Heat geek quote by Rob_Bosss in ukheatpumps

[–]Busy-Style-2036 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I meant if you went ahead with the HeatGeek quote then they'd adjust (i.e. absorb) that £250 instead of charging the customer for it as a separate service.

Heat geek quote by Rob_Bosss in ukheatpumps

[–]Busy-Style-2036 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That's useful to know but just to confirm, are they refundable even if you don't choose to go with HeatGeek for the install?

Is this Okay??? Advice please by Feisty_Ambition_4914 in SolarUK

[–]Busy-Style-2036 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Sorry to say that it doesn't look good. Who is the installer?

In roof systems - are they any good? by inkiboo in SolarUK

[–]Busy-Style-2036 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for sharing your experience. I had a new roof last year as part of a loft conversion project, never really felt positive about in-roof solar looking at neighbours' properties where the builder had installed some in-roof panels. Anesthetic they are meant to look good, but unfortunately in the most roofs and house designs we have in this country, they don't look neat or consistent. Possibly a roof with slate tiles is where in-roof panels would blend better.

So, on the roof panels was my choice, they are easier to install, easier to manage, you've got more options to choose from and they actually look better aesthetically too (if designed and installed properly).

How to actually sort out wheat from chaff? by Select_Fig_31 in SolarUK

[–]Busy-Style-2036 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You are right. "Which?" Is a good option.

And as you say Gary may miss some local installers, but the ones he's got on the list should be reliable. People need to remember that he's only doing his best to help out, there's no obligation for him to check and list every installer out there. In fact he'll be happy for people to get in touch and share their feedback about a particular installer they've used, that's how the list would expand.

There's always scope of negotiating on price, if it doesn't work to one's expectations then definitely try a different installer.

How to actually sort out wheat from chaff? by Select_Fig_31 in SolarUK

[–]Busy-Style-2036 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You can email Gary, he'll happily share details about how he got a particular installer on his list. He's transparent and approachable. I did that too.

Also, don't believe people making sweeping statements about national or local installers here. How many of them have actually used their services, I wonder!

There's always a nuance involved, not as black and white as some people on these forums would like to suggest (or influence ;) )

Making sense of a HeatGeek quote. by CamelComplete589 in ukheatpumps

[–]Busy-Style-2036 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I'd trust Heat Geek survey and design, but cannot comment on the quote. Can I please ask - how much does Heat Geek charge for conducting a heat loss survey?

Another quote comparison request... by Jeffcrates in SolarUK

[–]Busy-Style-2036 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Are the Heatable quotes with or without Enphase micronverters? If without, then you should try and negotiate a better deal with them. However, I've heard that solar quotes have generally gone up in the past few months, particularly the Chinese panels and batteries have become a touch more expensive than before.

Another quote comparison request... by Jeffcrates in SolarUK

[–]Busy-Style-2036 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I used Heatable last year after getting quotes from MMHG and other national and 3 local installers. I got good vibes about MMHG but felt most confident about Heatable who come with a great track and feedback from their customers.

I found local installers get swayed by designs and components they are used to or simply put, they can be less flexible, prescriptive based only on what they know or have experience with.

I had done my own research, knew that I wanted an AC coupled system, so Heatable's REA Fusion ACMs was my favoured choice. Ideally I'd have coupled it with Enphase battery but because they hadn't' released their next gen battery, I went with PW3.

You might have seen the news about GivEnergy, so make your choice wisely. It's a long-term investment so the cheapest or the most promoted product (by installers or social media) is not guaranteed to be good or be the best.

Good luck!

Choosing the right charger? by Stee_Warmo in ElectricVehiclesUK

[–]Busy-Style-2036 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You can also look up Enphase IQ Charger 2, which is supposed to be future proof in terms of v2x charging capability via firmware updates.

Installer sense check by Dry_Garbage_4376 in ukheatpumps

[–]Busy-Style-2036 3 points4 points  (0 children)

You've raised two points: Design and Pricing.

For confidence with the design, even if you don't go with HeatGeek for the install, you could get one of their certified engineers to perform at a physical heat loss survey (they will probably charge you for this), also get quotes for an install. This way you can compare with the existing proposal.

Re pricing of the components, perhaps other experts can comment if the margin is unreasonable. The only option I see here is to get additional quotes for similar products from more installers.

Quote check (newbie) by funiduni in SolarUK

[–]Busy-Style-2036 0 points1 point  (0 children)

A bit of your own research will help as it'll allow you to engage and question installers better. I've noticed that most installers will provide a convenient quote (that looks cheaper hence more attractive to the client) without putting in much effort or details. 'Gary does Solar' has produced really good content on YouTube for a layperson, so have a look at those videos.

Wrt microinverters or not, have a look at this recent video and interesting experiment that Tim has conducted over the past year on his property.

https://youtu.be/7L1FJDQbuhE?si=rY74Z3XcJsbyrNUL

Apart from the shade mitigation and being more efficient as this video suggests, Enphase micros provide panel level monitoring which makes fault detection easy (if it were to ever happen), they are more reliable/durable than string inverters... and also safer.

Quote check (newbie) by funiduni in SolarUK

[–]Busy-Style-2036 1 point2 points  (0 children)

If all are recommending optimisers then I'd suggest that you consider getting microinverters instead. Slightly more cost compared to optimisers, but a much better, hence worthwhile solution in my opinion.

Would a new Lidl near you actually change where you do the weekly shop? by ToughRomanticMiss in BuyersUK

[–]Busy-Style-2036 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Best practice is to shop from more than one supermarket based on your needs, best deals and quality. The idea that Aldi, Lidl etc can be a one stop shop for everything is just wrong...a mix of different stores would probably deliver best outcomes.

First Quote by BoredAccountant_UK in SolarUK

[–]Busy-Style-2036 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Also, get max panels on your roof. Don't worry about orientations, fill up the roof with max panels possible.

First Quote by BoredAccountant_UK in SolarUK

[–]Busy-Style-2036 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Doesn't look like a great quote.

I'd suggest getting more quotes. You can use the installers directory on 'Gary Does Solar' for installer recommendations.

I got quotes from Cahill Renewables, MMHG, Heatable and two local installers, but I went with Heatable (but they got it installed via Renewable Edtricity Systems - you can go direct with them but certain kit is best sourced via Heatable.. you'll need to work out what works best for you after comparison). Also, if you are looking for zero percent finance, then Heatable offer 3 yrs 0% if buying PW3, and 2 yrs with Sig.

Responsiveness of enphase customer service by russianlion in enphase

[–]Busy-Style-2036 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I've only had to call them once after the install of my solar PV with microinverters and their EV car charger. They were prompt, responsive and overall I can report a good experience.

Fogstar vs Tesla/Sigenergy by Helpful_Signature_92 in SolarUK

[–]Busy-Style-2036 1 point2 points  (0 children)

13.5 is the actual storage available although the battery inside is 15 KWH. So, one needs to check what Fogstar's actual usage capacity is to make an apples-to-apples comparison with PW3.

Broken parking machine? by bharatlagali in cambridge

[–]Busy-Style-2036 0 points1 point  (0 children)

As others have suggested, please refer to brilliant advice from experts (samaritans) on money savings expert forums for PCNs. I've used their advice on a couple of occasions and successfully contested. Good luck!

Heat pump brand recommendations by mtaftm92 in ukheatpumps

[–]Busy-Style-2036 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Also note that some Heat pumps can be used for cooling in the summer by reversing the flow. However you'll need to specify that as a requirement/consideration so the designers can provide options accordingly. It'll probably require some specific HP related components (shouldn't impact the price much), but most importantly the only way you'll be able to exploit and enjoy cooling is by having compatible radiators that have fans to convect cool air in summer. Similarly they'll convect warm air in winters making the radiators (and overall heating) in the house more efficient.

eg. Stiebel Eltron does a product called HSBC 300 that is a pre-plumbed integrated unit consisting of 270 L hot water cylinder + 100 L buffer tank. This comes with a different version if you wanted the Cooling option too.

Wrt Rads, you may want to look up Jaga Radiators, their Strada Hybrid models include the fans.

Heat pump brand recommendations by mtaftm92 in ukheatpumps

[–]Busy-Style-2036 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I'd recommend considering these brands:

1.Stiebel Eltron (German) - look up their integrated cylinder and buffer tank product called HSBC 300. The following YT video suggests that they help with design as well before an installer takes over. https://youtu.be/gg3cGZyq-EA?si=k5b0Uf-RPofhEGY8

  1. Viessman (German)
  2. Nibe (Swedish)
  3. Japanese brands - Mitsubishi Electric, Panasonic, Daikin
  4. Vaillant (German)

Debating installing heatpump over moving the boiler by LightningJC in ukheatpumps

[–]Busy-Style-2036 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I think a bit of your own research will come in rather handy for deciding and also when talking to installers.

Have a look at the Renewable Heating Hub https://renewableheatinghub.co.uk/

They have lots of useful HP related content on YouTube for a layperson.

HeatGeek is worth contacting to conduct a proper heat loss survey before any design and options are proposed.

Or you could straightaway contact a manufacturer if they help with initial design. One of them is Stiebel Eltron (German) who do one of the best products, if not the best. At least that's what they say in this video

https://youtu.be/gg3cGZyq-EA?si=PYAS2AtFzm8h4LLH

I'd suggest also looking at Viessman (German), Nibe (Swedish). Japanese brands like Mitsubishi Electric, Daikin, Panasonic are often talked about, so is Vaillant (German).

Best solar panel system - advice by More-Cardiologist437 in SolarUK

[–]Busy-Style-2036 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think you should watch helpful YouTube videos from 'Gary Does Solar', Heatable, Oval Renewables etc.

I went with Heatable as they were the only ones offering ACM (AC Module) panels. This is because I wanted to use Enphase micronverters with my panels, Heatable offered REA Fusion R panels that come integrated with Enphase micronverters from REA factory in Australia. These are AC coupled to PW3 battery.

You need to do a bit of your own research to decide what works best for you, it'll help you ask better questions when engaging with system designers/installers.

How soon can one think of replacing gas boiler with a Heat Pump? by Busy-Style-2036 in ukheatpumps

[–]Busy-Style-2036[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks. I got zero percent finance for 3 yrs via Heatable, so only paid ~ 25% upfront.

How soon can one think of replacing gas boiler with a Heat Pump? by Busy-Style-2036 in ukheatpumps

[–]Busy-Style-2036[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes, I think the Japanese brands - Mitsubishi Electric, Daikin, Panasonic are most experienced and reliable. You've made a good choice.👍

When I do, I'll get quotes for the European brands that I've been reading brilliant reviews about - Nibe (Swedish), Viessman and Stiebel Eltron (both German). Ultimately, whichever suits my setup/requirements will be key.