Solar Power problems?

[Tamara (Homes Down Under)]

I had 3 solar power systems installed about 2 and half years ago.

Earlier this year one packed up and they replaced the inverter. the inverter was an Aerosharp which is total garbage according to internet reports.

Another one has just packed up. This time a Clenergy inverter.

 

All the systems were installed by Origin. The repair / replacement hasn't been an issue because Origin offered a 5 year warranty. A lot of solar companies went bankrupt when the feed in tariffs were reduced so I am fortunate that they were installed by a big company. I still have one Aerosharp!

 

Has anyone else had any failures or issues with their systems?

 

Would love to hear about it...either no problems....or similar story.

 

Thanks.

[Toni]

I've always been a bit suspicious of the solar panels. Don't get me wrong I think they are a brilliant idea but I wondered whether there were hidden costs with repairs. Obviously you are covered because your in the warranty period. A friend of mine got one installed in her house and that cost $21,000 and it is really efficient but you'd want it to last a while. I'd be keen to hear what others have to say also.

[minty]

Good quality solar panels and inverters will last the time but unfortunately Australia is flooded with cheap panels and inverters. These seem to pack up all the time. There are things you can do (inverter out of direct sunlight and covered, regular panel maintenance) but in the end we get what we pay for.

[Tamara (Homes Down Under)]

Good quality solar panels and inverters will last the time but unfortunately Australia is flooded with cheap panels and inverters. These seem to pack up all the time. There are things you can do (inverter out of direct sunlight and covered, regular panel maintenance) but in the end we get what we pay for.

 

Thanks for this.

I remember the OH did some research as to the type of panels and the inverter was supposed to be a "Sunny Boy" but the small print said..."or equivalent". Seems like "or equivalent" was rubbish.

[minty]

Sunny boy has no equivalent it's the best by far and if you had that it would still be going strong. The companies are pretty shoddy but if you are still getting the warranty honored then you are lucky. Most get out of the warranty with small print of "annual maintenance required" or warranty void.

[Guest Watkinsfamily]

Can anyone tell me if I m am paying too much for my electricity - have only mains electric no gas, large house 5 bed with 5 people living in it. Have had 5kw solar panels put on the house but this quarter the bill is almost $900 is this about right? Have not been here long enough to know but seems high to me we are not excessive by any means. They are saying we only put $9.44 from our solar back in this seems very low. Advice welcomed please as have no idea! Many thanks in advance.

[Tamara (Homes Down Under)]

A lot will depend upon what systems you have in your home.

A 5kw is a good size. I only have 1.5's and my bills have been big despite me having gas heating.

If you only have electricity the type of heating during this very cold winter will be a major factor. Is it individual heaters or an inverter reverse cycle system? Is your home energy efficient with led or low wattage lights in every room? Do you have bathroom heat lamps and outside flood lights? How old are your TV's and do you leave pc's on all the time? How big is your oven? I have two 900mm ovens and they use so much electricity. Is your hot water heated by electricity or solar with electric backup...so many factors!

[adelaidenow]

How do you heat your house? A large 5 bed house in winter being heated by electricity will cost a fortune.

[minty]

I would check what your system is generating a day on the inverter. Seems a high bill with a 5kw system. Unless you have AC on all the time of course.

[spanners]

$ 900 a quarter!! I think you must be doing a few things wrong -

1. Don't turn on every appliance and light when you leave for work in the morning

2. Try dropping the heating thermostat from 45 to 22

3. Only light up the electric powered sauna every other day

 

I have a 5 bed house with 4 people and I work from home. Solar hot water only. If my bill tops $ 400 per 1/4 I'm shocked.

[Guest Husky]

We had solar panels installed by nu energy in 2010..it never crossed our minds that there were different qualities of solar panels. Had no problems til jan this year when I noticed one panel was cracked. Rang up nu energy who said take a piccie and we will replace it. So took the piccie and waited...and waited...and waited!!! Apparently our system is now obselite and the spares were only to be found in china. They were struggling to source them. After 4 months of us being promised it was on its way we spoke to the lady in charge of the whole nu energy replacement fiasco..she was at her wits end!!! She promised she would have one couried to us in a few days!! Yeah right we though..but...it arrived. It then took another 3 months for the guy to come and install. We were promised all along it the broken panel was completely safe...when the guy removed it he said it was a miracle it hadn't caught fire. We have a 20 year warranty on it...I don't hold out much hope!!!

[minty]

We had solar panels installed by nu energy in 2010..it never crossed our minds that there were different qualities of solar panels. Had no problems til jan this year when I noticed one panel was cracked. Rang up nu energy who said take a piccie and we will replace it. So took the piccie and waited...and waited...and waited!!! Apparently our system is now obselite and the spares were only to be found in china. They were struggling to source them. After 4 months of us being promised it was on its way we spoke to the lady in charge of the whole nu energy replacement fiasco..she was at her wits end!!! She promised she would have one couried to us in a few days!! Yeah right we though..but...it arrived. It then took another 3 months for the guy to come and install. We were promised all along it the broken panel was completely safe...when the guy removed it he said it was a miracle it hadn't caught fire. We have a 20 year warranty on it...I don't hold out much hope!!!

 

They could have installed any equivalent panel of the same size/output.

[Tamara (Homes Down Under)]

I received a call from Origin today.

They will "replace" the inverter under the 5 year warranty...but,

They will install new parts into my existing inverter and this can't be done locally (China again). Estimated time 10 weeks.

[jim and adel]

Can anyone tell me if I m am paying too much for my electricity - have only mains electric no gas, large house 5 bed with 5 people living in it. Have had 5kw solar panels put on the house but this quarter the bill is almost $900 is this about right? Have not been here long enough to know but seems high to me we are not excessive by any means. They are saying we only put $9.44 from our solar back in this seems very low. Advice welcomed please as have no idea! Many thanks in advance.

 

We have solar (but not as large as yours - about 3kw) and solar hot water with electric back up. There are three of us (two out at work all day, one at school) and pretty much the only things on when we're out are the fridge and alarm; we don't leave stuff on standby. Like yours, our bill this last quarter was also just under $900 although we did use the heating more this last winter than previous years (but on a low temperature setting and still used sparingly). Our solar pretty much wipes out the summer bill but is of bugger all use in winter.

[Guest jamestaylorau]

Can some one told me roof solar system is good or bad:skeptical:

Edited October 1, 2014 by jamestaylorau
spell check

[Tamara (Homes Down Under)]

Origin fixed the inverter yesterday so nowhere near the 10 week wait that they estimated.

[Jessica Berry]

We love our solar panels! We have a 3kw system and have had it now for 3 years with no problems at all, we have a sunny boy inverter. We did a lot of research into it and so far it has paid off. For the 3 years since we have had it installed, we haven't 'paid' any electric or gas bills (we use the remaining credit to pay the gas bill with the same provider and when we first had it we were quite a lot in credit and cashed in an amount to pay the water bill). We usually just scrape through in credit over the Winter months, but now the weather is picking up we will balance out again. No regrets so far putting the system in.