C
carolinebrett
We are having to rush a decision on which of two quotes to give the go ahead to - both who can fit us in for install by end of november. Unfortunately our preferred installer (most reputable) couldn't fit us in.
The chap we've so far given our deposit to (with a 14 day cool -off available) has just told me that he would propose a Sunny Boy 3800v inverter for our proposed 3.44 kw system (16 x Sanyo HIT 215s). My impression from trawling the net for the last couple of days is that only the sunny boy 4000TL can handle 2 x mppts for a dual aspect system, but this chap said that wasn't true. Can anyone help me out with this? Our other possible installer was suggesting an Aurora PowerOne 3.6 which I know is supposed to be good in this sort of scenario. The first guy (the one we are currently booked to do the job with) said, 'we can go with the aurora if you want'. He seemed to be giving the impression that the Sunny boy is the 'market leader' and therefore preferable??
Our original plan was to go with a 16 x Sanyo HIT 250 system (i.e. 4 kw) but apparently it's hard to get hold of the panels now with the rush on, so unless he can get them after all we're having to compromise with the less efficient (and only slightly cheaper) system.
The other thing he suggested is to put the inverter in the attic/loft. He said that it would tolerate the max heat in there, reading the spec to me from the Sunnyboy as operating from -25 to 60 degrees. My impression is that most installers shy away from attic installations these days. He said that he could put it in the electrical cupboard 'if I wanted' but that it would be less efficient due to the long DC run (it's a 3 storey house so long drop from roof to ground floor where the consumer unit is). He also said it would be more expensive in terms of cabling etc. I seem to have gleaned the impression that long DC runs are fine so long as you overspec the cabling. Is this true? is it really that much more expensive? And should this installer/salesman have more of an idea about it?
thanks for any help with this. i'm worried we may be at the mercy of a cowboy as we've not got much time to sort things out, and by the end of the week he'll have us over a barrell in terms of installing in time before Dec cut-off for the FIT. On the other hand, perhaps he's fine and I'm just being overly worried, BECAUSE of knowing that i'm nearly overa barrel!
The chap we've so far given our deposit to (with a 14 day cool -off available) has just told me that he would propose a Sunny Boy 3800v inverter for our proposed 3.44 kw system (16 x Sanyo HIT 215s). My impression from trawling the net for the last couple of days is that only the sunny boy 4000TL can handle 2 x mppts for a dual aspect system, but this chap said that wasn't true. Can anyone help me out with this? Our other possible installer was suggesting an Aurora PowerOne 3.6 which I know is supposed to be good in this sort of scenario. The first guy (the one we are currently booked to do the job with) said, 'we can go with the aurora if you want'. He seemed to be giving the impression that the Sunny boy is the 'market leader' and therefore preferable??
Our original plan was to go with a 16 x Sanyo HIT 250 system (i.e. 4 kw) but apparently it's hard to get hold of the panels now with the rush on, so unless he can get them after all we're having to compromise with the less efficient (and only slightly cheaper) system.
The other thing he suggested is to put the inverter in the attic/loft. He said that it would tolerate the max heat in there, reading the spec to me from the Sunnyboy as operating from -25 to 60 degrees. My impression is that most installers shy away from attic installations these days. He said that he could put it in the electrical cupboard 'if I wanted' but that it would be less efficient due to the long DC run (it's a 3 storey house so long drop from roof to ground floor where the consumer unit is). He also said it would be more expensive in terms of cabling etc. I seem to have gleaned the impression that long DC runs are fine so long as you overspec the cabling. Is this true? is it really that much more expensive? And should this installer/salesman have more of an idea about it?
thanks for any help with this. i'm worried we may be at the mercy of a cowboy as we've not got much time to sort things out, and by the end of the week he'll have us over a barrell in terms of installing in time before Dec cut-off for the FIT. On the other hand, perhaps he's fine and I'm just being overly worried, BECAUSE of knowing that i'm nearly overa barrel!
