Hi All. can anyone advise me where is the best place to buy a basic starter solar set up, i realise they are big money but i was in Bauhaus recently and they had a starter kit for about 1200 euros, does any one know of any where else locally where i can get some thing that i can add to as and when i need to. ie extra panels and batteries. initially just looking to power the lights and telly for a few hours a day. we only visit about 5 weeks of the year. but it would be nice to turn the lights on in the evening without the generator droning and having to get out of bed to turn the genny off at sleep time thank you   

https://prismsolar.co.uk/shop/

Contact Callum.

However you solve your problem please be aware that, in unoccupied houses - particularly those in the countryside, things like solar systems and generators have a habit of leaving the premises never to be seen again. 

Thank you for the link, we have had 3 generators and 2 water pumps stolen in the past 10 years, so i would probably mount the  panels so i can remove them when i am not at the finca and store them at my neighbours

I've pm'd you.

Hi. I don't know whether you fly back and forth t UK but if you drive then check out bimble solar on internet or eBay.co.uk. They have great offers on solar panels, full systems too, possibly the best prices. Batteries can also be bought on eBay if you want to bring them over. Another alternative is technosun.com (or .es) Based in Valencia i think, they do complete systems, individual items, roof mounting kits etc, etc. Finally, supermercadosolar, based in Girona have good deals too.
Good luck.
PS. Buy a small electric/battery engraving tool and mark your panels, inverter with your parcela & poligon number + your phone number. Engraving the aluminium structure with this info means thieves have to grind away at the thin frames. A pain if you're a robber!!   ;)

Good advise about engraving,but through experience the Thief's don,t care ,I only leave outside a 20w panel to trickle charge, my big one  will be pole mounted,so I can easily take it down ,and put inside when back in the UK.
I do find e bay best for panels etc ,but then you have the big expense of getting it  all to Spain'
I would say the Batteries are the biggest outlay, I,m waiting for the stand by batteries for the generators at work to become available, they swap them out every 3-5 years(mega expense) ,and I would have hoped that you should get close to 10 years out of a well maintained  battery,25 years life on a solar panel. ;)

Your solar output should be 10% of your battery amp hours for correct charging, eg battery 500 a/h then 50 amps of solar, and be sure to size wiring correctly based on 3% loss.

Here's another little snippet for catching potential thieves stealing your hard earned items. Search 'trail cams or trail cameras' on eBay and invest also in a couple of trail cam solar panels. I have several and, though i've not spotted any robbers yet, i've seen multitudes of different animals prowling my finca. Wild boar, badgers, red & black squirrels etc, etc. With a solar back up panel you'll get up to a year out of 8x AA batteries.
You can now get the cameras from as little as £35 with free shipping, shop around for the little trailcam panels, which have their own built in battery.

Batteries:
I have bought 3 sets of different sizes from Revosolar in Girona.
www.revosolar.com
Prices are very good and  they give free delivery. I get them dropped off at our local builders merchant and they fork lift onto my trailer.

PaulH wrote on Nov 17^th, 2017 at 6:07pm:

Your solar output should be 10% of your battery amp hours for correct charging, eg battery 500 a/h then 50 amps of solar, and be sure to size wiring correctly based on 3% loss.

Thanks Paul very useful did not know that :) :) :)

Just a heads up... We have upgraded and have 6 panels for sale ....
Will be posted in the For Sale section shortly  :)