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

Cardew

Martyn1981 wrote: »

I simply don't get the point of all this. Two solid years you two have been attacking every aspect of PV and FITs, and now you want to have a go at us for saving a few quid and enjoying ourselves at the same time!

You enjoy your beers, I'll enjoy wasting my time with PV. As long as neither of us harms anyone else, then why bother complaining.

I simply don't get the point!

Mart.

If you don’t get the point – then why bother to comment? Unless you simply can’t help yourself in your self- appointed role as moderator on all things solar.

If you find people expressing opinions, with which you disagree, and it causes you such angst; why not put them on ignore and save yourself the aggravation.

I note Doc N – who has had solar for 20 months – escapes your censure despite expressing exactly the same opinion as myself. Indeed the post you ‘don’t get’ was simply agreeing with his last post.

EricMears

grahamc2003 wrote: »

I think Cardew had it spot on last week when he gave the opinion that if you just use solar by setting a timer at midday to run the washing machine etc (if you're not on e7 that is), then you'll probably pay about £25 more per year than someone who continually tries to match solar generation with usage (and who's good at it).

He did indeed quote the figure of £25, but did not provide any evidence for that figure - it was as you say just an 'opinion'. I pointed out later that in the special circumstances of someone who couldn't be at home during peak generation hours they might be able to save as much as £250. I don't think I'd get anywhere near that figure though - my Wattson meter gives me an instant readout of the surplus power being generated and I have several major appliances that I could switch on to use it.

Unless Cardew has found a more reliable weather forecaster than I have, his 'hint' of setting a timer to run things at midday runs a severe risk of paying for power during a cloudy interval and missing out on the free power in a sunny interval before or after his assumed peak.

EricMears

EricMears wrote: »

However, other things being equal, I'm happy to wait a few minutes for a slow kettle rather than paying 0.06p (or whatever) for the instant gratification of a hot drink before I've had time to prepare the sandwich to go with it.

I seem to have been conned into accepting that a 3kw kettle produces a couple of cupfulls for 'a fraction of a penny'

In fact, it takes approx two mins to boil that amount.
3kw for 2 mins is 6 kwmins - or 0.1 kwh
I'd pay 11p/kwh in daytime hours or 5p on E7 so those two cups would cost me 1.1p after 8am (or 0.5p before).

Allowing for generating 1kw around 9am but using half of it on 'base load' , the 500w kettle is still 'free' but the 3kw one would cost 5/6ths of 1.1p or around 0.9p. Technically, that is indeed a 'fraction of a penny' - but it's a jolly big fraction !

grahamc2003

EricMears wrote: »

He did indeed quote the figure of £25, but did not provide any evidence for that figure - it was as you say just an 'opinion'. I pointed out later that in the special circumstances of someone who couldn't be at home during peak generation hours they might be able to save as much as £250. I don't think I'd get anywhere near that figure though - my Wattson meter gives me an instant readout of the surplus power being generated and I have several major appliances that I could switch on to use it.
Unless Cardew has found a more reliable weather forecaster than I have, his 'hint' of setting a timer to run things at midday runs a severe risk of paying for power during a cloudy interval and missing out on the free power in a sunny interval before or after his assumed peak.

The £25 me and Cardew are discussing isn't the £250 savings you are talking about - I think you or someone else made the same comment last time around, where it was answered.

I too have a meter monitoring my generation and usage-generation. I also used to get paid to match generation to the whole of England and Wales' electricity use on a second by second basis, so I understand the problems in doing so. I've tried to roughly match my solar power to my usage by turning on small medium and large loads at my disposal. It is impossible to even get near matching. I've been surprised by the variation in generation on a realtime basis - it's not only 1.4kW one secong, then 100w a second later when a cloud passes over, but even in the sunny weather we've had for a couple of days since my installation, the generation varies between 1.2kW and 1.4kw second by second even with no perceptable 'clouds' or haze. Any slight dimming perception knocks the output by 500W, and normal clouds knock it by 1,3kW in my case. There is also a variation in ouput caused by the inverter searching for the maximum power point every six seconds.

So good luck with your matching - my opinion is that if you are good at it, after a year you'll save about £25 more than someone who just sets a timer and takes the random risk of generating wehen the timer switches on. Just my opinion - I don't currently have any PhD students nor funding to produce any academic papers to confirm or otherwise my opinion. Perhaps I could throw your comment back at you and ask for research papers confirming your opinion?

EricMears

grahamc2003 wrote: »

Perhaps I could throw your comment back at you and ask for research papers confirming your opinion?

I have exactly the same number of PhD stuents as you do so there aren't of course any research papers to quote. You can however scroll back a couple of pages and see my calculations for the £250 clearly set out. You won't be able to find any calculations for Cardew's £25.

sly_dog_jonah

Yesterday turned out to be a record day, but some cloud at lunchtime prevented it being a barnstorming result. 16.6kWh is not to be sniffed at though. :beer:

Today has been even better and we've made 11.2kWh already by midday. Even between 0715-0730 we were averaging over 700W and the inverter is now powering up between 0630-0645.

Have been able to use dishwasher and washing machine for free already, and now going to get some fresh air to cut the grass before getting a casserole on the slow cooker this afternoon.

zeupater

The_Green_Hornet wrote: »

I tell you something, sticking certain posters on the ignore list (you know who you are) makes it a lot quicker (and a lot more enjoyable) reading this forum than it used to be.

However, I just fail to understand why certain people who don't like Solar PV (sorry don't like FITs) come on to a thread entitled So now I have a solar PV system how do I make the most of it??? to keep repeating the same negative message over an over again.

Why don't they go to a moaners and whingers forum? There must be one on the web somewhere which would accommodate them.

Hi

Whilst I agree with the sentiment of the post it must really be recognised that without some posting from alternative viewpoints then the overall benefits of solar pv posted can easily be swayed by industry insiders or green energy zeal as happens on a number of other fora.

I have a history of disagreement with the viewpoints of some posters who would be classified by many as being 'anti' pv and have often provided alternative viewpoints based on logic and data, however, many of the viewpoints posed by the 'anti' brigade are based on fact, sound logic and far more experience than I and many others on these boards have and should at least be allowed consideration by others reading these threads ... therefore the current concerted efforts to prevent these individuals from posting should stop in order to allow others to formulate a view based on balanced information.

Many times we see industry insiders spamming and providing dubious information, examples being repeated mention of particular installers or product and overstatement of potential average energy savings .... if someone can utilise 100% of the energy they generate, that's great for them, but it's not what the average installation would save, even if the industry and green zealots would like everyone to believe it to be true ..... without the alternative/moderating views we might just as well all stop posting and just leave it to the industry to spam these boards for their own gain.

I do hope that many reading these boards for information prior to purchasing pv, or how to best utilise their recent installation, will be able to see through much of the rubbish which has been posted here recently and take more note of what both those who utilise logic with the support of data & example, or those members with more long-term experience in pv ownership.

HTH
Z

grahamc2003

EricMears wrote: »

I have exactly the same number of PhD stuents as you do so there aren't of course any research papers to quote. You can however scroll back a couple of pages and see my calculations for the £250 clearly set out. You won't be able to find any calculations for Cardew's £25.

I don't intend to go hunting through old posts if you can't be bothered to post a link.

But to be clear, and please read this next bit carefully, are you saying that by montioring your solar output and turning appliances on and off throughout the day to try to match the generation, you can save an extra £250 over someone who simply sets a timer or two around lunchitme to turn on some large appliances?

mickyduck

As I work some distance from home (like a lot of people) I look out the window in the morning and set washing machine / dishwasher to come on at about lunchtime or earlier if bright and sunny already. Not an excact science as stated elsewhere but if I wait until I get home there is the CERTAINTY that there will be no generation at this time of year.

EricMears

grahamc2003 wrote: »

I don't intend to go hunting through old posts if you can't be bothered to post a link.

But to be clear, and please read this next bit carefully, are you saying that by montioring your solar output and turning appliances on and off throughout the day to try to match the generation, you can save an extra £250 over someone who simply sets a timer or two around lunchitme to turn on some large appliances?

Or even to look at the post you've already quoted and allegedly 'answered' half an hour ago ?

Does this not answer your question ?

I pointed out later that in the special circumstances of someone who couldn't be at home during peak generation hours they might be able to save as much as £250. I don't think I'd get anywhere near that figure though - my Wattson meter gives me an instant readout of the surplus power being generated and I have several major appliances that I could switch on to use it.