All things Solar (merged threads)

[Barnaby]

Originally Posted by Big Damo

DC to DC charger?

Check out this mob...http://www.redarc.com.au/

There is a good article in the latest Renew magazine on Tindo Solar if anyone is interested. This is the future (if we choose to have one...) of manufacturing in Australia, invest heavily in automation and modern manufacturing gear and you will do well.

[XP6]

Tindo are also making the new AC panels too.(they put out 240v AC)
AC panels have an inbuilt inverter, they dont suffer the system loss effect from shading as each panel is independent not in series, this should open up more mounting options on difficult roofs too.

They should be good for people using heat pumps for underfloor heating or central A/C, pool filters... LED high bay lights and aircon in me shed

[Spinner77]

This is the future (if we choose to have one...) of manufacturing in Australia, invest heavily in automation and modern manufacturing gear and you will do well.

Sure is. Pity there are no jobs in it. Tindo is employing how many? 18?

I've just been reading this - Kodak employed 140,000; Instagram employs 13 (thirteen):

http://www.salon.com/2013/05/12/jaro...***/singleton/

[poppa smurf]

Originally Posted by Barnaby

Check out this mob...http://www.redarc.com.au/

There is a good article in the latest Renew magazine on Tindo Solar if anyone is interested. This is the future (if we choose to have one...) of manufacturing in Australia, invest heavily in automation and modern manufacturing gear and you will do well.

I use and thoroughly recommend redarc products, have done for many years

if we are to construct anything in australia then automation has to be the way to even try to keep up with the competition

[Barnaby]

Originally Posted by Spinner77

Sure is. Pity there are no jobs in it. Tindo is employing how many? 18?

8 according to the article I cited.

[XP6]

At least they are employing in Australia not china!

[poppa smurf]

http://www.theage.com.au/business/ag...521-2jy30.html

naughty, naughty.......at leasat one has been caught, although they are all doing it, what a filthy business this power has become!

[davenl5l]

yeah lumo knocked on mum,s door while i was there .she had to be told moore than once by me that mum wasn't interested!!

[Stagg]

Originally Posted by davenl5l

yeah lumo knocked on mum,s door while i was there .she had to be told moore than once by me that mum wasn't interested!!

Those doorknockers are all on commission only, and that's why most of them won't take no for an answer; because they work for nothing unless they get the contracts.

That's why I've chosen never to do commission only work, because it can push you to become that kind of salesperson

[xisled]

Sales rep get around $50 a sale. That why they lie.

In Victoria, if you get a sales rep that lies or you are not happy about the way they conducted themselves. Try and get the company they are working for, the sales rep name and ID number. Legally all sales rep need to have a name badge with these details, will also have company logo, the badge must also been shown to you, when you ask for it and when you answer the door.

Once you have the sales rep details, call the retailer they are working for and ask to make a EAL complaint. The EAL is a body that looks after all the sales reps. These are independent of the retailers themselves.

Also, you have a 10 day cooling off period with any energy sales at your door.

http://energyassured.com.au/

If anyone has any concerns about door knockers and needs some advice about what to do next if you are unhappy with what has happened. Drop me a PM, I can point you in the right direction. I work for 2 retailers at the moment and one thing I hate more than anything about the industry, is the door knockers.

[Matty4]

Bl00dy SP Ausnet!!!!
Signed up a couple of weeks ago for a 6.25kw system for my place.
My installer rang me yesterday to tell me that they have knocked me back for a system of this size and the most they will allow is 5kw.

I have the roof space available and I have plenty of neighbours to take any excess I produce so as to not create an inbalance in the system but they still refused....

[poppa smurf]

is this just a victorian thing.

maybe they are not allowed in town???......either way thats the first I have heard of it, maybe a restriction on size is in place now?

[Matty4]

I'm semi-rural, and my mate in the next town got knocked back on an 8kw system on 10 acres, so who knows...

[xisled]

The reason it was knocked back and wasn't given pre-approval was the design of the system did not pass when the engineer looked at the line diagram and paperwork. It may need a second inverter added for example.

And in Victoria only Sp-Ausnet have the 4.6kw restriction. The 4 other networks allow 10.

If I was you I would be looking for another installer to design a better system.

[poppa smurf]

my thoughts exactly, I made a few enquiries and no-one could tell me why it would be knocked back.

look for another installer.

[Matty4]

The system was designed with one string of 12 x 250w panels into a 3.3kw inverter and a second string of 13 x 250w panels into another 3.3kw inverter.
Taken from SP Ausnet website

A technical review is required for all solar installations where the total rating of the PV panels exceeds 4.6kW. This review is required to assess the impact of the installation on SP AusNet’s network.

I guess in their eyes 6.25kw would severely impact their bottom line!!...
If I knew how to edit a PDF I have of the installation diagram I'd post it up

[poppa smurf]

have you tried contacting another installer, must be a way around it!

[deesun]

Originally Posted by Matty4

Bl00dy SP Ausnet!!!!
Signed up a couple of weeks ago for a 6.25kw system for my place.
My installer rang me yesterday to tell me that they have knocked me back for a system of this size and the most they will allow is 5kw.

I have the roof space available and I have plenty of neighbours to take any excess I produce so as to not create an inbalance in the system but they still refused....

What size is your inverter? Although I am in QLD my system is about that but with a 5kw inverter it rarely produces more than 5. I was told I might have trouble getting it passed but it did. Technicaly its really only a 5kw system if the inverter is only 5kw.

[xisled]

Originally Posted by deesun

What size is your inverter? Although I am in QLD my system is about that but with a 5kw inverter it rarely produces more than 5. I was told I might have trouble getting it passed but it did. Technicaly its really only a 5kw system if the inverter is only 5kw.

Sp-Ausnet are like Energex, they are the distributor and owners of the power network for a certain area.

Basically what has happened, the installer has submitted the paperwork to Sp-Ausnet.

Sp-Ausnet engineer has reviewed it and knocked it back. I would see no problem with the actual size, the problem is more to do with the design of the system itself, it could be missing something.

At least this was knocked back before the installer went ahead. I have seen system, knocked back after it had been installed and customer had to remove panels or add another inverter.

As I have said, I deal with Sp-Ausnet on a daily basis for solar and the only reason I have ever seen a system to be rejected was the design of the system, not the size.

[Matty4]

The design of the system is fine.
I sent an email to their customer service asking some questions, and this is their response.

Hi Mathew

In response to your email below, SP AusNet will allow up to 5kw per phase on your property. Anything greater than this needs to be split across 2 phases with a maximum capacity of panel rating being 5kw per phase.

SP AusNet only has a maximum of 4.6kw for systems that are connected back to a single phase transformer, or maximum of 5kw for systems that are connected back to a three phase transformer. Your property is connected back to a 3phase transformer but only 1 phase going to the property, therefore only the 5kw is permitted before a second phase must be utilised.


The pre-approval review is required to assess the impact of the installation on SP AusNet network and takes into consideration many factors including the transformer rating, and the size of photovoltaic system. If any adverse impacts to the network are identified, the capacity of the system proposed needs to be reduced.

So with that I'd like to know how anyone would get approval for any system over 5kw without going to 2 or 3 phase to the house.

[poppa smurf]

ah! okay so its a transformer shortfall........basically the grid needs an upgrade.

funny how the first two rises in power costs were supposedly to "upgrade our lines and systems".

having had so many increases in profits should mean a gold plated power grid.

[Matty4]

But you can't tell me that every other region in Victoria has had their transformers upgraded and the entire grid also so as to allow 10kw per phase everywhere else but in my region?

I still just don't get it.....

[poppa smurf]

no mate and neither does anyone that I deal with here......I asked a feller who does 70% of installs here "why it is so?" and he just looked at me and said it was bullfodder.

he is a "master electrician" (whatever that is above a "normal" sparky) and should understand phases and loads for grids.

I know of at least two installs within the town limits that have household single phase with larger than 5 kilowatt systems.

I dont know what you could do from here though.

[Matty4]

Originally Posted by xisled

As I have said, I deal with Sp-Ausnet on a daily basis for solar and the only reason I have ever seen a system to be rejected was the design of the system, not the size.

Can you tell me if you've managed to get a larger than 5kw system on a single phase approved by SP Ausnet, and if so, how you got that approval?

Cheers,
Matty

[Matty4]

Think I've managed to get my system diagram sorted.

[xisled]

Originally Posted by Matty4

The design of the system is fine.
I sent an email to their customer service asking some questions, and this is their response.



So with that I'd like to know how anyone would get approval for any system over 5kw without going to 2 or 3 phase to the house.

Ok I understand know.

Your house is single phase. You can have a max of 5kw per phase, providing your house is attached to a 3 phase transformer, which it is according to Sp-Ausnet reply.

So you have a couple of options, cut back your system to 5kw, probably most cost effect way.

Or you can get your REC and Sp-Ausnet to connect a second or third phase. If you get the extra phases you will be able to go bigger. This is the expensive way.

The problem is not your system, it is how your house is connected to the grid that is the problem. Your house is a single phase and your installer should have known this when designing the system.

[poppa smurf]

xisled, where does the 3rd phase come from, I had my shed put across to 3 phase a long time ago at a cost of $500.

whats involved and what would the approximate cost be to Matty?

I havent seen our sparky today!

[xisled]

Matty would have to get a REC out. REC would have to complete an EWR, that is then sent to the retailer. Also an electrical inspector would need to be organised to sign off on the work by the REC. Could not tell you cost of that part.

The 3 phase would have to be connected from the transformer to the house. Matty would also have to get the current meter changed over from single phase to 3 phase meter.

The cost for Sp-Ausnet to come out $247.78 plus retailer fee. (Per truck appointment)
Matty may need 2 truck appointments as the REC may need power disconnected, then the power reconnected.

Only way I can think to save a bit of money would be to arrange everything to be carried out at the same time. 3 phase to be installed and solar on the same truck appointment. It is possible, but it will depend on if Sp-Ausnet will accept all this.

http://www.sp-ausnet.com.au/CA2575630006F222/Lookup/Tariffs/$file/Schedule%20of%20Alternative%20Control%20Services%2 02012.pdf

[poppa smurf]

may pay to make a few enquiries.......even if it cost a couple of thousand, if it means he can get the system installed that he wants.

thought's?

[Matty4]

Basically, at the end of the day my only real choice is to drop 5 panels off my system.
3 phase probably isn't viable at this stage.
Unless SP Ausnet come to the party and fall into line with all the other distributors here in Vic and allow 10kw per phase.

Shame as my original system would probably knock my bill off completely.