Electricity bills

[Shaggers89]

This is my System, Got it through Solar Hart, 22X290 watt REC Solar panels. They are frikkin AWESOME. ALL facing north, slightly North-East.
View attachment 329747 View attachment 329748

This lot of panels doesn't even take up 1/4 of my entire available roof space. Pity I wasn't allowed to cover the entire house! They are not shaded at all throughout the day except by any cloud cover.
View attachment 329749 View attachment 329750 View attachment 329751

The inverter is positioned perfectly on the southern side of the house by the back (laundry door). It never receives sunlight so is cool all the time even in summer.
View attachment 329752
[doublepost=1597364902,1597359994][/doublepost]
Something doesn't sound right there... the system isn't operating correctly or your panels need a serious clean. I get up on the roof once a fortnight with an extendable soft bristle broom and electric leaf blower and remove the layer of dust from my panels. Solar panels create a lot of static electricity and any dust in the air is attracted to them and if you haven't had a decent shower of rain in a while they'll be filthy and likely covered in dust and bird excrement. I keep mine looking like brand new and they operate superbly. They're not a "install and forget" thing, they need to be maintained and a lot more often than the suggested "once a year" spin. When on my roof cleaning my panels I often look at my neighbour's panels and think they wouldn't be generating any electricity at all, they haven't been touched since they were installed in 2012 and would need about 10 litres of industrial degreaser and truck wash sprayed on them and a powerful gurney to clean them up.

The tiniest film of dust/dirt on the solar panels can reduce their output by 10% so you definitely want to keep them shiny clean.

exactly i clean mine fornightly as well. Still like as new as they day they were installed. My inverters the same on the wall near the laundry door doesnt get hot either. Solars worked so well for me i'm looking at installing more panels sadly max i can install is 22 (not allowed to fill up the roof with them lol) might also get a battery installed at the same time might be a expense but its one that has saved me about about 100 times the cash i spent to get them installed in electricity bills its been great

 

[dragonlover1]

I wish my roof was as big as yours Kev, I'd have more panels for sure.
As for cleaning them I can't do it, I'm the wrong side of 60 and riddled with arthritis so I can't climb a ladder anymore. I did ask the guy who replaced the inverter ( which died after a blackout ) if he knew anyone who cleaned them and he just laughed at me, I can't find anyone who will clean them for me.
Just out of curiosity, why can't you cover your roof with panels? Is that a Qld. thing? Down here I see some huge systems

 

[Shaggers89]

For me it was the biggest package the company I went through had. As of recently ive been looking into adding more panels and apparently (yet to do more checking) its the way the solar panels are fixed to my roof ad the way my roof is built (how much of that is true and how much of it is bollocks i dont know) normally do my panels when i get up to do the gutters. and im not familar of anyone that does solar cleaning so ids did some quick checking for you based on your location.
Westside Gutter & Solar Panel Cleaning Parramatta
Complete Gutter, Pressure & Solar Panel Cleaning Inner West
All Sydney Gutter Vacuum - Gutter and Solar Panel Cleaning
those three might be an idea to check into

 

[outback]

For me it was the biggest package the company I went through had. As of recently ive been looking into adding more panels and apparently (yet to do more checking) its the way the solar panels are fixed to my roof ad the way my roof is built (how much of that is true and how much of it is bollocks i dont know) normally do my panels when i get up to do the gutters. and im not familar of anyone that does solar cleaning so ids did some quick checking for you based on your location.
Westside Gutter & Solar Panel Cleaning Parramatta
Complete Gutter, Pressure & Solar Panel Cleaning Inner West
All Sydney Gutter Vacuum - Gutter and Solar Panel Cleaning
those three might be an idea to check into

Is your roof a colourbond sheet roof? Your rafters and battens would not be able to handle as much weight as a hip roof with tiles, the centers between rafters would be spaced too far apart, its an engineering issue, you'd have to rip off the sheets and add more props to the roof to handle any additional weight wouldn't be worth the effort.

 

[Flaviemys purvisi]

Just out of curiosity, why can't you cover your roof with panels? Is that a Qld. thing? Down here I see some huge systems

This was the largest system I was legally allowed to install for private residential use.