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Strange thing about my eco7 SMET2 meter is you can still hear it click at 00.30 and again at 7.30 like there is a physical switch being switched on/off
Solar panels and battery - any real world reccomendations?
- Thread starter GinG
- Start date
Soldato
Do you mean at your meter, or the display? What model / make is your meter?
I'm pretty sure there's nothing to physically to make a click. Unless there's something like a feedback beep to let you know the tariff is changing. On mine, the tariff just switches between two rates dependant on the time of day. Nothing physically happens.
I'm pretty sure there's nothing to physically to make a click. Unless there's something like a feedback beep to let you know the tariff is changing. On mine, the tariff just switches between two rates dependant on the time of day. Nothing physically happens.
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Soldato
Go is classified as an Eco7 tariff by Octopus.
I think basically the term has been adopted to mean time of use tariff mainly.
Which is precisely how the very old eco 7 meters worked. They physically switched a circuit at the supply, via a relay in effect. More modern eco 7 were a little different in some cases.
As such I suspect they have the same functionality still, to physically enable a circuit for storage heaters or similar.
Do you have storage heaters?
Modern smart meters are time of use enabled in that they can send readings frequently enough to enable 30 minute readings for SMETs 1 and 1 minute readings for SMETs 2 (although not sure if its a hard rule in regards SMETs2 or if that is meter supplier dependent)
The old Eco 7 meters physically had two dials and the switch was that one would stop and the other start. Plus for most the storage heaters would be enabled on the cheap rate via physical wiring.
Its had a few different implementations over time.
Thats good, I got through until mid October before taking anything from the grid. Although with the wifes car that will change somewhat now. Like you say it's all about balancing it and working out if you can charge cheap overnight when you need to, will the extra you get for import offset those losses. I'd be happy for April to September being 90% off grid (could easily be 100 without the car) Just about seeing what is available in a few months time as it's always changing.Using September as my sample month from last year, as it's likely less than say June or July would be, but is a good indicator of how life without Octopus Go might be.
Consumption for the month just over 500 kWh
Solar generation 375 kWh (75%):
162 kWh from the grid, though a lot is off-peak:
Exported 31 kWh:
According to my Octopus bill (data from website only goes back 4 months) I used:
123 kWh off-peak
15.4 kWh on-peak
For 01/09 - 26/09.
Based on all of this, I would say that in September, I'd still be taking some units from the grid, at least the delta between generation and usage. It would be 125 kWh here. A decent tariff like Agile with opportunity for low rates at times would allow me to force charge during the cheapest times of day, and a good export price means I could potentially not worry about over-filling if the import rates are good enough.
I don't expect to really be making anything from export though in September.
I guess in the prior 3-4 months I'd likely be exporting more, and using very little from the grid.
I'd want to switch back to a cheaper ToU tariff like Go by sometime in October probably (300 kWh last October generation) or the delta will slip too far the other way.
Soldato
If anything for September, no it doesn't look like it would have worked well for me that month.
I exported very little (375 generated with 26 exported, 93% used 7% exported) but this would have been even less exported if I had not charged the batteries up via Go at various points. If I was on a normal tariff I would probably have used a little less by virtue of using more of the generation I had, but I reckon I'd have been drawing 100 kWh from the grid at whatever the prevailing rate was for the tariff.
As you say it's balancing that vs what I can get paid for excess I won't use. Possible in the best months I'd generate say 600 kWh, at that point I'd be over-filling the battery and exporting more, but it would be at most 100-150 kWh maybe at that level. 150 * £0.15 = £22.50 vs £6.15 on rubbish today SEG rate of £0.041.
Soldato
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Hello,
We're in the process of obtaining quotes, and was wonder if those more in the know would be able to cast their eye over this:
It's the first quote we've had, so would be good to use it as a baseline if it's a reasonable figure. They've recommended Optimisers at £40/panel on top of that figure also.
Thanks in advance.
We're in the process of obtaining quotes, and was wonder if those more in the know would be able to cast their eye over this:
It's the first quote we've had, so would be good to use it as a baseline if it's a reasonable figure. They've recommended Optimisers at £40/panel on top of that figure also.
Thanks in advance.
Looks like a good quote tbh.
Soldato
Quote looks decent compared to a lot I've seen lately.
I paid £8.5K for 13 * 370W panels, GE Hybrid and 8.2kWh battery about half a year ago but prices have moved on since then.
Base costs seem up for all quotes, alongside your system having more panels and a bigger/newer battery and probably inverter (check it's Gen 2).
What is your usage like in reality per day?
I paid £8.5K for 13 * 370W panels, GE Hybrid and 8.2kWh battery about half a year ago but prices have moved on since then.
Base costs seem up for all quotes, alongside your system having more panels and a bigger/newer battery and probably inverter (check it's Gen 2).
What is your usage like in reality per day?
Soldato
This was my old one. I reckon original from 70 years go when the house was built. The clock on the left would switch between the two rates in the meter - made a bit of a click as it happened.
Now it's a Kaifa MA120B - soooo much tidier and easier.
Now it's a Kaifa MA120B - soooo much tidier and easier.
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Soldato
Hello,
We're in the process of obtaining quotes, and was wonder if those more in the know would be able to cast their eye over this:
It's the first quote we've had, so would be good to use it as a baseline if it's a reasonable figure. They've recommended Optimisers at £40/panel on top of that figure also.
Thanks in advance.
Would agree its a very good quote compared to just about everything from the last 3 months
Only two questiona I would have is, do you have a hot water tank or a combi boiler. If tank I would request a solar diverter quote as well as you could be generating a lot of excess energy at times with 7kWp
Secondly bird netting, consider it, again worth asking for a cost
Soldato
For the optimisers depends if needed or not as well.
It's one more thing that can go wrong, but you'd likely need some if there is a constant source of shading on your panels.
I get shading in Nov - Feb later in the afternoon as the sun gets too low in the sky early on, but I think the impact averaged through the year is low.
It's one more thing that can go wrong, but you'd likely need some if there is a constant source of shading on your panels.
I get shading in Nov - Feb later in the afternoon as the sun gets too low in the sky early on, but I think the impact averaged through the year is low.
Soldato
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Good to know, the guys came recommended and are local too which is a bonus.
According to EDF we consumed 2477Kw/h between 27/7/22 - 9/1/23. So say 5 1/2 months for argument's sake, 167 days = 14.8Kw/h day?
Soldato
Sounds like a decent sized system then, probably over-produce a bit in Summer but panels are cheap, and more panels is always good, gives you more options. Winter will also generate a bit more which is when you need it most.
See if you can check the specifics about the optimiser requirements and what the difference might be with or without them, and as per MKW post bird protection is worth adding as well.
See if you can check the specifics about the optimiser requirements and what the difference might be with or without them, and as per MKW post bird protection is worth adding as well.
If thats really your usage, with that battery if you have it programmable to top up from the grid, get on the cheapest E7 tariff you can find (I think its UW atm?) top up over the night and use it to fill in the blanks in the day when the sun isnt shining enough and youre going to be having a very cheap bill.
Soldato
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Noted, will do. I've just mailed them about that and the solar diverter too. That's definitely something I'd want to take advantage of. Thanks!
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My old one was like yours, old clock timer, New one is the same as yours, and only that, but it still clicks at the old eco7 times, it was changes when I was with SP on eco7.
Still clicks now when I'm with Octopus on Go faster. (click comes from the smart meter)
Edit to add.
Meter is Aclara SMG 1416-B
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Soldato
Oh and what MKW said about the hot water diverter if you have a tank. I don't, on a combi, but it's another avenue for the electric prior to exporting for pittance.
Soldato
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Good call, I shall look into that as well. The prospect of getting shot of EDF is also very appealing.
Soldato
I'd recommend Octopus as a good supplier, can switch to them whenever don't need to wait for Solar to be installed.
They have various options including Agile, Tracker, and Go based time of use tariffs.
Soldato
I'm gonna have to be out in the garage at 7:30 tomorrow morning to find out. 