Solar Production Thread

[MrGrumpy]

Just a small thought, what happened to the original owner of this thread ? Self imposed exile ?
Anyways 18 kW today wasn't expected ! Batteries topped up by lunch time . Looking at my export I decided to get my finger out and switch to Octopus , hoping to get the export side moving after I switch from on Friday . Missed out on a potential 5 spot this month !

 

[Buck]

He's not been around for a couple of months - not sure why @jowwy

Those are good figures - how big is your array again? Our install is due next month with a 9.5kW battery.

As a slight aside, how have people amended their energy usage to make the most of the solar production ? Trying to think of how we'll want/need to change once installed

I'm thinking washing/drying/dishwasher/car charging all on during the day?
Anything else?

 

[MrGrumpy]

5.1kW array , 10kW batteries . House faces SSE , might even by more ESE?!
Quite pleased with it to be honest , we are out all day , if I know it’s going to be sunny ( didn’t today ) . I will put dishwasher in timer and maybe the washing machine on remote . However recently had a dodgy plug socket on washing machine which on closer examination was rather warm !!

 

[Alex321]

He's not been around for a couple of months - not sure why @jowwy

Those are good figures - how big is your array again? Our install is due next month with a 9.5kW battery.

As a slight aside, how have people amended their energy usage to make the most of the solar production ? Trying to think of how we'll want/need to change once installed

I'm thinking washing/drying/dishwasher/car charging all on during the day?
Anything else?

TBH, with a 16kWh battery, we haven't really changed the pattern of our usage at all. Between now and the end of September, we will hardly ever empty it, so pretty well all our usage will be coming from our solar, regardless of time.

Washing & drying always were done mainly during the day, and we don't have an EV. If we put the dishwasher on during the day in winter, it would just mean the battery would run out earlier in the evening, probably before we'd cooked dinner.

 

[kipster]

I've been reading but not posting for a while, just generally dealing with life.

My solar has been performing well. December and January were pretty dismal, but I'm now back to getting the batteries fully charged and exporting most days.

I'm in the process of moving to a new octopus tariff called flux. They released it a week or two back and it is aimed at solar and battery users.

Essentially three rates of electricity import and export. 2am - 5am cheaper, 5am to 4pm normal, 4pm to 7pm peak then back to normal. The export rates also change based on those times. So you can charge the battery from 2am to 5am at 20p per kWh and then export from 4pm at 37p per kWh

 

[MrGrumpy]

Moving over to Octopus as well , not sure I will export between 4-7pm ? Should check my app . Not tied in with them so will see how we go , was more interested in their flat rate export .

I believe it’s a big wait to get onto that flux tariff as well .

 

[kipster]

There is a long wait list for their tracker tariffs but not for flux. The flux normal export rate is 23p per kWh, so 8p more than Outgoing flat rate.

I join yesterday, import tariff changed instantly, waiting for export to go through, it takes a few days apparently.

I'm on their gas tracker, I got in just before they started the wait list.

 

[MrGrumpy]

Well get a better look once I’m fully over . Think they stick you on the default one to start with . I’m exporting again !!! No getting cash for it , rubbish weather forecasts lol ! 10kW battery at 100% once more !

 

[cougie uk]

He's not been around for a couple of months - not sure why @jowwy

Those are good figures - how big is your array again? Our install is due next month with a 9.5kW battery.

As a slight aside, how have people amended their energy usage to make the most of the solar production ? Trying to think of how we'll want/need to change once installed

I'm thinking washing/drying/dishwasher/car charging all on during the day?
Anything else?

I don't think you can use your fast charger for the car ? That pulls too much electric and it'll come from the mains.
Same thing with electric showers. On full it will take from the mains supply. On eco - no problems.
I think the granny plug would work though - but I've not tried it.

You do have to work at it - it'd be easy to have solar and not get much benefit at all.
In the winter I've been charging my battery fully on off peak and using the solar as and when I can in the day.
Now the days are getting longer and brighter I'm cutting that down so there's space for the solar to charge it. This will be ongoing throughout the year - tinkering with the charging.

We've also got a few more things to use up the electric. Cheap oil filled heater (half price at Dunelm) and a heated lap blanket that the cat absolutely loves and is much better than bunging the central heating on.

We've also had a long look at our hot water tank and the electric immersion heating.
We will get it on the WiFi shortly but it's a good way to use electric if you have spare.

And yes putting your electric devices on in the daytime will also work.

We've got our peak usage down to under 5% a day - just watch the smart meter to see what you're doing and if you're putting the kettle on turn off the immersion or you'll be taking from the mains again

More work but in February even with not a huge amount of sun we still saved something like 35% compared to last February.

 

[MrGrumpy]

I don't think you can use your fast charger for the car ? That pulls too much electric and it'll come from the mains.
Same thing with electric showers. On full it will take from the mains supply. On eco - no problems.
I think the granny plug would work though - but I've not tried it.

You do have to work at it - it'd be easy to have solar and not get much benefit at all.
In the winter I've been charging my battery fully on off peak and using the solar as and when I can in the day.
Now the days are getting longer and brighter I'm cutting that down so there's space for the solar to charge it. This will be ongoing throughout the year - tinkering with the charging.

We've also got a few more things to use up the electric. Cheap oil filled heater (half price at Dunelm) and a heated lap blanket that the cat absolutely loves and is much better than bunging the central heating on.

We've also had a long look at our hot water tank and the electric immersion heating.
We will get it on the WiFi shortly but it's a good way to use electric if you have spare.

And yes putting your electric devices on in the daytime will also work.

We've got our peak usage down to under 5% a day - just watch the smart meter to see what you're doing and if you're putting the kettle on turn off the immersion or you'll be taking from the mains again

More work but in February even with not a huge amount of sun we still saved something like 35% compared to last February.

That’s the thing , there is a lot to think about when looking to utilise the solar . Unfortunately for us we are at work all day. If I was at home I’d probably be running about in between work stuff putting washing on lol !

 

[Buck]

I don't think you can use your fast charger for the car ? That pulls too much electric and it'll come from the mains.
Same thing with electric showers. On full it will take from the mains supply. On eco - no problems.
I think the granny plug would work though - but I've not tried it.

You do have to work at it - it'd be easy to have solar and not get much benefit at all.
In the winter I've been charging my battery fully on off peak and using the solar as and when I can in the day.
Now the days are getting longer and brighter I'm cutting that down so there's space for the solar to charge it. This will be ongoing throughout the year - tinkering with the charging.

We've also got a few more things to use up the electric. Cheap oil filled heater (half price at Dunelm) and a heated lap blanket that the cat absolutely loves and is much better than bunging the central heating on.

We've also had a long look at our hot water tank and the electric immersion heating.
We will get it on the WiFi shortly but it's a good way to use electric if you have spare.

And yes putting your electric devices on in the daytime will also work.

We've got our peak usage down to under 5% a day - just watch the smart meter to see what you're doing and if you're putting the kettle on turn off the immersion or you'll be taking from the mains again

More work but in February even with not a huge amount of sun we still saved something like 35% compared to last February.

Thanks.

We’ll have the MyEnergi Eddi diverter for the immersion heater as part of our install so we don’t have to use the gas boiler as we do now to heat the water.

As you say, lots to learn but I do like technology and “tinkering” so I’m sure I’ll get into the options including smart programming.

 

[Drago]

I've lost track. The monitor packed up long ago, so without either taking the lid off the meter itself and reading it, or climbing into the loft and reading the display on the batteries each day I have no idea of my daily use.

Suffice to say I'm on the original highest rate FIT, and as long as the cheques for £300-400 keep rolling in every quarter, and my actual electricity bill remains picket change, then I'm happy.

Hot water is still gas on the combi, but alone is a negligible sum. Nominally heating is still gas, but I have aircon front and rear (Mrs D has MS and extreme hot temps make her ill) and that runs in reverse very economically as an air source heat pump, and with an open fire and a wood burner as well I almost never need the radiators on. Even better, I'm good friends with a chap that kwns his own aircon installation firm so I got them supplied and fitted extremely cheaply.

 

[CXRAndy]

You can fast charge 7kw to 14kw, if you have enough panels and probably a battery setup to level out the solar supply when clouds dip production output.

 

[Drago]

I've got 5kw nominal, 16 big panels, the largest they'd let you connect to the grid for FIT purposes at the tim3. That limit may well have changed in the intervening period.

 

[Alex321]

I've got 5kw nominal, 16 big panels, the largest they'd let you connect to the grid for FIT purposes at the tim3. That limit may well have changed in the intervening period.

There is no FIT any more, so there is no limit for that purpose.

But there is a limit to the size you can connect under the G98 DNO licence of 3.68kW for a single-phase system. Above that you nee the G99 licence, which has to be applied for and agreed in advance. With the G98 AIUI, you only have to notify the DNO.