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

pauldreed

keith_r59 wrote: »

Not if you have a "rent-a-roof" system installed as you don't get them.

I got one, as Jon say's - one is needed so that they can claim the FIT.
It's got a SIM card inside and sends the daily readings direct to ASG.
I can log into their website though, and see what the readings are, so I don't need to climb into the loft to read it!

Cardew

Jon_Tiffany wrote: »

How do they claim their FIT payments then?

You need an Ofgem approved generation meter to able to claim FIT payments....

Sorry I have got that wrong, I thought that there was no display and the readings were monitored remotely.

The important point however is that I suspect many with a 'rent a roof' system have little interest in what the panels are generating - in that it doesn't matter how much the panels are producing.

pauldreed

Cardew wrote: »

Sorry I have got that wrong, I thought that there was no display and the readings were monitored remotely.

The important point however is that I suspect many with a 'rent a roof' system have little interest in what the panels are generating - in that it doesn't matter how much the panels are producing.

Correct! - not interested in culmative totals other than for conservation/environmental feel-good.
However its good to know instantaneous values, to maximise it's usage.

ChrisJD

Cardew wrote: »

The important point however is that I suspect many with a 'rent a roof' system have little interest in what the panels are generating - in that it doesn't matter how much the panels are producing.

I don't quite understand that comment. Granted these systems don't pay the householder the FIT, but they will be just as interested in what is being generated, even if their payback is a a lower level. I don't imagine many are fitted for other than financial reasons.

Unless there is some way of knowing or calculating what is being generated, used and exported, the plan of maximising usage of "free" power could easily result in actually increasing the bills! Indeed, this applies whether or not you get FIT yourself.

For instance, somebody posted (IIRC) the other day about running their washing machine at 9:00. With a load around 2.5 kW, I would certainly wait for nearer noon, and check the weather forecast, even with my 3.64 kWp system. Perhaps there is now a market for low-power kettles.

On another tack, since daytime usage is disproportionately reduced, the balance may be now tipped towards selecting an economy 7 tariff.

pauldreed

ChrisJD wrote: »

I don't quite understand that comment. Granted these systems don't pay the householder the FIT, but they will be just as interested in what is being generated, even if their payback is a a lower level. I don't imagine many are fitted for other than financial reasons.

Unless there is some way of knowing or calculating what is being generated, used and exported, the plan of maximising usage of "free" power could easily result in actually increasing the bills! Indeed, this applies whether or not you get FIT yourself.

For instance, somebody posted (IIRC) the other day about running their washing machine at 9:00. With a load around 2.5 kW, I would certainly wait for nearer noon, and check the weather forecast, even with my 3.64 kWp system. Perhaps there is now a market for low-power kettles.

On another tack, since daytime usage is disproportionately reduced, the balance may be now tipped towards selecting an economy 7 tariff.

There is a difference between culmative power and instantaneous power (see my 9.46pm post yesterday).
From a rent-a-roof perspective, we use the instantaneous power (via an OWL meter) to determine how much power is being generated at that time, and therefore how to use it efficiently. The culmative total is of little use to us.

Example using a 2kw tumble drier.
a) Drier switched on for 1 hour whilst panels are generating 1kw, results in having to use 1kwh of imported (paid for) electricity.
b) same scenario except panels are generating in excess of 2kw, results in no imported power being used (no cost)

However, I don't let the solar panels rule my life, and although I was a little obsessive (my wife's words - not mine!) when the panels were initially fitted, we now generally use a common sense rule of thumb to maximise efficience, and try to use heavy load appliances wherever possible when it's sunny, timing the dishhwasher, clothes washer ect for around midday.

Cardew

ChrisJD wrote: »

I don't quite understand that comment. Granted these systems don't pay the householder the FIT, but they will be just as interested in what is being generated, even if their payback is a a lower level. I don't imagine many are fitted for other than financial reasons.

Unless there is some way of knowing or calculating what is being generated, used and exported, the plan of maximising usage of "free" power could easily result in actually increasing the bills! Indeed, this applies whether or not you get FIT yourself.

For instance, somebody posted (IIRC) the other day about running their washing machine at 9:00. With a load around 2.5 kW, I would certainly wait for nearer noon, and check the weather forecast, even with my 3.64 kWp system. Perhaps there is now a market for low-power kettles.

On another tack, since daytime usage is disproportionately reduced, the balance may be now tipped towards selecting an economy 7 tariff.

I said many wouldn't be interested in what the panels generated.

I suggest people like yourself are atypical in that you understand kW and kWh and try to maximise consumption.

Many will just depend on the sales literature etc. Many also never read their electricity meter from one year to the next.

The point being that with low output in winter IMO it is quite understandable that many people will not notice they have a 'Fundire' situation.

furndire

Thanks Cardew - I suspect there could be quite a few more in my situation, who think they've got this under control.

Last year when we got the panels, we did maximise use - & still do. I posted another thread, "how much do people use daily electricity". I also said on a few occasions that without the FiT payments I certainly wouldn't have bothered with solar panels. All clues to "I think there is something wrong" - unfortunatley I wasn't strong enough in my reasons, and when I am getting told by electric suppliers "your electricity consumption isn't really high, - have another leaflet" you start to believe them. The suppliers have a file full of phone calls that I have made to them.

If you are one of the people who like me think "its not worth it without the FiT payments" take a blooming good look at your meter - but only when its very sunny - it doesn't work on dull days like today - especially if it is a digital one that only goes up 1 KW at a time.

To all of you skeptics - you are doing exactly what I had to put up with last year!!!!! & I really am not interested in "you should have knowns".

My mission is to make sure people are aware this can and does happen - I have the tee shirt & graphs to prove it!!!!!

themaverick1953

ChrisJD wrote: »

I don't quite understand that comment. Granted these systems don't pay the householder the FIT, but they will be just as interested in what is being generated, even if their payback is a a lower level. I don't imagine many are fitted for other than financial reasons.

Unless there is some way of knowing or calculating what is being generated, used and exported, the plan of maximising usage of "free" power could easily result in actually increasing the bills! Indeed, this applies whether or not you get FIT yourself.

For instance, somebody posted (IIRC) the other day about running their washing machine at 9:00. With a load around 2.5 kW, I would certainly wait for nearer noon, and check the weather forecast, even with my 3.64 kWp system. Perhaps there is now a market for low-power kettles.

On another tack, since daytime usage is disproportionately reduced, the balance may be now tipped towards selecting an economy 7 tariff.

I run my washing machine or dishwasher from around 0900 on sunny days. Only had the panels 2 weeks so I have nipped outside to the meter a few time to check whether we are importing or exporting and it has always stayed on exporting (the panels face 110 degs which will help at 0900).
How can I check the power consumption of the washer - dishwasher - or for that matter the immersion heater? I have treied a few times to see if I could run the immersion heater without importing but not managed it yet.
The whole system really need to be smoother with a smart way of diverting the 'free' energy around the house to whjere its needed without importing.

ChrisJD

themaverick1953 wrote: »

I run my washing machine or dishwasher from around 0900 on sunny days. Only had the panels 2 weeks so I have nipped outside to the meter a few time to check whether we are importing or exporting and it has always stayed on exporting (the panels face 110 degs which will help at 0900).
How can I check the power consumption of the washer - dishwasher - or for that matter the immersion heater? I have tried a few times to see if I could run the immersion heater without importing but not managed it yet.
The whole system really need to be smoother with a smart way of diverting the 'free' energy around the house to whjere its needed without importing.

Just out of curiosity, what meter(s) do you now have fitted, in addition to the generation meter?

All appliances should have a rating plate which shows the maximum load they can draw. Some appliance handbooks will quote the power used for a typical cycle. A standard immersion heater will be 3 kW.

For plug-in appliances, meters of the type shown here can be useful. They will show both the instantaneous power, and the usage over time.

themaverick1953

Will have to check when I get home - it's digital, and siemens I think. It flashes red when importing and goes bright continuous red when exporting.