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Looking at the viability of solpad

In reply to sudden

I have had em for over years now..like em

In reply to Khaga

You have solpads or those that store power in batteries?

In reply to sudden

Just roof top panels and still connected to the grid.

In reply to Khaga

Ok..gimme the pros and cons

In reply to sudden

Federal rebates are good..peak summer we generate 60% of the usage.other months 200%.

There is clampdown on roof top now..but,since my plan is grandfathered in,I can expand.
It is tied to the home and their effect on sale value is a bit fuzzy.

In reply to sudden

The financials depend on the regulations wherever you are.

Net metering is obviously the best deal for the homeowners...but the truth is that net metering is subsidized by gov't and by the customers who can't even afford to install a system..and many places have ended the subsidies.

Grid tied systems need the grid....and somebody's gotta pay for use of and upkeep of the grid.

Some places have implemented a grid service service charge which in effect allows net metering ..but there's a charge for use of the grid.

Net billing is a lot simpler...loosely based on crediting the homeowner/ pv owner for the kWh generated at a rate of avoided cost of fuel burn.

Net billing is much less attractive from an investment perspective....but is fairest and easiest to implement.

In reply to Cheeks

The utilities are tightening the noose around the roof top systems with net metering. There is a non-profit utility company here that I deal with. The other company in town is much more coercive.

In reply to Khaga

Well the utilities ...have huge capital investments to recover..and have to have all the capacity available for ahem 'cloudy days'.

The real game changer is storage. Most probably batteries. When the life cycle cost gets to grid parity...it will be interesting times.

Some people think its not very far away.

In reply to sudden

Thanks sudden as I have not heard about this. I am looking to use solar in some business endeavors. I do not own a piece of the rock yet tho. I will wait for powen and mia to win next year cuz I hear everyone does get rich under dem.

In reply to nick2020

i first saw it here

he writes some articles i find quite valuable. i was going to buy Musk's batteries for storage but this new tech sounds promising.

i am asking about the viability of it. it sounds too good to be true

In reply to sudden

I have 5KW on my house in Canada, hooked up on the grid with net metering, excess generated power is bankable for 1 year then resets to zero.

My bill is about $42 per month when usage is equal to or greater than generated power.

I installed mono-crystalline panels with Enphase micro inverters, no batteries.

In reply to YoungWarrior

What do you think of SolPad?

In reply to Cheeks

There is a lot of interest in Tesla and its plant in Nevada. Lets see if it gets trumped..

In reply to sudden

Depends on where you want to use the batteries. Lithium-ion cells get hot quickly if you draw plenty of current from them. That will limit its power drain in hot places like Bdos. They are very compact and light, but quite expensive.

If you want lights and maybe use your laptop during a blackout, the Li-ion cells should be fine. If you want to watch a big-screen TV and play loud music, the power system might shut down on you (thermal overload) long before the batteries run out of juice.

This Solpad thing seems quite versatile tho. It could work both on and off the grid, but seems better suited for off-grid use in colder climates. (The up-front costs may be too high to benefit economically by selling power back to the power company.)

(I used to build custom alternative energy systems, including inverter systems suitable for wind, solar, etc, in Guyana, using recycled electronic equipment for some of my needs.)

In reply to sudden

Yes, I do.

Which country? Bim? I posted here about the panels a couple times. You may recall me telling TUS that solar can run a house back in 2014... he refused to accept it was possible

I looked at the specs of solPad... impressive. Cost ratios are good too, the one disturbing component is that PR splash... too much hyperbole felt like a Steve Jobs product launch

The most important areas are overall efficiency, AMP capacity, quality of output from the inverters.

I like the idea of each panel having an inverter in the chain for improved performance. Though it can add inherent risk.. more failure points means more failure... HOWEVER... they offer the most efficiency in power production

The product is very impressive, and they went all out in the PR blitz... but the proof in the pudding is in the eating

WARNING: If the inverters or batteries on the all-in-one system are not robust, in 5 years your investment could be a nightmare. All in one panels have pros and cons

@norm: I shifted from Lithium-Ion to Lithium-Iron about 2 years ago. Far more stable, far superior, and CHEAPER over the life span of all predecessors.

In reply to pelon

i dont recall that.

you will recall that i said i was constructing a property in Bim to house me and possibly the Czech. she loves Bim and the children and her got on well.

anyway i am going to install solar panels and have already constructed a battery room- was going to buy the new Tesla batteries- but since then i have seen this new product. the guy Jerry Franklin who seems to be something of a solar expert in Bim wrote favourably about it but it sounded a bit too good to be true for my palate.

i supposed what i am asking is this- what would be your recommendation- i want to run my entire house on solar. of course i will still have electricity from Light and Power.

In reply to sudden

Take my advice here, go with a product that can be supported locally. In Bim I like the idea of a single inverter more so than an inverter in every panel. (That's why I asked where you wanted it) When a panel inverter fails (lightning strike?) it could be costly... if your battery bank and inverter is NOT on the roof.... you have a better chance of isolating problems... and one very good inverter is better than 10 inverters on a roof.

Disclaimer: Because I am an investor locally in a solar company (and yes sudden, you know exactly who), I would be biased to offer a commercial option, but I will tell you: it is the way to go.

In reply to pelon

hahaha. this post was aimed to solicit your advice. i am surprised it took so long to attract your attention.

btw- unnuh too like to expose me.


nevertheless- what do you think of Musk's powerwall 2 batteries

In reply to sudden

Remember to build a "hurricane shelter".

In reply to sudden

powerwall = NOT in Bim ... as in I would NOT install a powerwall in Bim reason: no support, expensive panels, closed loop system

I did not realize you already started construction. The battery room/inverter location has one important factor, it should be as close as possible to the panels (DC distribution matter)
Panel Orientation is also important followed by panel access. Oh, something you may not know: cleaning a panel frequently is VERY important, every few months can't hurt.

Watch this video: LINK

Example of a product with a Worldwide warranty

For the DIY I like the following:
Buy the best panels based on documented performance not marketing fluff. Don't buy based on cost, buy based on savings.
Buy a maximum power point tracking (MPPT) charge controller.
Buy a single quality inverter, and make sure it is a grid-tie inverter
[Optional] Buy Batteries to fill your power needs in a power failure situation. This is optional, and can save a lot of capital cost. Ask yourself: how often is power out in your location and do you REALLY need to run the house in a power outage. So think:: power the fridge and some lights and critical appliances.

If you want to save money (lower the bill) you don't actually need batteries. if you do want power outage protection - add AMP hrs capacity with a bank(s) of batteries

In reply to pelon

yeah ...was supposed to give you a shout but i got v handy input from you know who. battery room is quite close to the panels. in fact a direct run with conduit already roughed in.


thanks for this advice.

In reply to Hants

Hurricane shelter and panic room built. water storage tanks dug and harvesting a majority of rain from roof.

also have a separate storage tank for govt piped water.

Pelon's comment about the inverters being the system's weak point is very true. You want them where you could service them.

In reply to nick2020

SolPad seems to be ok, it is still unproven technology with the battery mounted under the panel, longevity is anyone's guess but the warranty is 20 years.

It was not around when I installed my system, I may have considered it for the advantage of still having power when the grid is out, which does not happen very often for me.

In reply to YoungWarrior

one has to consider that Solpad might not be feasible in Bim at this stage. it sounds v promising tho