Should have been having our panels fitted TODAY! Oh dear!! :o(

[babba]

So if the panels are in the uk what about the inverter etc...and no phone call...I would hate to see their after sales care...phone REAL...

 

[whinmoor]

Update: Apparently my actual panels are stuck in "X-ray" at customs but should be released "over the weekend". I should say that I do have some experience with that as an issue (in the IT biz) so I'm at least confident that I am now being kept in the picture.

The panels are: Suntellite ZDNY-250C60 in black. 32 off (16 on my install, 16 on dad's) - each going into an SMA 4000TL as 2x strings of 8, 8 going into input A and 8 going into input B - so I can monitor the relative performance of each string.

I'm aware that these are, shall we say, not the Rolls Royce of solar panels. But we are (were!) getting what I deemed to be quite a good deal, especially for the double-install. I have researched these panels myself and they seem decent performers. Furthermore, I have tended towards favouring the cost/performance "model" of the potential returns - as described elsewhere by FB. (I think) rather than going all out for "the best of the best" - which was certainly a consideration.

Who knows what will ultimately be the right decision! What a mine-field this PV industry is at the moment. I certainly do not envy you guys on the service provision end of the chain.

Again, many thanks to one and all.

I just received a circular from a supplier:

In Stock on Wednesday
SUNTELLITE 250W BLACK FRAME MONO
CALL Gary 07910 389xxx or 07890 569xxx

I don't have any experience of this brand so can't really offer much advice but this could be the same batch you are waiting for?

 

[jerriais]

I hate to do this but I just get a sneaking suspicion when products are directly imported by one installer ... so I checked the MCS database and couldn't find Suntellite panels there.

I very much hope I'm mistaken for your sake, maybe they're listed under another manufacturer, but I would make it very clear to your installer that your panels have to be MCS certified otherwise there will be no FIT payments.

 

[whinmoor]

I hate to do this but I just get a sneaking suspicion when products are directly imported by one installer ... so I checked the MCS database and couldn't find Suntellite panels there.

I very much hope I'm mistaken for your sake, maybe they're listed under another manufacturer, but I would make it very clear to your installer that your panels have to be MCS certified otherwise there will be no FIT payments.

Don't panic. I think they must be listed under:

Solar Panel, Solar Cell, Solar Module Manufacturer,Supplier,Factory - Hangzhou Zhejiang University Sunny Energy Science and Technology Co.,Ltd

Hangzhou Zheijiang University Sunny Energy Science and Technology Co. Ltd

Hangzhou is actually the twin town of Leeds near where I am based.

 

[Mozzerr]

I almost had a heart-attack after reading Jerriais' post!

I must admit, I had not actually tried to reference any MCS database for approved panels. Just that the supplying company is MCS accredited and are members of REAL etc. I'm afraid I took it as given that the panels would be ok. I did go as far as checking the Suntellite web site plus a few recommendations from other local installs. I did notice that other MSC companies are supplying these panels too...

As for the price of 85p/w wholesale - yes that would about fit with what I am paying fully installed allowing for a reasonable mark-up and my admittedly draconian ideas of man day rates for the trades involved.

 

[jerriais]

Yes, I see them now, apologies for scaring anybody!

 

[moggy1968]

hmmn, yes, thanks for posting wholesale prices on a public forum!!

 

[Mozzerr]

Yes, I did wonder if someone might comment about that... But then, I wouldn't get too upset about it... after all you can buy these panels on Ebay from (presumably) wholesalers for the same price! Really!!

 

[MorganPVI]

Good luck with getting the panels in time, if they are in the X-ray queue you may be waiting a lonnnnnnnnnnng time.
Perhaps you need a plan B.

ebay!!! :rotfl:

 

[Osbo]

You can register with wholesalers like Segen without providing any acreditation so I wouldn't get too up tight about pricing information at that level.

 

[moggy1968]

thats rather different to putting it on a public forum.
It's commercially rather foolish

 

[Mozzerr]

I mentioned Ebay merely because it can often provide a useful "rule of thumb" on wholesale pricing - no matter what the market sector.
I'm just the OP don't forget, Joe public not trade. But I still try to be price savvy where possible.
And to justify the point, Ebay tells me that wholesale pricing on, for example Sanyo 250w HIT's must be about twice the aforementioned 85p/w of the Suntellites... (not fishing here, honest, but would be interested to know if correct?)

As for my panels stuck in customs X-Ray at Felixstowe, why should I necessarily expect long delays? I've had the same issue in my workplace with volume IT equipment and the "few days" delay stated by my PV installers is similar to my own experience...?

I'm obviously still worried about all this... if I miss out on the 21p FIT then that's another attempt at an "investment" down the drain!... Will I ever learn? C'est la vie!

 

[moggy1968]

sorry, it passed me by it was you that posted the price, thought it was an installer, fair one, as a customer you can post whatever you find if people are daft enough to put it out there!

You won't miss out on 21p, thats in until July as far as I am aware, although, thinking about it I'm not sure when the EPC requirement kicks in, that may be more of an issue. the march 3rd deadline is for if the govt loses it's appeal and the FiT returns to 43.3p

FYI on a 4kW system RETAIL for us on Sanyo is about £3000-£3500 more than a branded 250w panel on our prices. we don't mark them up any more than our other stock, our margins stay the same.

Your supplier is contractually obliged to deliver the panbels by the date agreed so they are on sticky ground unless they have an opt out clause.

 

[screwdriver]

And there I was thinking I was being ripped off at 30p/w :jester:

 

[Mozzerr]

Thanks moggy... interesting.

For the record, it wasn't me that posted the wholesale price (how would I know!)... t'was an installer (or someone with access to that pricing!)...

 

[Mozzerr]

Well, here's an update to the saga if anyone is interested... (I suppose it might be useful to anyone still contemplating taking the plunge..)

So I had a phone call on Friday from one of the directors of my PV supplying company - saying that he had managed to source 32 of the exact same panels we are waiting for. Hooray! He promised they would be 150% (!) with us on Saturday (today) by lunch time - along with the roofing crew - and the Sparky was to follow shortly after.

Well, at 09:30am this morning a courier was at my dad's door in a sorry looking MB Sprinter - with the full roofing kit, 2x SMA 4000TL's and all the panels!

Result? Well sort of!.. The main reason my 75 year old father was ringing was to ask me to come over and help the "young girl" unload the panels... The driver (who, incidentally, looked older than my dad!) said he was "not very well" and couldn't lift any of the panels! His daughter turned out to be quite fit and strong as it turned out!!!

So I unloaded the kit to my dad's garage. Two roofers turned up about 2pm claiming to have just come straight from another job which they had started and completed today, apparently, and had been "on the go since 4am this morning"...!!! The sparky arrived at MY house today (wrong address!) at 4pm-ish... quickly surveyed my own site then I took him round to dad's place.

So far, three roof rails of my dad's install have been erected on his bungallow.

One consolation was the look on the roofers faces when having been told to expect a concrete roof full or Marleys (my house) they were presented with dad's roof full of Rosemary's! I got the impression that, being a Saturday, they were hoping for a short day! Hahahahah!!!

... to be continued...

 

[SolarCity]

Be good to the guys on site - it sounds like they're working their backsides off. Remember that they may be scratching around for work next week.

It sounds like your install will be carried out in time so you probably should give the company a bit of slack. The conditions we've all been working under are not great.

 

[Mozzerr]

Sorry, I did not mean to come across all pessimistic about the on-site guys... I'm aware they will likely be subbies. And to be fair - so far they seem a great bunch!

I'm telling it, warts and all - someone might appreciate the story... All these guys look knackered (my wife's comment - I never noticed, having myself been taking advantage of a full scaffold on the house to get up on the roof and scrape all the moss clumps off it - have wanted to do that for years..!)

The sparky said he's worked the last six weekends solid and will definitely be going back to Scotland to see his wife next weekend!

 

[babba]

Its not the guys on site its the idot running the cowboy company you should have the nark with, as for marleys dont blame him
but dont worry he may get his own back long term, with a leaky roof......did you get a bargin ..or what..????

What gurantee did you get on the system ..???

 

[SolarCity]

To be totally honest, the biggest issue with your situation is that the company didn't ring you to tell you what was happening. Not many of us in the industry have had a day off in weeks and I admit that I've dropped the ball on more than one occassion.