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Here at QLD Solar and Lighting we are approached daily by potential solar system buyers from everywhere and all walks of life. We thought it would it would offer you an insight as to what other customers think about and are asking about when they make that same initial solar system enquiry. Solar power is a highly competitive industry in Australia, and we have been around long enough to assign certain customers to a particular category. This list will be updated as we see more trends appearing in the ever-changing and evolving solar industry.   In the comments below you can tell us about the experience you had when shopping for solar.   15 Quote Quentin Quentin has more time in the world than anyone you have met before. He reminds me of the Saturday and Sundays in the Real-Estate industry, Indian families who just drive around looking at open-house….

Is a Three Phase Solar Inverter What You Need? Recently here at Qld Solar & Lighting we have been informed that inquiries have been made by clients whose properties are fitted with 3 phase power; they have been informed that to suit this they must have a 3 phase solar inverter. This article is to address these inquiries. Is a Three Phase Solar Inverter Necessary? This answer can vary from case to case. There are some benefits to having a three phase solar inverter but in comparison with a single phase solar inverter it is much more expensive. Being as the price is higher it is important to ensure that the benefits you will obtain will be worth your expense. The Benefits of Three Phase Solar Inverters The primary benefit of a three phase solar inverter is that the solar power they convert into AC power is then equally distributed over….

Question: I have 3 phase power, and want to cover the power on each phase. However, I’ve been quoted for a one phase solar inverter. Will I have to pay for the power that’s consumed on the other two phases that solar doesn’t cover? That’s a good question. Let’s take a closer look: SMA 3-phase and 1-phase solar inverters Whoever installs a solar energy system in their home probably worries about saving on their energy bill, and wants to do that in the most efficient manner as possible. As the amount paid for feed in tariffs in Australia lowers, it becomes a great idea to do your best the use the entirety of the solar power produced at your home, instead of sending the surplus back to the grid. On the Gold cost, we have been paying approximately 25 cents, including GST, for every kWh we get from the street….

Choice of Solar inverters: How to choose a good solar inverter? Solar inverters are the next big thing in Australia. In such a scenario, it is inevitable to be equipped with the best of facilities. Hence choosing a good solar inverter becomes a must. From previous reviews, it has been found out that the failure rate of the inverters is abruptly high. All the power in a solar system flows through the solar inverter. Any fault with the inverter will ultimately effect the functioning of the entire solar system. Therefore, the solar inverter becomes the most critical component of a good solar system. The efficiency of the solar system depends much on the working of the solar inverter. The solar inverter is the only component which is likely to fail early in a solar system. One cannot ignore the importance of a good solar inverter and should invest little extra….

The 10 dumb myths of solar installers #10 You can’t split arrays on different inclinations Yes it can be done. Sure there is a loss of output (in technical speech, a cosine loss leading to voltage mismatch dynamics because of different MPPs within the series strings) but this must be balanced against other benefits in, say, reduced installation cost and the ability to fit more panels on a roof. The CEC guidelines say a maximum of a 5% difference in inclination, yet most installers won’t even do that. In reality the guideline should be scrapped or increased to a higher figure more like 15%, as long as the consequences are understood and explained to the customer and the economics of a larger system outweigh any losses per capacity invested. Please bury these myths for everyone’s benefit By burying these myths, Australians will be able to buy a lot more solar panels,….

The 10 dumb myths of solar installers #9 Frames should be used to ensure panels are optimally tilted to the North No, this is old thinking. Adding the cost of 20 or 30 cents per watt to a system that costs $1.00 per watt so the the panels are ideally tilted to eek out every bit of output from a panel is a complete waste of money. With the exception of completely flat roofs where build-up of dirt and grime will be a real problem, flat racking is the go. If space permits, you could instead install 30% more panels for the same price as using tilt framing. Better to install more panels than frame – because that creates economies of scale and brings the cost of panels down in the future! Next: 10) You can’t split arrays on different inclinations Previous:8) The electricity network distributor won’t allow oversizing beyond their inverter size limit

The 10 dumb myths of solar installers #8 The electricity network distributor won’t allow oversizing beyond their inverter size limit Wrong again for most network distributors. Yes, Ausnet in Victoria has this stupid rule and they should hire some electrical engineers with competence to help them out. But Citipower/Powercor, Jemena and United Energy in Victoria all allow oversizing as do network operators in WA, SA, Queensland as well as some distributors in NSW. So if distributor Jemena says you can have a 10kW capacity inverter installed on a single-phase then as long as it’s compliant with Australian Standard 4777 you can attach panels with capacity of 13kW, 15kW or even more. Also by not going beyond a 10kW inverter you slip in under their rule of automatic pre-approval Next: 9) Frames should be used to ensure panels are optimally tilted to the North Previous:7) You shouldn’t put on more panel capacity than the output of your….

The 10 dumb myths of solar installers #7 Let’s be straight – it’s better economics to oversize the amount of panel capacity relative to the inverter (see Reasons to supersize your solar for why this is the case). All systems should be oversizing 150% panel capacity to inverter output. Unfortunately the Clean Energy Council (CEC) guidelines undermine good solar system economics. They currently only allow 133% oversizing of arrays, after which you forgo eligibility for the government STC rebate. However provided you are prepared to do the project in two passes, claiming the STC rebate only for that capacity up to 133% of the inverter capacity, this is entirely legitimate. Most importantly it can be done safely and within electrical codes and regulations. Yet what’s even more ridiculous is that many installers come up with arbitrary constraints that they’ll only do 15% oversizing on the north. Others even incorrectly claim that you’re not allowed….