Solar System Review: Shirley, Papakura, Auckland

Review Date: 17/02/2015

Size: 3kW

Running for: 3 months

Comments on the installation: "Excellent, trouble free installation. Took 2 half days. However Counties Power took 2 months to install the smart meters but Xmas and New Year did intervene."

Comments on the system performance: "Performance satisfactory. Best week averaged 15.6 kWh/day, worst week in mid-Dec was 9.8 kWh/day. Best day = 19.9 kWh. Since solar was connected, 93 days ago we have produced 1236 kWh, averaging about 13.3 kWh/day. We were told that the system would average about 11.7 kWh/day over a year so the estimate looks good.  Our power bills for November and January were about 20% less than previous year and we had guests over the festive period, which we didn't have in 2013. Don't know about power back to Contact Energy because no invoice since new meters were fitted. Very cloudy days in Auckland lately, need more sunshine! We had expected to save about 50% of our power bill but I doubt if it will be that much, maybe 30-40%. We need another 9 months to confirm that one way or the other. Contact Energy reducing their power buy back to 8c/kWh just after we decided to go solar was disappointing but we had guessed that would happen. There should be a Government minimum that power companies buy power back from customers for, probably about 15c/kWh. As usual the power distributers are ripping us off! The display monitor is excellent and we haven't tired of following the data. BUT the gadget itself is very temperamental and the slightest (and I mean slightest) brush against the power lead turns the monitor off.

Advice: "If you have funds sitting in a bank getting less than 4% interest then get solar asap. The savings on your power bill will far exceed the interest lost."