Gold Coast Solar Power Solutions

Fronius Inverter Repair

admin — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 20:45:44 +0000

With a grid connect solar power system the key components are the solar panels and the grid connect inverter. The solar panels do not have any moving parts and are virtually problem free, the grid connect inverters on the other hand are sensitive electronic devices, and therefore if a problem was to develop with your solar power system it could possibly be with your inverter.

At Gold Coast Solar Power Solutions we use only the highest quality solar inverters, namely SMA (Sunnyboy Inverters) and Fronius inverters. We understand that if a problem was to develop with your grid connect inverter that you need it rectified as soon as possible. To make this happen Gold Coast Solar Power Solutions has partnered with Fronius International, so in the unlikely event that your Fronius inverter should develop a fault, we can have your inverter fully repaired under warranty so you can be producing power again in no time.

Gold Coast Solar Power Solutions – your local Fronius service partner.

The differences between solar panels

admin — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 23:49:26 +0000

When every sales person tells you that they have the best solar panels, who do you believe? With the vast range of solar panels on the market, how can you be sure that you are not forking out a significant amount of your hard earnt cash on a lemon?

As with most products these days there is a vast range to choose from, some products are quality that will perform admirably, others are nothing short of cheap and nasty. Here are a number of things to keep in mind when choosing a solar panel and listening to a sales person and their sales pitch.

Panel Data
All solar panels have different characteristics. Are these available? If not it is probably due to the fact that this information is not good. Be very wary if this is the case, this is like buying a car with no engine specifications at all. The following is a list of specifications that all solar panels will have, but the values can differ greatly.

Test Conditions (STC) All solar panels are tested in a laboratory under what is called STC (Standard Test Conditions). STC conditions are taken at an Irradiance (light) level of 1000W/m² with a cell temperature of 25ºC. Now the main thing to consider here is this is how the solar panel performs in laboratory conditions. In the real world up on your roof these conditions are constantly changing, which is where the following information is very helpful.

Nominal Operating Cell Temperature (NOCT) The NOCT is given because of the fact that in the real world solar panels are usually operating in hotter conditions and at lower irradiance levels than what the STC of the panel is. NOCT is defined as the temperature reached by open circuited cells in a solar module under the following conditions:

Irradiance (light) falling on the solar panel at 800W/m²
Air temperature of 20ºC
Wind speed at 1m/s
The panel is mounted with an open back (air can circulate behind panel)

For a quality solar panel you can expect the NOCT to be 47ºC or lower. This means that the panel will be running cooler in real world conditions than a panel with a higher NOCT, and a cooler panel means a more efficient panel.

Temperature Coefficient (Pmax) The temperature coefficient is very important, please click here to read a seperate article all about it.

Tolerance or Performance Deviation When you purchase a solar panel which is rated at say 175W, do you expect it to produce 175W? If you do expect 175W, check the solar panels tolerance. Quite often it will be ±5%. This means that your 175W solar panel could be producing 5% less than 175W, or only 166W straight from the factory, something to keep in mind.

Warranty Solar panels are designed to operate in a very harsh environment dealing with ultra-violet radiation, heat, cold, wind and hail for 25 years plus and they are usually warranted for that whole time. This is a very long time. Is the manufacturer of your solar panels going to be around to honour the warranty they offer? If they start having warranty issues will they change names and totally void your warranty? This is not really an option for reputable companies such as Sharp or Sanyo. If you sell your property, will the solar panel warranty pass to the next owner? With Sanyo, Sharp, Solarfun & Suntech panels it will.

Keep this information in mind and you should see right through the lemons and you hopefully won’t make a purchase that you will later regret!

Solar Panels & Temperature

admin — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 02:15:22 +0000

Despite popular belief, the power output of a solar panel decreases with the increase of the panels temperature. The listed power of a solar cell is the power measured under ideal laboratory conditions, which prescribes a temperature of 25 °C. However, on a typical hot summers day, it is not uncommon for a solar cell to reach a temperature of 75 °C. The efficiency of some cheap solar cells can decrease more than 0.5% for every 1 °C above 25 °C. This means that on a hot summers day, the efficiency of a solar cell could drop as much as 25%. It is therefore extremely important to keep your solar panels well ventilated. Make sure the wind is able to cool on all sides, including the underside of the solar panel.

The Temperature Coefficient (Pmax)
The temperature coefficient is a characteristic of solar panels that can differ greatly, especially between cheap panels and quality panels. This characteristic however, should not be overlooked. For example on a hot summers day the temperature of your solar panels may be around 75°C, this will equate to a power loss according to the solar panels temperature coefficient.

With Sanyo Hybrid panels from Gold Coast Solar Power Solutions the temperature coefficient is -0.30% per °C above 25°C. This would equate to a loss of 157W at 75°C just from heat on a 1.05kW solar power system.
However with some cheaper panels offered by other companies the temperature coefficient can be greater than -0.52% per °C above 25°C. This equates to a loss of 273W at 75°C on a 1.05kW solar power system!

So with this cheaper, so called “cost effective” panel this loss alone equates to 116W of a 1.05kW system that you have paid for which is lost compared to the higher quality Sanyo panel on a good summers day! Imagine the extra power loss on a larger system! That is more than a 10% loss in output over a higher quality solar panel, add to that the piece of mind that comes with purchasing from a reputable brand and knowing that they will be around in the years to come to honour their product warranties.. suddenly the quality solar panels look a lot more appealing.

Energy Retailers supporting your solar power investment

admin — Sun, 03 May 2009 04:35:37 +0000

Currently in Queensland with the net feed in tariff you receive $0.44 per kWh you feed back to the grid, this is a great initiative from the Queensland Government, as the government actually pays your retailer the higher rate for the solar electricity.

But what about the electricity retailers? Do they actually support your investment in solar power? Most of the energy retailers offer energy from renewable sources for you to buy at a higher rate, but won’t actually put their money where their mouth is and reward you for your renewable energy. AGL and Origin are the only retailers currently that reward your solar power production more than the Queensland Government feed in tariff, they will actually pay you extra on top of the government rebate, so you can sell your surplus electricity for more than $0.44 per kWh. Hopefully the other energy retailers rise to this standard that AGL and Origin have set.

AGL are currently paying $0.52 per kWh for your surplus solar electricity.
Origin are currently paying $0.50 per kWh for your surplus solar electricity

Solar panels and hot water

admin — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 09:54:36 +0000

A common question we are asked is whether the solar power panels create hot water. They don’t. Solar panels convert the light from the sun into electricity, whereas solar hot water panels (or collectors) use the heat from the sun to heat water. In a round about way solar panels can power an electric hot water system, but this is an extremely inefficient way to heat water, a solar hot water system is far more efficient for your hot water needs.

Let’s get Australia moving on solar feed in tariffs!

admin — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 11:12:06 +0000

Click here to sign the gross solar feed in tariff petition
A feed-in tariff is a premium rate paid for electricity produced by a renewable source such as a grid connected rooftop solar system or wind turbine, usually over and above the market rate.

National gross feed in tariff programs have been established around the world, resulting in increased uptake of solar and wind power systems by home owners and businesses .

We’ve waited long enough for the Australian Government to act decisively – it’s time to push the issue of national gross feed in tariffs; particularly after the recent Council Of Australian Governments (COAG) meeting where principles tabled were far removed from how a feed in tariff system should operate.

We’ve already let politicians such as Penny Wong, Kevin Rudd, Peter Garrett, Greg Hunt and Christine Milne know about the petition.

The more signatures and thoughtful comments on the petition, the greatly the likelihood policy makers in Australia will take our collective call seriously and Prime Minister Kevin Rudd will choose a solar future for our nation over filthy coal!

Click here to sign the gross solar feed in tariff petition

Solar panels & hail

admin — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 21:20:45 +0000

A very common question we are asked is can solar panels withstand hail? This is a very important question as solar panels mounted on your roof are right in the line of fire of hail, so here is the answer.

Quality solar panels are made from tempered glass. Tempered glass, also known as safety glass or toughened glass, is anything up to six times the strength of normal plate glass. It is created by thermal or chemical means and is tested to withstand the impact of hailstones and snow loads on the panels (not that snow is a real issue here on the Gold Coast!) When tempered glass does break, it shatters into small pieces rather than into large, razor sharp shards as standard plate glass.

Standard plate glass can still be found on some cheaper brands of monocrystalline and polycrystalline panels made by small, unknown companies and on most brands of amorphous (thin film) solar panels, they can try and make it stronger by using thicker plate glass, but it is still nowhere near as strong as tempered glass. Also with plate glass it can cloud over time, which would greatly reduce the solar panels power output.

So in conclusion you do get what you pay for. When buying solar panels it should be clearly stated on the product specifications the type of glass used, if it is not, it is highly likely to be plate glass. Quality solar panels are made from tempered glass and designed to withstand hail, don’t be deceived with unknown brand solar panels at prices to good to be true, as the saying goes if it seems too good to be true it probably is!

New Solar Power rebates

admin — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 23:46:18 +0000

If you live on the Gold Coast and are after a solar power system, we want to let you know that the government rebates are changing!

If you haven’t already heard, the existing government rebate for solar power for your home is changing come the end of June this year. The bad news with this is that if you qualify for the existing $8000 grant you will find the amount under the new scheme will be around $500 less on a 1.5 kilowatt system, and even less on a standard 1 kilowatt system.

So if you qualify for the current government rebate get in now, and get the maximum possible rebate before it disappears! Contact us through clicking the link on the right for your free site inspection and quotation, so we can help you maximise the return on your solar power investment.

The good news is that with the new rebate system, it will no longer be means tested (you don’t need to have an income below $100,000) and it will be open to everybody- home owners, community groups and businesses. So if you are interested in solar power and cannot currently make use of any government rebates, from July 09 you can!

The new government rebate will be slightly lower than the existing, $7500 being the maximum rebate available and that is for a 1.5 kilowatt system or larger. Therefore to receive the full rebate you will need to invest in a slightly larger solar power system.

If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to contact us at Gold Coast Solar Power Solutions and we will help you where ever we can!

Clothes Drier Tips

admin — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 02:01:01 +0000

If you need to use a clothes dryer regularly, here’s some efficiency tips that will help reduce environmental impact and save you money.

1. Clean your lint filter regularly. A clogged up lint filter can extend the drying time (and therefore boost energy use) by a massive 30 percent!

2. Ensure your dryer isn’t overloaded. Air needs to circulate easily between the clothes in order for drying to be most effective.

3. Open a window when using the dryer. A closed up laundry gets very humid and that humid air just gets sucked into the dryer; decreasing its effectiveness.

4. Heavier items should be dried separately to light weight clothes.

5. Many modern clothes dryers have a cool-down cycle which allows the clothes to complete drying with the remaining heat in the dryer

6. Ensure you use the fastest spin cycle possible in your washing machine – the wetter the clothes, the longer they’ll take to dry.

7. If your dryer is used a great deal, try and co-ordinate the timing so that loads quickly follow each other to take advantage of residual heat.

A common myth about solar power

admin — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 23:12:30 +0000

Have you ever heard it said, “It takes more electricity to make a solar panel than it will ever produce?” This is an urban myth that has been circulating since the 1980’s.

Although a difficult statistic to calculate, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, Colorado, has performed a study to find the correct answer to this question. The study found that monocrystalline panels reach the energy payback point in 5-10 years, polycrystalline panels in 3-5 years, and amorphous silicon panels in 0.5-2 years. Be advised that because the question is so vague, there is a large margin for error with these figures!

In the January 2001 issue of Home Power magazine, there is a very detailed study about solar panel energy payback time. This study, by Karl Knapp, PhD, and Teresa Jester, finds payback time for a standard module to be about 3.3 years, and 1.8 years on a thin-film panel. The study factors in energy costs for ALL parts of the panel and manufacturing process.

Hopefully this research puts to rest this myth once and for all!