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

sly_dog_jonah

shadow52 wrote: »

Auto control enables use of solar PV for immersion heater - look on yougen on the internet and input this, this from Chris Rudge.

Thanks, but I've already linked to it a few pages back and there's been a bit of debate on how that device could be improved. Specifically householders may want to override the automatic control in the event of boiler packing up, or if they want to stop the immersion coming on temporarily (eg if they are cooking with electric). Most immersions have a switch to turn them off, but the automatic controller available from Chris isolates the power when Solar generation is low, thus stopping householders from forcing the immersion to come on when required. I've emailed Chris some of my suggestions earlier this week but no reply yet.

sly_dog_jonah

Barter wrote: »

I really don't think you're allowed to tout for business on this forum; and I have looked at the Utility Warehouse deal, and it's definitely not worth it.

I've reported it as spam (button on the right), so if a few more people do so as well it will disappear. You might want to edit your quote to remove his email so you aren't repeating his spam.

Martyn1981

nagswoman wrote: »

Interesting to see other people's generation.
We had a 3.92KWh system fitted in November 2011.
Unfortunately we have a little shading early morning and late evening, but we will try to negotiate with the neighbours on one side to trim their tree slightly. It is only an overgrown elder and we live in a bungalow! The other side is shading of part of one panel, by our extension.
December was 115 units
January was 139 units
First 3 weeks of February 2012 is 156 units.
We face SSW.
East of England.
Don't know the roof pitch but it is flatter (less upright!) than 45 degrees. Suppose I could work it out as the bungalow is 48ft wide and we can only just stand up in the roof space. Now where, in my brain, is geometry lurking?

That's some mighty fine generation, especially for a shallow roof. Beats me hands down.

Pitch, try this for a guess. Only just stand up, so maybe 7ft outside, by 24ft, giving hypotonuse of 25ft.

7/25 sin-1 = 16.26deg

They may not have much money now, but those Greeks used to be pretty bright (possibly the Babylonians before them!). Have fun.

Mart.

peterkarole

We had a 3.92Kw system fitted on 25 Oct on a SSW facing roof in Cheshire. Output to date:
Oct (from 25th) 38
Nov 115
Dec 78
Jan 130
Feb (to 22nd) 95

Most of Feb has been disappointingly cloudy.

We were hoping for a record day on 19 Feb but after a sunny morning it clouded over and total production was 14.3Kwh so not beating the 15.7 achieved on 28 Oct.
Regularly achieving over 3Kw with a peak of 3.86.
Our FIT provider, British Gas made our first payment 17 days after submission of meter reading.

celerity

Our recent stats for our 3.91kWp system in Cambridgeshire:
Dec 2011: 137kWh (78% above predicted generation!)
Jan 2012: 150kWh

We are on our first year and exceeded the yearly estimate within just over eight months of generation.

For realtime stats plus lots of monthly graphs etc, search Google for my username plus "solar pv stats"

/\dam

Casper55

JuniperBerry wrote: »

That's interesting, is it air or ground source heat pump ? Which brand and does it heat the water directly or via coils ? I've been looking at HeatPumps and as you say something with a COP of 5 makes a lot of sense working alongside PV solar

It is an air to water heat pump. The water in the pond is pumped through the heat pumps condenser just the same as a heat pump for swimming pools, however the temp of the water does not need to be as high, therfore ambient temps do not need to be as high for desent COP.I am looking to heating the koi pond from march to Oct some of which I will get free from the solar panels. Here is a link to the make & model I have bought
http://www.heatpumps4pools.com/Duratech/Duratech-Dura-7-7Kw-2011-Swimming-Pool-Heat-Pump-Heater

raider

3.22kWp - 50 degree pitch - South Norfolk - South facing - No Shade

Apr'11 - 424kWh
May'11 - 442kWh
June'11 - 385kWh
July'11 - 343kWh
Aug'11 - 329kWh
Sep'11 - 341kwh
Oct'11 - 291kWh
Nov'11 - 137kWh
Dec'11 - 128kWh

Jan'12 - 141kWh
Feb'12 - 134kWh (21 Days)

All months have been above installers estimate and PVGIS estimate with 8% system losses.

Currently 23% above PVGIS estimate since install (est 2561kWh, actual 3155kWh)

And no blooming sunshine today!!:mad:

Kernel_Sanders

rhiwfield wrote: »

If in doubt I quickly switch on/off an oven ring at low setting to check which way the current is flowing.

The other issue with monitors is that they are susceptible to "noise" and give false readings at low levels.

Are you saying that these 'owl' monitors can't even tell you if you are importing or exporting?

edwink

Martyn1981 wrote: »

No probs Ed, hopefully we're both learning here. I had great fun playing with Sunny Design (I really need to get out more).

Did you chose the hybrids to allow for a bigger system, as you get more size (kWp) for the same size roof area? Be ken to know how you get on long term. As prices fall, they're probably the future.

Do you have any kind of monitor at the moment. Just a thought, but as my system is similar to yours (30 and 20 deg pitches), and I'm now getting sustained peaks of about 60% of max, 2.2kW against 3.6kWp, then that might be handy for you if you get a really sunny day. See what your system peaks at and holds. That may give a guesstimate at how it's doing.

Regardless, it's working, and at worst is a little low, so by mid March should have a month of numbers to crunch and compare.

Are you having fun yet?

Thanks Albyota, just doing ma job sir, just doing ma job!

Mart.

Hello Mart

Have not had a reply from the e-mail to sma. But, got a bee in my bonnet today as this is beginning to annoy me somewhat.

I telephoned a company called green energy. The guy was so helpful. I could not thank him enough.

He said we should have 2 inverters or 2 mppt trackers - stacker grid master. He said our system would generate fine in the summer. But, in the winter when the sun is low the lower panels would drag the generation down from the top panels. I told him that it is possible that the sunny boy sb2500 was fitted in error because the electrician obviously thought that the inverter was suitable as all 10 panels face in the same direction and that this electricican obviously did not take into account the two different roof levels and shading on the lower panels. He suggested an urgent call to our installers. Immediately after I spoke to him I rang our installers explained the situation and told him that things are not as they should be. I have requested that a proper assessment is carried out and a voltage check done.

He did say that he could see what I meant and would look into it and telephone me back!!
So watch this space!!!

I'll be in touch!!!! Thanks!!!

Kernel_Sanders

nagswoman wrote: »

Don't know the roof pitch but it is flatter (less upright!) than 45 degrees. Suppose I could work it out as the bungalow is 48ft wide and we can only just stand up in the roof space. Now where, in my brain, is geometry lurking?

Do you have a spirit level? If so, go back into the roof space and draw a horizontal pencil line on a rafter. Then, draw another line parallel to the slope of the rafter. If it does not intersect, use the level or just a ruler to bring the sloping line nearer until it does. It's then a matter of simply measuring the angle with any school protractor. These are highly accurate; it's getting the horizontal line truly horizontal that is the key to getting this measurement correct.