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M

mike36

Hi

I have a system fitted 18 months ago SMA 4000 inverter and 16 Sharp 250 panels. My neighbor has Sanyo panels - they are smaller but he gets more KW's than i do and we have identical roofs and face the same way

My question is can I change the existing panels for Sanyo - I was told this would invalidate my Feed In Tariff

Thanks for any help
 
I think Sharp had/has a high temperature coefficient of -0.47%/deg and Sanyo has -0.3%/ deg so that would explain the difference in performance. In peak sunlight the Sanyo panels would produce around 6% more kWh. Your neighbour will have forked out several thousand more to install the sanyo system so had paid have more efficient panels.
 
When was your neighbours fitted?
Do you clean your panels regular and does your neighbour?
Was this a verbal or did you see the results...... he might just be jealous because yours are bigger ;)..... just too many variables to go for the swap em option make sure you have your facts right and that your comparing two systems with the same set-up ....i.e. angle, direction, pitch any shadows etc etc
 
Hi thanks for the response - most of which is over my head - We have the same Barratt house on the same side of the street - will I lose FIt if I change panels?
 
Yes you would lose your FIT if you changed your panels as a new MCS certificate would need to be produced meaning you'll be put on the currrent 15.44p/kWh. In addition nobody else would want to buy the Sharp panels you have as they cannot be used again for another Solar PV system if they also want to claim the feed in tariff as the equipment would be 2nd hand.

You'll have to stick with what you have I am afraid. I'm sure the fact you are getting the higher 43.3p/kWh Feed in Tariff rate will soften the blow somewhat

However if your system is performing below whats expected/predicted then there might be ways to improve this but if you are just disappointed that your neighbor has more efficient panels than you then you'll just have to be a jealous admirer
 
Q/ I own a Lotus car. My neighbor has a Ferrari - his car accelerates faster than mine and does a couple more miles to the gallon.

My question is:
Can I, should I change my Lotus for a Ferrari?
Would it be worth it, given his car accelerates marginally faster than mine and does more miles to the gallon?

A/ Yes you should, you cant afford to loose face with your neighbour.

Put common sense on the back burner, empty your wallet, spend lots of cash and make sure you buy something far superior to his - to regain your rightful standing in the neighbourhood.

:auto:
 
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This is just a suggestion, if you want to up your performance you may do better changing the inverter to maybe an SMA 3600TL, this may cost around £1000, but it would take a few calculations to see if it would be better suited.

Also to compare systems you need to compare the whole install, Where are the inverters mounted? How is it all wired up? What size is the AC cable? Where and how is it connected to the supply, Where are the Generation meters installed?
Are both inverters the same spec, Have the parameters been changed in the inverters? Are the panels wired in one string or two?

There is a lot more to a systems performance than just the panels, and normally, not always, but normally, any company that uses top end products like Sanyo's tend to have higher standards of work, and with PV any small thing (some listed above) can make a difference.

If you are that concerned it may be worth paying an expert to pop round and have a look at both systems to see if there is a way of improving your performance a little.

Out of curiosity, do you know what the price difference was between the two installs?
 
The cost of buying 16 Sanyo panels v 16 Sharp Panels 18 months ago, will far outweigh the 6-7% generation benefit your neighbour will receive.
He'll probably start to profit from his panel choice 18-20 years down the line.
At that point he'll most probably be dead or have moved.
If I was in your shoes, i'd be happy with your systems relative performance.
 
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And install an immersun:) (assuming you've got an immersion heater) and get 'free' hot water during the summer whilst he throws his away to the grid :party:, then revel in the fact that £ / £ your system is giving you a greater ROI
 
Install Solar Panel DC Optimisers, operating Mppt tracking per panel, to extract more energy from your panels.
These devices are most effective on systems with intermittent shading. :beatnik2:
 
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I'm not sure if I've missed something but I don't understand what all the fuss is about. Sanyo panels are sold on the basis that they will generate around 10% more than "normal" poly or mono panels. If they are only producing around 6-7% more then I'd be jumping for joy at the fact that I hadn't paid out all that extra cash just to get 6-7% extra.

You'd be madder than a Mad Hatter at a Tea party to want to change over panels and pay the extra.
 
Soem of my panels are bluish and some of them are blackish, should I paint them all the same colour? :13:
 

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