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

Troublemaker66

Cardew wrote: »

Just had a thought(rare occurance)! Could your reference to 'Standard Utility meter' mean you think the 2,000kWh generated will 'turn back' the mains electricity meter by 2,000kWh?

If so that happens on a very few meters, and is of course illegal!

The sales team have told me that my analogue meter will do exactly this, so the grid will be 'banking' my unused generated power. Or have I got the wrong end of the stick?

I am still considering whether it is a good idea for me. I don't doubt that my south facing roof would be suitable, but I will have to take out a big loan and want it to be viable on the value of the electricity not imported.

I see that there is a strong compulsion to run dishwasher and washing machine on sunny days, and suspect that the fridge and chest freezer will use a fair bit. There's only me and from what I have read, I shall have to wash myself at the sink because the shower will be too big a drain on the generating rate.

The FIT will be very useful to kill off the loan at the turning point where no penalties apply to early repayment - about 5 years. This thread is very informative and while I have been very vocal on t he subject of microgeneration I need to be sure that I can afford to go ahead.

furndire

If you have a digital meter it could do like mine is, and clock the KWs as being importing Electricty, and charge you for them - read here https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3191844

Have a look on here to give you an idea of real systems generating. Nang from here is doing a case study. http://www.uksolarcasestudy.co.uk/home click on income, and scroll down.

themaverick1953

My first full day of generating with my eastsoutheast facing 3.96 kWhp system. At midday my digital normal leccy meter started alternating between the meter readinfg and the word 'red'. I thought this might be the digital equivalent of the wheel reversing, but it's still doing it at 6p-m when production has virtually ceased. What could this be all about?

I am so dosappointed that I have no information on what I am producing and what the balance is between consump-tion and productuion as I wanted to use the surplus as much as possible, but this doesn't seem to be possible.

Productioon today 12 kWh which seems poor considering a mainly sunny day (though cloudy 1100-1300)

zeupater

themaverick1953 wrote: »

My first full day of generating with my eastsoutheast facing 3.96 kWhp system. At midday my digital normal leccy meter started alternating between the meter readinfg and the word 'red'. I thought this might be the digital equivalent of the wheel reversing, but it's still doing it at 6p-m when production has virtually ceased. What could this be all about?

I am so dosappointed that I have no information on what I am producing and what the balance is between consump-tion and productuion as I wanted to use the surplus as much as possible, but this doesn't seem to be possible.

Productioon today 12 kWh which seems poor considering a mainly sunny day (though cloudy 1100-1300)

Hi

Welcome to the generating community ....

The RED is simply a flag to alert the meter reader that reverse energy flow has been detected ..... nothing to worry about as it's pretty obvious what has caused it.



Information required in order for someone to help ......

What type of inverter do you have on your system ? .... some have the ability to link a remote monitor which allows you to see production in real-time ........ also, do you have an energy monitor such as an Efergy or OWL as you can use one of these to monitor usage ...... the other thing which would be useful would be details of the electrical installation ... is the inverter linked to a new dedicated consumer unit or the one which existed before the system was installed ?

HTH
Z

themaverick1953

THe leccy meter is still alternating between the reading and rewd after dark - is that still OK? I have no idea about these monitors you mention, this is the first I have heard of them. Do they need an electrician too wire in? The Inverter is a Kaco Powerdor 4202. I believt there is a Kaco monitoring system, but can't find a price. The installers quoted about £200.
Inverter is liked to an existing consumer unit (one of two - it was added when we extended the house last year)

zeupater

themaverick1953 wrote: »

THe leccy meter is still alternating between the reading and rewd after dark - is that still OK? I have no idea about these monitors you mention, this is the first I have heard of them. Do they need an electrician too wire in? The Inverter is a Kaco Powerdor 4202. I believt there is a Kaco monitoring system, but can't find a price. The installers quoted about £200.
Inverter is liked to an existing consumer unit (one of two - it was added when we extended the house last year)

Hi

The monitor will display the reverse energy detected warning as it was designed to be an anti-tamper alert to the meter reader to avoid energy fraud .....

Regarding the energy monitors ..... these are devices which cost around £30 and are supplied in two parts, a sensor which clamps around one of your meter tail cables linked to a transmitter and a receiver/display unit ... if you google 'energy monitor manual' you will be able to get an idea of how easy they are to install.

If your inverter connects to an existing consumer unit you may not have the necessary connecting tails to easily be able to link an energy monitor to in order to achive what you want to do. If you connect the monitor between the shared consumer unit and the meter you will read a netted energy flow, but not always know for sure whether you are generating or consuming the amount shown. If the installer connected the inverter to a dedicated consumer unit (fuse box) this could be different ...... it all depends on what tail/cable runs you have available in your particular setup.

HTH
Z

themaverick1953

zeupater wrote: »

Hi

The monitor will display the reverse energy detected warning as it was designed to be an anti-tamper alert to the meter reader to avoid energy fraud .....

Regarding the energy monitors ..... these are devices which cost around £30 and are supplied in two parts, a sensor which clamps around one of your meter tail cables linked to a transmitter and a receiver/display unit ... if you google 'energy monitor manual' you will be able to get an idea of how easy they are to install.

If your inverter connects to an existing consumer unit you may not have the necessary connecting tails to easily be able to link an energy monitor to in order to achive what you want to do. If you connect the monitor between the shared consumer unit and the meter you will read a netted energy flow, but not always know for sure whether you are generating or consuming the amount shown. If the installer connected the inverter to a dedicated consumer unit (fuse box) this could be different ...... it all depends on what tail/cable runs you have available in your particular setup.

HTH
Z

Thanks very much for all the info. - very useful

themaverick1953

Im on WebSaver 8 with British Gas and have used 7000 kWh per year for the past year (I have no idea how this compares with the outside world? 2 adults + 2 x 16 yr olds - above average I guess).

Our Solar PV went live yesterday. I suspect we could do with moving tarrifs? Our first 100 kWh per qtr are at £10.973 followed by the rest at 7.066 p/kWh.

With the SPV the proportion of the expesive kHw to the cheaper ones will rise.

Do I need to try Uswitch and put in nan annual usage of 3500 kWh and think of switching to a new tarriff.

However, switching now could get rather mess with FIT claims perhaps?

Cardew

themaverick1953 wrote: »

Im on WebSaver 8 with British Gas and have used 7000 kWh per year for the past year (I have no idea how this compares with the outside world? 2 adults + 2 x 16 yr olds - above average I guess).

Our Solar PV went live yesterday. I suspect we could do with moving tarrifs? Our first 100 kWh per qtr are at £10.973 followed by the rest at 7.066 p/kWh.

With the SPV the proportion of the expesive kHw to the cheaper ones will rise.

Do I need to try Uswitch and put in nan annual usage of 3500 kWh and think of switching to a new tarriff.

However, switching now could get rather mess with FIT claims perhaps?

7,000kWh is about twice the UK average.

Putting down an annual usage reduced from 7,000kWh to 3,500kWh suggests that you think you are going to use all of the solar PV output in the house???

You will probably only use a third of the electricity generated.

Assuming £10.973 is a typo and you mean 10.973p, your prices seem very cheap at 7.066p/kWh!

themaverick1953

Yes is does seem cheap, I don't know where I dreamt that up but my first 199 units are 19.973 and the next at 7.066

Should I switch tarrifs? If so to what?