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

AlbertHall

These seem to be one solution to not using too much of your PV generated power. At £86 cheapest on the market that I could find. Has anyone either comment and/or experience of using an Eco-Eye Smart PV monitor?

ChrisJD

AlbertHall wrote: »

These seem to be one solution to not using too much of your PV generated power. At £86 cheapest on the market that I could find. Has anyone either comment and/or experience of using an Eco-Eye Smart PV monitor?

I agree that it looks to be worth investigating, and is a much more practical solution than some of the other schemes being suggested, especially when someone is at home most of the time.

I have one on my Xmas list, so fingers crossed. :xmassmile

There is (lengthy) discussion about it here to which someone from Eco-Eye contributes. Their project timeline seems to stretch rather a lot.

themaverick1953

Can anyone point me to where the current tarrif raters are ublished? ie the 2 parts? I have been in from the atart and it used to be something like 43.5p + 1.5 p per unit?

Doc_N

themaverick1953 wrote: »

Can anyone point me to where the current tarrif raters are ublished? ie the 2 parts? I have been in from the atart and it used to be something like 43.5p + 1.5 p per unit?

This might help:

http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/Generating-energy/Getting-money-back/Feed-In-Tariffs-scheme-FITs#rates

Or this:

http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/meeting_energy/Renewable_ener/feedin_tariff/feedin_tariff.aspx

themaverick1953

It's surely up around 46p per unit?

themaverick1953

Have now found it here:

http://www.goodenergy.co.uk/feedintariff/fit-payments/solar-pv

basically 47p per unit.

DATMAN_2

hi

does anyone know if the solarimmersion is compatible with a megaflow cl model?

the tank is heated by a gas boiler but has a socket switch next to it which is always on OFF. when switched on it heats the tank again.

idea is to use the excess export elecy from pv panels to heat up the tank.

thanks

John_Pierpoint

Do you mean, will it work technically or economically, to connect up the immersion using this:
To connect up to an indirect cylinder that has no expansion tank?

I cannot immediately see why not technically. Presumably you would need a circuit to turn off the gas when the free electricity is available - preferably with some sort of heuristic that turns off the gas well before the FORECAST says the sun will be out.;):D

You could play controller your self to see how feasible the idea is. I have my doubts that your rate of return would justify not just the cost of the kit but the costs of the competent person to fit it.

It looks like what I used to know in the 1960s as a "primatic" - I used to get called out to boilers that had burnt out because they furred up, connected to primatics that could not accommodate the size of the central heating system.

This extrovert poster seems to have mastered the knack of utilising most of his spare "free" electricity.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/59832141#Comment_59832141

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/59521219#Comment_59521219

He has other images available on imageshack so you could try a Personal Message for more information.

DATMAN_2

Hi Thanks

Yes that is the one I am looking at.

The Megaflow is connected to the gas boiler which has a timer. It switches on for 50 minutes or so in the morning and that keeps the water sufficiently warm for the day. The boiler has a button allowing you to turn off the hot water option. This is the idea so that I can use the Solar Panels.

However this means that I must switch on the switch next to the Megaflow which would normally mean that I am importing electricity from the grid to heat the water in the Megaflow. That is why the switch is always on off!

However, does this solar immersion kit stop me from importing energy from the Grid if the switch is left on and only then uses excess energy from the 4kw Solar panels? Any ideas?

If not, I will be importing at 3x the cost of heating with gas!

So the question is does the kit prevent the importing electricity if the switch is left on?

As for the costs - £200 fitted including the kit !

EricMears

DATMAN wrote: »

Hi Thanks

So the question is does the kit prevent the importing electricity if the switch is left on?

Presumably that would depend on how it has been wired up. If the only electrical supply to the unit is from the kit (and perhaps with an override switch incorporated into the kit if you should want to heat water electrically when kit normally wouldn't) then you won't be accidentally buying full price electricity. However, if the kit was wired up to supply an additional electrical input then you just might find yourself in that situation. But it would take a really bad electrician not to understand the reason you've bought the kit !