Solar Panel Install

[ibby]

Hi guys,

Looking at getting a solar panel install and I have some questions.

I would like to have a 4kw system installed initially, with battery fail over.
I would like to go off grid completley, what kind of setup would I need?

I used 13.42KWh per day (according to my last bill)

 

[moggy1968]

going off grid is not cost effective financially or ecologically if you already have a grid connection.

 

[ibby]

going off grid is not cost effective financially or ecologically if you already have a grid connection.

I am thinking long term, with prices that will on carry on rising.

 

[moggy1968]

long term, it doesn't make financial or ecological sense to go off grid if you already have a grid connection!

 

[ibby]

long term, it doesn't make financial or ecological sense to go off grid if you already have a grid connection!

Can you atleast tell me why ?

I already have deep cycle car batteries around 2000ah of them.
I just need the solar panels

 

[moggy1968]

batteries are expensive and need regular replacement. They are also highly polluting to make and destroy.
It would take you years to recoup your investment, if you ever managed it at all with the ongoing cost of batteries.
What has made solar worthwhile is the feed in tarrif, so you need to qualify for that.
Also, environmentally it makes more sense to go on grid and send overproduction back to the grid rather than just wasting it.
There may be a way of doing both, someone on here may now but we have never done it as it makes no real logical sense, given the current cost and reliability of supply in the UK.

You will need a charge controller and other gubbins, see the other thread on this. There has also been a suggestion on here that you can't connect more than three batteries together so you may have limited output.

 

[Earthstore]

Moggy is right, and you should listen to his advice,
Batteries in this situation may have a service life of around 5 years, and when they are charging send lots of inflammable/poisonous gas into the atmosphere.
You could link the batteries, if you link 10 12v batteries in parallel, you will still have 12V but your amps would be higher, if you link them in series then you would have 120V.

I hope this makes sense.

 

[ibby]

ok thanks guys,

can somone tell me if I installed the 4kw system, what kind of savings should I see on my quaterly bill?
(was 180£)

What kind of system or how many panels would I need to run off the grid during the day?

Thanks

 

[MorganPVI]

A hybrid system is probably your best bet, if you want the security battery backup. Products are slowly emerging for local and smart grids and with the feed in tariff you can offset the cost of replacing batteries.