Renewables: "talking 'bout my generation"

tunnel

Estwing wrote: »

I worked out how much solar energy I actually used each month and it was only around 20-30% so I need to look at other ways like the immersun

The only thing I care about is that I'm not importing while my panels are generating. If I don't use all the generated leccy so be it, I just don't like buying it while I'm generating. Seems my wife is sloooowwwly getting into to it too(2 years down the line)

jevban

Will someone please explain the '0's to me...
'Definition of 'O's = kWh/kWp (kWh = your daily & accurate Generation figure) (kWp = the rated output of your PV system)


My system is slightly over 4KW to allow for the multiple hipped roofs and less than ideal direction and angles...I put on just over 2KW today, nothing like Tunnels system...but I cant fathom the '0' thing....I realise I sound thick, but what does the '/' stand for, is it divided by?


What I did notice at the peak of the brightness today was despite using electrical items in the house, we were apparently not using any electricity, ie the monitor I have was showing zero usage. That's got to be good, yes?


Thanks


Jan

tunnel

jevban wrote: »

Will someone please explain the '0's to me...
'Definition of 'O's = kWh/kWp (kWh = your daily & accurate Generation figure) (kWp = the rated output of your PV system)


My system is slightly over 4KW to allow for the multiple hipped roves and less than ideal direction and angles...I put on just over 2KW today, nothing like Tunnels system...but I cant fathom the '0' thing....I realise I sound thick, but what does the '/' stand for, is it divided by?


What I did notice at the peak of the brightness today was despite using electrical items in the house, we were apparently not using any electricity, ie the monitor I have was showing zero usage. That's got to be good, yes?


Thanks


Jan

So you managed about 0.5 O's today....that's 2kWh generated divided by 4kWp system size. And yes, zero usage is exactly what we all aim for.


edit, my generation was 7.2kWh today

jevban

Thanks Tunnel, so the system is doing something right then. Will have to hope and pray for the longer brighter days. The company said Dec, Jan and in parts, Nov are the worst months, especially given our area...been on a few of the websites on the other threads, (taking time to read through them all) and beginning to get a handle on latitude and longitude etc etc. Has anyone regretted the purchase of their panels, or is it something that is long term beneficial? I ask as its a long term view for me...as said previously, I have 2 disabled people in the house and we consume electricity at highish levels for 24 hours a day.....I know PV cant help with night time, but as retirement beckons, or maybe even redundancy in March next year (gulp), my biggest outlay is my energy bill, and I have to try to cut that.


Jan x

Kernel_Sanders

jevban wrote: »

Hi Martyn...the array is 4 x 305 kw -South (almost SW)...4 x 305kw SW and 6 x 305kw NW...

Shouldn't that middle one be SE (or possibly ESE)?

jevban wrote: »

hipped roofs

I was just about to compliment you on the 'old school' spelling of rooves (albeit with typo) then you go and 'correct' it to roofs! :doh:

jevban wrote: »

we consume electricity at highish levels for 24 hours a day.....I know PV cant help with night time, but as retirement beckons, or maybe even redundancy in March next year (gulp), my biggest outlay is my energy bill, and I have to try to cut that.

I'm presuming you're already on Economy 7, right?

tunnel

If its any help, I've decreased my consumption from around 8500kWh per year down to 3500kWh, part is due to changing certain white goods but most is due to having the panels and the way they educate you to change your habits.


I've no regrets whatsoever for investing in them, even my latest addition the WNW system, I only had them on as I realised that during summertime my panels were shutting down with still a good few hours of daylight due to shading and facing the wrong way(ESE). The return on the WNW is not fantastic but coupled with the electric savings even with the FIT rate was in my eyes still worthwhile.


During the summer solstice I should in effect only need to buy from the grid for around 6 hours, hopefully i'll be sleeping through them so won't cost a lot. Remember too, energy prices will only ever increase despite what any government may have us believe.

legoman62

1.22 O's today:D

Local forecast for tomorrow say's gale force winds here.

If they are, I hope they're gale force sunny winds:)

John_Pierpoint

jevban wrote: »

Will someone please explain the '0's to me...
'Definition of 'O's = kWh/kWp (kWh = your daily & accurate Generation figure) (kWp = the rated output of your PV system)


My system is slightly over 4kWp to allow for the multiple hipped roofs and less than ideal direction and angles...I put just over 2kWh onto the generation meter today, so that is 2/4 = 0.5 "O" performance; nothing like Tunnel's system...but I can't fathom the '0' thing....I realise I sound thick, but what does the '/' stand for, is it divided by?


What I did notice at the peak of the brightness today was despite using electrical items in the house, we were apparently not using any electricity, ie the monitor I have was showing zero usage. That's got to be good, yes?


Thanks


Jan

What is this monitor of which you speak? Do you have the modern meters with a flashing red light? It is one flash per watt and by timing those flashes you can calculate what is really happening. When the electricity is going the "wrong" way the red light goes to constant red.
Perhaps you could find pictures of your meters on Google images and then link to their documents.

I used to have an importing meter like this:


The PV panels killed off the clock that went with it so now I have a meter a bit like this one:

and my generation meter looks like this one

John_Pierpoint

jevban wrote: »

Will someone please explain the '0's to me...
'Definition of 'O's = kWh/kWp (kWh = your daily & accurate Generation figure) (kWp = the rated output of your PV system)


My system is slightly over 4kWp to allow for the multiple hipped roofs and less than ideal direction and angles...I put just over 2kWh onto the generation meter today, so that is 2/4 = 0.5 "O" performance; nothing like Tunnel's system...but I can't fathom the '0' thing....I realise I sound thick, but what does the '/' stand for, is it divided by?


What I did notice at the peak of the brightness today was despite using electrical items in the house, we were apparently not using any electricity, ie the monitor I have was showing zero usage. That's got to be good, yes?


Thanks


Jan

What is this monitor of which you speak? Do you have the modern meters with a flashing red light? It is one flash per watt and by timing those flashes you can calculate what is really happening. When the electricity is going the "wrong" way the red light goes to constant red.
Perhaps you could find pictures of your meters on Google images and then link to their documents.

I used to have an importing meter like this:


The PV panels killed off the clock that went with it so now I have a meter a bit like this one:

and my generation meter looks like this one

jevban

Hi John and thanks...my import Meter is like your first picture. My export Meyer looks totally different..will try to take a photo and upload. The Meyer I was talking about is a 'currency cost' Meyer. I wasn't aware that I could calculate the wattage by monitoring the red flashes. God, this is going to take over my life! Anyway, the sky is thick cloud here in Runcorn today so the panels have not even raised a sleepy head as yet.

Thanks for the info. People on here really are fabulous for information no solar company ever told me.

Jan