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backwards running meter
Hi, I'm a new forum member and I have a question. I'm looking to install solar panels and had an engineer out to discuss it. One thing he said was that I might find my electricity meter starts running backwards when the energy I haven't used is exported back to the grid. He said that this was good but the MSE page (sorry,…
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Solar Panel pickle
Hi everyone, I bought a house before Christmas which has Solar Panels with Enphase Microinverters, I've just found out that 1 is not working but "Hot House Energy" who installed the system back in 2016 went bust the same year. I have all the paperwork from the old owner but will the insurance backed warranty that's in…
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Deemed 50% Export v Actual Export
In the past three months my actual export has been 67%, 64% and 60%. I can see this only rising through the summer. We have a Combi Boiler and have no plans or physical space (in next ten years) to retrofit install any sort of header tank/thermal store, so no Immersun/iBoost planned. Maybe a EV will come, but that is…
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British Gas or Scottish power ?
Looking to move to a new provider as my current deal is ending. Cheapest of the large suppliers are British Gas and Scottish power. British Gas plan is 100% green electric. Scottish power isn’t but their parent company seem to be putting lots into wind energy compared to British Gas. As such even though British Gas are…
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Hot Water Cylinder Questions
Sorry if these have been answered before but I either can't find what I'm looking for or don't have much confidence in what I have seen on other forums: 1. I have a 210 litre hot water cylinder that's about 25 years old and I'm about to have moved so it could easily be replaced for just the cost of a new cylinder (£200 or…
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Home Battery - No Solar
Looking at getting a home-battery installed to store economy7 electricity at night and use it during peak times. I don't want to feed anything back into the grid. We will use it all. Does anyone know what kit I'd require, and what the cheapest supplier / option would be? We will attach a PV array to the battery at a later…
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How do you manage your heating this time of year?
Hi - the title says it all - how do you manage your heating this time of year with cold, frosty morning and warm sunny days? Do you leave the thermostat to care of things for you (and does it work?) or do you have to keep fiddling with it to stop the house getting too hot in the day or too cold at night? Do you turn your…
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Mini Solar panel and draining power
Afternoon All, I have one of these https://www.amazon.co.uk/RAVPower-UK-RP-PC005-Waterproof-Smartphones/dp/B01FH2HYCW On sunny days great for charging up my kindle, phone and a power bank to use later. The only issue is if it goes cloudy or I miss the sun setting it seems to start discharging anything attached. I guess I…
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Solar Post-FIT
(I posted this in Energy but it was suggested I repost here) We have a large roof and I have been thinking about solar for a number of years. We also run a Nissan Leaf and are thinking about changing the diesel estate for something that will plug in. Unfortunately, with the large roof came a large mortgage and that has…
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Home energy Monitors
Hi, Since I’ve just realised the meter in my system is a generation meter and not an export meter :rotfl: I would like suggestions on what to use. I’m not going to fit a smart meter as I don’t want to effect FIT. Although it might turn out I’m exporting more and then I will switch. So this one seemed to have won and award.…
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Inverter with "backup" output
One month ago i had a solar PV system installed which includes a battery and uses a Goodwe inverter. Apart from the feed-in to my mains there is a second "backup" output that was not connected at the time of installation. My understanding is that this output will continue after a mans power failure (after a brief…
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Solar Usage doesn’t add up
Hi, I’m probably missing something here but can anyone help. My system was fitted 11th March. My inverter is a Ginlong and I have an app to see generation. To date it says I have generated 548kwh and my export meter is showing 540kwh. This suggests that I’ve only used 8kwh of energy within the month. However my I boost has…
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Spikes from Solar Panel generation on Sunny Days
Yet another Solar Panel post but this one is a more complex question. I have had Panels installed and they seem to be working OK, but I get spikes in generation even on Sunny days. Average generation is OK for this time of year. So on a cloudless day I can get spikes of 800Ws or more and then generation drops almost to…
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Project Solar panels quote.
Hi all, On Friday I had a quote for panels from Project Solar and would like to hear your thoughts. I have been quoted a 10 panel install of Evolution +10 panels and a Growatt inverter totalling a 2.50kWp with a voltage optimiser -and estimated output is 2255.00kwh per year The current quoted FiT rate is 0.1339. The cost…
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FiTs Rates for 2019-2020
Every year I go to this web site to find the latest FiTs rates ... https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/environmental-programmes/fit/fit-tariff-rates This year they don't seem to have updated the rates (payment tariff) unless I am missing something ? Shouldn't there be new rates from 1st April ?
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Warranty Inverter Replacement
Hi, My Solaredge inverter has failed after only 2 years and SE have agreed a replacement. I initially contacted my installer but his warranty expired 6 weeks ago so he's going to charge me for fitting the replacement. What would you regard as a fair price for this work?
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Sunny boy Warranty Extension
Hey all, Just like that I'm coming up to 5 years since install and my installer has contacted me about extending the warranty on my sunny boy 3600TL. I can also do it via SMA's website which is probably the preferred option as they accept AMEX, whereas my installer doesn't accept cards at all. Prices are the same. another…
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Money Moral Dilemma: Should I start spending more to go plastic-free?
This week's MoneySaver who wants advice asks... I want to reduce my plastic use, and have made some easy changes such as switching to reusable bags. But sometimes it costs more to use less plastic, eg, buying bars of shampoo and conditioner instead of bottles. Should I fork out more for the planet's sake? Unfortunately the…
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The DNO said no
I have previously mentioned that due to an oversight a DNO application wasn’t submitted at the time my panels were installed. A retrospective application was submitted for 10kw as I wanted to add a few more panels. I have now heard back from my installer that the DNO has said we can’t export more than 5.9kw without…
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Installing solar panels and battery storage in 2018 - expensive hobby or viable proposition?
Hi all, Long time listener, first time caller. I had recently taken a plunge and leased a Leaf to cover my daily commute and I have since become sold on the whole idea of EV lifestyle. LEAF was just a gateway drug and I started toying with the idea of installing solar panels and battery storage. I really want to do it but…
