Any Solar PV gadgets out there?

leboof

Hi, thanks for checking this out.

I have a Solar PV system...

Does anyone know of any gadgets, like a 3-pin socket timer, that would only power up an appliance if the light levels were at a certain level.

That sounded complicated!

In other words, I want my dishwasher to start up should I be generating say 2.5kw/h of energy. (Still complicated!)

OR

Any other type of gadets to compliment my solar system.

Cheers

John_Gray

Basically you're asking for a device which can interrogate your PV electronics meter to see what amount of electricity is being generated by the PV panels? Something to ask the firm who installed everything, I would say!

leboof

John_Gray wrote: »

Basically you're asking for a device which can interrogate your PV electronics meter to see what amount of electricity is being generated by the PV panels? Something to ask the firm who installed everything, I would say!

Well, yes and no.

I do indeed have the gadget which tell me what I'm generating etc.

Is there anything like a plug in socket that interrogates the system and switches on when the PV is generating enough electricity to power it.

So....

Diswasher, plugged into Gadget, plugged into wall. Gadget recognises 2.5kmw/h being generated by interogating system, then switches on Dishwasher.

John_Gray

I know of nothing that would do this - that's why I suggested asking the installers/manufacturers.

Kernel_Sanders

The OP only needs a device which turns on when the light reaches a certain level. Just such a mechanism (but in reverse) is included in many plug-in nightlights, so the concept is perfectly feasible. You may find the answer by searching this specialised thread https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/51284905#Comment_51284905
If you find a solution any time, please PM me with the link(s).

fwor

I suspect that a standalone gadget based on ambient light local to the appliance won't work well, because light levels in an arbitrary room probably won't track the panel output well unless the sensor can be placed in direct sunlight.

One other complication which you would need to investigate is what the appliance is designed to do in the event of a power cut - many with electronic controllers won't resume a programme if the power is turned off and then on again.

And another problem to address would be trying to prevent too much cycling on a cloudy/overcast day. During a drop in power you will probably find that you have to accept running for a short while on grid supply in the hope that solar picks up enough to take over again, rather than turning off. The latter would seriously affect the appliance's efficiency if water heating were part of the programme.

In an industrial setting that sort of thing would be done by something SCADA based, but I don't think that scales down to a home network at sensible cost. A more practical solution may be something X10 based - driven from a PC at the PV controller rather than locally to the appliance.

Kernel_Sanders

fwor wrote: »

And another problem to address would be trying to prevent too much cycling on a cloudy/overcast day. During a drop in power you will probably find that you have to accept running for a short while on grid supply in the hope that solar picks up enough to take over again, rather than turning off. The latter would seriously affect the appliance's efficiency if water heating were part of the programme.

OK, we'll take the cylinder's immersion heater as an example; on a day with plenty of sunny intervals, cycling is exactly what you want to achieve. Why would the proposed device not switch off the immersion heater when the light level has dropped sufficiently?

fwor

Kernel_Sanders wrote: »

OK, we'll take the cylinder's immersion heater as an example; on a day with plenty of sunny intervals, cycling is exactly what you want to achieve. Why would the proposed device not switch off the immersion heater when the light level has dropped sufficiently?

Fair point - I was thinking more of the appliance that the OP referred to - a dishwasher - which heats the water as part of its programme. In that situation the hot water could cool significantly during periods without enough sunlight, and that energy would be lost (though it would probably end up heating the house anyway).

There are other reasons with mechanical devices to try to avoid too much cycling - one being wear on the appliance, and the other the fact that most types of motor take a disproportionate amount of energy to start turning, and significantly less once they are moving.

Kernel_Sanders

fwor wrote: »

I was thinking more of the appliance that the OP referred to - a dishwasher

Oh I see, I thought he was referring to 'dis washer'

leboof wrote: »

Diswasher, plugged into Gadget, plugged into wall. Gadget recognises 2.5kmw/h being generated by interogating system,

Seems he's getting his measurements mixed up!

debitcardmayhem

Hijack alert Ok i have hijacked this thread and apologies to leboof , just a question really but OK lets say I have a solar panel and it provides feed back into the grid , what happens if there is a power cut (ie from the local sub-station) what happens to my feed whilst I am out and not using more than it generates?

espresso

debitcardmayhem wrote: »

Hijack alert Ok i have hijacked this thread and apologies to leboof , just a question really but OK lets say I have a solar panel and it provides feed back into the grid , what happens if there is a power cut (ie from the local sub-station) what happens to my feed whilst I am out and not using more than it generates?

All on grid systems are configured so that the inverter will not operate when the mains supply fails, therefore nothing would be generated and so nothing to export.