Discussion ... ASHP(Air/Air) with Solar pv ....

Martyn1981

Coastalwatch wrote: »

Thanks theboylard, that's about my limited understanding of matters too. Would you know specifically if there is one Optimiser at the panel end and one at the Inverter? The reason I ask is that I've received a quotation for a 20 panel array where the cost for 20 Optimisers appears to have been added twice, once with the SolarEdge Inverter and then secondly with each individual Panel! I'm trying to understand if this is correct or is something not quite right!
I have emailed the supplier with the above and am awaiting their response. But with my limited knowledge I may struggle to differentiate between a genuine reason or something less so.
Otherwise their quotation is very competitive.
In the meantime I'll try to find out further info online to try and better understand the SolarEdge system.
Wish me luck and thanks again.

Hi, there should just be the 20 PO's for the panels. The inverter is then a slightly 'dumb' inverter as the PO's have already optimised the output of each panel.

I shouldn't really call the Solaredge inverters dumb, when the new HD model is incredible, small, light and efficient, and will most likely come with a 20yr warranty (bumped up from 12yrs by the installer), but if just 12yrs, then worth paying a hundred or so pounds to boost it to 20yrs.

Coastalwatch

Martyn1981 wrote: »

Hi, there should just be the 20 PO's for the panels. The inverter is then a slightly 'dumb' inverter as the PO's have already optimised the output of each panel.

I shouldn't really call the Solaredge inverters dumb, when the new HD model is incredible, small, light and efficient, and will most likely come with a 20yr warranty (bumped up from 12yrs by the installer), but if just 12yrs, then worth paying a hundred or so pounds to boost it to 20yrs.

Thanks Martyn, I appreciate your confirmation on the single Optimiser per panel.
Interestingly with regard to SolarEdge one of the quotes does state a 12yr warrantee which could be extended for the princely sum of £250.
Thought it sounded a bit on the steep side. :eek:
With thanks to the forum my ever growing spreadsheet is certainly proving it's worth in the selection process and, as you have so rightly advised, Don't be rushed into anything!:T

With apologies for having unintentionally taken the thread rather off track.

theboylard

Hi Coastalwatch, maybe start your own thread now as you already have the ball rolling?
This way you can share your research (without naming companies vying for your business?) which may help others who are wondering about PV?
Plus it's a great way to (buzzword bingo) mindshare and brainstorm other options with the shared knowledge here!!

Buzzword bingo cards are avialble for a £2 donation to Mind!!!

Only joking - unlike the joker who reported my first ever post for inappropriate comment, kind of like a badge I never wanted Just saying things how I see it)

Coastalwatch

theboylard wrote: »

Hi Coastalwatch, maybe start your own thread now as you already have the ball rolling?
This way you can share your research (without naming companies vying for your business?) which may help others who are wondering about PV?
Plus it's a great way to (buzzword bingo) mindshare and brainstorm other options with the shared knowledge here!!

Buzzword bingo cards are avialble for a £2 donation to Mind!!!

Only joking - unlike the joker who reported my first ever post for inappropriate comment, kind of like a badge I never wanted Just saying things how I see it)

Thanks theboylard, Martyn suggested the same a while ago which I did, hopefully at the end of this link. https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/73876103#Comment_73876103

Zeupater kindly pointed me toward this thread for info on ASHP for which I've been very grateful. As I say apologies if the last few responses would have been better placed on that thread. I've certainly no objection to them being moved across if this assists with keeping threads on track!

Sorry to learn of your unfortunate introduction to the Forum. Thankfully mine has been anything but!

Thanks again

Martyn1981

Yesterday the GCH went back on during the day, the ASHP had fought bravely but couldn't match the steady heat loss from the house this last week, and my poor decision to reduce the length of GCH burns (morn and evening) in response to warm Feb temps.

Last night the weather station reported -5.3C when I went to bed at 11pm, not sure I've seen that before, ever. But now it's a balmy -4C.

Upstairs has hit 15C shortly after GCH came back on, so I think it might be a gas burn day to get temps back up.

Freaky weather, so glad of a second source of heat, if the sun comes out, but at -4C I doubt I'll get a decent COP.

theboylard

Stay safe with Storm Emma coming in Mart!

Martyn1981

theboylard wrote: »

Stay safe with Storm Emma coming in Mart!

Boy it's cold out there. Last night 11pm it was -5.3C, which is extraordinary for the warm Cardiff bowl.

Just took the doggie out for a walk, as the Guide dog trainer rang to say she wouldn't be able to get to me. Walking around the E/W park and lake was interesting, westward travel was warm and I'd have to start stripping off gloves and hat, then eastward journeys were staggeringly cold, with brain freeze on the ole forehead. Wifey told me the 'feels like' temp is apparently -12C.

Doggie loved it! Gonna miss him in 2 months when he qualifies .... unless I teach him bad tricks?

Heat pump is not on, only generating about 200W, and I suspect the COP would be very poor. Back to the GCH, hot drinks, and porridge, and some Labrador heating (cuddles) to stay warm. Our newest rescue cat is curled up in the airing cupboard, smart little puddy tat.

Edit - too much Marty waffle, forgot the facts!

Feb leccy import was only 10kWh more than 2017 (20kWh more than 2016), so I'm still expecting to import less than 200kWh's over the HP months. [Edit - that should be, less than 200kWh's more. M.]

Can't work out any gas facts, as I don't have monthly figures from before, but Jan + Feb are only slightly more than 2/3rds of last years 1st qtr, which suggests it's going well, unless we get a statistically unusually cold March ...... ahh!

zeupater

Martyn1981 wrote: »

Yesterday the GCH went back on during the day, the ASHP had fought bravely but couldn't match the steady heat loss from the house this last week, and my poor decision to reduce the length of GCH burns (morn and evening) in response to warm Feb temps.

Last night the weather station reported -5.3C when I went to bed at 11pm, not sure I've seen that before, ever. But now it's a balmy -4C.

Upstairs has hit 15C shortly after GCH came back on, so I think it might be a gas burn day to get temps back up.

Freaky weather, so glad of a second source of heat, if the sun comes out, but at -4C I doubt I'll get a decent COP.

Hi

Only -5.3°C ? ... ... It was -6.5 here at 2:00am this morning and still -3.5 now, but placing all of the the current hype into context, that's about 10°C warmer than it was here in last December (-13C) and the amount of snow they're showing on TV is pitiful compared to the foot (30cm) we had we had at the time ... a few years ago (about 6/8?) we had a spell where around -12/-15C was the daytime highpoint, and that was before factoring in wind-chill & humidity ...

At -3.5 on the thermometer, the apparent temperature here at the moment is between -9&-10C !! .. and I know it's pretty cold because I needed to empty the logburner's ash tray on the [STRIKE]lawn[/STRIKE] snow, don't know where it is now though, but it'll no be fertilising our garden ...

With the drop in temperature we've had the burner going MTW this week with about 1-2hrs of GCH in the late afternoon to for the past two days, apart from that the heat-pump has been adding to the comfort levels where we mainly sit ...

Slight snow covering on some of the panels at the moment so only generating 150-170W, but I'm convinced that the combination of brightening conditions and a blustery wind will rectify that soon!

Keep warm all
Z

zeupater

Coastalwatch wrote: »

... so the positive air pressure applied by ASHP may just make the dfference without needing to blow too hot either! ...

Hi

Remembered seeing this a few days ago, but forgot to reply at the time ...

The heat-pump doesn't move air into the property from outside, it's a split-unit pump with the transfer of heat being via a refrigerant circuit passing through the wall ... the only change in internal air pressure would be caused by expansion or contraction of the internal air as it heats or cools ...

HTH
Z

Coastalwatch

zeupater wrote: »

Hi

Remembered seeing this a few days ago, but forgot to reply at the time ...

The heat-pump doesn't move air into the property from outside, it's a split-unit pump with the transfer of heat being via a refrigerant circuit passing through the wall ... the only change in internal air pressure would be caused by expansion or contraction of the internal air as it heats or cools ...

HTH
Z

Thanks for the correction Zeup, reckon I'll have to rely on just stirring the air a little then!

Afraid I'll struggle to get a short pipe run between the two units. Probably 6m as a minimum and possibly 10m if I wish to site the internal unit opposite the door to the adjoining room in order to direct air flow through it!

Our "living" room is some 28 sq m with a south and west aspect. Tables suggest we'd need an ASHP of some 18 Btu's or 5kw capacity. 12 Btu's capacity may stuggle to cope!

In planning a 6.84kw array I suspect I might need all of those to supply enough free leccy in the shoulder months!