Solar Together?

[RWD3M]

A couple of months ago, I heard (I can't remember how) about what appeared top be some sort of Council (Wiltshire) sponsored? scheme to get cheap less expensive solar installs on private properties.

As I'm now starting to consider this (I haven't really been in the financial position to do so until now), I thought I'd put my name down and register my interest. It was all no-obligation and seemed above board. Well, my 'personal recommendation' has just arrived where I have now to commit to a deposit (albeit only £150 or so) to continue the process.

Before doing so, I took a wee look around the internet and found some pretty damning reviews of the company involved (Infinity Renewables).

So I thought I'd see if anyone here has any experience of the company, the scheme, or even suggestions as to how else to go about it.

Cheers,

 

[Bornfree]

Is the deposit refundable? If not paying £150 without knowing the final cost sounds extremely suspicious.

 

[gaz1]

also looking into solar

at moment or was solar panels are 50.00 so thats 3 panels 425w each for your 150

whilst ive measured up and i can fit up 9 panels for full solar in southern sun

then theres the choice of power supply and then theres batterys on top

 

[Memmeddu]

We have solar panels in our property, completely off grid.
It has been done because of a customer was in debt with us.
He gave us the panels, the batteries, the inverter, he installed it.
That's how he paid the debt.
Now it's a 3kW system, and I would never use a welder with it but it would power lights and smaller tools I'm planning to make a separate system way cheaper components but powerful enough to run a 6kW three phase converter for the shop.
Here in Italy who has solar connected to the mains got paid around 0.02 euro per kW produced...
Mains is around 0.20 per kW depending upon the company here in my region.
Things to know how here.
Once you get solar installed on your rooftop, you're not yours anymore.
Your rooftop becomes property of the power company and you can't do anything to get it back.
You have to pay everything to install it.
Insurance doesn't cover the panels from damages, the inverter is expensive and guess what happens if it blows up? You have to replace with your own money because the power company signed a contract with you and you are responsible for it.
Batteries aren't covered by insurance as they're disposable items but you have to pay for their recycle.
In other words a scam.
Would you go for green energy?
Off grid is the answer over here, I don't know how works over there in the UK but since the human being is prone to think about himself only wouldn't be so much of a difference.

In Sardinia we are especially involved in a war against those companies as they're speculating on green energy, building or attempting to build huge industrial complex destroying our environment and economy installing wind turbines and solar panels militarizing the areas where they are "meant" to be installed.
Our government (Sardinia is a state under the Italian republic) never approved that they are doing it illegally, and the produced energy wouldn't even be distributed in Sardinia.
And unfortunately it's happening what we expected, in our classic old fashion.
Last night some sites have been under attack and destroyed to the ground.

 

[Bladevane]

I may be way off here but I thought the installation belonged to the installer and the user (you) just gets the use of power produced. The days of a Feed In Tariff have long since gone. So you have to ensure you can soak up the generation to maximise your investment, such as an EV, battery pack, baking, hot water etc. the list is endless.

 

[RWD3M]

Is the deposit refundable? If not paying £150 without knowing the final cost sounds extremely suspicious.

The proposal did include a costing.

 

[addjunkie]

My view…..just go speak to one of the many local companies and get a genuine price….schemes usually end up in the “if its too good to be true” it usually us category.

 

[RWD3M]

My view…..just go speak to one of the many local companies and get a genuine price….schemes usually end up in the “if its too good to be true” it usually us category.

I'm actually doing that as we speak

 

[bricol]

And what happens when you need the roof repairing and the panels need to come off to do so?

 

[addjunkie]

And what happens when you need the roof repairing and the panels need to come off to do so?

Take them off, they are only fixed to uni strut type stuff! Unless they are the built in ones, in which case there have like a velux flashing kit around them

 

[bert]

My neighbour had some fitted with something to do with wiltshire council but I'm not sure if it was that company.

Installation appears to take ages, the cable coming off the roof just goes over the gutters and I can hear his inverter.

 

[RWD3M]

My neighbour had some fitted with something to do with wiltshire council but I'm not sure if it was that company.

Installation appears to take ages, the cable coming off the roof just goes over the gutters and I can hear his inverter.

Thanks Darren, On topic and helpful

 

[Bullet2012]

My neighbour had some fitted with something to do with wiltshire council but I'm not sure if it was that company.

Installation appears to take ages, the cable coming off the roof just goes over the gutters and I can hear his inverter.

Had a system installed earlier this year, inverter is silent. Batteries are silent. Are you sure it’s his inverter youcan hear, has he installed a heat pump at the same time ?

 

[Bladevane]

My inverter is also silent, even at full load. I believe some have a cooling fan, ours doesn't. Surprised you can hear the inverter no matter how its cooled. I agree with Bullet2012, could it be a heat pump making the row?

 

[ajlelectronics]

Thanks Darren, On topic and helpful

As out Italian friend commented, lots of "gotchas". One of the favourites is that the installers"lease" the roof space from you, with all the pitfalls previously described. If the system is truly yours, with no contracts, then maybe it will be OK, but subsidised installs are likely to be dangerous.

If you want an honest appraisal and a genuine quote, a friend of mine is a professional electrician and does his own installations.

Give him a ring, let him know that I suggested you do, on +44 7866 852768 Name is Tim Peppard. Lovely bloke, straight as a die and great at what he does.

 

[RWD3M]

As out Italian friend commented, lots of "gotchas". One of the favourites is that the installers"lease" the roof space from you, with all the pitfalls previously described. If the system is truly yours, with no contracts, then maybe it will be OK, but subsidised installs are likely to be dangerous.

If you want an honest appraisal and a genuine quote, a friend of mine is a professional electrician and does his own installations.

Give him a ring, let him know that I suggested you do, on +44 7866 852768 Name is Tim Peppard. Lovely bloke, straight as a die and great at what he does.

Thanks Andy, may well do.

Edit: I did, went to voicemail, will try again later.

 

[gaz1]

ive been looking at solar for a while and testing some things out as well

ive also been onto the power company and unless i fit a smart meter within the property i cannot have a lower tarrif bribary insult

on top of that this week alone they now want another 150.00 added to the yearly insulting bill

I also cannot see why we the customer has to foot the bill for the new power station either when there making billions

so for me with 9 panels its 450.00 + the power inverters and the batterys lets say 1500.00-2000.00 spread over 5 years or longer

 

[ajlelectronics]

Thanks Andy, may well do.

Edit: I did, went to voicemail, will try again later.

Send him a text just to say who you are as well. I think he shuts down out of hours, which is fairy snuff, so then call him tomorrow.

 

[droopsnoot]

A mate of mine had panels installed using this scheme and is happy with them. That's in Cheshire, so it'll probably be different installers. I seem to recall that he did some price comparisons - I doubt he'd have signed up without doing a bit of shopping around.

 

[frank horton]

I would prefer my own stuff not leased.....
here a solar system is priced so almost nobody can afford it......
better just to do the donkey work urself.....then get somebody to wire it up.....which I 'll do.....
the gov has no interest in going green....
in the 5 years I've been here I only know of two private systems working....
ironic considering the total amount of hours sunshine we have.....
asap were going off grid..... Ive started finding materials.....
Plus u need planning permission for the system even on ur own prop .....garden or roof....
our will go on the spare field..... and there will be 4 dogs running loose at all times.....so stuff em....