Advice on quotes.

A question about : Advice on quotes.

Everything going over and over in my head, virtually there now, one last query though.

Currently, my roof's completely bathed in sun at 9am (little bit shading from house across the street before that) and in the afternoon, another neighbours roof shades mines completely by around 3.30. Obviously this will improve as summer comes along and the suns higher in the sky.

By 4.30, the suns more to the rear of my house than the front and the panels wont have direct sunshine.

Would these factors put anyone off installing panels?

Roof orientations 38 degree pitch and 40 degrees back from South facing (or 140 degrees from North). I've since found a chart suggesting this will still give 96% efficiency.

Best answers:

• Currently there may be relatively little output per average month - this will improve as you get later in the year.
  You need to work out placement - for example can you place the panels high on the roof so they're not shaded?
  The shading you've described doesn't sound terrible.
• Due to the size of roof, panel placements pretty much set.
  It was a last wee niggle before arranging installation, but I think it's time just to take the plunge.
  Cheers,
• Hi scotsman, nice set of prices there, well done.
  Sorry to go off on a slight tangent, but I'm a little shocked at the extra cost of the micro's. If the extra Ј900-Ј1,000 is typical then I didn't realise it was anywhere near that much.
  I'm more used to SolarEdge (SE) systems (my WNW has a SE system on it). These use power optimisers (PO's) on each panel, then run through a normal inverter - actually, it's slightly dumbed down as it doesn't have to do any complex stuff, since the PO's have done that already.
  The PO's cost about [edit: Ј30 to] Ј40 each, so on a 16 panel system would add about Ј500, but the inverter is a little cheaper, and has a long warranty. So the total extra cost should only be around Ј300 to Ј400.
  Anyone else compared micro's and SE kit? Is the cost difference really that big?
  Mart.
• I'm with Mart on this one,
  Maybe try getting a quote with solaredge instead of micros, I believe from your OP you have shading probs but there's more than one way to skin a cow(so's to say). Solaredge also comes with free(lifetime) online monitoring.
  I'm guessing that with the looks of your quotes you're squeezed for space up there, have you considered higher wattage panels to get you closer to the 4kWp limit(for FiTs), panels range roughly from 200W to 327W but the higher wattage do come with a higher price tag.
• Not sure how much of the shading issue will really be, I'm thinking within an hour of shade starting in the afternoon, the sun will no longer be directly on the panels anyways.
  Space is tight, 14 panels would be at the absolute limits.
  I've one more number I've not called yet , a recommendation from someone I've spoke to locally.
  I'll give them a call and see if he could get me closer to the 4kw and use the Solar Edge.
• Ask about benQ 327W panels, you'd only need 12 panels to hit 3.924kWp system. You may even then be able to position them better to avoid the shading if possible, worth looking at with space at a premium.
  Just had a look at other benQ's and there's one at 285W, 14 of those would get you 3.990kWp and they're quite reasonably priced
  Take a look here https://www.swithenbanks.co.uk/shop.php?action=index
• Spoke to the guy, sounds promising with regards to getting up to the 3.9Kw. Just need to see what the price options are, then go for it.
• Going on the "retail" prices on the site I linked you're looking at about Ј3k for the panels, inverter and optimisers, add on fittings and wiring at Ј500 and scaffold at Ј500 that's Ј4k, then it all comes down to the installers price for fitting. Don't forget your iboost, a necessity if you have a hot water tank!!
  Let us know how you get on
• If any of the quotes you've had have come from an installer who's been recommended on here a few times, then he tells me he doesn't like SolarEdge anymore and prefers Enphase micro inverters?
  Personally, can't see much difference in SE kit and microinverters, they both fit a need to handle shade issues by allowing each panel to operate independently, rather than as a group or string.
  From a cost perspective. SE is much cheaper than Enphase (or Enecsys) and if it's a mainland UK install, (ie not Northern Ireland as they have an export FiT) then I struggle to justify the extra cost for micro inverters?
• I had to do a double take Mart, at near enough 1/2 the price of the 327's it's worth squeezing them on(and nearly same price as the "german 250Wp panels), shame they weren't around at that price when we first had our installs.