So now I have a solar PV system how do I make the most of it???

Cardew · 20 September 2012 at 12:20PM

With this forum full of posters intent on maximising the use of the consumption from their panels, I thought this post from another forum interesting(or ironic)

How to work out how much energy my tumble dryer uses

I have this model http://www.deals4u.co.uk/white-knigh...a-styling.html

It used to be A rated, but know I have noticed it is classed as B. Anyway we have solar panels and are producing our own electricity every day, so I have started to relax about using the tumble dryer especially over the wetter weather. (my bold)

I have looked through the paper work and looked online but I can't seem to find anywhere how much energy this model uses to run.

I am interested in finding out as despite having the solar panels our monthly electricity bill isnt coming down. Npower say they owe us nearly £160, but on the same letter say our DD is increasing by £3 per month. I am wondering if my tumble dryer use is responsible.

Any thoughts? I do find the gas and electricity statements hard to understand and also wattage on appliances so please bear with me.

Thanks.

Note the statement 'so I have started to relax about using the tumble dryer especially over the wetter weather'

I wonder how many people - especially with Rent a Roof systems(and little electrical knowledge) are like this poster?

grahamc2003 · 20 September 2012 at 12:54PM

Cardew wrote: »

With this forum full of posters intent on maximising the use of the consumption from their panels, I thought this post from another forum interesting(or ironic)

Note the statement 'so I have started to relax about using the tumble dryer especially over the wetter weather'

I wonder how many people - especially with Rent a Roof systems(and little electrical knowledge) are like this poster?

It's where greens and cash collide.

Obviously (well its obvious to most, but escapes some), exporting solar energy is the green thing to do, and using it (sensibly) is the thing to do to save yourself a little bit of cash. I've no problem trying to use all what I generate - I turn on dehumidifiers to try to use mine, but then again I don't think I am saving the planet by having panels on my roof and claiming the fit!

It's clear to me the original concept of the fit (errr, feed in tarif) was to reward people for energy fed into the local grid, and not simply generated and used in a carefree and inefficient manner (as in your link). Looks like the concept of paying for energy fed in got lost somewhere along its implementation.

But yes, what's the point of having A rated appliances when you can simply turn on an E rated if it costs you nothing? (apart from defeating almost every 'green' issue going).

sly_dog_jonah · 20 September 2012 at 12:59PM

There is plenty of scope for confusion, especially as many people don't compare consumption they compare cost.

Taking August as an example, our electricity consumption was down 29% compared to last year (pre-PV), but the cost was only down 9% (due to the increase in energy prices).

Furthermore there is the common confusion between direct debits amounts and annual cost. Savings on electricity due to PV can also be masked by increased consumption and/or cost of gas (if not billed separately). Then of course there is the risk of completely getting things wrong and increasing your electricity usage because of the perceived benefit of the PV, but doing so on days when the generation is insignificant and thus increasing import and hence consumption & cost.

grahamc2003 · 20 September 2012 at 1:14PM

On a related point, I had a salesman/engineer (who was also the knowledgeable company MD) round to quote for solar thermal yesterday. (there's a new 'Thermodynamic' system for thermal which is basically a small heatpump and a radiative 'panel' to gather the heat, meaning for 350w they claim2.2kW of heating and temperatures of 55C). Anyhow, we chatted about the looming RHI, and the reason it almost certainly won't be metered for domestic is due to the experience so far from metered commercial systems, where the heating is set to full and windows opened wide in order to 'farm' the rhi. If you go in a shop, and it's much too hot, you know the likely reson. Don't you just love 'green' subsidies!

sly_dog_jonah · 20 September 2012 at 1:28PM

grahamc2003 wrote: »

If you go in a shop, and it's much too hot, you know the likely reson. Don't you just love 'green' subsidies!

Or more likely, the shop doesn't have any RHI and they are just doing the classic retail tactic in winter of making it much warmer for customers inside the shop than outside. In summertime, the heat is usually due to the excessive lighting.

grahamc2003 · 20 September 2012 at 1:38PM

sly_dog_jonah wrote: »

Or more likely, the shop doesn't have any RHI and they are just doing the classic retail tactic in winter of making it much warmer for customers inside the shop than outside. In summertime, the heat is usually due to the excessive lighting.

Possibly, as it is possibly rhi farming.

Does the implication, in some cases, of rhi 'farming' based on metered output seem sensible to you?

Last summer when it was really hot outside, we happened to venture into Debenhams, where they had probably 20 large mobile air conditioners going full blast. Just heated the shop even more (it was unbearable), since none of the hoses were connected (and indeed couldn't be since they were situated near the middle of the sales areas), so the hot exhaust air was going straight back into the shop. (Not saying this is anything to do with the rhi, just illustrating what strange decisions are sometimes made, and how, imo, air con contracters shouldn't be allowed to install in such a manner).

zeupater · 20 September 2012 at 2:18PM

Cardew wrote: »

With this forum full of posters intent on maximising the use of the consumption from their panels, I thought this post from another forum interesting(or ironic)

Note the statement 'so I have started to relax about using the tumble dryer especially over the wetter weather'

I wonder how many people - especially with Rent a Roof systems(and little electrical knowledge) are like this poster?

Hi

I think that the DD element is pretty normal with the energy suppliers at the moment ... they currently seem to be taking every possible opportunity to lift our DD, the latest being a few months after receiving a refund equivalent to 5 months of DD payment ... a simple discussion with them resulted in the DD being reduced by 8% instead of increased by 14%, interestingly both figures using their own algorith on the same data for our usage .... I can understand that combination of low usage and the installation of more energy efficient measures can cause issues with forcasting consumption, however I find it hard to believe that it's not a deliberate ploy to increase profitability, afterall, large enterprises firmly believe that 'cash is king' ..

HTH
Z

zeupater · 20 September 2012 at 2:30PM

grahamc2003 wrote: »

.... what's the point of having A rated appliances when you can simply turn on an E rated if it costs you nothing?

Hi

... possibly the answer would be that anyone with a modicum of sense would expect to save energy when using the 'A' rated technology at night or heavily overcast during the day, only using the less efficient items when either conditions allow or is absolutely necessary ... it's just a simple matter of prioritorisation and/or education ...

HTH
Z

zeupater · 20 September 2012 at 2:48PM

grahamc2003 wrote: »

On a related point, I had a salesman/engineer (who was also the knowledgeable company MD) round to quote for solar thermal yesterday. (there's a new 'Thermodynamic' system for thermal which is basically a small heatpump and a radiative 'panel' to gather the heat, meaning for 350w they claim2.2kW of heating and temperatures of 55C) ...

Hi

A few years ago I saw an ASHP system installation at a colleagues house in Sweden which had a passive heat exchanger which looked like a slate grey/black garden sculpture .... when running it was always covered in (white) ice and the ground below it was invariably covered in 'snow' .... probably the same basic theory as the one you're looking at .... the guy likes the sculpture element but conceded that it was an expensive folly, the installation is still there but now has an additional ground loop ... energy costs have been seriously reduced and the 'sculpture' and it's circle of snow still look good ...

Consider the claims with 'pinch of salt' and do the maths on the plate surface area to air heat transfer rate ....

HTH
Z

sly_dog_jonah · 20 September 2012 at 2:58PM

grahamc2003 wrote: »

Possibly, as it is possibly rhi farming.

Does the implication, in some cases, of rhi 'farming' based on metered output seem sensible to you?

Last summer when it was really hot outside, we happened to venture into Debenhams, where they had probably 20 large mobile air conditioners going full blast. Just heated the shop even more (it was unbearable), since none of the hoses were connected (and indeed couldn't be since they were situated near the middle of the sales areas), so the hot exhaust air was going straight back into the shop. (Not saying this is anything to do with the rhi, just illustrating what strange decisions are sometimes made, and how, imo, air con contracters shouldn't be allowed to install in such a manner).

Sounds like some incompetent attempts to cool down the store. I doubt many retail businesses would sufficiently benefit from the RHI to make it worthwhile, but then I know little about the RHI.

So now I have a solar PV system how do I make the most of it???

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