Would you do it again?

nivag

Well, speaking as someone who installed in September last year, and has yet to reach the PVGIS estimate in any single month yet (the closest I got was in May - 95.62% of estimate), would I do it again? - absobloodylutely

We have taken far more notice of consumption, I have managed to convince swmbo to hang washing out, we time using the dishwasher and washing machine when the sun is shining, we have installed an Iboost and turned the gas heating off for the last couple of months, we installed 2nd hand storage heaters in the lounge and conservetory and enjoyed 20 degree plus temperatures indoors from Feb onwards and I estimate we have saved about £250 on elec and gas. In short, as mentioned above, the savings arent just about what you generate but also about your change in attitude about how you consume power.

rugbyleague

Update Roof size 9.7m×6.7m
Have asked for a battery ready inverter so this has put price upto £6122
NDO application gone in today.

I know that the people on here are converted but your reassurance helps!
Ian

silverwhistle

zeupater wrote: »

We use slightly less than silverwhistle, DD is now £17/month for dual fuel ..
Z

Harumph! Competition! Can't afford or justify the heat pump but maybe a few more LED lights could tweak it down a few units p.a. Maybe I should try and do more of my domestic goddess duties in the kitchen when the sun is out. Perhaps more use of the bowsaw instead of electric stuff when fettling wood, with the advantage of making my summer outfits fit better. Maybe getting the girlfriend not to fill the kettle when making tea...

Actually, I think the change to mindset does save a good fair bit but I didn't want to over egg the pudding. I hope my few words gives the OP a flavour of it all: fun, silly and useful all at the same time. :-)

Martyn1981

rugbyleague wrote: »

Update Roof size 9.7m×6.7m
Have asked for a battery ready inverter so this has put price upto £6122
NDO application gone in today.

I know that the people on here are converted but your reassurance helps!
Ian

Hiya RL, that's much better. So today's lesson, and something Z mentioned previously about available space.

You need to leave about 300mm all round (200mm at a push). This prevents wind lift on the sides, and water overshooting the gutters on the bottom. The top is more important, too close and the installers may have to lift and replace the ridge tiles, and PV needs planning permission if it changes your roofline height, so if it's too close, the fact that it's raised above the roof, means it can be higher than the ridge. Also, have to consider the 20mm gaps between panels, and panel specific dimensions as they aren't exactly 1m by 1.6m.

That said, you've probably got around 9m by 6m of useable space. That's plenty, for portrait you could have 8 by 3 panels, approx 8m by 4.8m. Or landscape 5 by 5 panels, approx 8m by 5m.

So 20(ish) won't be a problem.

[Edit: Just to say I'm using 1.6m by 1m panels out of habit, as they are the ones usually used. So remember to adjust for 2m by 1m panels if you go down that route, perhaps landscape 4 by 5. M.]


Lastly, very sensible to consider future batts, but if you're pondering other ideas now, why not have a read of this thread on heat pumps. Not necessarily money saving (though Z's starting to build up data) but could be a benefit to your overall house comfort, especially if you have a big system with spare leccy in the shoulder months.

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

Mart.

Cardew

Martyn1981 wrote: »

Misleading? Careful Cardew, I clearly stated that I was at the upper end?

Import has dropped from 3,000kWh to 1,600kWh. I save approx 1,400kWh pa at 12.3p = £172(ish).

Better luck next time.

[Edit: BTW - you did read the thread properly didn't you? The discussions on higher leccy savings revolved around a 5.89kWp system, and discussions of installs in the 5-6kWp range. Whilst there will be diminishing returns as the system gets bigger, you'd still expect larger savings, such as my £30-40 uplift following the extension. M.]

Remember you can get good unit prices because as you've previously pointed out you use a vast amount of energy.
Yes S. Wales prices are high. I can get better leccy prices, but my gas price is 2.2p locked in for 2 years. Just checked comparison sites and I could save £14pa if I switch again, but I'm happy at the moment.

Mart.

PS. Might I suggest if you spent more time worrying about your energy consumption, than my energy prices, the world would be a better place! M. :-)

Another silly post that misses the point(again)

I was pointing out that in general people need to be realistic about quantifying their 'in house' savings, when considering PV. You were merely mentioned as an aside, but your response was as expected!

With electricity available at less than 10p/kWh in most of the UK, and, any savings from an Immersun, or equivalent, diverting electricity to heat water in houses with gas, the in house savings claims by installers, should be looked at carefully.

P.S.
The 8.79p/kWh(or less in some areas) was available regardless of annual consumption. If you spent less time gloating about your subsidies etc etc.

rugbyleague

Update system is ordered 5.89k have picture of panels on roof and already advises that a gap to edges will be left. Have also included a geo11 display.

Find the pump discussion fascinating. In big handfuls is this a heater or cooler which uses pv electricity to heat the home?

Ian

tunnel

rugbyleague wrote: »

Find the pump discussion fascinating. In big handfuls is this a heater or cooler which uses pv electricity to heat the home?

Ian

In essence....both.
I'm currently spending some of my FiT earnings from today keeping the whole of my upstairs like a fridge....I WILL sleep well tonight.


With a 5.89kWp system you should have plenty of spare generation in both the summer(to cool) and as Mart says, the shoulder months...to heat.

zeupater

rugbyleague wrote: »

... Find the pump discussion fascinating. In big handfuls is this a heater or cooler which uses pv electricity to heat the home? ...

Hi

As per other thread, the idea is to mainly provide heat in the 'shoulder' months when pv is still providing a decent amount of spare generation which will shorten the period where we burn logs. For us it makes plenty of sense due to having already addressed domestic heat-loss and energy efficiencies in a pretty serious way.

The unit we have is a high wall mounted single split system which is pretty close to the top-end of current heat-pump performance and will mainly be used in daytime temperatures where we'll hopefully average a COP of between 5.5 & 6.0 for the majority of the time that it's used, which effectively means for each watt of electricity being consumed, the heat provision will be between 5.5x & 6.0x greater ....

Whether it pays for itself over time comes down to how we use it and the comfort levels we expect ... if we maintain comfort at historical levels, it might ... if we increase those levels - it should do so quite easily. As an example, over the past dull couple of weeks we've used the system to provide a little warmth on a number of occasions and over the last couple of days it's been cooling nicely, not because it's been needed, but mainly because it's there ... and it's made very little difference to the overall level of export, which is still well over 50% ...

For details of sizes, specs etc .... http://www.toshiba-aircon.co.uk/products/split-systems/split-wall-mounted/daiseikai-inverter-high-wall

HTH
Z

Martyn1981

Cardew wrote: »

I was pointing out that in general people need to be realistic about quantifying their 'in house' savings, when considering PV. You were merely mentioned as an aside, but your response was as expected!

Silly, silly Cardew!

No, your post was directed directly at me, and claimed I was misleading folk with leccy savings advice. Clearly you picked the wrong thread to launch yet another of your pointless attacks.

1. The thread was discussing bigger systems, with bigger generation.
2. I specifically said I was at the upper end.
3. I specifically said that I was uncomfortable talking about £200 savings, though they may be possible for such a big system.

I suspect you were simply desperate (and overdue) to have 'another go', and got a little carried away. Or is this a return to 'old Cardew' where you try to insert some ugliness into every new PV thread?

Cardew wrote: »

If you spent less time gloating about your subsidies etc etc.

I don't recall gloating about subsidies. I think your ideological obsession with attacking PV, and myself, is now blinding you to rational debate - though your sight has been considerably diminished for nearly a decade already.

Mart.

Martyn1981

rugbyleague wrote: »

Update system is ordered 5.89k have picture of panels on roof and already advises that a gap to edges will be left. Have also included a geo11 display.

Find the pump discussion fascinating. In big handfuls is this a heater or cooler which uses pv electricity to heat the home?

Ian

Good news Ian, hope it works out well for you.

I thought of the heat pump for you, as the bigger system will give you more excess in the shoulder months, and that means when moderate heating is needed (rather than the whole GCH blasting away) you may be able to get by with multipled leccy heat.

I'm still keen on the idea (especially after a couple of hot days here, when the A/C would have been great), but my shoulder month gen is lower (but longer) so excess is tighter, compared to a south facing system.

Mart.