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Solar PV Hints, Tips & Troubleshooting

DrPhilG

Well I've reached the point of driving everyone nuts on the PV quotes thread, and since I now have my system installed and running my endless questions no longer belong there.

So I figured I'd ask here, and also provide a home for others in the same boat, with general questions and advice on managing post-install.

My first question (of many) is how do people best manage their production in order to reduce grid export? Despite being overcast and miserable a fair bit of the day, I've produced 24kWh so far today, but ended up exporting 11.

Not too bad when we're home, as the wife did a few loads of washing and drying, put on the dishwasher etc.

But we're both at work tomorrow so other than a timed or remotely activated washer/dryer run we would end up exporting a lot more.

Extra battery capacity or a water diverter would help, but they don't tend to justify their costs in the long term.

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championc

tsiklon wrote: »

What would we need to do now in order to have panels added at a later stage? What type of brackets etc are required?

You'll find the brackets and rails on either midsummer.ie or solortricity.ie. it certainly makes sense to mount the rails into the roof tiles now. Each row just needs to be mounted about 1m apart. And for gods sake, make sure your intended installation location is in a top or bottom corner.

the_amazing_raisin

tsiklon wrote: »

We're renovating an old house, which will require substantial work on the roof to bring it up to spec. We probably don't have the budget to purchase panels just yet.

What would we need to do now in order to have panels added at a later stage? What type of brackets etc are required?

I guess it'd be best to talk to the architect or structural engineer about it just to be sure the roof doesn't need reinforcement if you're putting a lot of panels up there

You'll probably be fine if the roof is being redone anyway

If you're planning on doing an attic conversion at any point it might be worth planning the skylights and panels around each other now

tsiklon

championc wrote: »

You'll find the brackets and rails on either midsummer.ie or solortricity.ie. it certainly makes sense to mount the rails into the roof tiles now. Each row just needs to be mounted about 1m apart. And for gods sake, make sure your intended installation location is in a top or bottom corner.

Thanks. Top or bottom corner is for access or routing cables?

unkel

tsiklon wrote: »

Thanks. Top or bottom corner is for access or routing cables?

It is so you can install a lot more panels later

championc

tsiklon wrote: »

Thanks. Top or bottom corner is for access or routing cables?

People plonk panels right in the center to make things nice and symmetrical. You want to be thinking about maximizing your space.

Of course too, ensure you plan the route for the cable and even pre-install that too, or at least the opening to get the cables from inside to outside.

If you go ahead with brackets, think about where the rails will go and then place the brackets accordingly. The mounting rails will be 2m or 3m long and can be joined with joiners. An ideal guide would be one bracket under the middle of each panel per rail, so they will be at about 1m spacing, since panels are roughly 1m wide. The space between both rails is possibly better for about 80cm since most panels are about 1.6m long.

insular1

championc wrote: »

People plonk panels right in the center to make things nice and symmetrical. You want to be thinking about maximizing your space.

Is there any point in taking this approach if you're already looking at getting the full 6kw system? Our roof could probably fit 10kw of panels and I'm looking at 6kw system quotes at the moment. Any chance the ESB limit of 6kw would ever be raised? I
Does anyone know is this a physical limit of single phase or just some random limit the ESB came up with that might be raised in future?

If 6kw is likely to be the max size ever allowed then I'd probably rather the panels were symmetrical.

MAULBROOK

insular1 wrote: »

Is there any point in taking this approach if you're already looking at getting the full 6kw system? Our roof could probably fit 10kw of panels and I'm looking at 6kw system quotes at the moment. Any chance the ESB limit of 6kw would ever be raised? I
Does anyone know is this a physical limit of single phase or just some random limit the ESB came up with that might be raised in future?

If 6kw is likely to be the max size ever allowed then I'd probably rather the panels were symmetrical.

Its the inverter thats limited to 6kw not the panels.

championc

insular1 wrote: »

Is there any point in taking this approach if you're already looking at getting the full 6kw system? Our roof could probably fit 10kw of panels and I'm looking at 6kw system quotes at the moment. Any chance the ESB limit of 6kw would ever be raised? I
Does anyone know is this a physical limit of single phase or just some random limit the ESB came up with that might be raised in future?

If 6kw is likely to be the max size ever allowed then I'd probably rather the panels were symmetrical.

6kW will deliver 6kW at the peak of the day, in perfect conditions, when the sun is at right angles to your panels. However, this is not reality. You ideally want your system to cover your base load, particularly on duller overcast days.

So to maximize FIT, it makes sense to maximize the installation if you have the roof space

insular1

So in theory I can install 10kw of panels and just use a 6kw inverter? I'd limit my production to 6kw but that would only really be an issue for short periods in the summer. Is there any risk of overloading an inverter or frying it if I was producing 10kw?

championc

insular1 wrote: »

So in theory I can install 10kw of panels and just use a 6kw inverter? I'd limit my production to 6kw but that would only really be an issue for short periods in the summer. Is there any risk of overloading an inverter or frying it if I was producing 10kw?

You need to keep within the voltage limits of the proposed inverter. So total up the VOC. That's the bit that will blow the arse out of an inverter

mp3guy

SolarEdge allow pretty extreme DC oversizing in their inverters.

insular1

This is all good to know. Thanks all. Will start asking for the max number of panels any company is willing to install and see what comes back to me.

[Deleted User]

Should moss on tiles be removed before the installing panels? Ideally I'd imagine, but does it matter?

the_amazing_raisin

6 wrote: »

Should moss on tiles be removed before the installing panels? Ideally I'd imagine, but does it matter?

I don't think it'll cause any trouble, but you probably won't be able to clean it off afterwards so best to do it before installation

championc

6 wrote: »

Should moss on tiles be removed before the installing panels? Ideally I'd imagine, but does it matter?

Absolutely no need at all. The panels will have a few inches of clearance between them and the roof

MAULBROOK

6 wrote: »

Should moss on tiles be removed before the installing panels? Ideally I'd imagine, but does it matter?

Only if your board and want to get away from the family for an hour or so.

[Deleted User]

Thanks all. If I can get it done before the install I will, otherwise it can stay.

Geeyfds53573

https://www.rte.ie/news/business/2021/0225/1199450-electricity-smart-meters-go-live-for-250-000-households/
New smart meters go live today , there is a tariff of 5c per kWh between 2am-4am

graememk

Geeyfds53573 wrote: »

https://www.rte.ie/news/business/2021/0225/1199450-electricity-smart-meters-go-live-for-250-000-households/
New smart meters go live today , there is a tariff of 5c per kWh between 2am-4am

I know this has been discussed in a few places... Wow a whole 2 hrs that's, frankly thats pathetic.. but the other rates are on par with EI's normal rates (really high, but give cashback to new customers to keep yearly bill down)

Actually interested in energias rates whenever they release them. The website is setup for it but no rates published tho.

graememk

Oh they are up.. with them rates, I would lose money with a FIT!

irishchris

Jeez between Airtricity, bord Gais, energia and electric Ireland the smart meter plans are so overpriced!! Typical Ireland and price gauging with similar priced plans between all the "competition"

graememk

irishchris wrote: »

Jeez between Airtricity, bord Gais, energia and electric Ireland the smart meter plans are so overpriced!! Typical Ireland and price gauging with similar priced plans between all the "competition"

There currently is no incentive to switch from a standard meter,

I do support the multiple tariffs but not when the day rate is the same as the 24 hr day, then more for the evening peak and then the night rate is double their cheapest offer.

The standing charge, for SSE is 50 euro cheaper.

High cash backs can be beneficial to low useage too.

Still won't be jumping at a smart meter, even for a FIT.

[Deleted User]

Can you avail of FIT without a smart meter?

graememk

6 wrote: »

Can you avail of FIT without a smart meter?

No the proposals are that you need a smart meter.

Standard meters don't measure export.

slave1

Batteries may reign on.....

the_amazing_raisin

slave1 wrote: »

Batteries may reign on.....

With those tariffs you'd almost be cheaper going off grid :rolleyes:

unkel

It's NEVER cheaper to go off grid

garo

graememk wrote: »

Oh they are up.. with them rates, I would lose money with a FIT!

Pathetic rates. And they clearly did not look at daily consumption patterns when setting the times. Shows such lack of imagination. You could easily start the night rate an hour earlier. And peak should really be from 1630 to 2000. With these rates takeup for FiT would be really poor. This is bad systems planning. Overall outcome for the country as a whole would be decidedly suboptimal.

slave1

garo wrote: »

Pathetic rates. And they clearly did not look at daily consumption patterns when setting the times. Shows such lack of imagination. You could easily start the night rate an hour earlier. And peak should really be from 1630 to 2000. With these rates takeup for FiT would be really poor. This is bad systems planning. Overall outcome for the country as a whole would be decidedly suboptimal.

But is there any surprise in any of that, not being a smart arse, just my expectation that they'll all get together with slight variants of packages and rates and that not much would change, especially with ESB dictating

slave1

unkel wrote: »

It's NEVER cheaper to go off grid

Isolated build is about the only time, you could start justifing it with huge ESB hook up costs but yes I have to agree, in Ireland with our low fixed charges it makes no (financial) sense.
I like seeing the US off-grids setups on YT, they are awesome, do what they want and noone to tell them otherwise, a lot of it has to do with the rights they give to their provider to access their property