Who manages the panels on my roof?
Ecovision manage and maintain the PV Solar System on behalf of the system owners
Do I need to let you know if I am moving house?
Yes, to ensure we have up to date contact details for the current resident should any problem be detected with the solar pv system.
I have a letter regarding the Solar PV system that is not from Ecovision. Do I need to worry about it?
No you do not need to worry about the letter, Ecovision will always call if there is a problem with your system unless we don’t have current telephone contact details.
My bills are high, are the panels working on my roof?
The Panels produce more electricity when the weather is bright and sunny. Generally this means they will work better in the summer than in the winter months. Anything that shades the panels from light will affect performance. Ecovision monitor system generation daily, any issues will flag a fault that will trigger a call and an engineer visit (where required) to identify and remedy any faults.
How can I check the panels are working?
Generation is recorded on a meter. This is usually located with the other house electrics or next to the inverter. If the light on the meter is flashing the system is producing electricity.
Do I need a deed of variation?
When remortaging, releasing equity or selling your property a Deed of Variation might be required. This will bring the lease up to date with current Council of mortgage lender requirements (CML), these were changed in 2013. Not all leases require this ammendment so please contact us if you are unsure.
Do I need to clean my panels?
No the panels are made of ‘self cleaning’ glass, the frequency of rain in the UK means they are cleaned by the weather.
I havent heard from Ecovision since the panels were installed.
Ecovision manage the PV Solar System remotely, you wont be contacted unless there is a fault identified.
Does my inverter lose its warranty after 7 years?
Inverters have different warranty periods dependant on the model and manufacturer of the unit installed in your property. If and when they do fail this will be identified on our system and we will arrange to replace the unit free of charge.
Should I be getting an annual visit?
No you do not need to have an annual visit as we monitor the system remotely
How do I know the size of my system?
Solar PV systems installed on houses are usually between 1kw and 4kw, the average size is around 3kw. If you want to know the actual siaze please contact us directly.
Is my smartmeter compatiable with the solarpanels?
Most Solar PV and Smartmeters are compatible. At the point a smartmeter is installed it is the responsibility of the energy provider to ensure compatibility, please contact them for further information.
How does the solar system work?
Light shining onto the panels makes electricity in DC, this is converted into AC by the inverter that can be used by the property occupant.
Do I collect the feed in tarriff?
The owners of the Solar PV system collect the feed in tariff payments.
Can I buy out of the lease?
Yes you can buy out of the lease, this means you would own the Solar PV system and the associated feed in tariff and be able to collect all associated payments. Please contact us by email for a buyout price and associated terms and conditions.
Who owns my panels?
This information is on your lease. Please contact us if you don’t if this and we can provide this information.
Do I need to let my utility provider know that I have solar panels?
Yes they just need to know that you have a Solar PV installation and that you don’t own the associated feed in tariff.
Do owners help with pigeon issues?
If you have a pigeon issue, please take photos and evidence the problem as best as you can and forward all information via email to us. We will then pass on all the details to the solar panel owners and they will make a decision on how best to proceed.
Do owners help with water ingress?
If the ingress is as result of the Solar PV installation. Please contact us and we will arrange for an onsite survey and assessment.
What is Ecovision's role?
Ecovison is an Asset Management Company, we manage Companies that own Solar PV installations on behalf of the Company owners.
Is any one else allowed to do work on the panels?
No, the lease specifies that all work on the Solar PV system should be carried out by approved engineers working on behalf of the owners, in this case Ecovision engineers.
How much energy do normal household appliances use?
A kettle will use approximately 0.1 Kwh of electricity to boil for 3 minutes, an electric oven will use around 0.87 Kwh of electricity per hour, a usual size fridge freezer will use approximately 0.74 Kwh per day.
How much money can I save from having the panels on my roof?
OFGEM conducted a lot of research on usage amounts and patterns befor the Feed in tariff was launced. They concluded property occupiers with Solar PV installed were likely to use approximately half of the electrcity generated. The Feed in tariff reflects this and assumes half is used and half is exported to the grid. Following this assumption a 3kw system will generate approximately 2700 Kwh of electricty per year (depending on location and system orientation) of which it could be expected 1350 Kwh might be used by the property occupant. At a current price of approximately 12.5 pence per kilowatt hour, this equates to £168.75 per year.
How should can I best use the Solar PV panels to save the most money
When turning on anything that uses electricity it is first drawn from the Solar panels, when the demand is larger than what is being produced by the panels electricity is drawn from the grid (which you will pay for). In order to maximise what is produced and can be used for free it is best to put on household appliances that use alot of electricity one at a time.