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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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graememk

graememk wrote: »

should be plugged into the bottom of the inverter, grey thing with an aerial, there is a code on the side of it.

(that also needs to be connected to your wifi)

This is the box mine came in, serial number is on that.

Did the installer not set that up?

[Deleted User]

graememk wrote: »

should be plugged into the bottom of the inverter, grey thing with an aerial, there is a code on the side of it.

(that also needs to be connected to your wifi)

Don't appear to have one.

Underneath the inverter

championc

6 wrote: »

Don't appear to have one.

Look on the actual logger thingy itself

[Deleted User]

championc wrote: »

Look on the actual logger thingy itself

On the inverter? Yeah, can see that alright

Deagol

Geeyfds53573 wrote: »

I was quoted something similar put it in hold for now - any link to your tank Deagol? I wouldn’t mind seeing it as I was only offered same copper type.

This is my tank.

slave1

See this is my issue with a new larger tank like that, you have all the pipes well insulated, I'm in a 70's house and I don't have access to all the pipes throughout the walls and floors of the house so they are all uninsulated and I feel with this weak point that the heat retention will be impacted.
Not throwing a grand+ at an extra 80L tank that will not be as efficient in heat retention.

Deagol

slave1 wrote: »

See this is my issue with a new larger tank like that, you have all the pipes well insulated, I'm in a 70's house and I don't have access to all the pipes throughout the walls and floors of the house so they are all uninsulated and I feel with this weak point that the heat retention will be impacted.
Not throwing a grand+ at an extra 80L tank that will not be as efficient in heat retention.

My tank is in the garage, and I have no idea what the insulation is like between the house and the garage. But I loose about 2kw per 24hrs in winter / low temps.

Geeyfds53573

6 wrote: »

On the inverter? Yeah, can see that alright

Did you get it sorted? Is your device the same as graememk’s picture?

Geeyfds53573

Deagol wrote: »

This is my tank.

Thanks Deagol that’s the job. I’ll prob wait until I see what the near future holds with FIT Covid and work...

candysapple

Just wondering what people do with their house insurance after install. Ours will be due for renewal shortly after installation. I assume I just as the full cost (pre-grant) to the rebuild cost of the house.
Do you need to notify the insurer that you've a solar system?

Deagol

candysapple wrote: »

Just wondering what people do with their house insurance after install. Ours will be due for renewal shortly after installation. I assume I just as the full cost (pre-grant) to the rebuild cost of the house.
Do you need to notify the insurer that you've a solar system?

Its not on any question list I've seen doing my house insurance. Can't really see why they'd care provided it's been professionally installed. If you DIY it and your roof gets ripped off in the next storm I'd say they'd be telling you to whistle for any claim though

[Deleted User]

Is there a specific calculation used to calculate BER after a pv installation?

Can't see one online. Thanks

Deagol

6 wrote: »

Don't appear to have one.

Underneath the inverter

Have to point out something: Your AC grid connection is crappily done, the cable gland is not correctly gripping the outer sheath of the cable. If something that simple isn't done right I'd be wondering what other shortcuts the installer took....

[Deleted User]

Deagol wrote: »

Have to point out something: Your AC grid connection is crappily done, the cable gland is not correctly gripping the outer sheath of the cable. If something that simple isn't done right I'd be wondering what other shortcuts the installer took....

Oh really? Ok, cheers. I'll mention it to my installer when he's back to do something for me this week.

KCross

6 wrote: »

Is there a specific calculation used to calculate BER after a pv installation?

Can't see one online. Thanks

It requires reviewing the entire house, not just the Solar. e.g house size, windows, insulation, heating etc. So there isn’t one set calculation.

[Deleted User]

KCross wrote: »

It requires reviewing the entire house, not just the Solar. e.g house size, windows, insulation, heating etc. So there isn’t one set calculation.

Oh, I know that. I had a BER as recently as September. Was just wondering could I have a stab at the figure myself given I know the primary energy use per unit floor area per year (kWh/m2/yr) given at the time.

slave1

6 wrote: »

Oh, I know that. I had a BER as recently as September. Was just wondering could I have a stab at the figure myself given I know the primary energy use per unit floor area per year (kWh/m2/yr) given at the time.

Take your panels rated output, multiply by a factor of 1.47, divide the answer by the square meters of your house.
This will give you the energy reduction used in BER calculations.
Take this off your September figure and you'll see if you improved in the rating table.

[Deleted User]

slave1 wrote: »

Take your panels rated output, multiply by a factor of 1.47, divide the answer by the square meters of your house.
This will give you the energy reduction used in BER calculations.
Take this off your September figure and you'll see if you improved in the rating table.

What's the 1.47 factor?

So, for a 5kW system it's

5000 * 1.47
/
Xm^2

?

Thanks

slave1

6 wrote: »

What's the 1.47 factor?

So, for a 5kW system it's

5000 * 1.47
/
Xm^2

?

Thanks

No idea, just a factor they use in the BER formula, you are correct in that formula as you laid it out e.g. 5,000 x 1.47 / 185m2 = 39.7 energy reduction per m2 if your house is 185m2

[Deleted User]

slave1 wrote: »

No idea, just a factor they use in the BER formula, you are correct in that formula as you laid it out e.g. 5,000 x 1.47 / 185m2 = 39.7 energy reduction per m2 if your house is 185m2

Perfect, thanks. Should jump as much as 3 notches going by the most recent rating.

Deagol

slave1 wrote: »

Take your panels rated output, multiply by a factor of 1.47, divide the answer by the square meters of your house.
This will give you the energy reduction used in BER calculations.
Take this off your September figure and you'll see if you improved in the rating table.

Nice one, I've been trying to figure out if my additional 4kw of panels moved me up a notch and your calculation is saying it does.

4000 x 1.47 / 320= 18.375
132.09(B3)-18.375= 113.715(B2).

I think a heat pump might have to be the next thing...

SD_DRACULA

Well I got my BER done just this week and went from C1 to A2 due to the 7kws of panels alone.

MAULBROOK

SD_DRACULA wrote: »

Well I got my BER done just this week and went from C1 to A2 due to the 7kws of panels alone.

And your house price has just gone up and by more than you paid for the system.
Sound investment, nice one.

Our house was C3 and now B2, I could get an A rating by upgrading the oil boiler but I cant be arsed.

Zzippy

Getting quotes at the moment. Looking at a 6kW system with 4.8kW battery and hot water diverter. We have the option of additional panels for very little extra that would bring it to 6.6 or 6.8kW. I had heard 6 or 6.5kW mentioned as the upper limit for connecting to the grid on single phase, just worried if we get a slightly bigger system will this be a problem? Sorry for the question if this has been answered elsewhere.

graememk

Zzippy wrote: »

Getting quotes at the moment. Looking at a 6kW system with 4.8kW battery and hot water diverter. We have the option of additional panels for very little extra that would bring it to 6.6 or 6.8kW. I had heard 6 or 6.5kW mentioned as the upper limit for connecting to the grid on single phase, just worried if we get a slightly bigger system will this be a problem? Sorry for the question if this has been answered elsewhere.

Its 6kw on the inverter side.

you can oversize the panels eg i have 8kw on a 6kw inverter. You could end up with a curve with a flat top, when the inverter is maxed out but on the less than good days you will be generating more power.

Zzippy

graememk wrote: »

Its 6kw on the inverter side.

you can oversize the panels eg i have 8kw on a 6kw inverter. You could end up with a curve with a flat top, when the inverter is maxed out but on the less than good days you will be generating more power.

OK, so once the inverter is 6k max we're fine? Thanks!

ParkRunner

Hi folks, has anyone had an issue with connection problems between the hub and the eddi. I just have a question mark (?) beside the Hub when I go into linked devices on the Eddi. It’s a myenergi system. I tried changing the channel on the hub and the Eddi but it hasn’t fixed it. The solar PV system still seems to be working fine anyway generating electricity and heating the water but the link to the hub and the myenergi App I can’t fix.

championc

ParkRunner wrote: »

Hi folks, has anyone had an issue with connection problems between the hub and the eddi. I just have a question mark (?) beside the Hub when I go into linked devices on the Eddi. It’s a myenergi system. I tried changing the channel on the hub and the Eddi but it hasn’t fixed it. The solar PV system still seems to be working fine anyway generating electricity and heating the water but the link to the hub and the myenergi App I can’t fix.

How far are they apart ? Remember, these use radio communication and not wifi, so it was implemented with the intention of covering longer distances

ParkRunner

championc wrote: »

How far are they apart ? Remember, these use radio communication and not wifi, so it was implemented with the intention of covering longer distances

They’re about 15 metres apart. Worked fine for the last two months. The app is displaying the same figures morning, noon and night i.e. 4.6kwh generation, which obviously isn’t right.

championc

Something serious wrong there. It should easily work up to 30m and beyond

The current firmware versions are:
hub 3.051 10/01/2021
eddi 3.048 10/11/2020
zappi v1 3.101 27/11/2020
zappi v2 3.119 11/05/2021
app 1.6.6 01/03/2021