Find a Solar Panel Installer you can trust in Cockermouth.

Whether solar panel batteries are worth it depends on how much you’re at home and how big your solar panel system is. If you’re at home most of the day and your solar panels only generate enough electricity for you to use while for that day, then a battery probably isn’t worth investing in. However, if you have a large system that generates more than you can use or you’re out most of the day, then solar panel batteries are definitely worth it.

A solar battery storage system works by storing the electricity that your solar panels generated until you need to use it. That’s why they’re great for people that are out all day – your solar panels generate electricity all day whilst the sun’s out, but no one’s home so you’re using minimal energy except for things like your fridge and any appliances on standby. Most of the electricity charges your solar panel battery. Then, when you get home, your battery will discharge, and you’ll use all the solar electricity that your panels generated during the day.

Solar batteries are also excellent for people with large solar panel systems that generate more than they use in the day. Any electricity that you don’t use during the day will charge the battery, so in the evening when the sun goes down, you’ll just use the excess electricity that’s stored in the battery.

To work out whether solar panel batteries are worth it for you, you’ll need to work out how much of your solar electricity you’re using already. If you’re at home and you’re able to run your appliances all while your solar panels are generating electricity, a battery might not be worth it. Also, if you’re receiving export payments from the Feed-in Tariff Scheme (FITs) or the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG), you might want to look at the rate you’re getting paid. If it’s a good rate, it might be more cost-effective to continue exporting unused electricity to the grid. Speak to an MCS-registered installer that will be able to help you work this out.

If you want to test your solar panel system to see if it’s working properly or just to see what output it’s giving, you can do this using a multimeter to measure current, or amps, and voltage.

Before you start, you’ll need to find the voltage (v) and current (A) ratings of your panel. You should be able to find them on the back of the panel. You should also make sure that it’s a nice clear, sunny day to get the best readings out of your panel. You should also check that it’s safe to be up on your roof!

To measure open circuit voltage, you’ll need to make sure that your solar panel is completely disconnected from your system’s regulator and battery (if you have one). Angle the panel towards the sun, and ensure that your multimeter is set to measure volts. Measure the voltage between the positive and negative terminals by connecting the negative contact on the voltmeter to the negative on the panel and the positive contact on the voltmeter to the positive on the panel.

Then, you can move on to the short circuit current. Follow the same steps as the open circuit voltage, but ensure that your multimeter is set at 10A to start with.

Only try to test your solar panel if it’s safe to do so. If your roof isn’t accessible without scaffolding or specialist equipment, consider speaking to an MCS-registered solar company about your concerns. They may recommend that they come to service your solar panel system.

Solar panels can be pretty expensive, so require an initial investment. However, a quality solar panel installation can be very financially beneficial, saving you money in the long run. It does this in two main ways.

Firstly, using electricity generated by your solar panels means that you have to use less power from the national grid. Once you’ve bought your solar panels, your solar electricity is essentially free, meaning that you’re saving money by using this instead of power supplied by your energy company. If you want to maximise these savings, invest in a solar battery so you can store unused solar electricity ready for when you need it.

You can also earn money with your commercial solar panels through the Smart Export Guarantee [https://solar-panels.quotatis.co.uk/smart-export-guarantee/]. This is a government scheme that says that all licenced energy suppliers with 150,000 customers or more have to offer a tariff to renewable energy generators. When you generate solar electricity but don’t use it immediately it gets fed back to the grid – the tariff pays you for every kWh of this.

At the moment there’s no minimum tariff that an energy company has to offer – it only has to be above zero. However, many energy companies are competing to offer the best deal, so you can definitely find a tariff that will pay you for all the unused solar electricity you generate.

How much energy a solar panel produces depends on its manufacturer and exposure to the sun. A good-quality solar panel typically has a power output of about 300 watts per hour, but this can vary from about 240 to 360 watts. How much energy your solar panel will produce per day depends on how many hours of unshaded daylight it’s exposed to.

Here’s an idea of how much energy you could expect a large commercial solar panel installation to produce in a year.

Solar panel system size, No. of solar panels, Annual electricity output

11kW, 44, 9,350kW

20kW, 80, 17,000kW

30kW, 120, 25,500kW

40kW, 160, 34,000kW

50kW, 200, 42,500kW

The lifetime of a solar panel depends on its quality and age. Generally, the older a solar panel gets, the less efficient it becomes. The majority of modern solar panels come with 20-30 year warranties, which means that they’ll stay at a good efficiency level for at least this long. Some panels can stay efficient for as long as 40 years, while others won’t last this long.

1. After the installer’s measured up, given you an estimated output and recommended some systems for you, they’ll arrange date to come to your home to install the solar thermal panels. They’ll also let you know if any scaffolding will be required.
2. Next, they will start to fit the panels, or collectors, to your roof. Stainless steel brackets will be provided with the system and they will remove your roof tiles or slates to attach the brackets to the rafters. They’ll then replace the tiles and add waterproof flashing to ensure you don’t get any roof leaks, and add the frame.
3. If you’ve chosen evacuated tube solar thermal panels, the installer will bolt the heat transfer unit to the top of the frame but not install the tubes until nearer the end. This is because the tubes start to transfer heat to the exchanger immediately, and when everything is unconnected this could damage the unit.
4. If you don’t need a new boiler with your installation, a new dual coil water cylinder, pump and system control system will be fitted. It’s best in a loft or upper floor of your home.
5. A new thermal store or hot water tank that will store the heat provided by the solar system is much larger than a standard tank but it may fit in the spot of your old one. The installer will ensure that it’s connected to the mains cold water, your other heating source (such as a gas boiler or biomass boiler), immersion heater, temperature sensors and the solar collectors themselves.
6. Next they will install the pumping station, usually near the water tank. The expansion tank will be installed on the solar thermal loop, which is usually nearby. Its job is to prevent pressure changes that could damage the system.
7. You’ll get a heat generation meter which must be MCS-certified if you want to take advantage of the RHI, and any control equipment that comes with the system will be installed.
8. The installers will then bring the system to pressure by pumping the heat transfer liquid into the system up to a pressure of around 2 bar.
9. Finally, your MCS-registered installer will register your solar thermal system so you can apply for RHI payments of up to £525 per year.
So that’s the process of installing solar thermal panels. Remember – it's always best to use a professional to install any kind of renewable technology.