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Single vs. three phase for heat pump, EV and appliances

Mars · 2024-03-12T14:16:21Z

We're considering the electrical needs for our house which currently has a 100A fuse on the consumer board. We have an 18kW heat pump and various other appliances (fridges, TVs, routers, distribution pumps, etc.). We're also thinking about adding an electric vehicle (EV) charger in the future. Could you advise on whether a single-phase or three-phase electricity supply would be best suited for our situation? Additionally, what are the key differences between single-phase and three-phase electricity in the context of residential use, especially considering the high electrical demand from the heat pump and the potential addition of an EV charger? In terms of "upgrading" to three phase, it is a matter of splintering off from the power lines to our house or it is more complex than that?

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David999

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02/09/2024 11:54 am

Have you got your average winter production for last year, perhaps it might cheer me up.

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Transparent

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02/09/2024 12:02 pm

Posted by: @david999

↑

what are you producing today, I’m only getting 0.1, overcast.

zero point one what?

percent?
kilowatts?

I can't give a straight answer to that question.
Unlike the rest of you, I have multiple arrays with different types of solar panels on them.
Some are in series, and some have series-strings in parallel.

The specified maximum output rating depends on what which array I'm looking at, and what configuration I've presently got connected using my Combiner boxes!

And I think this is straying off-topic, isn't it?
The discussion on solar output is better in your other topic on DIY solar upgrade.

'Coz I've got more information on 3-phase connections which I'm preparing to post here shortly. 😎

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Toodles

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02/09/2024 12:19 pm

@david999 I’m attaching a screen shot of last year’s production and a detailed shot for December 23. Regards, Toodles.

Toodles, he heats his home with cold draughts and cooks his food with magnets.

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Transparent

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02/09/2024 1:28 pm

Phase shift by distribution transformers

Grid transformers are designed for maximum efficiency.
To achieve this, the output frequency usually gets phase-shifted through 30°

That phase shift can be positive or negative with respect to the input frequency.
Thus different models of transformers are designated Dyn1 or Dyn11, which refers to the hours on a clock-face

The transformer on the left is Dyn1 - a positive shift of 30°
whereas the right-hand transformer is Dyn11.

This means that houses on adjacent estates are not necessarily in synchronisation with each other.

House 2 and House 3 are both identified as being connected to Phase-1, but only with reference to their local substation.
They are in fact 60° phase-shifted from each other.

For obvious safety reasons the Vector Group of a transformer is stated on its specification label.
This might be a vector-diagram, showing the order in which the primary and secondary windings are laid,
or possibly just the indication Dyn1 or Dyn11

There is no universal phase-reference in the UK.
You can't detect which phase your house is on by comparing with a central 50Hz 'clock'

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David999

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02/09/2024 3:37 pm

@transparent 0.1 of those mystical things that solar panels produce but evading both myself and toodles currently. However I’m in the wrong place again, must be old age.

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Toodles

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02/09/2024 4:04 pm

@david999 I can’t help feeling the sun has developed a shyness to my panels lately.😒

Toodles, he heats his home with cold draughts and cooks his food with magnets.

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David999

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02/09/2024 8:03 pm

@toodles it’s akin to growing tomatoes , big expectations, you get a few, then next minute they go and die on you. What next they get blown off the roof.

it can only get better, thats if we step up to GW. I never expected my dormer roof to blow off and need a bad winter to get confidence back that it won’t come off again. A bit of ptsd I think and my heart goes out to those folk flooded, it hurts.

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David999

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09/09/2024 9:08 pm

What do you guys think of these panels, were they, are they any use. A bit of an innovation at the time, or a plug.

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Transparent

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09/09/2024 10:13 pm

Those look like solar thermal tubes.

It'll be tricky to use them on 3-phase, but you're welcome to try ! 😉️

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David999

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10/09/2024 11:25 am

@transparent no they were a concept in America but went bust due to bad management. The theory was that the sun could produce electricity at any angle, were not affected by wind and so on, similar to the thermal evacuated tubes. Was researching them and its a bit of a mixed bag, interesting in terms of the similarity of the thermal tubes and how as they claimed they would work at any angle but the wave length, if I can call it that would bounce off/deflect off the curvature of the tube. White roof was the ideal and my solar thermal came with reflectors that all fell off under the tubes. Interesting I guess but they were not as efficient as flat panels and makes me wonder if flat panel thermal is better.

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