Solar Panels / Heat Pump Discussion

[Luckypants]

Originally Posted by Luckypants

What I've found so far with my set up is that the software does not measure anything less than 200W, yet the physical display on the inverter can show less and that does get fed in to the system. So even though my system 'thinks' there is no solar, the inverter may be providing up to 199W. As house baseload is 300W, its a decent chunk of my usage.

Gary, I've confirmed this these past two mornings. With the later rising sun and the earths orbit moving towards autumn equinox, solar generation has started about the time I start work (8am), so have access to the computer. What I see is that no solar generation is reported, but the reported house load is low, as little as 50W - my normal baseload is around 300W. Checking the physical display on the solar inverter shows generation of 100-150W. So while the solar system does not detect generation below 200W, the solar inverter is producing and that is being used by the house and shows up as a low reported load.

If I was looking at this data in Autumn or Winter, I suspect the depressed house load would be masked by additional loads at the times when generation is low as folks will be getting up, having breakfast, etc. So I expect there is some benefit year round to having solar, but it is not always obvious in the data feed to the app.

[garynortheast]

Thanks Mike, that's very useful info.

[Kenzie]

I don't know if this is of interest, but this is the current data for our panels. I think it was a little cloudy first thing so it took the panels a little while to get going. Our bill has dropped massively since adding the batteries, we are considering a third. According to the app, we've generated 5.7 kWh today

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[Luckypants]

What size battery do you have? what size array?

Mine is still new to me, so get excited about days like today.

[Kenzie]

Not sure of the data in the app is spot on, but it's saying 4.8kWp for the batteries and for the panels 3.6kWp. We have two batteries installed.

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[Luckypants]

Yes 3.6 Solar inverter is common as it comes below the G99 threshold for notifying / getting permission to connect it to the grid. If over 4kW (I think) the DNO electricity board have to agree the connection and also can insist that export is limited. The G99 application also costs £400, whereas the under 4kW G98 notification is free.

We also have a 3.6kW solar inverter and then a 13.5kWh battery, to store all the unused power. We've just filled that up on this sunny day, so I've put the washing machine on to save it going to the grid.

[Kenzie]

I think the data in the app is incorrect, will have to get it updated. Having a bit of trouble with one of the dataloggers not working properly too which we need to sort.

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[Luckypants]

Originally Posted by Luckypants

......and then a 13.5kWh battery, to store all the unused power.....

After a battery firmware update, our useable capacity in the batery has increased to 15.6. Which is useful.

I'm now trying to get on a trial to connect SMART meters via home broadband in order to get onto a smart tariff. If I can connect my meter at long last (installed 3 years and has never connected) I will be able to get cheap overnight leccy to fill my house battery and car. Then, hopefully I'll be able run the entire house over the winter using off-peak electricity.

[Luckypants]

Little update to show the advantages of a house battery in a power cut.

We have a planned outage today which I barely planned for as I 'planned' to rely on the house battery. When my reminder on the phone went off to warn me of the impending power cut, I set the battery to charge to boost it (was already charged to 100% overnight) up to make sure we get through the day. The power went off as promised at 9am and the battery took over running the house - almost seamlessly. there was a 1-2 second glitch so the PC and router needed re-booting. After that I've been WFH and sitting here happily with the central heating on and everything running normally. As its a sunny day, there's quite a lot of solar energy being generated, so I'll have plenty of power if they run over.

We get quite a lot of unplanned power cuts here, so seeing the battery act as backup for real is quite reassuring. It's one of the reasons I went for the GivEnergy All-in-One system for my battery, even though it was fairly expensive compared to less sophisticated systems.

[garynortheast]

Ha! I am really pretty envious of your set up there Mike. I wish to goodness it was possible to have the council do this sooner rather than later for their stock of social housing. This ought to be funded by central government as a matter of urgency for all social housing.

But of course it won't; they're too busy signing off licences for new fossil fuel drillings and mining.

Er mwyn Duw, achub ni rhag San Steffan.