Making the jump to solar

[Giller]

Someone mentioned earlier about getting panels on the north (?) facing roof as well given their price these days, have to agree seeing your plan.

 

[GaryMG4]

Someone mentioned earlier about getting panels on the north (?) facing roof as well given their price these days, have to agree seeing your plan.

I guess that all depends on the cost of scaffolding, adds quite a chunk vs a few extra panels.

 

[T1 Terry]

I guess that all depends on the cost of scaffolding, adds quite a chunk vs a few extra panels.

And the restriction on the size of the solar array, if that is the method used by the powers that be over there. An extra 2275w would be a definite plus when the sky is a bit overcast, if it could be diverted to battery and EV charging if the generated solar output exceeded the 3.6kw, it would be a financially advantageous to have additional stored electricity you could sell to the grid during peak periods when there is little or no solar being generated into the grid elsewhere ....

T1 Terry

 

[Everest]

My roof plan
View attachment 45268

Interesting.

What inverter and panels are Octopus suggesting? Three panels is very low number for a regular string inverter (in terms of start-up voltage and MPPT range).

 

[decrep]

Someone mentioned earlier about getting panels on the north (?) facing roof as well given their price these days, have to agree seeing your plan.

In the southern hemisphere that makes sense. But in the northern hemisphere I can't see that making much sense at all, unless it's mounted so that they face South

 

[Everest]

And the restriction on the size of the solar array, if that is the method used by the powers that be over there.

No it isn't. It's purely export power restriction in GB. It's better to over-panel.

 

[Everest]

In the southern hemisphere that makes sense. But in the northern hemisphere I can't see that making much sense at all, unless it's mounted so that they face South

Up here... best is South (obviously). Next is East/West. But North is useful to add power, especially on overcast days - which we get a lot of - IF there is no roof facing E-W.

 

[Giller]

I guess that all depends on the cost of scaffolding, adds quite a chunk vs a few extra panels.

I’m probably missing something or not thinking about health and safety why would more be required?

 

[Giller]

In the southern hemisphere that makes sense. But in the northern hemisphere I can't see that making much sense at all, unless it's mounted so that they face South

You would be surprised.

 

[decrep]

You would be surprised.

I frequently am!

 

[Giller]

I frequently am!

BOO!!!!

 

[T1 Terry]

Up here... best is South (obviously). Next is East/West. But North is useful to add power, especially on overcast days - which we get a lot of - IF there is no roof facing E-W.

It is surprising just how much of the useful light wave length can not only pass through the clouds, but be reflected back down by the under side of the clouds.
Solar farms with tilting axis panels, will often set them to the horizontal position to not only collect as much as they can of this wave length light bouncing back and forth, but also to bounce some of the light themselves, getting multiple bits at what ever is available ....

The solar panels mounted on an RV are virtually always horizontally mounted, yet they work well all day in cloudy skies ....

T1 Terry

 

[T1 Terry]

I’m probably missing something or not thinking about health and safety why would more be required?

It's not the actual hardware that costs, it's the riggers that put it up and take it down that cost the big $$ .... not a job for the faint hearted, much like rigging the cabling on a tower crane, the end of the boom is moving like a tree in the wind, the scaffolding can be similar because it only gets tied into the solid structure as it's being built, each level is built before it is tied in and each level is untied before it can be dismantled .....

T1 Terry

 

[Bam Bam]

Indeed, the cost of the scaffolding and cable-running is why is better to get as much done on the roof in one go. As many panels as possible, bird-proofing.

Also an argument against using micro-inverters on a roof, at least unless extensive shading makes them a very good idea.

 

[Giller]

Point taken, what I was getting at was why would more scaffolding be required for the 3rd roof face, surely when a roofers on the roof he/she/they have access to all the faces?

 

[Black estate]

Point taken, what I was getting at was why would more scaffolding be required for the 3rd roof face, surely when a roofers on the roof he/she/they have access to all the faces?

My back has an conservatory

 

[brucie]

Point taken, what I was getting at was why would more scaffolding be required for the 3rd roof face, surely when a roofers on the roof he/she/they have access to all the faces?

The installers won't want to be working on a section of roof that has no scaffolding in place for safety reasons.

 

[Giller]

My back has an conservatory

Ah.

 

[Giller]

The installers won't want to be working on a section of roof that has no scaffolding in place for safety reasons.

I saw an install last year with just one side scaffold hence my confusion, and no it wasn’t mine.

 

[Black estate]

UPDATE
The ball has been set rolling
Survey is being done on the 23 of this month