Solar Panel supply Companies

[Aitchie]

Hi All
I am new to the board, this being my first posting, and my wife and I will be moving to TRNC some time in the next few months. I have been looking for suppliers of photovoltaic solar panels and equipment (not the water heating type) and got Kibsolar details from the now defunct "Cyprus 44" forum, however I tried contacting them by e-mail and telephone but have not been successful with either can someone tell me if they are still trading, and if so where (if any) are there premises. We will be back in TRNC in a couple of weeks and would like to check out prices, systems etc while we are here.
Thanks in advance
Alex

[Keithcaley]

I have no personal experience, but in the absence of any other information, you could start here: TRNC Solar energy.

As there are no subsidies or 'microgeneration / buy-back schemes' here, and heavy import duties are levied on the equipment, you may find that the payback period is rather longer than you had anticipated.

[Aitchie]

Thanks for the info Keithcaley, I will follow up on it.

[Deniz1]

Was it someone in Karpaz had it fitted costs about three thousand pounds? Sure i read it on here a while ago.

[Aitchie]

Hi Deniz1
Thanks for the reply. The cost will depend on how many panels are involved and the equipment that is needed to make use of the low voltage source. I am looking to possibly run my pool pump, outside lights and possibly (through an inverter) my 2x refridgerators which are planned for inside the house. I am looking at it more from a self installed project rather than a company bought system, I have priced equipment from the UK to bring in my container, but I dont know if any duty that would put on it TRNC side would make it less viable to do that, hence I want to find out equipment costs in the TRNC.

[CatalkoyChris]

Hi Aitchie,
In the next few years I will also be looking to do a self installed solar power setup on my house in Catalkoy.
Just doing a few calculations (obviously need a few bills) and looking at different setups etc (and improving technology).

Chris

[Aitchie]

Hi Chris
I am not yet in the situation that I can look at bills as our place wont be ready for a couple of months, and if those "couple of months" turn out to be "Cypriot" months then next year here we come!! but meanwhile I will have to decide what route to buying equipment will be the most economical 1) buy in the UK and pay the 20% VAT over and above the cost, and then take the chance of being hit again by customs when the container is opened, or 2) Buy in the TRNC at possibly inflated prices, but still cheaper than option 1!! Hopefully when we are over next month I can do some research into the local companies that Keithcaley so kindly put me onto. If I come up with any "hot tips" on my travels I will share them with the board.

[Soner]

Aitchie, do let us know of outcome as am totally interested in doing this too, hopefully sometime next year.

[CatalkoyChris]

Yes, keep me posted too. It would be worth anybody who has snippits of information to post them.

One of the things I need to do is calculate my watts per hour output.

E.g. number of lightbulbs, wattage of TV, fridge etc.
Basically the average number of watts per day to run my house.
I think you then double it or add 20% or something. Then you can calculate the number of panels, batteries etc required.

If we all time it right we can buy in bulk, and help each other fit the solar systems.

Chris

[Aitchie]

Chris
What I intend to do is rather than interfere with the actual mains supply in the house is to target the high volume user equipment, and one of the biggest users in the long term is the fridge, which is a 24/7 appliance, so as I intend to have 2 of those in the house I will be running supplies to 2 new sockets from the panels via an inverter and battery set-up for exclusive use of the fridges, keeping the household sockets in place as a backup, any other mains fed equipment can be included, again with exclusive fed sockets, however I would steer clear of any high demand short time stuff like kettles washing machines etc as they would quickly drain an average system.

[Aitchie]

Also the inverter units that are required to step up and stabilize the supply are not very energy efficient to run and this must be taken into consideration when sizing the system. Low voltage lighting can be fitted without the need for an inverter but obviously batteries are a must, and suitable low voltage swimming pool pump can be run during the day without the need for batteries.
I hope this information gives you food for thought, at the end of the day it all depends on how much “wonga” you are prepared to pay for your system, but the good thing about it is that you can start small and add to it as you go.

[dodger]

Called dodger after one of the best half backs ever to wear a rugby league jersey.Roger "the dodger" Millward.

Paul.

[Keithcaley]

I just remembered a thread on Cyprus44, where Vaughan Williams (TRNCVaughan) started a discussion about Solar powered pool pumps - as I understand it, you use a lower powered pump. but run it as long as the sun is shining - because that's when the algae grow! (bear in mind that I may be wrong about this! ).

See: Solar pool pumps.

Vaughan is running his own company now, and I'm not sure whether he still has an interest in the subject, but you can contact him on vaughan@sunnycyprus.net if you wish.

[Soner]

LOL, dodger wrong forum..

[Keithcaley]

LOL, dodger wrong forum..

I did email him, I thought that he might manage to do a 'quick edit' and change his post into something more relevant, before anyone else spotted it.

Ah well...

[Aitchie]

Keithcaley
You are right in what you say, a lower voltage pump that is sized to suit your pool, and the solar panel voltage output, would be run throughout the day for the duration of the sunshine, (these pumps are considerably more expesive to buy than the mains run ones) there may be cloudy days during the winter period when it's not at its most efficient however the pool would not be in use during these times and hopefully not need "turned over" as much as when in use regularly. There is always the option of fitting a battery bank to run it during the night if the need arises but due to the cost of batteries it would add quite a lot to the cost of the solar system, horses for courses really!!

[CatalkoyChris]

Aitchie,
I'm also looking at "Micro Inverters", apparently more efficient than one big inverter.
These are essentially small inverters individually conected to each panel, so if one panel drops out or becomes less efficient for whatever reason the rest are not dragged down.

The little things I'm doing, all my small appliances are solar powered if at all possible (solar radio, solar speakers for ipod etc).

Next time I'm over I'm going to make a solar powered lamp which can be charged up outside during the day and brought in at night for a couple of hours "mood lighting".
I've already made a solar powered fan which will be tested in October over the winter.

Chris

[Aitchie]

Chris
I had not heard of these 'micro inverters' until now, I 'googled' the name and had a look, very interesting reading I will have to look deeper into this technology. There are so many changes with technology these days it's difficult to keep track, but I like the way you are heading with the small appliances, it seems the logical way to go when you are in a country with an abundance of sun such as Cyprus has.

[Aitchie]

Chris
Bad news on the micro inverter front, as far as I can make out they are only good for On-Grid systems the following is an extract from the web page http://www.civicsolar.com/resource/micr ... pv-systems
"Presently there are no micro-inverters available for off grid solar PV systems. The main reason as illustrated in the comparison above, is that with off grid systems there is nowhere for excess energy (energy that would be sent back to the grid) to go. This means in an off grid scenario excess energy produced by micro-inverters would cause either a system breakdown or become a potential fire hazard because the power they are designed to harness would be more than that which is required through appliance demand". So until the TRNC gets it's act together and allows On-Grid connections, its back to basics!!

[dodger]

Re-mess 11.Its a Hull thing.Thanks for the heads up Keith.

Paul.