Huge domestic Electric bills .... Solar ??

[Refueler]

I have 3 medium sized buildings, plus two mobile homes and pontoons .. all using 240v mains ...

My monthly bill is higher than most people pay rent on an apartment !!

I am in process of having 13.8KW Solar Energy system installed to reduce the demand on national grid system ! Should lead to reduced bonuses for Power Bosses !! Its max size system allowed by Latvian rules unless its an industrial premise.

Its got me thinking about setting up small solar stations for my pontoons (and maybe mobiles) .... it would be great if 240v ... but then that would mean large panels / inverters etc. But if 12v is suitable .... mmmmm

I do have solar on the boats - but minimal ... if I could install higher wattage on the pontoons - that would be much better ....

 

[rogerthebodger]

If you are looking for 240 Vac replacement the battery and solar voltage can be more the 12 Vdc it can be 48 V dc depending on battery setup and input inverter setup

My daughter had solar to allow her to work when we have power shedding which is /was quite obtain

 

[Fr J Hackett]

Where you live not much use for 4 months of the year but you get extended use during the summer, can you export? If you can't there will be a surplus at times during the summer with a 13.8KW set up so batteries will be your next step.

 

[MontyMariner]

if I could install higher wattage on the pontoons - that would be much better

On the pontoon on an archway or adjacent to the pontoon?

 

[PaulRainbow]

If you are looking for 240 Vac replacement the battery and solar voltage can be more the 12 Vdc it can be 48 V dc depending on battery setup and input inverter setup

My daughter had solar to allow her to work when we have power shedding which is /was quite obtain

Input to my controller is over 100v

 

[Refueler]

Where you live not much use for 4 months of the year but you get extended use during the summer, can you export? If you can't there will be a surplus at times during the summer with a 13.8KW set up so batteries will be your next step.

We are required to have National Electric Co contract for grid supply ... then Solar excess is fed to the grid - they technically buy each watt from you ... when you need more than the Solar amount - they sell watts back to you ... I know - its daft and they are profiting - not you.

In March this year - they changed the rules prohibiting storage of power - it has to be 'sold' to them.

I have about 10kw battery setup backing up the system ... how they allowed this considering the rules - I have no idea - but its in the contract.

You say 4 months of the year ... in fact talking to people who already have Solar installed - the power output in winter is reduced - BUT still making a significant difference to overall. The angle of panels is about 34 deg in winter and just over 70 deg in summer ... I was going to have changeable angle mounts - but installers advised that the costs vs output is just not worth it. They set the panels to average out the year.
Winters here may be cold - but they are generally sunny ....

 

[Fr J Hackett]

Does it really matter what the output is as it can't be used raw and it needs a controller, buffer storage or inverter to supply whatever he wants to run. On the pontoons and mobile homes what other than keeping the batteries topped up and that's a simple set up outside of his 13KW grid tied system.

 

[B27]

The panels have got very cheap in the UK, but installation is expensive.
We also have significant areas of commercial solar farms being built.
Along with a lot of wind power.
This website shows where our power is coming from:
GB Fuel type power generation production

But like most people, I don't use electricity for heating, that's natural gas.

It's a complex business, with electricity tariffs which vary according to the wholesale price now available.
Much has been written about the UK situation, I know a little about how it's different in the US, I know electricity is much cheaper in China, but I expect it varies a lot around the EU, let alone the rest of the world?

 

[Fr J Hackett]

We are required to have National Electric Co contract for grid supply ... then Solar excess is fed to the grid - they technically buy each watt from you ... when you need more than the Solar amount - they sell watts back to you ... I know - its daft and they are profiting - not you.

In March this year - they changed the rules prohibiting storage of power - it has to be 'sold' to them.

I have about 10kw battery setup backing up the system ... how they allowed this considering the rules - I have no idea - but its in the contract.

You say 4 months of the year ... in fact talking to people who already have Solar installed - the power output in winter is reduced - BUT still making a significant difference to overall. The angle of panels is about 34 deg in winter and just over 70 deg in summer ... I was going to have changeable angle mounts - but installers advised that the costs vs output is just not worth it. They set the panels to average out the year.
Winters here may be cold - but they are generally sunny ....

It's the length of the daylight hours that will reduce the output, I live in the SE of France and during the summer months my 6KW system outputs an average of 1.2MWh over 5 months but November to February inclusive is about 300KWh. Because we get a decent return on stuff sold and can't use all the summer output even with the air-conditioning and pool we export during the summer but still have days when we need to import.

 

[Refueler]

Daylight hours .... summer we have light from just after 4am through to about 11pm ... but usable solar probably 6am to 9pm.

Winter light is from about 9am to jabout 4pm ... usable solar probably about 10am to 3pm ...

Both being the extremes.

 

[KevinV]

I have 3 medium sized buildings, plus two mobile homes and pontoons .. all using 240v mains ...

My monthly bill is higher than most people pay rent on an apartment !!

I am in process of having 13.8KW Solar Energy system installed to reduce the demand on national grid system ! Should lead to reduced bonuses for Power Bosses !! Its max size system allowed by Latvian rules unless its an industrial premise.

Its got me thinking about setting up small solar stations for my pontoons (and maybe mobiles) .... it would be great if 240v ... but then that would mean large panels / inverters etc. But if 12v is suitable .... mmmmm

I do have solar on the boats - but minimal ... if I could install higher wattage on the pontoons - that would be much better ....

If all your areas are wired up to 240v and your big solar array will be feeding into this, what is the point of additional messy bits and bobs of solar in odd places? Not very cost-effective, you're probably better off investing in smart tech to use as much of your own as possible (ie charging, washing, heating and the likes when you're overproducing).

 

[Refueler]

If all your areas are wired up to 240v and your big solar array will be feeding into this, what is the point of additional messy bits and bobs of solar in odd places? Not very cost-effective, you're probably better off investing in smart tech to use as much of your own as possible (ie charging, washing, heating and the likes when you're overproducing).

Because of my residence is over 3 acres .... (1.4 hectares)

I have a cable runs to the boat channel - about 70m to one mobile ... then another 20m supplying the BBQ area / pontoons.

I have a choice ... to bury armoured cable for that - or provide solar - which actually works out similar costs.\

This video is Pt1 of the Solar installation and illustrates just the 'front garden' ....

 

[rogerthebodger]

Solar is very popular in Alaska for powering off grid homes with the panel angled ad specified

Its all about sunlight not temperature

 

[Fr J Hackett]

Because of my residence is over 3 acres .... (1.4 hectares)

I have a cable runs to the boat channel - about 70m to one mobile ... then another 20m supplying the BBQ area / pontoons.

I have a choice ... to bury armoured cable for that - or provide solar - which actually works out similar costs.\

This video is Pt1 of the Solar installation and illustrates just the 'front garden' ....

But realistically why do you want electricity to these areas? for occasional use a generator is the answer for boat and mobile home which otherwise only need a small solar array to maintain batteries.

 

[B27]

It's the length of the daylight hours that will reduce the output, I live in the SE of France and during the summer months my 6KW system outputs an average of 1.2MWh over 5 months but November to February inclusive is about 300KWh. Because we get a decent return on stuff sold and can't use all the summer output even with the air-conditioning and pool we export during the summer but still have days when we need to import.

A 'finger in the air' guide for Southern England:
You get about 1000 hours a year solar power. So, 4MWh from a 4kW system.
An average day in Feb, you get 1 hour equivalent. (that might be 4 hours of weak sun at not the right angle, rest of day drizzle etc)
A bad day in Feb you get 'not much', a good day 2 hours.
In July, you get about 3 or 4 times what you get in Feb.

Generally, unless you have heavy summer loads like aircon and pools, there is a lot of import and export going on, even if your yearly use is similar to your generation.

A lot of people use dubious assumptions to work out 'payback time', but the way I see it, the whole world of retail electricity tariffs is a changing landscape, you can't predict 3 years ahead, apart from there will be more solar and wind making the market more complicated.

I have a little off grid solar powering some pumps in a greenhouse and a light in a shed. Cheaper than laying cables.

 

[lustyd]

This is PBO so surely the answer is an Origo meths cooker

Are they smart enough to spot whether your fence is a Solar installation?

but installation is expensive.

Pretty sure he's smart enough to do the install so probably just needs a check from a qualified electrician

 

[B27]

This is PBO so surely the answer is an Origo meths cooker

Are they smart enough to spot whether your fence is a Solar installation?


Pretty sure he's smart enough to do the install so probably just needs a check from a qualified electrician

Most countries , you need some paperwork to get signed off to get any export tariff?
That process may not be DIY friendly.
The brackets, wiring, controls and stuff add up. The cost of labour to do a domestic install on a typical house, with scaffolding is significant, more so when you are competing with solar farms who do it by the acre.

It's a big subject extensively debated elsewhere.

 

[Refueler]

But realistically why do you want electricity to these areas? for occasional use a generator is the answer for boat and mobile home which otherwise only need a small solar array to maintain batteries.

I have generator ... but believe me - I am not looking at this from just a thought - its been a matter that has often come up and I've considered various solutions.

My boats have solar - but they are too often shielded or not orientated well in their mounts ... many boats suffer this and mine are no exception. I have mains powered chargers connected when my boats are moored ... but too often my gardener fails to reconnect power - he needs to disconnect when cutting the grass ... this has led to batterys spoiled ...

Its why I am considering solar panels to safeguard my batterys !!

 

[Refueler]

Most countries , you need some paperwork to get signed off to get any export tariff?
That process may not be DIY friendly.
The brackets, wiring, controls and stuff add up. The cost of labour to do a domestic install on a typical house, with scaffolding is significant, more so when you are competing with solar farms who do it by the acre.

It's a big subject extensively debated elsewhere.

The video above is professional installers - setting up a 13.8KW Solar array to power my house etc.

That's the main demand taken care off with town grid still available when solar is not producing sufficient.

My starting this thread was more about the smaller demand down at the river ... which can be sorted with smaller panels and MPPT .. originally I was looking at small wind turbine .. but guy I know installed one and soon added solar !! It didn't match anywhere near approaching sales blurb. If I set up as example 500W of solar for pontoons ... that should cover the boats needs + a bit of music !!
The mobile home (summer version) can be sorted with another setup ... to be decided. The main mobile as seen in the video above is a winter version and has electric supply from the barn. It will benefit from the main solar ..

 

[Fr J Hackett]

I have generator ... but believe me - I am not looking at this from just a thought - its been a matter that has often come up and I've considered various solutions.

My boats have solar - but they are too often shielded or not orientated well in their mounts ... many boats suffer this and mine are no exception. I have mains powered chargers connected when my boats are moored ... but too often my gardener fails to reconnect power - he needs to disconnect when cutting the grass ... this has led to batterys spoiled ...

Its why I am considering solar panels to safeguard my batterys !!

Try a new gardener it would be easier and cheaper.