Just look at the overhang!

[D Skelton]

Mr Skelton sir, I thought I would reply to your second post, where you stated that PV panels are so inefficient that they are not worth installing in the UK, I answered this with a real life system that is installed in the UK, I could give you many other examples too.

Now you appear to have changed tactics and it is about taxpayers money and/or Government funding,

I concede, my second post was full of badly worded and exaggerated opinion. I realise that aesthetics has little to do with things, I was being an a$$, deliberately.

The point I have made from the beginning is based on my overall thoughts on solar power, this is a view that I have had for many years and one that primarily made me decide very early on (and by that I mean very soon after establishing my company) that I didn't want to partake in something that I fundamentaly disagree with! Like I said, the actual knowledge needed to design and fit a PV system isn't rocket science and the money needed to set yourself up as an MCS accredited installer isn't really a great deal in the grand scheme of things compared to the huge amounts of money you can make by installing the stuff. So why might you ask aren't I doing it?? I'd be mad not be installing solar panels right?? Well, in my opinion, no.

I agree, my knowledge of an overall industry I don't work in isn't going to be anywhere near up there with you guys, but that doesn't mean to say that I know nothing.

I think I have said my piece now. I'm not going to get anywhere here with such a hostile response. Gavin, may I say a personal thank you to you for engaging with me in civilised discussion, I respect and value your opinion and believe it or not I have learned a fair amount from you which I otherwise wouldn't have known had I not posted.

I shall now leave the territory of the solar caste. Off I trot back to the mere general electricians section of the forum, the section where us untermenschen like to hang out, with my tail between my legs.

 

[MDJ]

I remember wiring up a system when it first came out, not like today though, the system I wired up was actually a water system and the pipes were run on the roof and a pump inside pushed the water to a tank LMAO, I have also connected up a couple of modern systems for people when I was installing an electrical installation to modern homes, never really got involved with it otherwise but always been intreagued by PV. I asked a question earlier about warrenty on panels Gavin, what is the warrenty period on them M8 ?

 

[Earthstore]

Most have performance warrenties of 90% efficiency in ten years, then 80% in twenty years, therefore if the panels performance drops below this they will be replaced, it does not cover the installation of it though only the panel

Because there are no moving parts, there is a very low failure rate for all well constructed panels.

 

[MDJ]

Most have performance warrenties of 90% efficiency in ten years, then 80% in twenty years, therefore if the panels performance drops below this they will be replaced, it does not cover the installation of it though only the panel

Because there are no moving parts, there is a very low failure rate for all well constructed panels.

Ah I see, so performance is the key, so providing it is fitted correctly and in the right direction a panel can pay for itself ten fold?

 

[Earthstore]

Ah I see, so performance is the key, so providing it is fitted correctly and in the right direction a panel can pay for itself ten fold?

In contradiction to what some may believe, yes that is correct.

 

[Gavin A]

I asked a question earlier about warrenty on panels Gavin, what is the warrenty period on them M8 ?

the standard now is 10 years manufacturers warranty against defect, 25 years performance warranty, usually warrantying at least 80% of their initial rated output after 25 years.

Several manufacturers are now bringing out 30 year performance warranties that are even better than this.

 

[shanky887614]

"People should get paid for what they ACTUALLY produce, rather than what the installer says it will produce under standard test conditions"



Err err whats that ugly box the installer put next to my ccu?

(A GENERATION METER SKELTON)

thats where they get there the figure they send off in the same way you send off meter readings for electricity and gas.

Obviously not knowing something so obvious means you have missed the boat entirely when it comes to this subject

 

[SRE]

Just an observation : one of life's lessons that comes with age and experience is that it's rarely a great idea to begin an argument about something that you haven't researched.

ALL of my customers understand pv better than some posting on this forum, which is embarrassing for the profession to say the least and insulting to the integrity of my customers to imply anything else.

Initially I found the claims amusing, although many posts later I realised that only sad installers would read past the first few posts and the Daily Mail view of how poor pv systems are. It doesn't help a struggling industry to have so many ill-informed views perpetuated by other electricians.

 

[shanky887614]

The problem in this trade has always been the same. Once people get there ticket they think they don't have to keep upto date with changes. Im sure there are people about who were trained to 15th and know nothing of 17th etc and its not good

 

[SpitfireW'sale]

D Skelton why do you have a picture of what appears to be an SS officer as your avatar?

 

[SolarCity]

D Skelton why do you have a picture of what appears to be an SS officer as your avatar?

It's Erwin Rommel. Not a great choice of avatar in my opinion, but there you go.

 

[SolarCity]

ALL of my customers understand pv better than some posting on this forum, which is embarrassing for the profession to say the least and insulting to the integrity of my customers to imply anything else.

Initially I found the claims amusing, although many posts later I realised that only sad installers would read past the first few posts and the Daily Mail view of how poor pv systems are. It doesn't help a struggling industry to have so many ill-informed views perpetuated by other electricians.

This was precisely my thought. Judging by those who had 'liked' his comments, there were a few experienced sparks in agreement. I found that very surprising.

 

[Marvo]

I don't get this thread, it's all over the place mainly due to Mr Skelton's blanket bombing approach when he started it I suspect. Bit strange because he's usually pretty focused in his postings.

I have a question though, what motivated the govt to start subsidising PV installations with FIT's in the first place?

 

[spark 68]

D Skelton why do you have a picture of what appears to be an SS officer as your avatar?

What has that got to do with this thread exactly ?, Rommel wasn't in the SS FYI, another one playing the man instead of the ball.

Fair enough all of the regulars on this section have a vested interest in your chosen field, and will defend it, but some on here resorting to ad hominem attacks is frankly undermining your arguments.

Gavin A at least came back with reasoned responses, by all means defend your own interests with reasonable counter-arguments, but turning this into a witch hunt just makes you look bad.

 

[SpitfireW'sale]

I don't get this thread, it's all over the place mainly due to Mr Skelton's blanket bombing approach when he started it I suspect. Bit strange because he's usually pretty focused in his postings.

I have a question though, what motivated the govt to start subsidising PV installations with FIT's in the first place?

Gavin A covered this in this thread fairly comprehensively. In one sentence the FITS were introduced to achieve cost reductions through economies of scale with a view to achieving grid parity in the medium to long term.