Solar is doing well today

[mistericeman]

Over in North Lincolnshire collecting some motorhome bits ...

Decided to make a weekend of it so stopping on a small site that has hot and cold running rescue animals ...

Emus were bloody noisy at idiot o'clock this morning ...

BUT solar is doing well considering it's not blazing sun and low in the sky ...

BUT batteries back up to 100% from 85 by 9am this morning .

 

[Scotia]

No bad room for improvement.

 

[maingate]

The problem with Solar in the Winter is that the Solar rays have to penetrate much more of the Earths atmosphere before they reach the panels. The Earth is actually closer to the Sun in Winter but the Earth axis is tilted away from the Sun in the Northern Hemisphere. There are rare Winter days, usually windless, when the air is clearer than normal. I have had 4 amps from a tilted (top quality) 90 watt panel at 10.30 am on a February morning under these conditions.

 

[Scotia]

The problem with Solar in the Winter is that the Solar rays have to penetrate much more of the Earths atmosphere before they reach the panels. The Earth is actually closer to the Sun in Winter but the Earth axis is tilted away from the Sun in the Northern Hemisphere. There are rare Winter days, usually windless, when the air is clearer than normal. I have had 4 amps from a tilted (top quality) 90 watt panel at 10.30 am on a February morning under these conditions.

I never looked at it in that way.

 

[mistericeman]

Some strange neighbours here ....and the chickens are bloody huge

 

[Scotia]

Some strange neighbours here ....and the chickens are bloody huge

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They or should I say Naaayy would take some BBQ'ing

 

[Boris7]

Yep good solar day, ran the house for £0 and charged the car for £0 which was good as I was busy in the workshop and again £0 wind up tomorrow so the turbine will kick in. Reckon I’ll get my investment back about August 2026

 

[Mick H]

View attachment 140542

Yep good solar day, ran the house for £0 and charged the car for £0 which was good as I was busy in the workshop and again £0 wind up tomorrow so the turbine will kick in. Reckon I’ll get my investment back about August 2026

Out of interest, how long have you had your domestic system installed? It took approximately 12 years, to recoup the investment on out 3.5 KW system, as near as I can estimate.
This was roughly in line with my own calculations, which was much longer than the installation companies estimate. Still, it will be financially beneficial, If I live long enough.

 

[Boris7]

6 years, but I have 46.53 kw of solar and 30kwh of battery and run 2 EVs (that’s the biggest difference) I also have a wind turbine and the investment was £16.4k total, but that was because I did 95% of the work myself and a very well insulated house.

 

[myvanwy]

We also have a 3.5kw system Mick. Repaid in 7 years although the installer estimated 12 years. We did qualify for max FIT though. Did 11 kw yesterday.

 

[Tonybvi]

A bit like the post above. We have 3.5kw of solar which (before we invested in storage batteries quite recently) repaid in just under 6 years (installer calculated 12 years) but we do have a very good FIT. Although we have oil heating everything else in the house is electric. We have 2 x Powerwall storage batteries and 2 x EV. With all this our electricity provider has just reduced our electricity direct debit to £5 / month (admittedly I was a reasonable amount in credit as £5 /month doesn’t really cover the dreadful standing charge!). I get paid a lot more than this in FIT so feeling relatively smug. The added benefit is protection from power outages of which we have already had 3 this year and we’re still in February!

 

[Bigshug]

Some strange neighbours here ....and the chickens are bloody huge

That would be quite a drumstick!!

 

[Boris7]

Power outages are just a bonus, we live on top of a hill overlooking the village. In January our neighbour knocked the door only then did I see there were no lights anywhere except our house

 

[trevskoda]

Power outages are just a bonus, we live on top of a hill overlooking the village. In January our neighbour knocked the door only then did I see there were no lights anywhere except our house

Happened here years back, i had a inverter linked to tv and small table lamp, folk in the street were knocking my door with a bewildered look on there faces as the street was in total darkness.
Thinking of fitting a splitter switch and feed socket in house, i could then power up from the camper if stuck.

 

[Mick H]

In my calculations of our 3500 Kw system, I only use the FIT payments, that's probably why it took 12 yrs, to repay the investment, because, in the real world, the free solar electricity generation, was available completely free, without spending a penny.
i.e. There are solar companies, out there, who will install systems for free. In these cases, they receive the FIT payments, and the householder has the electricity
that is generated. Several houses, in my local area took advantage of these schemes, but , IF I had included the free electricity, in my calculations, I would have been fooling myself. Only the FIT payments are relevant !
I researched doing the installation, myself, but, the stumbling block was obtaining the necessary accreditation, to claim FIT payments. It wasn't really possible.
I did, however, go up onto the roof, to take down a disused chimney, to allow an extra solar panel to be fitted.
I am quite happy with our solar system , because it generates between £600 - £700, in FIT payments, per year, so, now that it's payed off the original investment, it's money in our pockets, for the next 8 yrs, completely tax free, and the taxpayer subsidises this.
The only downsides are problems with pigeons, and regular cleaning, of the panels.
Obviously, when the motorhome is parked at home ( most of the time ), the batteries receive a free charge, from out domestic system.

P.S. When making my calculations, I also included what I might reasonably have expected, in interest, If I had made a financial investment, with the money, instead of buying solar panels. This too, is the reality, living in the real world.

 

[Tonybvi]

Power outages are just a bonus, we live on top of a hill overlooking the village. In January our neighbour knocked the door only then did I see there were no lights anywhere except our house

Same with us last Friday. Never knew until the neighbour came round to see why we had power (our lights were on). Childish I know but it gives me a feeling of smugness!!

 

[Tonybvi]

The other bonus for us is we have no mobile signal from any provider at home, so rely on wifi calling. No power for us means no wifi means no communication unless we drive a mile or so to get a phone signal. Only a small thing for us but having internet and communication during outages is greatly appreciated.

 

[colinm]

The other bonus for us is we have no mobile signal from any provider at home, so rely on wifi calling. No power for us means no wifi means no communication unless we drive a mile or so to get a phone signal. Only a small thing for us but having internet and communication during outages is greatly appreciated.

With the telephone system changing having a back up power supply for the router and ONT is required during power cuts, but as we found out a while ago that's only part of the problem, the back up power for FTTP equipment in the exchange went down, we got our power back but the exchange took another hour or so to come back online. I'm told it's unlikely to happen again, we'll see.

 

[trevskoda]

I recon a 1500 output inverter will keep a fridge c heating and a light or two burning plus maybe tv or pc, a gas stove or one in the camper will do.
This could be all powered from a van or 2/3 big lith batteries at home, most power outages last a few hrs at most, worst case move into the van to its all sorted.

 

[colinm]

I recon a 1500 output inverter will keep a fridge c heating and a light or two burning plus maybe tv or pc, a gas stove or one in the camper will do.
This could be all powered from a van or 2/3 big lith batteries at home, most power outages last a few hrs at most, worst case move into the van to its all sorted.

Many years ago we had a dodgy power supply in the village, power cuts of couple of hours every month or so, with the van on the drive we often cooked meals in it, even now if we get back home late at night after a spell away we sometimes sleep in the van rather than a cold house.
Things are a changing, many EV's are able to output 3kw, bi-directional chargers are on trial in the UK.