Solar panels and battery - any real world reccomendations?

[Ron-ski]

@fullspizz

Given your usage a bigger battery would make more sense, dependant on the system it may be easy to add additional batteries at a later date.

In the winter you probably want to be able to charge on off peak, and then run off that, any solar will be a bonus.

 

[fullspizz]

They have just got back to me with a revised quote for the bird protection, plus a Zappi EV charger and it's £9,995.
I think I may go with this as it's decent to what I was quoted a few months ago. Just got to talk the Long haired general around now

 

[Hawk Tuah]

Pylontech 4.8kwh battery

I expect that's a us5000, Same as I got initially. If I were doing it again, I'd get two us3000Cs.

The 5000 is 4.8kw, which seems a bit of mis-marketing when the 3000 is a 3.6kw.

 

[Hawk Tuah]

With the pylon batteries, it's dead easy to add another. Something you can easily do yourself.

 

[reef]

Yes, I did this with my Fox batteries. Got two (4.9kWh) installed and then installed another three myself (to make 12.25kWh) which was about £1000 cheaper than if I had got the installer to do it.

It's definitely where these modular type batteries shine as you can see how much storage you need and add them as necessary by yourself.

 

[HungryHippos]

With Givenergy I'm not allowed to attach my own battery, has to be done via an official installer.

 

[Freefaller]

I think this speaks volumes! Not bad for April.

 

[Pickers]

Anyone recommend which tariff to use? Octopus flux or agile? I really don't know what to go for as I'm hopefully joining the PV array and battery movement

Array has capacity of 5.6kw, battery is 9.5kw.

 

[Freefaller]

Anyone recommend which tariff to use? Octopus flux or agile? I really don't know what to go for as I'm hopefully joining the PV array and battery movement

Array has capacity of 5.6kw, battery is 9.5kw.

Flux has been a boon for me - it depends on your usage really. I charge my batteries when it's cheap at night (or do a wash/dishwash), during the clear evenings if you're able to export you'll get a good rate, but between 4-7pm I get 36p / kWh so it becomes quite interesting then.

Someone has made a spreadsheet / comparison table for flux vs others can't remember who it was hungryhippos perhaps?

 

[Ron-ski]

Anyone recommend which tariff to use? Octopus flux or agile? I really don't know what to go for as I'm hopefully joining the PV array and battery movement

Array has capacity of 5.6kw, battery is 9.5kw.

Flux is working very well for me, currently for the past four weeks (first day without export) I'm at minus £96 for my electric bill, tomorrow that will likely be just over -£100.

 

[Hawk Tuah]

My electric for Apirl is down to £55. Pretty good going - only going to get better as the sun improves.

 

[Freefaller]

My electric for Apirl is down to £55. Pretty good going - only going to get better as the sun improves.

Nice! April was the first month I earned more than I spent. So I'm hoping it'll be that way until october at least. I'm already in a lot of credit, so hopefully that will let us coast through winter.

 

[Welshman]

Nice! April was the first month I earned more than I spent. So I'm hoping it'll be that way until october at least. I'm already in a lot of credit, so hopefully that will let us coast through winter.

Same here and im up a few quid in may too…..long may it continue

 

[bigmike20vt]

I would have been expecting a negative electric bill from now till end of September !possibly even covering most of my gas as well for most of those months.... however I am getting an EV so now all bets are off . hoping to charge at work so plan to stay with flux for the summer then move to IO come October ... but if work charging is too difficult I will jump sooner

 

[HungryHippos]

Flux has been a boon for me - it depends on your usage really. I charge my batteries when it's cheap at night (or do a wash/dishwash), during the clear evenings if you're able to export you'll get a good rate, but between 4-7pm I get 36p / kWh so it becomes quite interesting then.

Someone has made a spreadsheet / comparison table for flux vs others can't remember who it was hungryhippos perhaps?

It's imperfect but I did make some summary statements about it here in the Flux thread: https://forums.overclockers.co.uk/t...of-octopus-flux.18969205/page-2#post-36272522

I also had some sheet outputs on the previous page of that same thread.

Everyone has different numbers though, those sheets are taking into account worst case scenarios and not being as efficient as you could be.

For me, if I can export 75% of what I import, then my bill should be neutral, anything extra and I wind up with extra income that takes it negative. Poor weather means no export at all, but a good day and it earns a few £. I'll see how my first full month bill looks towards the end of this month.

 

[Ron-ski]

I spotted this little solar array over on Solar DIY Forum, most of it funded by Crypto mining by the sounds of it, puts what we generate to shame.

 

[Welshman]

I spotted this little solar array over on Solar DIY Forum, most of it funded by Crypto mining by the sounds of it, puts what we generate to shame.

Some of the self builds on that forum are amazing

 

[Mercenary Keyboard Warrior]

I spotted this little solar array over on Solar DIY Forum, most of it funded by Crypto mining by the sounds of it, puts what we generate to shame.

Katies american cousin?

 

[Ron-ski]

Katies american cousin?

I did think it may be a relation of hers, very impressive though, nice view as well.

 

[Peteronthesouthcoast]

true, maybe not but a couple of thoughts.........

1) these kind of properties need to be modernised such that they DO have better insulation..... if that means changing the rules about protected properties or government support for low income households so be it.... failing that ultimately some may need to be demolished

2) the phrase don't let perfection be the enemy of the good springs to mind.
let's say we accept 25% of properties are not suitable for ASHPs. that still leaves 75% which are. that is far more than just low hanging fruit.

we have all been spoilt for so long with cheap unlimited energy but now the chickens are coming home to roost. clearly we are not going to go back to the stone age, but I don't think it is too much to ask for minor inconveniences and thinking about the best tools for the Job.in specific situations.
the number 1 aim for all of our properties however should start with insulation. how we heat the properties in the end may differ depending on your home but good insulation really is key for all of them.

Completetly agree about insulation. Our building regs were only tighened up last June. All applications which had paid for their building regs fees proir to last June's date are only having to comply with the old regs which were appallingly lax. I am just finishing a project where we have fitted full fill PIR insulation in all walls. These are interlocking "lego" type panels. They come in thicknesses of 90mm, 115mm and 140mm. All are designed to have a 10 mm gap in the wall and are made by all of the big boys under different brands. A warm roof is much more thermally efficient and I recommend those. Scandinavia is the place to look for the way forward.

Glazing is an interesting one. We live in a south facing house, and prior to fitting panels, we absolutely knew that the sun gave us free heat. Panels work at around 20%. With the sun shining we get about 1kw per square metre of glass. Most of that warms up our house. Building regs take the passive U values and are seen as a minus. When orientated correctly they really help. (U values are a measure of thermal efficiency and building regs just look at how much a window will leak heat).

For nearly 30 years I have tried to get people intersted in making sure that new properties have south facing windows and that orientation is included in EPC's as this reflects the real world.

Improving U values in older properties is very expensive as the only sensible option is to to insulate the outside of the building which often conflicts with the roof