Solar panel help needed!

CSI_Yorkshire

debitcardmayhem said:

Working back from your figures 417 kwh / (say 100 days) = 4.17 /day circa 120 / month that is why you need to check your bills , forget about pounds for now that £250 bill may include what you have used prior to the panels , what is the breakdown from the bill for feb-may 23 in kwh

Krakkkers said:

At this time of the year your consumption from the grid during the day should be pretty much nothing.
How long has it taken to use 417kwh from the grid?.
How many panels?
I use less than 2kwh a day from the grid at this time of the year, I have 4 kwp of panels but no battery.

I think you've both misunderstood the figures - isn't the OP saying that they've used 417kWh of their 1182kWh generation and had the same consumption reported on their bills as last year?  So this extra solar generation that they've used hasn't replaced any grid import at all?

Or am I reading that completely wrong?

edit: the simplest way I think that might be possible (barring a convenient increase in cunsumption) is if the PV is somehow wired into the grid side of the meter?

debitcardmayhem

CSI_Yorkshire said:

debitcardmayhem said:

Working back from your figures 417 kwh / (say 100 days) = 4.17 /day circa 120 / month that is why you need to check your bills , forget about pounds for now that £250 bill may include what you have used prior to the panels , what is the breakdown from the bill for feb-may 23 in kwh

Krakkkers said:

At this time of the year your consumption from the grid during the day should be pretty much nothing.
How long has it taken to use 417kwh from the grid?.
How many panels?
I use less than 2kwh a day from the grid at this time of the year, I have 4 kwp of panels but no battery.

I think you've both misunderstood the figures - isn't the OP saying that they've used 417kWh of their 1182kWh generation and had the same consumption reported on their bills as last year?  So this extra solar generation that they've used hasn't replaced any grid import at all?

Or am I reading that completely wrong?

edit: the simplest way I think that might be possible (barring a convenient increase in cunsumption) is if the PV is somehow wired into the grid side of the meter?

We don't know the OP has not reported back with the 2023 kwh.

your edit is something is not possible is it ? they must have mcs certification but hey it's a real possibility. Also I think that a good installer should enlighten the consumer on the need for an MPAN too for export, mine did but I knew before I went down this route.

sevenhills

oppro said:

I had solar panels installed in February but so far they don’t seem to be making the blindest bit of difference! I don’t have a battery or diverter for the water, so I’m trying to use my electrical appliances during the day time, rather than overnight as I used to. At the moment even cooking is during daylight hours, all appliances like washing machine, dishwasher, hoover, lawnmower, power tools etc are during daylight hours. We’re not using heaters, electric blankets, kettles of hot water bottles, extra lighting etc. How have I still had a £250 bill?? 

I have had solar panels for five years and I have never been able to quantify any savings on my bill.
I get FIT so they must be working.

CSI_Yorkshire

debitcardmayhem said:

CSI_Yorkshire said:

debitcardmayhem said:

Working back from your figures 417 kwh / (say 100 days) = 4.17 /day circa 120 / month that is why you need to check your bills , forget about pounds for now that £250 bill may include what you have used prior to the panels , what is the breakdown from the bill for feb-may 23 in kwh

Krakkkers said:

At this time of the year your consumption from the grid during the day should be pretty much nothing.
How long has it taken to use 417kwh from the grid?.
How many panels?
I use less than 2kwh a day from the grid at this time of the year, I have 4 kwp of panels but no battery.

I think you've both misunderstood the figures - isn't the OP saying that they've used 417kWh of their 1182kWh generation and had the same consumption reported on their bills as last year?  So this extra solar generation that they've used hasn't replaced any grid import at all?

Or am I reading that completely wrong?

edit: the simplest way I think that might be possible (barring a convenient increase in cunsumption) is if the PV is somehow wired into the grid side of the meter?

We don't know the OP has not reported back with the 2023 kwh.

your edit is something is not possible is it ? they must have mcs certification but hey it's a real possibility. Also I think that a good installer should enlighten the consumer on the need for an MPAN too for export, mine did but I knew before I went down this route.

Physically possible, but would be a horrendous blunder by the installer and shouldn't pass even the slightest inspection.

QrizB

oppro said:

Krakkkers said:

What was your daily usage before solar panels? what was your annual usage?  You are going to have to give us more info if you want help.

Since I had them installed in February:

May 22 - 238 kwh, May 23 - 212 kwh
Apr 22 - 221 kwh, Apr 23 - 202 kwh
Mar 22 - 318 kwh, Mar 23 - 311kwh
Feb 22 - 232 kwh, Feb 23 - 281kwh

I’d have expected it to be far lower this year! I don’t understand how it’s still pretty much the same as last year. 🤔🤷🏻‍♀️

If those numbers are correct, you're still importing 7kWh a day in May (when you should be generating 400kh+ during the month).

Do you know what is using the power?

Do you have a smart meter with a working in-home display (IHD)? Does the IHD read zero power for most of the time during daylight hours?

How do you heat your water? 7kWh a day could be due to an off-peak immersion heater, if you use one?

oppro

QrizB said:

oppro said:

Krakkkers said:

What was your daily usage before solar panels? what was your annual usage?  You are going to have to give us more info if you want help.

Since I had them installed in February:

May 22 - 238 kwh, May 23 - 212 kwh
Apr 22 - 221 kwh, Apr 23 - 202 kwh
Mar 22 - 318 kwh, Mar 23 - 311kwh
Feb 22 - 232 kwh, Feb 23 - 281kwh

I’d have expected it to be far lower this year! I don’t understand how it’s still pretty much the same as last year. 🤔🤷🏻‍♀️

If those numbers are correct, you're still importing 7kWh a day in May (when you should be generating 400kh+ during the month).

Do you know what is using the power?

Do you have a smart meter with a working in-home display (IHD)? Does the IHD read zero power for most of the time during daylight hours?

How do you heat your water? 7kWh a day could be due to an off-peak immersion heater, if you use one?

Got a smart meter, but the IHD broke, they’re sending me a new one which should be here by the end of the week so I’ll be watching it like a hawk when it does. 

No immersion heater, water is only switched on when someone wants a shower, not on a timer, and I only have the usual appliances- washing machine, dishwasher, tumble dryer for in the winter, I’m hanging stuff outside now, no games consoles, no lights on all night, only 1 TV in the lounge, just the 1 fridge, hoover couple times a week… nothing excessive. 🤷🏻‍♀️

debitcardmayhem

Have you checked the actual meter reading at the meter, and compared it to the reading on their bill?

Krakkkers

Same advice as usual, check your meter every day and note daily usage until you understand what is using the energy.

DougMLancs

Does your inverter have a portal/app? That should also be able to help show what’s going on.

markin

oppro said:

QrizB said:

oppro said:

Krakkkers said:

What was your daily usage before solar panels? what was your annual usage?  You are going to have to give us more info if you want help.

Since I had them installed in February:

May 22 - 238 kwh, May 23 - 212 kwh
Apr 22 - 221 kwh, Apr 23 - 202 kwh
Mar 22 - 318 kwh, Mar 23 - 311kwh
Feb 22 - 232 kwh, Feb 23 - 281kwh

I’d have expected it to be far lower this year! I don’t understand how it’s still pretty much the same as last year. 🤔🤷🏻‍♀️

If those numbers are correct, you're still importing 7kWh a day in May (when you should be generating 400kh+ during the month).

Do you know what is using the power?

Do you have a smart meter with a working in-home display (IHD)? Does the IHD read zero power for most of the time during daylight hours?

How do you heat your water? 7kWh a day could be due to an off-peak immersion heater, if you use one?

Got a smart meter, but the IHD broke, they’re sending me a new one which should be here by the end of the week so I’ll be watching it like a hawk when it does. 

No immersion heater, water is only switched on when someone wants a shower, not on a timer, and I only have the usual appliances- washing machine, dishwasher, tumble dryer for in the winter, I’m hanging stuff outside now, no games consoles, no lights on all night, only 1 TV in the lounge, just the 1 fridge, hoover couple times a week… nothing excessive. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Heating water will be the most energy hungry thing in the house, you want to heat a tank at around noon if you have one, not after 5pm when you want the bath/shower?

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