Solar for Dummies.

TaurenDruid

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121952679#Comment_121952679

Thanks. That site displays something for about a second then redirects to a page inviting me to download the alibaba app, so no idea what's being asked.

con747

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121952762#Comment_121952762

Try this link. https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/API-TUYA-With-Metering-Wifi-Smart_1600488988665.html?s=p&spm=a2706.onesight_ppc.0.0.48f3bTSDbTSDZ4

munsterfan2

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121952679#Comment_121952679

thanks, sorry I thought I had quoted previous reply

cullenswood

Moved into a new house in 2015 which has 5 solar panels on the roof. The system seems to be called Optimmersion (I am not sure that company exists anymore though), and I have basically just ignored it for the last 9 years.

Apparently excess electricity gets used up heating my hot water. This seems to be working fine (I use the gas to heat the water for an hour every morning but generally have plenty of hot water even with a couple of teens in the house).

I was wondering if this was still the best system to have, or have things moved on a lot in the last 9 years and I should upgrade to something else?

Its a pretty general question I know, but any advice would be gratefully received.

A couple of pics attached of the box (not really sure what the figures mean etc)

Thanks

TaurenDruid

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121953501#Comment_121953501

I can't comment on the solar system itself, except to say it doesn't appear to be doing too much? We've been using gas for half an hour in the morning and half an hour in the evening to heat our water, before getting solar in, and we always have enough. (We've got an Eddi hot water diverter and solar fitted now, but aren't using the Eddi until we can switch the (gas powered) heating off, next month.)

tommythecat

I'm on the energia smart plan and charge battery at night between 2 and 6. I have a solis hybrid inverter. What happens with the clocks changing tonight? Will everything just sync up ok and change over correctly? I am also charging the car tonight via a wall box. Hopefully that works also.

Walter Sobchak III

8 panels installed in February. Eddi and Solis inverter. No battery. Our water is coming out of the tap at dangerously hot temperature. Phoned support team from installation company. Indicated that the high limit stat might be gone. Sure enough it was done. Got it replaced. Water still raging hot. Any thing I can do to reduce the temperature?

graememk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121961583#Comment_121961583

A)Turn down the thermostat on the immersion

B) install a thermostatic mixer valve on the DHW tank outlet.

buzz11

How do people adjust battery grid charging at this time of year when solar generation is a bit hit & miss with mixed weather?

I'm finding that my batteries are fully charged at the end of the night rate/8am but if its a sunny day, they could have been charged for free so I want to avoid that

So I've reduced the grid charging time to about 2-3hrs which gives just enough capacity for usage and hope the PV does the rest

tommythecat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121965167#Comment_121965167

I guess depending on what your night rate/FIT rate is it may still be better to charge at night anyway. It is for me.

I pay 8c for my EV window which charges my battery and then I get 24c FIT so it will always make sense for me to charge at night at these rates and sell as much as possible back to the grid.

You just need to crunch the numbers for your setup.

cullenswood

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121956139#Comment_121956139

Should it be heating more water?

Do these need to be serviced, and would that help?

graememk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121966253#Comment_121966253

5 panels, nearly 9 years ago are likely to be 200-250w so 1kWp-1.25kWp

The figures are useful, It is showing you how much the PV panels are generating.

House gets first dibs and then any excess is put into the hot water, Via the immersion. Instead of being exported. Now there is a feed in tariff (FIT) its more beneficial to export than heat water.

It doesnt need servicing or anything like that.

To do anything, will be just a full replacement. Should be able to sell the current kit for something (Possibly 100-150ish)

cullenswood

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121966415#Comment_121966415

Ok, thanks for the reply.

Ballpark, how much would replacing it cost, or what should I be looking to replace it with?

graememk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121966969#Comment_121966969

"How long is a piece of string"

Solar quotes thread would be a good start.

But the question is what do you want out of it?

THE ALM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121937246#Comment_121937246

Note: Just further to this and for anybody buying the pre-soldered kit from the likes of blinkyparts. There is still an amount of soldering involved. The only part soldered is the CMT module (chip) to its board. All other parts, led's, resistors, pins, socket connectors, etc. require soldering.

I don't do a lot of soldering so time and patience was required… and I would think I spent 60mins+ doing it.

TaurenDruid

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121966969#Comment_121966969

So, per Graememk, you're likely looking at 1.25kWh max generation, and what you have right now seems to be just heating your immersion, and not that well.

At this stage, depending on the size of your house, I'd be looking at full replacement, probably, with a new system. Get as many panels as you can - they're the cheapest part. Look for an inverter that can take two strings, and you can have panels front and back. I'd recommend a battery, too, and charge that at night with cheap rate electricity (assuming you have a smart meter).

Our setup has 14 panels total (8/6 split) and is rated for 5.25kW at peak. With a 5kWh battery and hot water diverter, after the grant, we were looking at €10k there for everything. We could probably have gotten it for cheaper if we'd shopped around more, but we liked the company we went with. The upside is our grid consumption has dropped to practically nothing, from early March, bar charging the battery with cheap night-rate electricity (costs €0.08, sell back at €0.24!)

Buying the hot water diverter may have been a mistake (it's cheaper to heat the immersion from the gas boiler) but it's greener and just "lost potential profit", not an actual cost, to use it; it does mean we can switch off the gas boiler later this month and not switch it back on until late September, hopefully, and still have plentiful hot water.

cullenswood

Nice one, food for thought there alright and to learn a bit more about the system I have, or should have.

Thanks

JayBee66

Power cut. Today's high winds causing problems for the rickety ESB. No problem. Transfer switch engaged. Now off-grid and on PV with battery charging for later.

I love it when this happens because the neighbour on the other side of the field hates change and has an excuse for why every renewable I add to our house can't be implemented on his.

When there's a power cut and the Sun sets I make sure to leave the curtains open and have every light on in rooms facing his house.

Meanwhile, his electric gates won't work so he has to manually open them and drive down to the village chip shop for food. :D

I just go out and pull a few carrots from the garden whenever I see him out sneaking a look at what we're up to.

society4

I’m interested in getting 12 panels. Had a house survey when bought the house and they said I have a truss roof that could benefit from extra bracing. Will this impact me getting solar panels.. is this bracing something the roofer installing the panels can attend to…..I’d feel better knowing the bracing is there as I heard the panels can be heavy.

ColemanY2K

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121983330#Comment_121983330

If they have the capability to do it then it would just make sense to let them at it but any chippy would rock through that little bit of work in a couple of hours.

ColemanY2K

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121982927#Comment_121982927

So petty, I love it 🤣🤣🤣

10-10-20

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121982927#Comment_121982927

😂 Text him offering freshly boiled water.

conor_mc

Noddy question, but after watching multiple YouTube videos on the negligible benefits of optimisers vs half-cut panels with bypass diodes, I’m wondering whether it makes much difference anymore having multiple orientations on the same string - surely it’s just shading and the bypass diodes would look after it?

What am I missing????

micks_address

Interesting video on solar.panels..

https://youtu.be/zPs2pY5sLk0?si=mCHC7Q04b7PtxXSC

micks_address

Definitely a dumb question.. I've 13.6kwh usable battery storage..I can charge at 3.6kwh so in 3 hours I get about 10.8kwh into the battery overnight on my 3 hour tariff. Is there any way I can 'make up' the 3.6kwh shortfall? Charge another device and then top up my battery from that? I've seen few batteries on the renewables for sale thread that looks like they plug in and can be charged from a socket? Question is how do I get the 3.6kw battery to cover house load during the day?

Eleusis

3.6kwh. .this is quite a low charge current 15 ish amps for any inverter. Surly you can charge faster?

Edit. Just realised it prob the battery charge current that limiting you? Still that seems low. It's 65a ish?

micks_address

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122032315#Comment_122032315

Well that's the max charge rate on givenergy batteries

bullit_dodger

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122032392#Comment_122032392

And that's the Gen2 (and new Gen3) inverters. I've a Gen1 and that's limited to 2600w, though to be fair…..it's not an issue for me as I'm on the old D/N rate and I've 9hr to charge the puppy.

I'd say your best bet Mick is an additional inverter/diy battery. Me3000 possibly? You'll still have a shortfall on your Givenergy, but you'd be filling 2x batteries with ~20kwh of energy.

micks_address

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122035979#Comment_122035979

Don't want to spend much... A mini DIY option sounds interesting.. how would it work in tandem with the givenergy stuff?

micks_address

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122036005#Comment_122036005

I guess I could add a givenergy aC coupled inverter and put the 5.2kw battery on that? Or maybe put the 9.2 on it? They could be wired to work in parallel?