Solar PV (3 Viewers)

[rettucs]

Surely you could use the solar directly during the day, battery in the evening and top up the battery with cheap night-rate electricity.
That's our plan anyway

I don't think we get to decide that. Like, I see sometimes we're producing enough to cover what we're using, but it routes it into the batter and we're still importing. I also see that sometimes we're exporting but also that it's drawing from the battery. There is some kind of weird algorithm that decides on what gets used and when, and its not always very intuitive.

 

[ernesto]

I don't think we get to decide that. Like, I see sometimes we're producing enough to cover what we're using, but it routes it into the batter and we're still importing. I also see that sometimes we're exporting but also that it's drawing from the battery. There is some kind of weird algorithm that decides on what gets used and when, and its not always very intuitive.

Strange you don’t have control over that.
Thought it was pretty standard at this stage that you can just set up some timers / bit of trial and error etc. maybe if you turned off exporting if that were an option

 

[the_jen]

Originally I thought it would be good in the case where there's a power cut, but as we all know, if the power goes out, thats that.

And just in case we don't all know: what? why? If the battery is full up of power why would the system need any eternal anything to work? This is ruining my dreams of having a disco party while the neighbours sit in the dark.

 

[rettucs]

And just in case we don't all know: what? why? If the battery is full up of power why would the system need any eternal anything to work? This is ruining my dreams of having a disco party while the neighbours sit in the dark.

it shouldn't, but it does. No idea what. Thats what the electrician who installed my system told me

 

[pete]

I thought you could get an isolation switch installed for that very purpose, so you don’t accidentally electrocute any ESB Networks persons working to fix the outage.

 

[magicbastarder]

it shouldn't, but it does. No idea what. Thats what the electrician who installed my system told me

certainly used to be the case before batteries; meant you weren't trying to feed into a dead grid (or your own house) without adequate power to do so, and causing brown-outs.

 

[ernesto]

I thought you could get an isolation switch installed for that very purpose, so you don’t accidentally electrocute any ESB Networks persons working to fix the outage.

They're supposed to be able to install dual fail-safe contactors that go open if there is no grid mains AC coming in and make sure your system stays disconnected until their supply comes back and closes the circuit again.
Thus allowing you to completely rely on your own back up power during a black out and be safe knowing that no one os getting fried from your back up power

 

[rettucs]

I thought you could get an isolation switch installed for that very purpose, so you don’t accidentally electrocute any ESB Networks persons working to fix the outage.

yes, this is why my installation was delayed. They call it a 'fireman switch' and couldn't source one for ages for me.

but the information I was given was that, when the mains goes, thats it. Nothing from solar, nothing from anywhere.

 

[ann post]

I just spent two days deep cleaning the bathroom. It looks more or less the same.

Meanwhile I'm thinking i need to make a spreadsheet that blends the cost of solar / batteries / new heating system / electric car over maybe ten years and figure out should i do one massive jump or several small hops.

Next exciting installment is to paint a room.

 

[JohnnyRaz]

Anyone looking for a good electrician?

Spanish firm wrong to fire electrician for drinking alcohol during working day, court rules

High court found electrical company had not proved man was drunk after he was seen drinking beer, wine and brandy at lunch

www.theguardian.com

 

[pete]

Yes, we didn't think we'd produce much excess because we could get so few panels on our small roof. I'll be looking for a battery this week.

how did that go? i've been quoted €4000 for a 5KW battery

meanwhile:

https://www.europe.opsolarbattery.com/product-page/wall-mounted-5kwh-home-battery

 

[ernesto]

how did that go? i've been quoted €4000 for a 5KW battery

meanwhile:

https://www.europe.opsolarbattery.com/product-page/wall-mounted-5kwh-home-battery

That’s about the same as the battery were getting. Damn they’ve come down since

 

[pete]

That’s about the same as the battery were getting

Which one?

 

[ernesto]

Which one?

5kwh for ~€4K

Just mean the spec

 

[pete]

I can’t decide on whether we should just get the €4K battery as part of the install, or hold off and buy one of those from Germany & get a man in to install it. I suppose you could do both? Install 5kw now and add another 5kw in future. I’d be looking to charge it up overnight at the cheapo 2am-4am rates.

I’ve also seen 10Kw batteries from China for €2,500 but I don’t know what the import charges would be on that, also it’s 100kg.

 

[the_jen]

how did that go? i've been quoted €4000 for a 5KW battery

Got a phone callback and a quote of ™3,600 for 5.3kWh which could be installed within the next month. I asked for an email with the battery specs (and followed up since) and nothing... This is over a month ago. Also tried contacting the electrician that did our job directly, no reply.

You'd think getting it in as part of the install would be a bit cheaper. My ™3,600 (I googled how to do a euro sign on this keyboard and all the results swore this was the right way but all I'm getting is ™) is for a standalone job.

 

[pete]

Got a phone callback and a quote of ™3,600 for 5.3kWh which could be installed within the next month. I asked for an email with the battery specs (and followed up since) and nothing... This is over a month ago. Also tried contacting the electrician that did our job directly, no reply.

You'd think getting it in as part of the install would be a bit cheaper. My ™3,600 (I googled how to do a euro sign on this keyboard and all the results swore this was the right way but all I'm getting is ™) is for a standalone job.

see now, that's also a factor in my decision - in theory it would be cheaper to just order one online from somewhere in the EU, try my best to ignore the €400 delivery charge, then get a man in to install & configure it... but what if a man can not be got? I believe they're easy enough to physically wire up DIY style, but it still seems a bit risky to me.

edit: when i say DIY i don't mean this level of craziness, I'm talking just wiring up an actual off the shelf solar battery.

seeing people saying a thing like this can be imported to ireland for €3,200 delivered just adds to my confusion

PKNERGY Powerwall 51.2V 300Ah 15Kwh LiFePO4 Battery with Roller for Home Energy Storage

51.2v 300Ah 15Kwh Wall-Mount LiFePO4 Battery with Roller is pack designed as an Energy storage system ess battery module. It can be used in series or in parallel. It is compatible with all industry-leading standard solar charge controllers, inverters. Superior chemical and thermal stability, Li...

www.pknergy.com

or this for €1,575 delivered from the Netherlands:

PYLONTECH US5000 48V 4.8kWh Home Battery - Pylontech - Home battery - ESS | NKON

.

eu.nkon.nl

 

[the_jen]

see now, that's also a factor in my decision - in theory it would be cheaper to just order one online from somewhere in the EU, try my best to ignore the €400 delivery charge, then get a man in to install & configure it... but what if a man can not be got? I believe they're easy enough to physically wire up DIY style, but it still seems a bit risky to me.

Yes, the impression I got when I was looking at things before (if I'm remembering correctly) was they seem to literally plug in, not even playing with wires but little clips, but you need an electrician's reg number to purchase them?

(and also I'm not the sort to clip in a battery without a grown-up present, no matter how simple)

 

[ann post]

for years i used to google the € sign and copy and paste it into texts.

 

[ernesto]

see now, that's also a factor in my decision - in theory it would be cheaper to just order one online from somewhere in the EU, try my best to ignore the €400 delivery charge, then get a man in to install & configure it... but what if a man can not be got? I believe they're easy enough to physically wire up DIY style, but it still seems a bit risky to me.

edit: when i say DIY i don't mean this level of craziness, I'm talking just wiring up an actual off the shelf solar battery.

seeing people saying a thing like this can be imported to ireland for €3,200 delivered just adds to my confusion

PKNERGY Powerwall 51.2V 300Ah 15Kwh LiFePO4 Battery with Roller for Home Energy Storage

51.2v 300Ah 15Kwh Wall-Mount LiFePO4 Battery with Roller is pack designed as an Energy storage system ess battery module. It can be used in series or in parallel. It is compatible with all industry-leading standard solar charge controllers, inverters. Superior chemical and thermal stability, Li...

www.pknergy.com

Yeah I’m not fucking around with High Voltage cabling until I see it done first in front of me