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Excess Electricity

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  • 07-01-2019 5:39pm
    #1
    randombar
    Registered Users Posts: 3,362 ✭✭✭


    So the evenings are getting brighter already :D

    Just wondering if people have any cost effective uses for excess electricity during the summer?

    Heating hot water doesn't even seem to be that cost effective but I'm wondering if I picked up a second hand iboost or something would that make it cost effective.


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    #2
    rolion
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,362 ✭✭✭rolion


    Evenings , brighter !? ... what time zone are you on !?


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    #3
    randombar
    Registered Users Posts: 3,362 ✭✭✭randombar


    rolion wrote: »
    Evenings , brighter !? ... what time zone are you on !?

    1 whole minute extra per day :D

    https://www.timeanddate.com/sun/ireland/cork


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    #4
    rolion
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,362 ✭✭✭rolion


    I'll tell you ...that will add few watts every day !
    You deserve the savings !

    Is that your first eco PV type summer !?

    Serious now... just try to accomodate with the system,determine lifestyle around the generation vs consumption.
    That will have a great impact on the environment ( aka family budget ).

    What do you have in mind asking that question,what are you trying to achieve or squeze out of the current PV arrays !?


    LETS talk numbers... my 8.5MWh generating system,reports for past 12 months:

    469849.jpg

    Take care...


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    #5
    randombar
    Registered Users Posts: 3,362 ✭✭✭randombar


    rolion wrote: »
    I'll tell you ...that will add few watts every day !
    You deserve the savings !

    Is that your first eco PV type summer !?

    Serious now... just try to accomodate with the system,determine lifestyle around the generation vs consumption.
    That will have a great impact on the environment ( aka family budget ).

    What do you have in mind asking that question, what are you trying to achieve or squeeze out of the current PV arrays !?

    Take care...

    Yes coming into the first summer, waiting on battery installation (no massive panic these days) and wifi dongle. Once I've that I'll throw up some data for people.

    3.3kw array split over south facing and south by south west.

    I'm thinking I need to figure out new times for things all right, a wash during night saver and then leave the next wash till it's nice and sunny. After that I dont really know?

    Just wondering is there anything else people do with the excess for reasonable money, would a second hand iboost or something help, I guess coin mining isn't an option any more. An under the sink hot water tap thingy?


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    #6
    freddyuk
    Registered Users Posts: 1,110 ✭✭✭freddyuk


    First thing you need to know is the power requirements of your main appliances. Until you know that you are unable to prioritise effectively. Heating elements are the big users so ovens, washing machines, dryers (disastrous), immersions (not recommended for battery/solar), toasters, microwaves, dishwashers are all going to spin the meter however many appliances are on thermostats so in fact the usage is not as high as you may imagine. The oven is rated at 2.5kw but will be on/off all the time so not using as much as you think in total. The microwave and toaster are on 100% of the time they are used but are quicker doing their job. A kettle can use 2.8kw but is only on for a minute or two (if you don't fill it to the brim) and there are "instant hot water units" ie. one cup drinks makers that we use for making drinks and gravy etc. as you are only heating what you use. Quooker units are a crazy price and will need to heat water all the time to be instant and in fact other devices do that job much more effectively.
    TV's are on for hours every day so unless you have an A++ LED unit they can use a lot of power. I swopped out my plasma for LED and saved 250w of power usage for hours each day. Lighting should all be LED so can be discounted within reason. Have another check at all the lighting?? Cooker hood, Bathroom cabinet, attic, outside lights ........ ?
    You need to get a decent power meter and get a good feel for what appliances use during a cycle. Then ensure you only use them in series ie. one at a time otherwise you are not getting the best from the solar input. If you know what solar is coming in you can use the maximum but you need to be in the house for this. Effective smart power systems are expensive and rely on wireless so can fail and cause all your savings to be lost.
    Check the satellite forecasts and you can see if the day is going to be a solar day or not.
    A decent power diverter can run two circuits so immersion and back up storage or another resistive device.
    Summertime is going to leave you with more power than you can use unless you have effective battery storage although with 3.5kWp you may find a decent sized cylinder will hoover up the surplus providing it is not hot to start with. A longer cylinder element is a good idea - right to the bottom. Check forecast - if sunny do the washing, cooking - let the solar dump into the cylinder rest of the day. You can export surplus for free back to the grid of course if you have correct meter.
    When you have managed to reduce your usage then consider what systems to spend the money on.
    Batteries will work if you are on grid and have a night rate as you charge at night to get cheap leccy all day but you need enough battery to cover the usage. It is not economic yet to do this but is a step towards awareness of living "grid independent" if that is a plan.
    Also remember your family needs to be onside too as it needs input from all members to get power usage to a minimum.
    Good luck


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    #7
    randombar
    Registered Users Posts: 3,362 ✭✭✭randombar


    freddyuk wrote: »
    First thing you need to know is the power requirements of your main appliances. Until you know that you are unable to prioritise effectively. Heating elements are the big users so ovens, washing machines, dryers (disastrous), immersions (not recommended for battery/solar), toasters, microwaves, dishwashers are all going to spin the meter however many appliances are on thermostats so in fact the usage is not as high as you may imagine. The oven is rated at 2.5kw but will be on/off all the time so not using as much as you think in total. The microwave and toaster are on 100% of the time they are used but are quicker doing their job. A kettle can use 2.8kw but is only on for a minute or two (if you don't fill it to the brim) and there are "instant hot water units" ie. one cup drinks makers that we use for making drinks and gravy etc. as you are only heating what you use. Quooker units are a crazy price and will need to heat water all the time to be instant and in fact other devices do that job much more effectively.
    TV's are on for hours every day so unless you have an A++ LED unit they can use a lot of power. I swopped out my plasma for LED and saved 250w of power usage for hours each day. Lighting should all be LED so can be discounted within reason. Have another check at all the lighting?? Cooker hood, Bathroom cabinet, attic, outside lights ........ ?
    You need to get a decent power meter and get a good feel for what appliances use during a cycle. Then ensure you only use them in series ie. one at a time otherwise you are not getting the best from the solar input. If you know what solar is coming in you can use the maximum but you need to be in the house for this. Effective smart power systems are expensive and rely on wireless so can fail and cause all your savings to be lost.
    Check the satellite forecasts and you can see if the day is going to be a solar day or not.
    A decent power diverter can run two circuits so immersion and back up storage or another resistive device.
    Summertime is going to leave you with more power than you can use unless you have effective battery storage although with 3.5kWp you may find a decent sized cylinder will hoover up the surplus providing it is not hot to start with. A longer cylinder element is a good idea - right to the bottom. Check forecast - if sunny do the washing, cooking - let the solar dump into the cylinder rest of the day. You can export surplus for free back to the grid of course if you have correct meter.
    When you have managed to reduce your usage then consider what systems to spend the money on.
    Batteries will work if you are on grid and have a night rate as you charge at night to get cheap leccy all day but you need enough battery to cover the usage. It is not economic yet to do this but is a step towards awareness of living "grid independent" if that is a plan.
    Also remember your family needs to be onside too as it needs input from all members to get power usage to a minimum.
    Good luck

    I've been keeping an eye on things all right. I've a resting consumption of between 200w to 400w at the moment. I had a microserver running that has been moved so there should be a drop because of that. I noticed switching off the cooker at the switch made a difference also. Will check the LEDs again, I'm pretty sure there all swapped out but I'll triple check. Smart plugs behind the TVs mean they're not on standby for me etc.

    I'll try and start using washing machine, dishwasher and cooker in series so, have the night saver so have the dishwasher set to run after 11 and try and get one wash done before 9. I bought a dehumidifier to replace the dryer and it is working nicely. TBH I'd only be using that when the sun isn't shining.

    So if I have an immersion already (never used as we have oil and solar thermal for hot water) could I wire this up with a power diverter? Rather than going iBoost or more expensive option?

    I do have my wife on board with this, the two year old not so much :D


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