The panels have now been fitted and commissioned and this very dreary November morn were knocking out 250W woooo.. 8¬o That's enough to cover the pumps for the fish pond at least.
The electrician suggest our 1960's meter would need to be replaced at some time as it's likely to run backwards if production exceeded demand.. That would be a great way to "use" everything generated if it were true but I guess I'll not get to find out. Could be fun to video if it were true though. :)
The power generated is measured by an additional meter installed specifically for that purpose, and is to the same standard as consumption meters.
Chris
Thanks for that Chris.
So this meter is read by you and / or them in the normal way (physically and / or electronically)?
Cheers, T i m
Physical reading only. I submit readings every 3 months when claiming my FIT. It has been checked once, AFAIR, in 5 years by a meter reader, but as a separate issue, not together with my consumption meter readings, which seems like a poor use of resources.
I understand that some suppliers also elect to install a meter (1) which will record actual power exported, instead of simply deeming it to be 50%
(1) Either another stand-alone meter, or a replacement/ reprogramming of the existing consumption meter to measure and display import and export separately.
There have been tales of those unlucky enough to have existing electronic meters which had been set up as standard by the supplier to add any reverse flow to the import reading, as a means of combatting meter fiddling. In this case, the more their PV generates, the higher their electricity bill.
Chris
Quite.It's like fitting a more efficient boiler that is more efficient because it's more complex (so a lower MTBF) and not calculating the carbon footprint of any servicing and spares it may need into the T(eco)CO.
That sounds fairer.
As does that. Basically, I don't think anyone would consider any solution that didn't measure these things accurately to be fair on anyone.
Personally, I would only (in addition to their std meter / consumption) measure the energy output to the grid and pay them the going rate for that. If they are generating sufficient energy to cover their own needs they are already offsetting the cost of the installation via their own electricity bill.
That doesn't sound good? ;-(
Cheers, T i m
That may be so, but isn't the answer. Some of the old mechanical meters, like mine, have an internal stop which physically prevents it from turning backwards. It makes a characteristic buzz when this happens. Others do not have this facility.
Chris
When as a student, I worked in ameter repair/calibration area with the local electricity board - one of the tests was to check a meter could not go backwards. Mind you that was 55 years ago, so who knows these days ...
You get an export meter if you have an array of >30Kw. It's just an ordinary meter wired backwards.
The non-backwards running thing is to stop people fiddling the meter.
No, it's not EVEN part of any solution. What sort of solution is it that only works 2/3 of each and every day ... AT BEST?
Yes, you are doing something for you at the cost of others. Very noble and ethical I'm sure.
No, if you *really* wanted to do something proactive for humanity, hand the FIT payments back.
Cheers, T i m
I think the truth is dawning on the government (reduced FIT theft levels) and we have seen the consequences of that with all those who were happy to rape the rest of us by installing solar farms who are now getting cold feet (surprise surprise). I mean, if it really was for the benefit for mankind they would still be putting up solar farms in ever increasing numbers (especially as the cost of the hardware goes down)?
I wonder if harry just uses candles or sits (even further) in the dark when his solar panels stop working EVERY NIGHT ... and many other times as well?
Or does he hope that they will keep all those real-world 24/7 power generators running so that he can keep warm at night?
Maybe that should be part of taking up the FIT theft ... they should also go off grid?
Cheers, T i m
With all Harry's 'expertise' he ought to be able to connect his car battery through an inverter to power basic house requirements when it's dark.
Hehe ... well of course, some form of storage would at least start to make PV more realistic as a true 'alternative' ... only in the summer probably and ignoring the losses generally found when transferring energy from one form to another. harry would just need to build a high level water storage tank with the same capacity as his swimming pool and go hydro-battery. No, that's not harry's way ... he'd probably just flood the local village instead ... less trouble for better returns for him. ;-(
Now, when my plug-in EV had a good set of batteries I actually could run some of a house from it's 48V x 200Ah battery and an inverter for a reasonable time ... well, ~5kWh's worth anyway. ;-)
10 x 5W LED lamps on for month?Cheers, T i m
even if only 2/3 of the day ... its 2/3 or the day when you don't need to be using your mains infeed energy.
3/3 is a whole .... well 2/3 better than zero.On 10/11/2015 08:26, Chris J Dixon wrote: sources.
Even if they did record actual power exported, you would still get the
50% of power generated ... that is the FIT contract. I was surprised that the meter does not send in its figures (i.e SMART meter)
Probably changed the same time they moved to aluminium wheels to stop the old trick of using magnet to slow meter down.
Quite, when looking at it as a temporary / intermittent solution.
Or not, if that 2/3 then has a detrimental effect elsewhere (like running traditional power stations at a lower and less efficient setting).
No, if YOU want to lower your electricity bills during the day, pay for the system yourself, don't expect anyone to also pay you for the electricity you use YOURSELF and accept that the knock-on consequences may be overall worse for mankind (at the moment, see above), then carry on. Just don't expect everyone else to agree with you that it's a 'Good idea'. ;-(
I guess you are right though, if a bad system is only bad 2/3 of the day then it's not as bad (for those of us subsidising it) as it could be! ;-)
Roll on the winter and dark days and nights.
Cheers, T i m
No, what would solve my problem is not forcing me to subsidise the electricity you use yourself. I really CGAF what you do with the system after that. ;-)
Or, if you insist that I should carry on subsidising you (for the next
20 years, index linked, guaranteed and tax free), put my money where your mouth is and go off grid.What's that, what are you going to do for electricity at night and when it's overcast ...? Again, you should have thought of that in the first place!
Talk about having your cake and eating it (and expecting others that don't even get a bite to pay for it!). ;-(
I was going to ask how you (and I'm not meaning you specifically of course) can sleep at night but you can do so warm and comfortably because the rest of us are keeping the power stations running for you ...
Cheers, T i m
The wheel has always been aluminium.
The magnet trick is an urban myth among the chavs. A magnet is already fitted which has the effect of stopping the wheel instantly when power use is stopped. Any external magnet would be too far away to have any effect.
You really are brain dead aren't you?
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