4KW system in South-West Cornwall

DREKLY

quote;---" If you continue to use energy at that rate then you'll really need to wind the electricity savings back a little, you can't save £258/year if your unit usage is only around £150 ( 90*12*0.14) ... Looks like you'd be better working the figures on closer to £75 annual electricity, savings and from what you've posted that'd probably be max ..."

Hi Zeupater, I am not using much electricity at all, usually less than 3 units a day, I live alone, but of course, they are at 16p until E7 kicks in at 6p (EDF's price promise ) so they only get about 300 pounds a year from me, as i am meagre with it, except when it's a cold wet day with no sun, and I need a 2kw heater on for a few hours - or i go to bed with the electric blanket instead !!

Then of course, IF there's tons of hot water in the immersion tank, I will take a bath instead, and maybe remove some lagging to let it warm the house as well... might as well use it as best I can as it's "free" hot water, AND I will be paid to create it too.... maybe a grundfoss pump to send it round a radiator in the lounge ?

I didn't think it was overpriced at 7K, as i will get good quality equipment, but maybe I am wrong on that, I have had other quotes a year back, one just walked away with his Ifone after he looked at the compass orientation and the roof angle and the trees - (and I do have a good chainsaw - been nibbling already, much to the neighbours protests, despite them overhanging my boundary.

Martyn - there IS an identical bungalow just south of me, that's been empty for over 6 (SIX) years now, with a plot big enough to land your chopper on, and road frontage / sea views to die for, unlike me. have a look on google streetview at Pengersick Lane, Praa Sands, up towards the crossroads...

pinnks

I have an immerSUN and save about £70 to £80 over the summer and perhaps another few pounds in winter - perhaps £100 per year at leccy rates. And you leave the immersion on all the time of course as the immerSUN manages everything.

With your water use you might find the solar will provide perhaps 95% of your hot water if your generation is as per Mart's numbers and your tank is well-insulated...

The immerSUN can power 3 devices, so you could hang a storage heater or oil-filled radiator off it to mop up the excess after heating the water or instead of heating water at certain times as you can set priorities and/or switch off outputs.

Gary

DREKLY

zeupater wrote: »

Just checked ...

Garage internal wall temperature = 22.5C
Inverter front plastic panel = 35.5C
Inverter top (heat exchanger) = 39.1C
Currently generating 2kW under bright, continuous cloud ...

HTH
Z

................ Z, I am quite happy if it gives off heat! last place I want is to have it outside anyway,yours is 13 - 17c higher than ambient, so if that's typical, then that can help heat the room / area it's in... certainly not in the loft, which is baking hot in summer months...

DREKLY

The original quote was at 12.92p per KW for the FIT,
but I keep reading about FIT changes as of July,
- can anyone advise me what is has now gone down to, please ?

silverwhistle

I'm single and low user too. Have you thought about an induction hob? I've also got an electric shower, unfortunately, so end up exporting a lot in the summer. As for wood, Cornwall isn't particularly wooded but on the Hampshire coast where I am I haven't paid for any yet.. Scrounging ability is needed though.:-)

Oh, and you can definitely do better than 7k: mine was just over 6 with a diverter 2 years ago and as you know prices have come down.

Martyn1981

DREKLY wrote: »

The original quote was at 12.92p per KW for the FIT,
but I keep reading about FIT changes as of July,
- can anyone advise me what is has now gone down to, please ?

Hiya. FiT dropped to 12.92p/kWh on the 1st July, so you are ok for 3 months. There may be another drop of 3.5% on 1st October, but that will depend on the amount of PV installed Apr, May & June. We should get the results by mid/late July.

Check out the PV FAQs for FiT rates and degressions. Sections 1 and 12.

Mart.

DREKLY

Yes, thanks for that Martyn, I guess he took into consideration that if I go ahead, it would be after 1st July.
Having the EPC done tomorrow - then roof survey after that...

Silverwhistle - thanks for the comment ! I have cut down over 36 LLeylandii trees that were over 40ft high (!!) that once surrounded the bungalow, I have a LOT of logs oozing pine sap, not ideal for woodburners at all, and when dried out, they weigh nothing !! but people down here even burn palletts..... so they're not too fussy.

What is your output from 16 panels where you are? I have a contact on Hayling Island who is tempted to fit panels, but am told the air quality there is poorer than down here... so output will be affected ; what do you think on that score ?

DREKLY

Hello again, Martyn, just an update on what's a-foot, I got the roof orientation incorrect, it's actually SW facing, 50 degrees west of South, at 230 degrees, but doesn't seem to drop the output suggested on the PVGIS website you led me to.... just over 4000,
with a 20% reduction for shading, hence approx 3,200, but the panel type has been changed once, and now the sales guy is stating an "Immersun" will not be included, as "they are unneccessary" (?!!!) and i can just turn on & off the immersion, etc., "as he does at his home"...
.... Really.....

Martyn1981

Morning. SW isn't too bad, a bit less over all but it may actually suit your consumption patterns slightly better too, giving a bit more generation in the late afternoon and early evening.

I'd have thought a diversionary switch would work well for you. You may be all electric, but in the non heating months you'll be exporting a huge amount, so better to redirect that and heat the water slowly, rather than switch it on yourself and almost certainly end up importing a fair bit, no matter how hard you try.

How's the price going, are you happy or is it a little high?

Marty.

DREKLY

Well, chaps (and lasses ) - it's up and running, 4KW system, with 16 "Enhance XM" panels, plus SolarEdge invertor, switched on Wed pm - produced 20 Kw on Thursday, (12 Kw during the few hrs on Wed), so total of 32 Kw, and today I am up to 48 Kw... so far.
--- should get up to 50, or more..( SW facing, 230 degrees, roof pitch 33 degrees)

Am taking readings every hour, when possible, best peak reading was 3Kw at noon on Thursday... I do have shading issues between about 11am thru to 4pm - unfortunately; today I have been hanging off scaffolding with 7ft long tree pruner, cutting off the neighbour's beech tree twiglets!!
So how does that sound, 20 KW a day, if it's a good day, perhaps more nearer the solstice ??
(where is the "skype - style" smiling sun emotion ? )