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

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  • degs
    degs Posts: 5 Forumite
    Had my Solar Panels installed last month and took great delight in seeing my disc type metre going backwards, and actualy winding the reading back. To my reasoning if it winds back 10 units then I have to use 10 units to end up were I started from so the 10 units are free. Last week B.Gas wanted to fit a smart metre but on finding I had solar panels said they aren't compatable and fitted a small digital metre. I might be wrong but I don't think these new metres wind back when you feed in.
  • Martyn1981
    Martyn1981 Posts: 14,713
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    degs wrote: »
    Had my Solar Panels installed last month and took great delight in seeing my disc type metre going backwards, and actualy winding the reading back. To my reasoning if it winds back 10 units then I have to use 10 units to end up were I started from so the 10 units are free. Last week B.Gas wanted to fit a smart metre but on finding I had solar panels said they aren't compatable and fitted a small digital metre. I might be wrong but I don't think these new metres wind back when you feed in.

    Hi degs, you're right, they don't wind backwards, but that'll save you having to pay for any backwards units!

    As you get 3.1p for the assumed export units, any backwards units would go against future import units, so you'd be paid twice for export (and at the full import price too).

    At least it's been sorted fast, so need to worry about getting it fixed later, or having to pay money back, if you got an undersized import bill as a result of a lower reading.

    Mart.
    Mart. Cardiff. 5.58 kWp PV systems (3.58 ESE & 2.0 WNW)

    For general PV advice please see the PV FAQ thread on the Green & Ethical Board.
  • John_Pierpoint
    John_Pierpoint Posts: 8,391
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    edited 17 March 2012 at 11:09AM
    If you small white postcard sized meter with a liquid crystal display is like mine, it flashes one flash per Wp being imported and displays constant red when exporting. It also cycles round through its registers and now displays rEd - attempting to make alphabet out of its display - to let the meter reader know that someone has been fiddling the meter.
    This will be interesting when the supply company makes its 24 monthly inspection of the equipment as required by legislation.

    It is a very simple way of know if the panels are making spare export electricity, the import meter if red and the generation meter is flashing away at a speed you soon get good at recognising. Side by side in my hall.

    I am expecting a drawn out "misunderstanding" with my supplier.

    ==============================================

    This site has been discussed before:
    http://www.ref.org.uk/fits/index.php?order=commissioned&dir=asc
    I do enjoy the retrospective commissioning dates, do we really believe this one was powered up as a Hogmanay celebration?
    FIT00007357 1 IV24 Hydro Commercial 50 1922-01-01 No Export HD/EXGEN/01 Scotland N/A Highland R00016SYSC

    Any way getting to the point:
    Some adopters of retro (?) fit PV panels seem to be on a "PV-N/0-4/01" deal; some on "PV-N/0-4/02"
    My contract with British Gas appears to be "PV-R/0-4/02"

    My guess is that the "R" represents retro fitted as against new build.

    Anyone know what the difference is between 4/01 and 4/02 deals?
  • Brian99_2
    Brian99_2 Posts: 155 Forumite
    If you small white postcard sized meter with a liquid crystal display is like mine, it flashes one flash per Wp being imported and displays constant red when exporting.

    Eh ?? It flashes once per watt-hour, ie 1000 times per kWh.

    Watts = flashes counted per hour

    or (easier to do!)

    Watts= Flashes counted per minute x 60
  • EricMears
    EricMears Posts: 3,230
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    Measuring generation or consumption by watching flashing lights would be almost a full time occupation ! There are electronic devices around that can do the counting for you and display the result.

    Or there are plenty of cheap meters around that give a very good idea of current flowing in a particular wire by clamping a sensor around the cable. One such meter clamped around main supply cable is pretty well useless but it's reasonably easy to rearrange house wiring such that generation and supply can be measured in separate cables. Depending on your level of expertise it would either be a DIY job or you may need professional help.

    Two such basic meters and a bit of mental arithmetic would do the job or there are some meters that can accept multiple inputs and do the arithmtic for you.
    NE Derbyshire.4kWp S Facing 17.5deg slope (dormer roof).24kWh of Pylontech batteries with Lux controller BEV : Hyundai Ioniq5
  • John_Pierpoint
    John_Pierpoint Posts: 8,391
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    edited 18 March 2012 at 1:01AM
    It is not completely rocket science.
    It is an LED a grown-up version of the little flashing red light in modern cars to warn off thieves.
    One glances at the two meters:
    The importing consumption meter is on permanent red.
    The generation meter by its side is flashing at one flash every two seconds.
    So we have a home grown generation of 30 x 60 = 1.8 kW, so turn on a small heater, perhaps the tumble drier on the "cool" setting or ideally a 1kW immersion heater if I had one.

    It is not actually as calculating as that, a quick glance registers as "free juice" ! - click on the immersion = two flashes on the generation meter to one (say) on the importing meter = 1/3rd price electricity.
    If its the other way round: pause - Ah DW has just turned on the kettle.:rotfl:

    John

    PS. Anyone know what "PV-R/0-4/02" signifies ?
  • Kernel_Sanders
    Kernel_Sanders Posts: 3,617
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    edited 18 March 2012 at 1:22AM
    Brian99 wrote: »
    or (easier to do!)

    Watts= Flashes counted per minute x 60

    Or, even easier (and quicker!) to do

    Watts = Flashes counted in 36 seconds x 100


    Also, from another thread...
    You can also estimate your generation by measuring the frequency of the flashes with the stopwatch on your phone; simply divide 3600 by the timing, hence every 12.00 secs = 300W, every 9.00 secs = 400W etc.
  • Martyn1981
    Martyn1981 Posts: 14,713
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    Anyone know what the difference is between 4/01 and 4/02 deals?

    I didn't, but I do now!

    Normally you'd owe me a beer, but I'm just as nosey as you, so I had to find out, once you asked.

    Breakdown of PV-R/0-4/02 tariff code:
    PV - photovoltaic
    R - retrofit
    0-4 - upto 4kWp tariff
    02 - second year of FITs. Installs before April 2011 get coded 01, first year. Installs registered April 2011 to Mch 2012 get coded year 02

    Here are some of the sites I hit

    http://www.ref.org.uk/fits/index.php?order=fitid&dir=desc

    click on Back to REF website, to learn more, and

    google PV-R/0-4/02 + OFGEM to find a list of installs and their appropriate codes, scrolling down, the first one to have April 2011 was also the first to be coded 02.

    Quick tip for googling, click and hold your left mouse button to the left of PV above, then holding the button down, drag to just after the M (in OFGEM), let go, then right click in the highlight, and one of the options will be to google the highlighted phrase. Much quicker and accurate.

    Now, about that beer?

    Mart.
    Mart. Cardiff. 5.58 kWp PV systems (3.58 ESE & 2.0 WNW)

    For general PV advice please see the PV FAQ thread on the Green & Ethical Board.
  • cazarol
    cazarol Posts: 780
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    Martyn1981 wrote: »
    Caz, sunny explorer is a bluetooth interface, what you need is a model name, possibly a Sunny Boy 4000?

    Hopefully then we can check to see if it has MPPT.

    Edit: apologies for the abbreviation, multi point power tracking, allowing two different feeds that don't effect each other.

    Edit2: Not doing well today, sorry. To measure roof angle, two ways, take the dimensions of the triangle (post them if this is tricky) and use calculus to work out angle. Or watch as 'clever clogs' wife downloads a spirit level app to smart phone and measures the angle by holding it to the roof(s) total time about 1 min. Who do you reckon the smart one is?

    Mart.

    Good Morning Mart and all other solar lovers !!
    At last I have got the name of my Sunny Boy, it is a SB4000TL-20, so fingers crossed this is the correct one for my panels etc. It seems that once we had a few days of good sunshine so higher production my system got the hang of it and is now producing quite satisfactorily, imo.
    Yesterday we produced 6.3 and the day before being 6.5, both with not much sunshine at all. Our highest ever is 11.342 on a good sunny day. All in all am feeling a lot happier with production all round. Its just making sure I use as much as poss during the production times, have got timer switch for washing machine etc. Every little helps !!
    only up to 0.812 so far on this damp morning, not much washing done for that production !!
  • EricMears
    EricMears Posts: 3,230
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    Martyn1981 wrote: »
    To measure roof angle, two ways, take the dimensions of the triangle (post them if this is tricky) and use calculus to work out angle. Mart.

    Just noticed this (from last month) quoted above.

    Not sure how you'd use calculus to do this ! I'd use trigonometry and specifically Sine, Cosine or tangent - all of which can be evaluated within msExcel
    NE Derbyshire.4kWp S Facing 17.5deg slope (dormer roof).24kWh of Pylontech batteries with Lux controller BEV : Hyundai Ioniq5
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