Adding another solar system.

[dixons]

Hi
I have a 1.5 kW PV system ( Frontius IG15 and 8 sharp panels ) installed at the end of 2007. I am receiving the full Victorian rebate (60c ? ).
I would like to increase the system by either adding another inverter and panels, similar in size to the present one,or changing the inverter and adding panels.
What effect will this have on the rebate?
Assuming the rebates are phased out in the near future, would it be better to wait?
What would be the cost of such a system assuming I am not entitled to any government rebates ( I was given a rebate when it was originally installed)?
Cheers

[gordonwh40]

I had a 1.85Kw system and I added another 1.5Kw system. Turned out to be cheaper to have complete new system with its own inverter than extending the current system due to problems with matching panels and the cost of the larger inverter. The current system had 10 x 185W panels and the new system has 6 x 250W panels. This second system was installed last Christmas, so it has been accepted for the QLD 44c rebate. QLD now 8c. As I already had the rebate for the earlier system I only got recs at a 1 multiplier. Not sure what it means, but rebate was about$1000.00 and my cost was $3000.00.
Very happy with the performance of both systems, also easy to check if either is losing efficiency as there is a direct relationship between the two systems with regards power generation.

[dixons]

A quick update, after much confusing and wrong advice from different electricity retailers I finally found the information I needed to make a decision. The feed in tariff that I am on in Victoria( 66c/kWh ) will last till 2024. If I install any extra capacity I lose this and go on to a transitional tariff of 25c/kW.With this advice it doesn't make sense to increase my system until things change.
Be very careful about who talk to as I was advised by two retailers that I would continue to receive the full tariff and sellers where ambiguous about the consequences of increasing my system.

[Mr 672A]

If I install any extra capacity I lose this and go on to a transitional tariff of 25c/kW.With this advice it doesn't make sense to increase my system until things change.

That's interesting we were considering of increasing our system to 4Kw as at the moment our system is only 2.5Kw. We in QLD with ??? are getting paid 60C per Kw that you push back into the street. I wonder if you increased the size of the system yourself if capable what would happen. There are so many systems around our area that are running a inverter of a larger capacity, all they need is to slip in a correct amount of panels or like in our case load the third string up which would improve your/our yearly yield and the efficiency of the inverter.
The company that did our installation did such a shonky job that I gave them a week to remove it all otherwise the video I made of the installation was going to find itself in the hands of the ACA or today tonight..

[gordon_s1942]

It might be prudent for others who have systems in place and are considering expanding or altering in any way to get the relevant information in WRITING from the supplier,Installer,Authority etc first to avoid any 'Down the Track' loss of any entitlements.

[Dishtrackted]

That's interesting we were considering of increasing our system to 4Kw as at the moment our system is only 2.5Kw. We in QLD with ??? are getting paid 60C per Kw that you push back into the street. I wonder if you increased the size of the system yourself if capable what would happen. There are so many systems around our area that are running a inverter of a larger capacity, all they need is to slip in a correct amount of panels or like in our case load the third string up which would improve your/our yearly yield and the efficiency of the inverter.
The company that did our installation did such a shonky job that I gave them a week to remove it all otherwise the video I made of the installation was going to find itself in the hands of the ACA or today tonight..

As Conservative State Governments change their tariffs in favour of coal fired electricity and power companies keep gold plating and jacking up prices,I imagine this will become very popular pass time.

can you explain this..."load the third string up which would improve your/our yearly yield and the efficiency of the inverter."

[dixons]

My system has the capacity to add a couple more panels.I was thinking of doing this myself but last time I checked the cost didn't seem worth it.The Victorian Legislation states that you can replace damaged panels without effecting the feed in tariff rate.

[admin]

It makes sense, the 66c rebate is long gone to new installs and if everyone with a 1.5kw system simply added new panels\inverters and boosted themselves up to 5kw, it would cost a fortune.

I couldnt see it being any different in other states.

[Mr 672A]

As Conservative State Governments change their tariffs in favour of coal fired electricity and power companies keep gold plating and jacking up prices,I imagine this will become very popular pass time.

can you explain this..."load the third string up which would improve your/our yearly yield and the efficiency of the inverter."

Most of the new inverters today have only a single string, that's one positive and one negative terminal back at the inverter end and panels are series/parallel connected in the roof before the two cables get back to the inverter.
A multi string inverter (Not many around now as it made inverters more costly) have mostly up to 3 strings that’s 3 pairs of Positive's and pairs of negatives terminals at the inverter. Now as an example. If you have a 3 Kw inverter with three strings were only 2 strings are being used (that’s 4 wires back to the inverter) at 1 Kw per string (say 6 panels per string) your inverter is only running at 66% of its capacity as two strings are loaded up and the one string is doing nothing so all you have to do is buy another 6 panels with enough of the correct DC cable and connect the six panels in series and wire up the third paring to the third set of two connections. Now the Inverter is running at full load as long as each string is rated at say 33.3% 0f 3Kw.
The advantages of multi string inverters is you can miss match different panels on different strings. You cannot do this on a single string installation where your panels are configured in series parallel inside your roof.

[Mr 672A]

It makes sense, the 66c rebate is long gone to new installs and if everyone with a 1.5kw system simply added new panelsinverters and boosted themselves up to 5kw, it would cost a fortune.

I couldnt see it being any different in other states.

Yeah ours started as a 1Kw (6 panels @ 60c per Kw feed in) and soon stretched to 2.72 Kw (16Panels) and it was legally done too I would say the loop hole is closed now.
Don't you love those loop holes.

[Mr 672A]

SMA have a free app that you can download from there Oz site. Its called Sunny By design. I encourage you guys to dowload it, install it, and understand how to use it.(PS this is only for SMA inverters, I have manually added specs of proto type panels)


Select= Software
Select= Sunny Design
Select= PC Software
Select=Show all Languages and now click down the bottom Sunny Design 2.3 (about 56meg)

[Mr 672A]

Before my Brain scattered I used much earlier versions of this program that are knowhere as good as this late 2012 version and I was able to design a very good efficient system for some of my close friends. Trust me guys as some of you know a lot goes into a good system and its not just adding more panels or having a whopping inverter.

[macka17]

Hi.

Central Qland.

We had a 1kw basic system put up 4 + yrs ago.
Recently added a further 3.12kw.
Still get the existing 44c per kw. return. For how long????.

Up here the 5kw max capacity is on your inverter. Not panel volume.

My orig system Inverter, can take up to 1.4kw. multi string.

The Aurora 3.0outd. Inverter..According to their own spec's.
Can max at. On a single string. 4.8kw. Multi string. around 4.6kw.
and still be inside their warranty's.

I'm adding a further 4x240 aleo panels to take me to MY max roof area facing North. I want it to be near clipping point in ideal sun.
Giving me more input over the suns daily cycle.
That. will cover ALL my fuel consumption. (26.6kw per day av.) Therefore any future price increase in Electricity supply. Won't affect us.
Only increases in service charges...

The main idea is to try and get your input volume covered with solar supply. and negate your bills.
This bulk panels on roof to draw income from the tax payer. Won't work forever.
It has to become equitable to all sometime.
Then you'll be stuck with massive array. and getting 8c per kw for excess.

Macka