Microgen, running all the time.

I've had a look at

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and found no answer to the question of if it can be set to run all the time, generating electricity, even when central heating is not needed.

Obviously it'd need a heatsink, so it doesn't fry, but what is the efficiency of the stirling engine/generator thingy? Not for 24*7, just for when I'm using lots of electricity.

Reply to
Ian Stirling
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Can you quantify 'lots'? The spec says it will only produce 1.1Kw

Reply to
anyone

Reply to
Ian Stirling

That is lots. As by definition you have a gas central heating/water system, the only time you are likely to exceed 1kW is when running laundry appliances. Provided you have low energy lighting, you are only likely to be drawing a few hundred watts for the majority of the time.

Christian.

Reply to
Christian McArdle

On Tue, 2 Mar 2004 15:11:46 -0000, in uk.d-i-y "anyone" strung together this:

From my reading of this products specs I thought it poured the electric into the grid, not into just your internal electrics. The website looks a bit poor actually, I'm not sure I'd buy the product even it was a fantastic best ever invention thing after that! ..

SJW A.C.S. Ltd.

Reply to
Lurch

The current situation regarding the export of electricity from this type of generation is simple - the industry isn`t kitted up for it.

I work in the industry and I asked the question when the Microgen first caught my eye.

Reply to
Colin Wilson

On Tue, 2 Mar 2004 21:07:02 -0000, in uk.d-i-y Colin Wilson strung together this:

So the limited knowledge strained from the dodgy website was utter crap then. I don't think I'll be having one. ..

SJW A.C.S. Ltd.

Reply to
Lurch

This may change in the future though remember - BGas are behind one of these devices, they may be looking at becoming meter operators at the domestic end of the scale... the odds aren`t good though i`d guess due to the training of staff / authorisation to work on the network (this is the biggie !), and limited potential uptake.

Reply to
Colin Wilson

And there are low energy laundry appliances available too. Use a gas tumble dryer and matters are much better. Use a low energy washing machine with hot fill and matters are better again. Have a built-in pantry on the north facing wall with a sealed door and the cold mains water pipe looped around it and most of what you have in the fridge can be in there and thus only a smaller high efficiency fridge is required.

Reply to
IMM

So you only go by pretty coloured boxes?

Reply to
IMM

The industry will be as the government is pushing it.

Reply to
IMM

The surplus is poured into the grid. If you consume over 1.1 kW nothing will be poured in to the grid. Only the power above 1.1 kW will be coming in from grid.

Reply to
IMM

Not very hard they aren`t !

Reply to
Colin Wilson

They soon will be. Do a Google on Microgen and many government documents come up. These units help to smooth out the peaks in electricity demand. Imagine a whole new town fitted with them. The electricity infrastructure is far less.

Reply to
IMM

Normal mains electricity is 4x the cost of gas, so the stirling engine would have to be more than 25% efficient to make cheaper electricity. On the website it says it can generate up to 1.1kW while the boiler can modulate down to 5kW, so it looks like the efficiency is not high enough.

The best approach might be to set your washing machine, tumble dryer, dishwasher etc on a timer to run when the central heating is heating the house or your hot water, so as much generated electricity is used as possible.

cheers, Pete.

Reply to
Pete C

Pass on this one

It's only about 10% of the total heat flux available.

Try also whispergen, they make a dc one for boats and at least one is powering an off grid cottage with back up battery.

You're on a hiding to nothing trying to compete wit grid electricity only, simply because you will likely have to pay 6 times more for your primary energy than a power station.

JH

Reply to
Andrew Heggie

Not to mention alternatives. Fan + clothes-rack + dehumidifier in a small room (2nd bathroom) is very economical and fairly rapid at drying clothes.

If you diddn't have a problem with humidity, just the fan may work.

Reply to
Ian Stirling

The Microgen is very efficient in "total power" generated.

Reply to
IMM

Not enough to be worth using instead of standard rate mains.

1kW seems to be about average consumption when a house is occupied (based on claims for 'average' size bills).
Reply to
Nick Finnigan

I think you should understand what the Microgen does. Its main function is NOT electricity generation. Electricity is a by-product making the unit overall very efficient in "total" power generation.

Reply to
IMM

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