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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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Coltrane

ParkRunner wrote: »

Just out of interest have people with solar PV systems without a battery seen a significant drop in electricity bills? I got my first bill in which is a slight drop on the previous one but am not sure how much of that is seasonal. I only have the panels in place about 3 weeks so it’s still too early to assess this for me so am curious how other peoples bills have been impacted

Yes in my case. In my original setup which was a 5.2kWp array without battery, I managed about 70% self-consumption over 3 years without too much manual intervention.

My EV and heat pump are good consumers of sunbeams.

Even if you don't have either, you can still change habits eg run the dishwasher and washing machine, heat your hot water, around noon, turn on your oven further ahead of dinnertime and slowcook, to increase your usage.

I would say that export is no waste! You're contributing relatively clean energy to the grid. If you help cut emissions in even that small way that has a value to us all, probably much greater than 5c/kWh!

The cryptominers on here have taken it to the next level, heating their homes and turning a profit (at least while crypto is as valuable as it is!) from their PV!

For me, the main point is to reduce emissions and from that perspective I'm happy to export for free.

SD_DRACULA

I'm still fighting myself whether to get the battery or not but I am afraid that without it, a 6kw system would probably go mostly to the grid and as you said FIT won't make any real difference.

mp3guy

ParkRunner wrote: »

Just out of interest have people with solar PV systems without a battery seen a significant drop in electricity bills? I got my first bill in which is a slight drop on the previous one but am not sure how much of that is seasonal. I only have the panels in place about 3 weeks so it’s still too early to assess this for me so am curious how other peoples bills have been impacted

All depends on your usage patterns. If like me you use most of the energy in the evening after the sun is gone down, without a battery your bills won't change. Of course a battery has a cost which you have to take into account.

Sure FIT is coming, but it's likely to be fairly poor (~5c/kWh) so you'll make pennies from it most days.

ParkRunner

Just out of interest have people with solar PV systems without a battery seen a significant drop in electricity bills? I got my first bill in which is a slight drop on the previous one but am not sure how much of that is seasonal. I only have the panels in place about 3 weeks so it’s still too early to assess this for me so am curious how other peoples bills have been impacted

Deagol

jkforde wrote: »

was thinking about regular cleaning of bird poo, algae etc, will it be even necessary with wind, rain, UV?!

Dunno, I found that a 20mm layer of snow barely changed the amount my panels where producing there a few weeks ago!

jkforde

MAULBROOK wrote: »

20 panels washed and cleaned, the things ya do out of boredom. Also helps living in a bungalow.
When you get up close they do look bad. Will it help, who the hell knows.

was thinking about regular cleaning of bird poo, algae etc, will it be even necessary with wind, rain, UV?!

MAULBROOK

20 panels washed and cleaned, the things ya do out of boredom. Also helps living in a bungalow.
When you get up close they do look bad. Will it help, who the hell knows.

SD_DRACULA

MAULBROOK wrote: »

Are you over thinking things again:D

I want to give nothing back to the grid for free, since the grid isn't giving me anything for free

mp3guy

SD_DRACULA wrote: »

I was wondering about this, if you are maximizing your usage during the day, charging EV or battery and then still some left and going into the grid, can't we just set up a mining raspberry pi cluster that can use all the excess power?

I literally do this. Mining on full blown day rate is very profitable right now, so doing it on excess is not only the most profitable, but also carbon neutral.

MAULBROOK

SD_DRACULA wrote: »

I was wondering about this, if you are maximizing your usage during the day, charging EV or battery and then still some left and going into the grid, can't we just set up a mining raspberry pi cluster that can use all the excess power?

Are you over thinking things again:D

SD_DRACULA

KCross wrote: »

If it ain’t going backward you are dumping to the grid for free.

I was wondering about this, if you are maximizing your usage during the day, charging EV or battery and then still some left and going into the grid, can't we just set up a mining raspberry pi cluster that can use all the excess power?

slave1

Those last posts have FIT bang on, just have to wait and see and for those of us heavy night rate users e.g. EV it may very well be worthless.
I just hope the price plans are straightforward and not like health insurance plans

graememk

DrPhilG wrote: »

So for those currently under contract, we'll have to see it out before we get paid for anything anyway? Energia and their famed 4.7c night rate for example, doesn't include a fit so anyone signing up to it now won't see a cent for Amy export until this time next year.

Or will providers be likely to offer any kind of fit to existing customers?

Won't know until we see the tariffs, also will need to examine if it's actually cheaper to go onto a smart tariff with fit opposed to the standard day/night tariff.

Would you give up the low 4.7c night rate for a fit and a night rate of 10.5c?
Daytime use is covered mainly by solar/maybe overnight charging.

Haven't done the math on this, so this is just theorising
If the fit is say 5c, the amount you would need to export needs to match your night rate use to break even.. .. well that's me out..

DrPhilG

So for those currently under contract, we'll have to see it out before we get paid for anything anyway? Energia and their famed 4.7c night rate for example, doesn't include a fit so anyone signing up to it now won't see a cent for Amy export until this time next year.

Or will providers be likely to offer any kind of fit to existing customers?

KCross

jkforde wrote: »

cheers, that's what I suspected. I don't mind in the short term but going to hound ESBN for a smart meter, a campaign of persistence a la Andy's books campaign in Shawshank Redemption! ðŸ˜‚

You won’t get paid for it until FiT comes in (Jul 2021+) regardless of your meter.

You will then have to pick a provider, you don’t just “get paid”.

A provider can, for instance, give you 5c/kWh for your export but give you a crap day rate so effectively taking the money back off you. So you’ll have to weigh it all up at the time.

jkforde

KCross wrote: »

If it ain’t going backward you are dumping to the grid for free.

cheers, that's what I suspected. I don't mind in the short term but going to hound ESBN for a smart meter, a campaign of persistence a la Andy's books campaign in Shawshank Redemption! 😂

KCross

jkforde wrote: »

no, it stays static - the 'red' numbers quiver slightly, like they can't make up their mind!

If it ain’t going backward you are dumping to the grid for free.

championc

irishchris wrote: »

Looking to add hybrid inverter with battery over the coming weeks. Just wondering about the meter with clamp for the hybrid. Is this powered and if so where it its power wired from?

A later project is to relocate the inverter and battery to a shed which would be about 15-20 meters away from house. What size swa AC cable would people here recommend for that run?

My sparks mate suggested I run 10sq armoured

The clamp gains it's power from inverter that it's connected to I think. So if the run is long, it's important not to use cheap alarm or phone cable

MAULBROOK

irishchris wrote: »

Looking to add hybrid inverter with battery over the coming weeks. Just wondering about the meter with clamp for the hybrid. Is this powered and if so where it its power wired from?

A later project is to relocate the inverter and battery to a shed which would be about 15-20 meters away from house. What size swa AC cable would people here recommend for that run?

6sq should be ok

irishchris

Looking to add hybrid inverter with battery over the coming weeks. Just wondering about the meter with clamp for the hybrid. Is this powered and if so where it its power wired from?

A later project is to relocate the inverter and battery to a shed which would be about 15-20 meters away from house. What size swa AC cable would people here recommend for that run?

jkforde

mp3guy wrote: »

I believe this is the golden goose, have you seen it go backwards?

thanks for the quick reply.
no, it stays static - the 'red' numbers quiver slightly, like they can't make up their mind!

mp3guy

jkforde wrote: »

Apologies for my ignorance and if this has been covered many times elsewhere but boards search functionality is cat. \
I've a new 6.7kW solar up and running (future BEV proofing) and still have the rotating disk 24hr meter.... since I am not consuming the majority at the moment (diverter, battery & BEV imminent ), is the surplus being dumped into the grid? (have observed the disc stops rotating)

I believe this is the golden goose, have you seen it go backwards?

jkforde

Apologies for my ignorance and if this has been covered many times elsewhere but boards search functionality is cat. \
I've a new 6.7kW solar up and running (future BEV proofing) and still have the rotating disk 24hr meter.... since I am not consuming the majority at the moment (diverter, battery & BEV imminent

), is the surplus being dumped into the grid? (have observed the disc stops rotating)

MAULBROOK

gomamochi1 wrote: »

Optimisers on the shaded panels. Request that in your quote

I doubt the quote would change at all. but as you say make sure its part of the works.

gomamochi1

SD_DRACULA wrote: »

Guys what are the max power solar panels out there for dimensions 1650x1000 (or less) so far found some at 375w.
Also if I have two strings of 8 panels each and one of the strings gets a bit of shading from a chimney, will it bring down the other string without optimizer or just the string where the shading happens?

Optimisers on the shaded panels. Request that in your quote

MAULBROOK

Its no deal barker, couple of optimizers would be very cheap.

championc

tails_naf wrote: »

I just checked my electricity bill, and after getting solar in last November, the bill is as high as ever, if not a bit higher, and kWh usage on the bill, not estimated, was also high. I checked the meter itself when I was exporting power and I saw the led flashing. Would this be expected, thst the 1000 imp/kwh led would flash when exporting? I would have assumed it would be import only.

How many panels have you installed / what's the total installed kWp ? Have you a battery ?
You should have 4 full months worth of data, which should be loads and should make some difference to your bills. However, if you have no battery and if there was maybe nobody at home during the hours of generation, then the savings would not be huge.

As for the meter, look at the meter on an hour and look at the figures an hour or two later.

SD_DRACULA wrote: »

Also if I have two strings of 8 panels each and one of the strings gets a bit of shading from a chimney, will it bring down the other string without optimizer or just the string where the shading happens?

Only the whole string with any shading on it will be affected. And yes, if only one panel in a string of 8 gets even an eighth shaded, the whole output of THAT STRING will plummet

SD_DRACULA

Guys what are the max power solar panels out there for dimensions 1650x1000 (or less) so far found some at 375w.
Also if I have two strings of 8 panels each and one of the strings gets a bit of shading from a chimney, will it bring down the other string without optimizer or just the string where the shading happens?

KCross

tails_naf wrote: »

I just checked my electricity bill, and after getting solar in last November, the bill is as high as ever....

You wouldnt have had much generated since November to make much difference to your bill.

Do you have the total kWh figure from your inverter that it has generated since it was put in.... easy to calculate then what effect it had on your bill.

The fact your bill went up just means you used more!

tails_naf

I just checked my electricity bill, and after getting solar in last November, the bill is as high as ever, if not a bit higher, and kWh usage on the bill, not estimated, was also high. I checked the meter itself when I was exporting power and I saw the led flashing. Would this be expected, thst the 1000 imp/kwh led would flash when exporting? I would have assumed it would be import only.