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

zeupater

Martyn1981 wrote: »

.... Additional silliness, it has occurred to me that placing a small fan behind the rad will move more heat around and help cool the fins, increasing workload ...... maybe if I get bored? ...

Hi

Considering that the power being delivered by the element would be constant (ie 400W), all that this would achieve is the delivery of the same amount of heat over the same time from a cooler fin surface, this being achieved by increasing the mass of air which is in contact with the fins .... when the air temperature within the room (constant volume) reaches the set temperature the thermostat will still cut-out .... with a thermostat, the rate of heat replacement is defined by the rate of absorption of heat from the volume(/mass) of heated air into the thermal mass of the building (cooling), not by the rate of delivery (warming) ...

... but if you get bored then you can still try it ....

HTH
Z

EricMears

zeupater wrote: »

....all that this would achieve is the delivery of the same amount of heat over the same time from a cooler fin surface...... when the air temperature within the room (constant volume) reaches the set temperature the thermostat will still cut-out ....

OTOH, if he gets an air current moving then he's in with a chance of getting the whole room up to temperature rather than just one corner. Or with a series of fans, maybe the whole house ?

zeupater

EricMears wrote: »

OTOH, if he gets an air current moving then he's in with a chance of getting the whole room up to temperature rather than just one corner. Or with a series of fans, maybe the whole house ?

Hi Eric

... possibly a little optimistic with a ~400/600/1100W heater, even if the electrons are flowing from the roof ...

Z

Martyn1981

zeupater wrote: »

when the air temperature within the room (constant volume) reaches the set temperature the thermostat will still cut-out .... with a thermostat, the rate of heat replacement is defined by the rate of absorption of heat from the volume(/mass) of heated air into the thermal mass of the building (cooling), not by the rate of delivery (warming) ...

... but if you get bored then you can still try it ....

HTH
Z

Hiya Z, probably should have explained better (but I think Eric spotted it) it isn't cutting out because the room is up to temp, it's cutting out because it's got itself too hot. Even in a cold room it'll stop after about 20 mins, then 10 on and 10 off. Only has 5 fins, so maybe not enough surface area. So a little circulation would allow it to run for longer. Maybe, possibly, not really sure!

Where would the energy to the fan go? Would it all end up as heat, thus boosting heat, or dissipate in some other fashion, wasting leccy?

Going to have to fully winterise the house soon, I try to drag it out till October. The windows locked in slightly open position since mid April, are now closed. The Velux's have gone from open a few inches, to just the vent's open, to closed vents. Next step is to get the lino from the loft and cover the stone hall floor, and also hang up the heavy curtains over the loft stairs - Boo, when was the summer, I'm sure I missed it!

Only one step left after that, switch the GCH back on, but that always seems so defeatist.

Mart.

orrery

Martyn1981 wrote: »

Where would the energy to the fan go? Would it all end up as heat, thus boosting heat

Yes, it has to go somewhere. Heat is the only way I can see it ending up, being as it isn't going to end up as light or radiation or. anything else esoteric.
Playing a small fan on the thermostat side of the rad is likely to keep the power on continuously. Mine behaves in the same way - the rad self-heats the thermostat. Luckily, I can turn the thermostat up enough to keep it on all the time.

oxman1

Zenoka wrote: »

Does anyone know if there is a device that can sense when you are exporting and send that electricity to a hot water heater? We would really like to use the surplus to help towards heating our water, DH is good at diy and is already talking about fitting a 500w imersion, but we want a system that will automatically control it for us.

Does such a thing exist? I've searched but not been able to find anything.

yes there are immersion controls on ebay to auto switch the leccky to an immersion set up with a 1kw element

[Deleted User]

Beautiful clear skies today and no one in the house so exporting most of MY energy when it could be going into the DHW tank

Immersun installation configurations are being investigated by the installer so hopefully not to much longer now

Studlea_Phatt_Katt

Just for general interest.

Our system had an anticipated annual output of 3.17 MWh.

1st anniversary is today. Actual output 3.115 MWh - so close!

Further, our system was installed on 5th October last, but wasn't 'working' until late in the day, so possibly a sunny day today it might hit target.

Configuration
multiple array, single string

Panel Manufacturer
SHARP
Panel Model NU-R250J5

Bearing
150 °

Inclination
30 °

Elevation
6.0 m

sly_dog_jonah

Studlea_Phatt_Katt wrote: »

Just for general interest.

Our system had an anticipated annual output of 3.17 MWh.

1st anniversary is today. Actual output 3.115 MWh - so close!

Further, our system was installed on 5th October last, but wasn't 'working' until late in the day, so possibly a sunny day today it might hit target.

You'd need a hell of a sunny day (and night?!) to score 55kWh today and hit your estimate!

Most installer's estimates of performance are based on the SAP model, which ignores your location and assumes you get the same solar radiation, on average, as Sheffield. You probably want to run your system through the PVGIS estimator for a more precise performance estimate for your location, as it's quite unlikely your radiation this year is within 1-2% of the installer's estimate (we're already 15% ahead of the SAP estimate with a couple of weeks left in our 1st year). See the FAQ thread for more info on this, and also the generation comparison thread for other's ramblings about performance.

zee_2

my housing assn. is offering tenants free electricity from solar panels. h/assn. recieves payment for each home allowing panels to be fitted free and maintained free. question ,little details given up to now ,but have found out my house could have 14 panels with output of 3.5Kw is there a percentage of power given to householder and balance onto grid ?
how would it pay panel owner if 80% electric generated was used by householder.
any advice appreciated ,2 oap live in house so could ? be a big help towards bills.