will bring that whole section down in voltage. So definitely remove any shadow.

    If you only have a 1kW system, I can't see it worth it to add another 300-350W's The install cost will be about $800 at least.
    I say 300-350W as in QLD you are allowed (legally to maintain the current FIT), to add 30% (or is it 33%?). So the most a residential place can have on a FIT is 5kW - add 30% and that's why it's common here to see 6.3kW systems available.

    So if you're getting 1kW for 4hrs that's 4kW@40c add 2kW for the dawn/dusk cycle, that's 6kW@40c= $2.40pd.
    Whereas I'm getting 10kW@50c = $5.00pd (Summer days $6.00, Winter days $4.50 - again - with no clouds!).

    Here in QLD we have two fees added on to the Electric bill. Not sure about NSW. I mentioned it earlier is 18c pd and 116c pd, [correction] 6.26c/day and 116.47c/day which is $1.23 a day. Times all the above by 90days and you can work it out, it's not good!!

    Maybe you can add another 750W or panels to your existing system - and keep - your inverter and keep your current 40c FIT. if you did add more panels (30% more), you might see another 3kW added per day. Which works out to 3x40c=$1.20pd x 90days = $432pa (all pending on how many sunny days etc pa).

    Of course you realise that Hot days do not equate to solar (UV) input. There are many high UV days in Winter days. However, of course summer days tend to be high in UV, but not always. It's made me 'aware' that on a few days when it's been coldish, the solar input is quite high and visa versa.
    Hope all that helps.

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    Feed in tariffs vary with state and which tariff you are on.

    In WA, you cannot increase your inverter size or you will lose the tariff


    But you can increase panels as per info below


    Most inverters will handle more panels than their rated out put, ie, a 5kw inverter can easily do 5.5 - 6 kw of panels.

    I would be emailing Orion with the model number and asking them what it can realistically do.

    Tariff Info

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