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[Sticky] Tell us about your Solar (PV) setup

Bob@Lochinver · 2021-03-05T17:13:42Z

I have just installed a new solar array on my south facing roof on the 29th Jan 2021 so all very new for me but my setup is as follows: 12 x JASolar 455w Panels (5.46kWp south facing array) Enphase Microinverters IQ7+, Lux AC ESS 3.6kW Inverter, 2 x 2.4kwh = 4.8kWh Aoboet Battery storage, and while I am on the Octopus standard tariff at the moment I am awaiting an install of a smart meter to take advantage of the better rates for charging my batteries outside of the solar charge day and to export my excess back to the grid. Based in Lochinver far North, west coast of Scotland My first month of solar production was from my Enphase system for February was 294kWh which I guess is okay :)

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Solar Photovoltaic (PV)

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Mars

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10/03/2021 9:24 am

@boblochinver I think your system is doing very, very well indeed. Sunny Scotland wins again.

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Mars

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10/03/2021 9:25 am

@derek-m, I fully agree. Solar PV is a no-brainer, and May, without question, is our best month too.

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Derek M

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10/03/2021 11:04 am

We live in the East Riding of Yorkshire to give it its full title, not too far from the towns of Selby and Pontefract.

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NeilSondhi

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11/03/2021 7:12 am

i am located in Hungary and have 12.8 kWh solar PV since 2016 and I have to admit - I kick myself each time I think why I waited till 2016. It has saved me loads of cash on bills.

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Chris-in-Kemnay

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14/03/2021 11:40 am

Here are some more Victron screenshots

Screenshot 2021 03 14 4 Gordon Road Kemnay AES190008 VRM Portal1

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Chris-in-Kemnay

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14/03/2021 11:41 am

and another

Screenshot 2021 03 14 4 Gordon Road Kemnay AES190008 VRM Portal2

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Chris-in-Kemnay

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14/03/2021 11:42 am

Last one. My set up is in the "introduce yourself " part of the forum

Screenshot 2021 03 14 4 Gordon Road Kemnay AES190008 VRM Portal

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Mars

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14/03/2021 4:45 pm

@chris-in-kemnay, I have to say that the graphs are so much cleaner.

Here's are some desktop screenshot from SolarEdge. Nowhere near as cool as Victron's.

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Chris-in-Kemnay

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14/03/2021 7:42 pm

I like the comparitive energy chart you've got there. I'll have to make one up from my Excel database as neither Victron or Fronius do one.

There's really too much information there for me. I'm not sufficiently educated enough to make much sense from it. I can just recognise strange patterns but don't know enough to be able to know whay they happen, like the 2 SOC charts one is from the Multiplus and the other (256) is from the newly installed BMS and should be the best indicator of SOC as it can be adjusted to show true 100% SOC whereas the Multiplus shows 100% when still charging at 400w or so.

But there are times when the BMS shows 90% when the mulitplus shows 100% and the charging stops.. Why? And then there is the lower SOC. The BMS has shown 11%( which is goos as they are salt water and not harmed by deep discharge) but will not normally go below 45% I can't figure out why.. Even less in the winter prhaps 58% will be the lowest.

I know you'll think I'm crazy, but there is something about a solar charge that is different to a mains charge. A good days sun will always result in a deeper discharge than a mains charge.

Plus, sometimes if I discharge at 96% (BMS) for 15 mins I can get a higher SOC on the BMS when it wants to stop charging at 90% as you can see in the attached.

I wish I understood it better.

creenshot 2021 03 14 4 Gordon Road Kemnay AES190008 VRM Portal(3)

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JulianC

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30/03/2021 12:45 pm

Had my PV system for 9 years (Feb 2012). Originally cost £10,250. I am lucky to get the full Feed In Tariff (FiT) payments (currently 55p/kWh generated). System paid for itself in 4.5 years. FiT keeps being paid for 25 years 🙂

I have 4kW of 16 Hyundai panels, with a SMA Sunnyboy 4000 TL inverter. Worcestershire. South facing roof. Roof at 44 degree angle. No shade.

We used to use 4500kWh per annum. Using the solar PV reduced this to 2700kWh.

I also have a Solic 200 electric diverter that heats my hot water immersion using "spare" solar PV, saving oil. I switch off the oil boiler April to September.

As Derek says elsewhere, best investment I've made.

Daikin Altherma 3H HT 12kWh ASHP with Mixergy h/w cylinder; 4kW solar PV with Solic 200 electric diverter; Honda e and new Hyundai Ioniq 5 N electric vehicles with Myenergi Zappi mk1 charger

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Tony G

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20/05/2021 5:41 pm

New member here. Ive had my 3.95 kw Solar PV for about 8 years now. I got in the day before the highest FIT was ended, so I’m one of the lucky ones. I get back a sizeable amount in FIT every year, approx £2000, so well done me. The system has paid for itself easily (I paid around 11,000).

I’m now trying to find out exactly how much I use of the solar, and whether a battery system would be beneficial. I have an I Boost for hot water which gives me some info, but can anyone tell me how to meter what is being produced, what is being used and how much I actually “export” to the grid. If that turns out be a sizeable amount then battery may be good for me, but until I get a meter I dont know where to start. Any advice ?

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Derek M

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