New solar panels poor performance, can't contact solar company! Apolo solar.

[SolarCity]

In that case I would say that the incorrectly terminated fly lead is looking a likely cause. I would expect 6 panels wired correctly and 2 panels wired with incorrect polarity to produce a Voc of around 140v.

Surprising if this is the cause as it doesn't appear to be a badly installed system.

 

[jojitsu]

Well that all sounds like it may, hopefully be a not too big of a job, but it also all sounds a bit like a foreign language to me! I have managed to contact a local fitter who seems to know what he's on about, and has been in the business for a long time, with a good rep. He is coming to my place tomorrow afternoon to run some test.. Again, I can't thank you enough for the time and input you guys have given me! Tomorrow I'll definitely be showing the guy this thread! I just hope he doesn't try to rob blind my already empty pockets!.. I imagine he will give me a quote for the fix, based on electricians rates.. Hopefully without scaffolding! At the moment the wife is really annoyed that I came up with the idea of getting panels fitted!

 

[SolarCity]

With a bit of luck it may be possible to repair it from the velux window.

 

[jojitsu]

[QUOTE solarCity;906237]With a bit of luck it may be possible to repair it from the velux window.[/QUOTE]

I really hope so!.. Just my luck that they are giving crap results! I still love the idea of the panels, but as it stands they are such a poor place to put the money! I could understand that with living up north they may peak at about 3.5 to 3.7kw or so, but not 2.5!.. What do you think could be expected on a perfect sunny day in Manchester with a 4kw system?.. As it stands they will produce about 1400kw or so over the year, with the best summer in my memory! So about £240 ish!

 

[SolarCity]

I reckon you should expect to see 3,000kWh plus annually, depending on shading etc.

 

[jojitsu]

I reckon you should expect to see 3,000kWh plus annually, depending on shading etc.

In that case, roll on the fix, and the summer months!

 

[jojitsu]

Ok, so I've had a trusty, local solar fitter around today to test my system, and as suspected, one of the 2 string are doing nothing! This was even backed up by the original install certificate documents: line 2 is looking fine and the original fitter has written that its putting out 264 Voc, and 2.3 Isc (?), but, line 1 is at 145 Voc (but was actually even less when tested today!), and Isc 0.1!!! This should have been sorted at the install, surely! Its all a bit of a foreign language to me, but it sure ain't correct!

So the bad new is I have probably lost about £700 worth of lecky in FIT and bill reduction (my panels clocking up about 1400 all year, whilst the fitter who came today has the same settup with a garden facing the same way, in the same town and produced 4600kw over the last 12 months), and unfortunately all the panels need taking off and testing, with the use of scaffolding!

Good news is that we are insured through IWA, so they should pay for the fix, touch wood!

 

[jason121]

ps Apollo solar and Apollo energy tech ltd seem to still be trading.

Not if the company is still trading

 

[jojitsu]

Not if the company is still trading

Also just found out (the wife is doing most of the investigation) that they are about to be struck off/go into liquidation..

 

[jason121]

just had a quick look he did have 7 companies, solar company cease trading. He now runs Kovco Holdings Ltd and scaffold 4 ltd

 

[jojitsu]

just had a quick look he did have 7 companies, solar company cease trading. He now runs Kovco Holdings Ltd and scaffold 4 ltd

Really? ... Might be worth me giving them a phone call!!

 

[SolarCity]

I have a feeling you'll be wasting your time.

 

[jojitsu]

I agree... I can't believe the fitter did such a tidy/neat job, and seemed really professional, but left them like this! I am kicking myself for not fixing the issue sooner..

 

[SolarCity]

The electrician was probably trained up to a certain point but then had little knowledge of how PV works. It is incredibly sad that someone would go to the trouble of testing his work yet have no idea what the figures meant.

 

[jojitsu]

Well there's no point in testing it if when you find something wrong you don't fix it!
I really hope the insurance doesn't give us any problems, otherwise they will have to stay as they are.