controller plans? We have a nest to use ni opentherm mode - or you can get a weather compenstation sensor that goes outside. Both let it run more gently
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Solar Panels UK - is it worth it?
- Thread starter jdwuk
- Start date
controller plans? We have a nest to use ni opentherm mode - or you can get a weather compenstation sensor that goes outside. Both let it run more gently
Weather compensator. Means I can still use the Hive room thermostats we have, Hive not being compatible with Opentherm so won’t interfere with the compensator.
My nest acts as master on/off (with opentherm). I‘ve still kept my tado TRVs which act solely as restrictors per room (obviously they can’t call for heat as there is no master controller anymore)
WannabeOwner
Well-Known Member
I had some of those and I found them tedious to use / log the data, and I now use "Smart Plugs" (the slightly more expensive ones that also have kWh usage recording). Much easier to see both "how much", but also "when", e.g. from phone APP.
And then once the monitoring is done they can be set up to do duty for power isolation - e.g. the nest of wires behind TV / Audio system turned off as part of a "Good night" schedule.
And if you have, for example, a Tropical Fish Tank you could set an alarm if the kWh falls below! some threshold, 'coz the heater is bust and they are about to die
I also take the view that anything with soft-switches, and thus vampire drain, is a fire risk. We have isolator switch in Utility room (with a neon light so we spot its on when walking through) that kills power to all white goods.
Those type of devices don't normally use much. If they are relatively old then worth checking that the grill on the vent to the condenser isn't covered in fluff - otherwise it won't get enough air flow to cool the motor, and that would make it run for longer periods
Saving per cycle can be significant with more modern kit - and you might get £20-quid for the old one on eBay etc. When buying that sort of stuff now I look at lifetime cost, including energy usage etc., rather than sticker price.
Chimpy McChimp
Member
It's a Samsung. Will need to check model
One of my favourite features is it sends a notification to my phone when it's done so you can get stuff out as soon as it's done. That and no need to empty tank etc as it's plumbed into the waste on the sink.
Simple things eh?
WannabeOwner
Well-Known Member
Mine, old school, plays a tune !! Seems to work for us.
"Your clothes are now dry but, unfortunately, due to ransomware attack you will have to pay XXX Bitcoins to get them back again"
Well it's now been a full year since I did my DIY solar, invertor and battery project (16 x 240w panels ground mounted and 8kw of Pylontech batteries attached to a Solis Hybrid invertor) and here's some stats:
Total Imported: 10504 kWh (at off-peak rate)
Total Exported: 786 kWh (at a rate of 4.5p per kW)
Total Generated: 4557 kWh (from solar)
I'm pretty happy with the install and overall it cost £4500 to complete. What I'm happy with is how little I've exported as I have no interest in that - My target would be 0 exported and I do try and feed any generation into the car and/or batteries.
Total Imported: 10504 kWh (at off-peak rate)
Total Exported: 786 kWh (at a rate of 4.5p per kW)
Total Generated: 4557 kWh (from solar)
I'm pretty happy with the install and overall it cost £4500 to complete. What I'm happy with is how little I've exported as I have no interest in that - My target would be 0 exported and I do try and feed any generation into the car and/or batteries.
Chimpy McChimp
Member
Our plays a tune too. Feels like it goes on forever..... apparently you can change it but I have no idea how.Mine, old school, plays a tune !! Seems to work for us.
"Your clothes are now dry but, unfortunately, due to ransomware attack you will have to pay XXX Bitcoins to get them back again"
Drew57
Active ember
I'm not sure how much of the UK was affected by the recent dumping of Sahara sand but here in Chester we awoke one morning this week to find both cars absolutely covered in the stuff & even rinsing with a hose hardly made an impression on this.
Since then our PV generation has been noticeably reduced, especially considering the levels of sun we are having and today was the first occasion for me to thoroughly clean the panels*. What a transformation that made - until that point 7kWh of panels had been generating a maximum of 4.7kWh and when dry a few minutes later this became upward of 5.9kWh, maxing out at 6.3kWh in the afternoon.
I strongly recommend to anyone owning a PV system that you invest in a similar means of cleaning the panels. Up until the point of cleaning, the whole array had a dull beige mottled appearance but now it is completely clean again,
(*I previously mentioned on the forum that at the same time as the main PV system was installed, I purchased an eight segment extendable fibreglass brush as used by window cleaners. This extends right to the apex of the house and includes small water jets within the brushes. I always clean in March, June, September and December)
Since then our PV generation has been noticeably reduced, especially considering the levels of sun we are having and today was the first occasion for me to thoroughly clean the panels*. What a transformation that made - until that point 7kWh of panels had been generating a maximum of 4.7kWh and when dry a few minutes later this became upward of 5.9kWh, maxing out at 6.3kWh in the afternoon.
I strongly recommend to anyone owning a PV system that you invest in a similar means of cleaning the panels. Up until the point of cleaning, the whole array had a dull beige mottled appearance but now it is completely clean again,
(*I previously mentioned on the forum that at the same time as the main PV system was installed, I purchased an eight segment extendable fibreglass brush as used by window cleaners. This extends right to the apex of the house and includes small water jets within the brushes. I always clean in March, June, September and December)
Chimpy McChimp
Member
Do you have a link for the one you got? Seeing a broad range of prices. Mine up up on roof of two story house so needs to be pretty long.
A very good point - I clean my ground mounted panels occasionally as they get dirty pretty quicker. I would lose to know what you purchased and where so I can do similar to my roof panels?
Another interesting thing I've noticed, I generate slightly more power when it's cooler - Panels lose efficiently when they are hot (which isn't often in Scotland to be fair!).
Drew57
Active ember
See my earlier post in this thread here (since then I have added more panels on the garage and also a movable panel on the shed roof. These are all 425kWh and much greater efficiency than the original 20 panels shown)
Streamline Ecoline Telescopic Pole 33' reach, purchased in 2016 at a price of £229.00 (inclusive of VAT). In those days it was Red and included the brush, pipes, connector etc.
It reaches to the apex of our two storey house but becomes too heavy to lift up at full height. The trick is to only extend the two thinnest end segments to the gutter and then it's easy to just extend/slide the remaining segments up on the panels until at the top. I clean the top row at full height, moving from Left to Right, then slide a couple of segments closed and work back the other way on the lower row.
Ecoline™ Glass Fibre Telescopic Pole 5-Section, 9.4mtr, 33ft Reach (Brush Not Included)
You'd also get some damping effect caused by the heat. Did the restoration last a second day? Just wondering if part of the effect is the water having cooled the panels?
Aside from the dust - how much have you restored vs pre-dust? (IE how much is mottling a problem?) and how old are the panels
Just working out how often it needs to be done
