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

Golauhaul

What an excellent forum! Thank you, all, for your helpful contributions.

Yes, the numbered digits on my consumption meter decrease when the wheel goes backwards (i.e. when I'm feeding into the grid, when my generation exceeds my consumption). The direction of the wheel spin (and the effect on the reading) varies frequently depending on weather, appliances in use etc. But overall, it's now 5 units less than 2 days ago (and we've had monsoon weather here in North Wales! - hence "The Land of the Leak"!).

In short, if I use no electricity, all generated units turn the consumption meter backwards; if I use electricity, the reading increases by the net difference between consumption and generation (if any). Time of day has no impact.

So try as I might to model different patterns, I find that in my circumstances it makes no difference financially whether I use electricity when its being generated or at night.

I'm sure that if my consumption meter is changed to a non-reversible one, then I would have to try to use as much of my generated electricity whilst it's being generated.

I take the point about whether there's an obligation on me to inform my provider about this. But I doubt if the meter is "defective" and therefore needs to be reported. It's simply the case that when English Electric (that suggests how old it is!) designed it, the possibility of passing a generating current through it was probably not taken into account.

Still highly dubious! But it looks as if - for the moment - time of day when electricity is consumed has no impact.

furndire

I agree if you have already an amount of KWs already accumulated negative KW..

zeupater

Golauhaul wrote: »

Ah! I wonder if I could press you to show me the calculations as they should be, please?

But my principal question - rapidly becoming an obsession! - is to ask someone to show me why (given that my meter goes backwards for units generated) it is best to use electricity when being generated, as opposed to when we might prefer to use it e.g. at night.

Very many thanks.

Hi

Surely the logic would be, using your figures .....

Example 1: During day I generate 10KW; use none; during night I generate none; use 10KW:

Balance = £4.30(FiT) + 15p(deemed) + £1.30 (meter banked) + £1.30(consumption value) - £1.30(meter usage) = +£5.75

Example 2: During day I generate 10KW; use all 10KW; during night I generate none; use 0

Balance = £4.30(FiT) + 15p(deemed) + £0 (meter banked) + £1.30(self consumption unmetered value) - £0(meter usage) = +£5.75

.... Same variance (£0), correct logic, correct saving (apart from incorrect variables ), the extra £1.30 saving should be shown in both examples .... regarding the principle question, as others have said, with a backward spinning meter it makes no difference when you use the power, although it could be considered as being wise to hold a saved cash reserve just incase your energy supplier estimates what you owe them and issue a bill .....

HTH
Z

Doc_N

kennyward wrote: »

Any of you guys had a fitting done by TESCO? i have just had my survey for a 4KWh system and the guy who came was bang-on with the benefits of PV as a "NO_Brainer". I have to say i am rather excited by all the posotives that seem to have been posted. Any advice on wittleing down or haggeling the quote would be appreciated. Cant wait to start exporting for real!!!!!!!!

Kenny Ward "Newbee electricity producer"

Yes - I used Tesco last year. Well pleased with price, service and quality of installation.

I see they're doing an offer at the moment:

Tesco Solar Summer!

20% off of solar electricity for a limited time only!
Freephone: 0800 321 3456

Quote: TESS20

Did you know… daylight can save you money and make you money come rain or shine?

BobA

Hello Golauhaul,

I had the same with my meter going backwards. On my FIT application there was a question asking if meter goes backwards. Eventually they came and changed it for one that didnt , but like you I had quite a few weeks of reducing my import units.

I recommend you contact your FIT company you have registered with as its probably their responsibility to get the meter changed.

Golauhaul wrote: »

What an excellent forum! Thank you, all, for your helpful contributions.

Yes, the numbered digits on my consumption meter decrease when the wheel goes backwards (i.e. when I'm feeding into the grid, when my generation exceeds my consumption). The direction of the wheel spin (and the effect on the reading) varies frequently depending on weather, appliances in use etc. But overall, it's now 5 units less than 2 days ago (and we've had monsoon weather here in North Wales! - hence "The Land of the Leak"!).

In short, if I use no electricity, all generated units turn the consumption meter backwards; if I use electricity, the reading increases by the net difference between consumption and generation (if any). Time of day has no impact.

So try as I might to model different patterns, I find that in my circumstances it makes no difference financially whether I use electricity when its being generated or at night.

I'm sure that if my consumption meter is changed to a non-reversible one, then I would have to try to use as much of my generated electricity whilst it's being generated.

I take the point about whether there's an obligation on me to inform my provider about this. But I doubt if the meter is "defective" and therefore needs to be reported. It's simply the case that when English Electric (that suggests how old it is!) designed it, the possibility of passing a generating current through it was probably not taken into account.

Still highly dubious! But it looks as if - for the moment - time of day when electricity is consumed has no impact.

frugalfran

Just had a great day - blue skies and lots of power! Done two washes, dishwasher, and dinner and used precisely one KwH according to our supply meter! Can't be bad.

Thought if it is good tomorrow I might use the dishwasher on its hottest programe to wash the cooker hood filters - that will take a long program - so we need to be generating then! If there's room, I might also clean the cast iron pan supports on the hob (not sure quite what to call them).

Both jobs that need doing regularly and if they can be done with 'free' power, it seems a good idea as they are energy intensive to do properly, so might as well be done with our new solar panel power!

frugalfran

Plan to wash the filters aborted as the cloud cover was too dense, so we weren't generating enough to cover the energy required. I'm in the fortunate position of being home enough to be able to modify these 'discretionary' but necessary uses of energy. Forecast for tomorrow is pretty dire for the next five days, but we're keeping an eye on it.....

terrannosaurus

Hi
We had solar PV installed just over a year ago and have been very pleased with it. It is quite confusing to grasp the benefits of trying to get the best out of the mismatch between high generation and low usage in the summer, and the opposite in the winter.

Our logic may be flawed but it goes like this: our energy supplier pays a measly 3p/kwh extra on 50% of our total generation as the export tariff. (Our excellent installer suggested last year, when it was all fairly new, that the companies might compete to offer better export rates to get our custom but this has not proved to be the case!!). If we consume 60% of our own generated power then we are getting an extra 3p on 10% of what we generate. If we only use 40% of our own power the utility company are getting some of our electricity very cheaply..as they will sell our exported units for at least 13 pence anyway!

It's not a huge financial saving but every little helps?

We also have a meter that runs backwards and counts down, and have recently installed an electric heat storage cooker to help with heating our kitchen in the winter. This seems to use very little power so far because it has such efficient insulation. We are no longer boiling an electric kettle, heating an electric oven up from cold start or using electric toaster/slow cooker etc, and our gas usage will go down as we are not cooking with gas any more.

Golauhaul wrote: »

Ah! I wonder if I could press you to show me the calculations as they should be, please?

But my principal question - rapidly becoming an obsession! - is to ask someone to show me why (given that my meter goes backwards for units generated) it is best to use electricity when being generated, as opposed to when we might prefer to use it e.g. at night.

Very many thanks.

digitaltoast

terrannosaurus wrote: »

that the companies might compete to offer better export rates to get our custom but this has not proved to be the case!!

Hmmm, I'm not sure how this would benefit them - the FiT are not based on any financial reality of buy/sell per se. The scheme itself is designed to transfer money from poor to rich and provide work for Chinese factories, the use of electricity is just the tangible asset for the scheme, in the way that water filters were used to make MLM schemes legal a few years back. The price they are paying you for a unit of electricity is (I think) around the same as a wholesale unit anyway, the difference being that when NGC buy electricity, they bid in advance for know, stable, reliable supplies via the NETA trading arrangement (http://www.netareports.com/). They only pay out the 3p because they have to. It would cost them money to pay any more, so I can't see how the installer would have figured that out.

terrannosaurus wrote: »

have recently installed an electric heat storage cooker

Ah, now this I am interested in: what's the model? And do you have an economy 7 type off-peak tariff? And if so, which tariff is it? Thanks!

penrhyn

Never heard of Electric storage cookers, I assumed electric aga.

Everhot is one I found on Google, a little expensive, but whoever said going green was cheap.

EVERHOT 100 £5,875.00 inc VAT at 20%
EVERHOT 100+ £6,730.00 inc VAT at 20%EVERHOT 100i £7,320.00 inc VAT at 20%