Anyone gone bust yet?

[sedgy34]

That's what I love about forums, comments like that without any idea of what I have purchased LOL - don't forget, I was not buying this 'trade' this was a 'retail' purchase and you have no idea of the size/type of panels fitted, the inverter used or the alarm system that had to be fitted to the panels to prevent theft - our area has seen several properties lose panels to thieves and I wanted to make sure mine stayed where they were installed.

NOT UP FOR A SLANGING MATCH BUT WORCESTOR IS CORRECT YOU PAID MORE THAN REQUIRED FOR THE SYSTEM ASSUMING ITS A 4KW AND WHEN YOU HAD IT. would like to see some pics of the installation and the security alarm

 

[SolarCity]

Abuse? Criticising someones opinion isn't abuse. I'm sure you're waiting to see this state of the art system that he has had installed, like the rest of us. Right?

 

[balbecdaze]

I too would love to see an in-roof tracking system (alarmed as well I hear?), could we please see some pics?

You're clearly very proud of it.

 

[Greenman Solar]

We could install a Deger dual axis tracker on his roof for that money

 

[Greenman Solar]

He may not like the 5 tonnes of concrete in his living room though

 

[MCS Renewables]

In answer to the original posting this lot have gone bust :-

Energy Conservation Group :-

Energy Conservation Group - Timeline | Facebook

http://www.companyrescue.co.uk/insolven ... ion-notice


They were Simplee Solar then Staywarm ...... work nationally with subbies ......oversellers with average installs by subbies at best.

They were based based in Three Legged Cross, which is East Dorset but very near Ringwood in Hants.

 

[Eco Deal]

Yes I would like to see the moving roof ! but I doubt we ever will.

Depends what system he got ie sunpower pansonic and which inverter/s if its a standard system yes he was ripped off big time.

 

[sedgy34]

I would say he's got mixed up or been misled with mpp tracker wording

 

[Gavin A]

could be prismatic glass, which I've seen described as passive tracking.

The description sounds like Ahead solar panels, which aren't actually UK made, just UK rebadged and often mis-sold as being UK made, and uses similar claims around the low light performance (which may or may not be justified - hard to know).

AFAIK the only UK made panels are Romag and Sharp, both of which only fabricate the panel using imported cells. There's also a company that manufactures crystaline silicon ingots, then exports them, but I've forgotten their name.

 

[essexrs]

AFAIK the only UK made panels are Romag and Sharp, both of which only fabricate the panel using imported cells. There's also a company that manufactures crystaline silicon ingots, then exports them, but I've forgotten their name.

Romag are a specialist Glass Manufacturer and have been producing custom PV panels since around 2005 I think, yes, I am using Romag Panels, Black on Black with specialist Glass, each panel is 280Wp and purchased them direct from Romag.

 

[essexrs]

Just to point out, I am not confused, I have not been ripped off and I will get some pics of it and post them for you....

The Inverter is a Sunny Boy 4000TL and the system is two arrarys, one of 9 Romag units, one of 7 Romag units.

The system is very simple to create with the existing technology, all you need are mounts that are modified to 'hinge' at the top, so that 'pistons' raise the bottom of the panel upwards to maintain as best it can the peak aspect for solar collection - the position of the sun as it passes overhead is done with a Linear Position Sensor that trips the motors. Whilst we looked at bespoke systems to make the frames move on both planes, it would have created too many shadows.

The alarm system fitted is a modified system normally used for Scaffolding so that if anyone attempts to remove any part of the array the alarm will be activited.

For reference, it is NOT fitted on the roof of the House, it is fitted to the roof of the detached garage and whilst the Deger Dual Axis Tracker is great for single/quad panels ground or flat roof mounted, they are no good for a tiled pitch roof are they?

Lets just say my system is a little more advanced than this : simplest solar tracker for solar panels - YouTube but not quite as agile as this :- Homemade / DIY solar tracker 2/2 - YouTube in that mine only move in a vertical plane due to location of the building.

There is a wealth of technology out there that can be utilised or modified to get you where you want to be or close to it and if you have a technical background (I used to write the repair and technical manuals for Goodmans, Hinari, Red Devil and Alba), most things are achievable...

I am not knocking anyone on this website, but for what I have and what I have paid to achieve it, I think it is money well spent and as it is my money to spend, it is my choice regardless of your opinion. I had to pay out for the customisation, I had to pay out to re-inforce the roof and then for the company to fit them. As I said, the money is worthless sitting in the bank, but the investment of the money in my house have made the EPC go from an E47/E41 to a D57/B83 so far.

There is more to do as I recently found out that Thames Water will DISCOUNT down your sewage charges on your water bill for water put back into the ground instead of the sewer system, therefore, as I am about to embark on the construction of a single storey extension on the side of the house, I am going to dig up the front garden and drop in a soakaway for the rainwater off the extension, but also put a 100 litre tank in the roof of the extension that will collect rain water from the main house and use this to flush the toilets...

Any other suggestions or idea for reducing energy bills, water rates etc very welcome.

 

[whinmoor]

Good stuff. You sound like you knew what you wanted and arranged to get it done. Customer satisfaction is always top priority and you were prepared to pay extra for a non-standard installation. That's great.

Any other suggestions or idea for reducing energy bills, water rates etc very welcome.

Brick in the toilet cistern? Foil behind radiators? Hot water cylinder jacket? Thicker curtains? - Simple (and cheap) measures which help.

 

[Energetic]

I turn the upstairs lighting circuit off at the MCB so the kids can't leave the bathroom lights on ;-)

 

[essexrs]

Good stuff. You sound like you knew what you wanted and arranged to get it done. Customer satisfaction is always top priority and you were prepared to pay extra for a non-standard installation. That's great.



Brick in the toilet cistern? Foil behind radiators? Hot water cylinder jacket? Thicker curtains? - Simple (and cheap) measures which help.

The Toilet Cisterns I have already changed to give dual flush and they are smaller/slimmer models that use less water.
The radiators I had changed when I fitted the new 'A' rated condensing boiler, the back of them are pre-treated so give the same effect as your suggestion (that I had done on the old ones).
Yes, someone told me about the curtains so the new ones are nice and thick and fully lined.

All nice simple ideas though.

 

[Silly Sausage]

I turn the upstairs lighting circuit off at the MCB so the kids can't leave the bathroom lights on ;-)

I'd have to turn every light MCB off, every light on in the house at 9 this morning!!!

 

[essexrs]

I turn the upstairs lighting circuit off at the MCB so the kids can't leave the bathroom lights on ;-)

Ha ha, that's funny, I don't have kids so don't have that problem, however all the new interior doors are fire doors and fitted with fire chains to close automatically so when the electrician was doing the re-wire, we fitted all the rooms with door jam switches...

 

[Gavin A]

intriguing.

Did you have any problems with planning permission for that?

We've had a look at doing something similar in the past but didn't think we'd be likely to get planning permisson for anything that made any sort of a worthwhile difference, and anything that stuck within the 200mm from the roof face permitted development regulations wasn't going to be worthwhile. I guess the picture on this might change slightly for in roof mounted kit as you've potentially got a few more cm to play with, depending on what you interpret the roof face as being in this situation.

 

[sedgy34]

Pics please

 

[Energetic]

Ha ha, that's funny, I don't have kids so don't have that problem, however all the new interior doors are fire doors and fitted with fire chains to close automatically so when the electrician was doing the re-wire, we fitted all the rooms with door jam switches...

I tried telling them Greg and Otto Barker would get them if they left the lights on but that just gave them nightmares...

 

[Earthstore]

I have followed this thread with intrigue, I do feel that one or two may have come across as a little bit harsh, which for this forum is a shame, sign of the times maybe?

I believe it is commendable of the OP to have tried to "do something different" but I do except that he may have stretched the rules a little, but if it pays him dividends then what is the problem?

In reply to an earlier post I would like to clarify that the government do not pay the FIT's, they have tried to fool the public into believing this, but then this is part of the politics involved in it all, hence my departure from the renewables industry, just could not work with all of the politics....

FIT's are paid by the energy companies, which in turn are/will be paid for by the consumers, it will be listed soon as a separate item on your bills, but I believe it will be for all types of generation not just solar PV.