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Forum Index : Solar : Solar vs Large Electricity Bills
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| lyndonlodge Newbie  Joined: 17/07/2014 Location: AustraliaPosts: 5 |
I am in the process of researching the viability of installing solar panels for our hobby farm. Ideally I would like to have battery backup but have been advised this will double the cost. The 5kw system has been quoted between $8k to $12k. All very confusing when you don't know a lot about the equipment on offer. Any suggestions re what sort of features to look out for would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.  |
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Gizmo Admin Group  Joined: 05/06/2004 Location: AustraliaPosts: 5078 |
Do you have a mate/relative who's a electrician? A electrician should be able to point you in the right direction, but you need to find one who thinks out side of the box, or who has experience in installing off grid systems. I did speak to a couple of electricians when I was looking into going off grid, and many of them didn't know the first thing about connecting up an inverter 
5kw for $8k to $12k isn't too bad, does that include a battery bank, and if so, what size ( Amp hour rating )? Glenn The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago, the second best time is right now. JAQ |
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| lyndonlodge Newbie Joined: 17/07/2014 Location: AustraliaPosts: 5 |
Thanks. No these quotes did not include any batteries. |
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norcold Guru  Joined: 06/02/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 670 |
Clean Energy Council (CEC) have accredited installer list as per the link below. Ask heaps of questions from those close to you, that should give you a feel as to what is involved. As in all outlays beware there are plenty of fly by nighters in the industry. Suggest you find someone who has been in the game awhile and understands off-grid solar. CEC Accredited Members Above all enjoy it is very satisfying to be power independent. I believe the battery bank is the heart of the system and needs to be sized for your requirements with consideration of the average solar radiance in your area. A installer in your area should be able to tailor a system for such. From the member internet sites you can glean a lot of info as from the CEC site and there is plenty of info online elsewhere. Sorting the crap from the fact is a problem but. Just received this article, of relevance and may be of assistance. storage We come from the land downunder. Vic |
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fillm Guru Joined: 10/02/2007 Location: AustraliaPosts: 730 |
What you have been quoted for is a 5kw Grid Feed system that off-sets your power consumption costs , IF you feed back more than you use then you negotiate the feed in tariff with your provider . This is completely different tan what you are asking about , and having battery back up . Firstly the solar panels used are not the best for Off Grid use as they will be 60 cell , you can use them but will need a fair sized MPPT Voltage Control to charge your batteries. You will of course need a Battery bank , this is the expensive part and could range from 6K ~ 13K depending on size and quality . To then supply power @240Ac you will need an Inverter , again if you want quality the anything from $4k up , forget about the Chinese crap on ebay, you will just be left alone with no back up service and a poor performing product. There are other items needed if you want an instant change over from grid to Battery, circuit breakers , wiring and the list will mount up with the little stuff. But First of if you are going down this path then you need to know how much power you need to run your appliances in a normal living situation , then is it for just back up for a few hours or are you wanting to cut the ties with you eccentricity provider. So what you have been told is basically right, if you want battery back up it could be 2x or even 3x the cost of just a std grid feed system that every man and their dog is flogging these days , it comes down to what you want and most of all how much you want to pay. PhillM ...Oz Wind Engineering..Wind Turbine Kits 500W - 5000W ~ F&P Dual Kits ~ GOE222Blades- Voltage Control Parts ------- Tower kits |
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| lyndonlodge Newbie Joined: 17/07/2014 Location: AustraliaPosts: 5 |
Thanks everyone, much appreciated. |
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