Random Renewables Thread

graememk · 21-04-2023 02:16PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120503547#Comment_120503547

In March I'm still waiting on my feb-match bill

Currently sitting on 200 credit

bullit_dodger · 21-04-2023 02:31PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120503772#Comment_120503772

Looks like I got the €200 there recently (albeit it will be May before I actually get my next bill) but looks like the money was applied as I was in about €150 in credit previously.

I'll take it, but it hardly seems fair that I'll not (likely) have an electricity bill in 12 months as now we're in "off-grid mode" for the summer, esp with others out there struggling. Still, it is what it is - it's not as if the solar panels were free that I put in.

the_amazing_raisin · 21-04-2023 03:36PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120502838#Comment_120502838

It's not so much that they made a profit, I'm fine with that. It's that they made a profit due to reduced renewables generation and high gas prices

Eirgrid is responsible for managing the energy market and 2022 represented a market failure IMO. While it's nice that they're returning the money to the taxpayer, it still feels like fossil fuel consumption is being rewarded in this case

unkel · 21-04-2023 03:40PM

@bullit_dodger - "it's not as if the solar panels were free that I put in."

Indeed. Paid with your hard earned money (after you paid your taxes) that you got from your job that you worked and studied hard for to get.

the_amazing_raisin · 21-04-2023 05:31PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120503834#Comment_120503834

Got my first bill today since installing solar panels, €70 down from around €570 last billing cycle 👍

Was a bit confused when I noticed it had the €200 credit on it. So would have been €270 which was closer to what I expected. FIT and PSO refund was included as well so happy days

Usage is down by 50% day units and 18% night units on same time last year, so definitely having a good effect 😁

Annoyingly, the bill is actually up on last year despite all that because of price increases 😫

Battery installation is next week, so should be even better next billing cycle

Jonathan · 21-04-2023 06:13PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120504508#Comment_120504508

What battery did you end up going for?

the_amazing_raisin · 21-04-2023 06:19PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120504660#Comment_120504660

Getting 2 CFE 5kWh batteries

https://www.failtesolar.com/cfe/5-1kwh-lithium-battery

Price is €3,700 ex VAT

Would have preferred the DIY route but the missus vetoed it. Said something about not wanting to live with a fire hazard 🙄

22-04-2023 01:03PM

What's the best app for a Sunsynk inverter. Basically a Solis Cloud equivalent for Sunsynk. Thanks

unkel · 22-04-2023 05:59PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120507310#Comment_120507310

Sunsynk has it's own app

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.elinter.app.sunsynk&hl=en_IE&gl=US&pli=1

graememk · 23-04-2023 04:58PM

Poking at my monitoring, I have an oversized array with 4.2kwp on each string, NE/SW with a low slope. (walkable) 6kw inverter

These are all DC Power readings from the inverter

The SW peaked at 3.8kw this afternoon. NE at 2.3kw, Inverter was close to its AC limit at 5.85kw.

Earlier in the day, Both strings equalised (clipping at the inverter level)

Point is, For those on EW strings, The solis can go to at least 3.8kw on a string, But My limit is the output of the inverter as its not a hybrid, Which is 6Kw

jkforde · 26-04-2023 07:06PM

just wondering what level of protection do panels have against impact... my young fella just fired a tennis ball up on to the panels using one of those sling yokes!... do ye think it'd do any harm? he'll be in dog house if I see a noticeable drop in production!

the_amazing_raisin · 26-04-2023 07:24PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120524526#Comment_120524526

Think I saw somewhere they're rated to something like 4,500 Pa of pressure, which is equivalent to a hurricane

I know that doesn't exactly translate to impact strength, but it's basically a big pane of glass. Unless your son is hitting the ball hard enough to break a window I think you're safe

jkforde · 26-04-2023 07:29PM

cheers, i can see the impact spot on the glass but it's not cracked, just concerned the cells underneath have been damaged, probably not but regardless, the aforementioned sling yoke will quietly disappear! 😂

the_amazing_raisin · 26-04-2023 07:36PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120524612#Comment_120524612

Is it one of the yolks that dog walkers use for playing fetch? They can deliver quite a bit of speed, wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of one 😳

I'd say you'll be grand, tennis balls have a bit of flex in them so hopefully that absorbed the impact

Good thing it wasn't a sliotar, you'd probably have a hole in the panel 🫣

jkforde · 26-04-2023 07:46PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120524649#Comment_120524649

bloody hell, yeah, thank bejesus we're not a GAA family so not a sliotar or hurl in sight!

the_amazing_raisin · 26-04-2023 08:25PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120524704#Comment_120524704

You've just got me thinking, I wonder has anyone living near a golf club gotten a ball through a panel 🤔

DC999 · 26-04-2023 09:44PM

Marketing material for our ones show them driving a van onto them and parking on it. I reckon it's able for those sort of rare impacts you got

graememk · 26-04-2023 11:32PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120524933#Comment_120524933

The local golf club has put a load on their machinery shed, but thats well out of bounds!

idc · 27-04-2023 05:38PM

Really hate when I see some company actively installing 8 or more panels when house owner could of probably gone somewhere less expensive! 😉

bullit_dodger · 27-04-2023 07:13PM

LOL - joke never gets old.

the_amazing_raisin · 29-04-2023 04:50PM

My streak of driving purely off sunshine ended yesterday, house battery was using all the available solar so didn't get any excess to divert to the car.

Needed to do a long drive today so I charged for 3 hours off the night rate

Reckon it was nearly 6 weeks since I last charged from the grid, I might start tracking it properly to see how many free kilometres I'm getting

slave1 · 29-04-2023 05:56PM

The Zappi will tell you how much was off grid, it’s not on the App but available on the display of the unit, in a setting

the_amazing_raisin · 29-04-2023 06:18PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120536321#Comment_120536321

Thanks, just found it a short while ago in the charge log

For the month of April I put 118kWh in from solar and 17kWh from the grid. I've been averaging 19kWh/100km so that's over 600km of driving on sunshine

redmagic68 · 29-04-2023 08:18PM

Anyone know of someone in the north east that services mhrv units specifically a Ubbink unit?

Looking to get it checked out and the heat exchanger cleaned.

The company that installed the unit no longer do any domestic work.

slave1 · 29-04-2023 09:58PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120536396#Comment_120536396

There’s around 8.5% losses between what leaves the Zappi and reaches the Tesla battery

unkel · 30-04-2023 11:42PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120536064#Comment_120536064

That's amazing dude. For all the might of my setup, I haven't been close to that. In my defense, big household with 5 teens / adults and enormous amounts of hot water use and ridiculous levels of washing and drying clothes. On top of heating the house with electricity as much as I reasonably can.

graememk · 01-05-2023 12:24AM

Doing my stats, I have imported 28 (€2.24) night and 7 (€1.89) day units in April. The Day looking at the graphs seem to happen in the sun/cloud/sun/cloud days as my diverts sometimes need a few seconds to stop.

Night Is mostly running the car charger too hard/too long and completely draining the battery. Bit of micro management there though, need 20% charge for the daily commute, but if start at a high SOC at the weekend I can ride out a few days putting only say 10% in.