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

Doc_N

Just had British Gas fit smart meters, with the nice little display unit for indoors. Nice to see it reading zero most of today because the electricity generated has exceeded that used.

Presumably it will also be reading what’s been generated, so theoretically the 50% deemed to be put back into the grid on the original Feed in Tariff could be overridden if the company paying it had access to the readings?

Raxiel

glaciotim said:

glaciotim said:

Hello!

Completely new here but...

Have just had 10 solar panel installed on our house free of charge through a government scheme. Part of the deal is that the energy can't be sold back to the grid, it is jsut returned (fair enough of course). I was just wondering, what is the best way to make the most of this. I was considering buying a battery, as obviously at the moment it's only useful during the day when they're producing. We've been trying to use high energy appliances during these periods, but it's also really hard to tell how much the panels are producing, there's a very basic interface which tells us cumulative kWh produces, and has IMP or EXP (??).

Should we just carry on with what we have - if so is there a better way to visualise when we can use the energy, or purchase a small battery to store and use the energy - if so, any recommendations??

Any help welcome!

Just an update on this.

I've had a proper look into what was installed. The panels go into an inverter (SOLAX X1 Boost i think), then to a generation meter (ECA2.V Emlite). At the moment the inverter displays the power generation from the panels, but is in the attic. The meter displays total cumulative generation in kWh.

What are the best options going forward. I would potentially like:

• some sort of smart sensor/screen to know when we're producing, and actually check that we are using the energy (e.g. being able to see that when we put the washing machine on it is actually drawing from the panels, not the grid)
• installing a battery in the future within this system, and a smart system to know when it's charging etc.

Thanks!

If you have a smart meter the IHD should show you when you're exporting and how much. Not quite what you're asking because when generation is less than your usage, it won't tell you what the split is, but if you have the kettle on and the IHD says you're only importing at 10W, then you know the rest of it is coming from the roof.

Over the last few months I've got a feel for how much import I'd expect to see doing certain things, and can infer how well the panels are doing from the total import/export. I also have the inverter app, although that only gives an average over the last few minutes rather than instantaneous.

Some days its pretty clear cut how it's going.

paul991

buy  something like a shelly em and put a sensor on your feed from the inverter and one on your main tails then you can monitor generation import and export on your laptop or smart phone 

orrery

glaciotim said:Thank you! Have ordered one and will play around with this. How can we see if this system is working - should i monitor a smart meter just to check it's actually using the solar generated energy (maybe i have trust issues??!!).

In terms of battery - someone recomended a Pylontech. Based on what we currently have, we'd "just" need the installation of a battery, another inverter, and some sort of meter/unit to read this and control the energy? Sorry for the very green questions!

You can monitor it, but it should be connected into your fuse box, so any leccy generated is automatically used first, and then will be exported if you don't use it - it doesn't need some 'control' to do it.

You need batteries (and mounting or cabinet), an inverter, which can be AC connected back into the fuse box again. You also need the bits and bobs - a mains isolator, cables, a contact breaker to go in your fuse box, and a DC isolator in the connection to the battery. The inverter has clips to go on the grid connection and the solar generation connection and works out what it needs to do from there. It should have an WiFi dongle too, and should show you the whole picture, including the solar generation in the app. I have the Lux inverter with Pylontech.

themaverick1953

. There is a great conversation on this board somewhere about the different models and their features.. If anyone can point me to it?  ( more characters to make it send)                                                                             

12 years ago in the good old days of 55p per kWh fits payments I had something that diverted leccy away from being exported and into the immersion heater. What are the best options for this nowadays?

themaverick1953

I have just had a quote for supplying and fitting an iBoost of £700 is this the going rate?

gefnew

The unit is here at this online shop with prices of the basic unit.
Solar iBoost+ | Solar Immersion Controller - Heater Shop

propnut

themaverick1953 said:

I have just had a quote for supplying and fitting an iBoost of £700 is this the going rate?

😲😲😲😲😲😲😲😲

Blooming heck, I'm in the wrong business. I fitted my Eddi in less than an hour and that included coffee breaks & taking business calls.

KevinG

themaverick1953 said:

I have just had a quote for supplying and fitting an iBoost of £700 is this the going rate?

Sounds OTT to me, I should think labour would be £150 tops.

sjb92

Sorry if this is not the right place to post...
I have an iboost+ linked to the immersion heater for the hot water tank. It is clearly working (blue light on and whirring noise at the preset times, hot water available despite the boiler being totally off) - but it seems to have stopped calculating the amount saved. It's zero'd out for today, yesterday, etc. I'm not sure when this started but it was definitely working last summer. 
Obviously not the biggest problem on the face of it - much as I'd like to keep score, the fact that the boiler's not on is the more important thing - but I'm just slightly worried it might be symptomatic of something else. Should I be worried? Thanks in advance.