Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I like the plane better!

Damn thats a lot of solar......

Is it still a 1.5Kw system? Looks like a 3Kw system from the number of panels, well done

I'm getting quotes atm for a 2Kw expandable system, only get ~$5,000 back from the Govt now but I think prices have come down, should cost around $8,000 all up with a 3Kw inverter to add panels later.

Don't be fooled by size, you still need to read, a picture may replace 1000 words, but but....

So 33 panels times 60 watts gives about a 1.9 kw.

Was that there when I was there Rick ? Hope not - feel a bit dumb I didn't notice it - think I got distracted by the coffee cup maybe ...

I didn't need to put any more of that quote in!!, but you are aloud to feel a bit dumb every now and then. And nope it wasn't. Tomorrow it is a week old.

No worries - probably 500 people on the forum now wondering what the hell I'm talking about !

What, about being dumb

And that !

I've got 32 @ 60 watt on order...8 strings of 4 for the inverter.
It's the cheap thin film type Kaneka panels.

They are the same as mine BRB, only one less panel. It will be interesting to see how much your system costs installed.

At about US$1.00 a watt for panels over there and about A$9.00 a watt for the same panels here I would think there isn't much comparison - hard to know where we are getting ripped off.

I could buy those panels from the US on Ebay for about $80 bucks plus 150 postage and here they cost over 500 bucks haven't enquired what the import duty would be but I can't imagine it being more than 30%. we are pretty much stuck for inverters as the US 240 volt ones are about the same price as here. they probably run at the wrong hertz too.
John

$1.20 per watt on the panels : http://sunelec.com
I also bought the cables lightning arrestors etc, no inverter I already had one. $3,200 total without inverter. Panels are DC same system 36 panels is like $5k. inverter of your choice + shipping.

Maybe not.

(Speculating) Since the inverter is supposed to match the power output exactly to mains frequency it must sense the mains waveform and match it. Perhaps most grid-tie inverters will work in many countries, although probably not if the voltages are much different. (end speculation)

Most are computer controlled and although as you say they match the waveform they are also programed to shut down if the frequency or voltage is outside of fairly tight boundaries. It may be software controlled and programable I am not sure - a lot of the parameters are, min and max voltage are within certain limits because the electrician I sometimes work for was going to have to vary a batch coming from over east that didn't match Western Power cutoff points - but that was only a volt or two either way. Think in the end it was too much paperwork and drama and they got sent back.