Solar for Beginners [ask your questions here]

graememk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119847808#Comment_119847808

Yep the rest is left to the installer to upload on their end.

Busman Paddy Lasty

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119847490#Comment_119847490

Might be worth holding back a few % until you get all the paperwork. Got this email from SEAI....

To process this claim we require your contractor to upload/amend the following documentation;

Declaration of Works

Inspection, Test and Commissioning Report (EN 62446)

Copy of Safe Electric ("RECI") Certificate

Copy of submitted ESB Networks NC6 Form

Copy of Building Energy Rating (BER) Certificate

Invoice describing the works

Photographs of the installation

If the above includes documentation that is absent or incomplete, we have requested it directly from your nominated Solar PV company, in which case no action will be required from you.  

If we have stated that confirmation of bank details, account name or system size are required, please log in and update this on the portal.

micks_address

hi folks,

re seeing battery storage in myenergy app - im getting a givenergy hybrid invertor - and battery installed.. what needs to be done to see the batter in the myenergy app? do you need a ct clamp on the battery?

ELM327

How long should the SEAI grant take to pay back?

ELM327

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119849303#Comment_119849303

The app for the inverter should have this no? I dont think you can have a CT clamp on the battery as it's DC going to it

graememk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119849303#Comment_119849303

You can't see the battery in the myenergi app.

You will be able to see the anything coming out of the hybrid inverter as a whole, but not the battery specifically. (If a CT was put on the hybrid.)

micks_address

So the invertor is going in Friday.. I have a harvii and zappi..and Eddi.. the zappi has a clamp on the rails at the meter already.. planning to use the harvi and a clamp for the Eddi and I think I've one spare clamp which could go on the invertor?

or can the ct clamp go at the consumer board where the invertor is connected in?

con747

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119849373#Comment_119849373

10 weeks for me.

Deagol

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119849796#Comment_119849796

Why would you have a Harvi AND a clamp? The harvi monitors the current flow / direction and tells the Eddi / Zappi if there is 'spare' power (export). What could you accomplish having additional clamps and what are you going to connect them to?

micks_address

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119850409#Comment_119850409

My understanding is the harvii is basically a way to have a wireless clamp to the eddii and or zappi?

Deagol

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119850416#Comment_119850416

The Harvi is the wireless current clamp that's needed for the Zappi / Eddi to know about export power levels. It connects to the phase wire by your electric meter. When the Eddi / Zappi detects excess solar being exported they start diverting it to either your hot water tank immersion heater or your EV. I don't currently have a Zappi but I assume you can set up which gets priority. Make sure you are getting a Hub also? The hub ties it all together and allows you to see status etc of everything.

You also will have another CT clamp for you inverter (Assuming you're getting a hybrid) - that allows the inverter to detect export / import of current and divert to battery if it has one.

Other than that, i don't know why you would have more CT clamps. I know the Eddi can accept 2x extra but i thought they were used for AC batteries only.

micks_address

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119850439#Comment_119850439

Don't need a hub as the newer zappi and Eddi have hub built in

Deagol

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119850462#Comment_119850462

Ah yes, just read and the newer units have built in wifi.

micks_address

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119850485#Comment_119850485

I probably have a spare clamp. I assume a clamp will be needed at the consumer unit off the invertor feed which connects to the harvii which can then be configured in the zappi and Eddi ? So they both known when the invertor is generating solar/battery? I'm sure the installer will know how to set it up anyway.. I sourced the Eddi as they were struggling to get in stock but said they'd install if I had it

ELM327

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119850396#Comment_119850396

Ouch, 10 weeks from when? From the installer uploading the docs and BER cert, or from install date?

micks_address

i dont know but my installer said its less than a month for payment typically from when they finalize docs.. they look after the ber etc.. so im hoping its relatively painless

con747

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119852469#Comment_119852469

Installed 22nd Feb and received 8 weeks later.

micks_address

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119852484#Comment_119852484

was your ber does the same day? i assume the ber is done before the grant is processed?

con747

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119852500#Comment_119852500

Ber done and submitted a few days after install. I would think the way installs are going now that that timeframe will be pushed out due to the amount of grants being processed.

Hellrazer

So heres a bit of an update.

Solar installers called me on Monday looking for the DD to be setup. I explained the situation to them and that I was waiting for a date for a RECI to come out and do the rectification works.

Explained that I couldnt get anyone to do the work for at least a month or even two months-- seems to be a busy trade these days.

Anyway I explained that I wouldnt be starting any direct debit until I see the system working and that I had sent in pictures of everything as requested including the fuse board etc and it wasnt my fault the installers never got them and went ahead with the installation.

So the outcome of it is that they say they are going to carry out the rectification works in the next week or so with a nominal charge to me.

Lets hope it works out that way.

unkel

This is getting better and better @Hellrazer - as for direct debit, this is a SAAS setup? €29 per month for a basic smallish system for 10 years or did you go for another option?

Hellrazer

The 29.00 a month is a basic 1.6kw system -4 panels no water heater - It used to be 6 panels but they have since reduced the wattage of the basic package but kept the price the same.

I went for 10 panels - 3.75kwh. They offered me 3.2kw originally (8x400w) but said it would be a February install as the 400w panels were out of stock.Then they offered 8x375w and a closer install date - I kind of haggled with them and in the end got 10 @ 375w for the same price as the 8x400.

Also went with the Eddi for hot water. I know some here dont agree with it but our immersion is never off especially in the summer when the water isnt being heated by the gas boiler. That alone will save me a fortune.

€55.00 a month. So 6600 over the 10 years with the option to clear it with lump sums before then which Ill do next year.

Do you think a 3.75kw system will at least cover its cost per month averaged over 12 months??

Ill probably go diy for East/West during the summer - I reckon I can get another 6 panels on the shed roof.

unkel

Depends on your electricity plan you're on at the moment, when your contract is finished and what meter / plan you have. But I'd imagine you might well make more savings per month than it is costing you. And the install didn't cost you a cent up front either. And issues that are present in your house are being fixed for a lot less than it would have cost you to organise getting them fixed, which you would have had to do at some point

And that's of course not taking into account that 100% of the benefits will be yours once the system is paid off

So, nice one, well done man!

micks_address

My solar installation is being completed today. All seems to be going according to plan so far. I was hoping Id get a gen 2 version of the giveenergy hybrid invertor but it's a gen 1. I'm winning a bit with the battery though as it's 9.5 versus the 8.2 I was quoted for. Not sure the main downsides of gen 1 versus gen 2

micks_address

The main difference from gen 1 to gen 2 seems to be the battery can charge discharge at 3600w versus 2600 on gen 1..

unkel

2.6kW is very low for a system of that cost. If someone puts the kettle on, even when your battery is 100% full, you will be buying electricity from the grid at peak rates. I'd try and argue could they swap the unit, maybe not today, but sometime soon.

micks_address

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119861340#Comment_119861340

yeah ill bring it up with the company.. the installer only has the gear they given.. i can't complain to much i suppose as they ended up give me .5kw more in panels.. and more 1.3kw battery as part of it.. and the eddi is being wired for free.. they also installed in a awkward free space i had where the old oil boiler was in the house so they are being quite good in fairness.. they didnt quote me gen 2 equipment so unless they do it out of goodwill or i pay a bit more unlikely ill get anywhere.. ill ask when the dust settles...

bullit_dodger

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119861396#Comment_119861396

2.6Kw is on the low side. I've the same issue myself with the same inverter. However, while it's not ideal, it can often be a moot point if you have a small (2kwh) or medium (5kwh) battery. It's only when you get to the larger 10Kwhr and above that it becomes more of an issue. Take yesterday for me. My battery was depleted by .....

18:30 or so. Having a higher output would just mean that potentially your battery is depleted sooner. As long as you have enough discharge rate to get your battery depleted by the swap over to night rate, it doesn't "really" matter if you have 1Kw or 5Kw.

Don't get me wrong, naturally you have more options if you have a higher rate (and more options is better) .... but in terms of saving you money, it's having enough rate to be able to empty the battery capacity during day time that is the main thing.

micks_address

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119870926#Comment_119870926

Thanks, wouldn't it be better if I could output at 3.5kw when say I stick on the kettle and not use the 1.2kw from the grid? Probably won't make a significant difference really.. I suppose it would make a difference on timed night rates as well in terms of what you can get into the battery.. I've popped my installer an email anyway so I'll see what they say tomorrow.. from a quick scan on the web it seems the gen 2 is pretty much out of stock everywhere until January. I'd be more than happy to wait for however long it takes if they will swap it over. Happy out with the system otherwise.. going to switch to ei boost rate on smart plan for next two months till my contract runs out and see what way things are then.. I'm thinking charge the battery from 1.45 to 430 and put the Eddi on around then as well maybe ..the battery is 9.5

bullit_dodger

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119870978#Comment_119870978

Think of it this way. You have a certain amount of energy stored in your battery. Ideally you want to use all that and not import from the grid. Makes sense. So, when you have the kettle on and it's using (say) 3kw and you can only supply 2.5kw from the battery then you have to import the difference of course - but if had you a higher discharge rate while it means that yes..... you can satisfy the kettle......but the battery will simply deplete quicker and you'll end up importing earlier (9pm instead of 10pm, etc)

As long as your battery is empty before 11pm (winter time), then is doesn't really matter what discharge rate you have. Your dead right though, the main issue with a 2.5Kw limit is charging it. Right now with us on day/night where we have in effect 9 hrs to charge it, we've loads of time. 2.5Kw rate would enable us to charge a ~20Kwhr battery......but many of those smart plans have only a 3hr window, and of course with 3 hrs, you wouldn't be able to get more than 7.5Kwhr into a battery.

That to me is the biggest drawback of 2.5Kw.