Solar PV Hints, Tips & Troubleshooting

MAULBROOK

Thats a result. I got a green mortgage from AIB because of my ber rating of B2. It would be definitely worth looking at if you have a mortgage. I had to move from Ulster bank anyway.

paulbok

That wasn't something I was aware of but the assessor pointed it out, once it's B3 or better, that it could be worthwhile looking at our mortgage rates.

Could be a saving there to be made to add to the ROI figures and bring down the length of payback. Even €15 a month would knock a year off.

MAULBROOK

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118676645#Comment_118676645

It worked out very well for us. 3.6% with ulster Bank to 2.15% with the AIB Green mortgage. €500 a month saving. So ROI has been slashed to 3 years form 10 years.

I couldn't have go that without solar pv. Happy out.

SD_DRACULA

I did the same recently, took 7 years off the mortgage without changing the monthly payments by going to the AIB green mortgage but be quick about there is an imminent rate hike coming for all banks.

Jonathan

Getting very off topic, but worth shopping around too. The green mortgages are good, but I switched to Avant last month for 2.05% fixed for 7 years on a non-green rate.

AndyBoBandy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118674881#Comment_118674881

Nice, what size system do you have?

I'm convinced my BER could have been higher but the guy was only really interested in the Solar PV system... I mentioned that all lights are LED, and he said no, some aren't!!! which was news to me as every bulb in my house is a Philips smart LED bulb!! So I had him correct his notes. He also wasn't interested in the new composite door I had installed, which replaced a draft wooden door that was there the last time the house was BER assessed!

I went from C3 down to B3 with 5.78kWp & a 5kWh battery

Jonathan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118677100#Comment_118677100

Did you have u value certificates for the new door? If you don't, they have to enter default values for a building constructed during that period.

Deagol

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118677100#Comment_118677100

I had same issue with BER assessor. I spent more than €500 on LED bulbs when i moved into this house, hunted down even some obscure cabinet LED's and he put "less then 50% LED". When I challenged the report he just said he noted some 'high power' bulbs that weren't LED. I was fuming but he refused to change the report = saying it made 'very little difference'.

AndyBoBandy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118677156#Comment_118677156

I didn't have that to hand, and am not sure I even had one when the door was installed, but when I mentioned about the upgraded door, he just said it makes no difference and dismissed it.

I can say it made a hell of a real world difference as it effectively sealed up the last great draught in the house!! The wind used to howl in around the door!! Now it feels almost airtight.

paulbok

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118677100#Comment_118677100

6.84KWp with 4.8kWh battery. wasn't expecting it to jump it that much, but just as well. apart from relatively small money to increase the attic insulation to 300mm, everything else that would improve the rating would take huge money, even with the new grants, so not really a runner. Hope to build an extension to the house in ~5 years time so will re-evaluate everything then.

DrPhilG

@AndyBoBandy mind if I ask how much the composite door set you back? And a pic if you have one.

I'm in a similar boat, the wind is savage up here and both front & back door have terrible draft problems.

I'm burning nearly 400L of oil a month from November to February.

AndyBoBandy

Luckily I found the invoice from them in my inbox, from March 2018, and I paid €1,850 all in. Made an unbelievable difference as I'm on the coast, and the wind would howl in at times.

It was from McMahon & Nagle in Swords (next door to Marine Parts).

edit: don’t know why it’s sideways!!

Bobeagleburger

FYI, a battery makes no difference to the BER calculation.

That was a hell of a jump by the way. We jumped 3 notches on a similar sized system.

worlds goodest teecher

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118443360#Comment_118443360

Just noticed this evening, something is not right. Nothing since the beginning of January.

ELCAT2009

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118676645#Comment_118676645

Yes just saw on bonkers.ie this evening that Havan are doing a 4 year fixed rate of 2.0% green mortgage for B3 or higher

championc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118682157#Comment_118682157

Maybe it's just your logging has failed. I would suggest trying to look at the inverter itself to verify. Hopefully it hasn't been dead due to a tripped MCB.

AndyBoBandy

I have a planned power cut tomorrow (becoming quite regular which is annoying), and I have a storage battery with a socket located next to it.

Is there any trick to getting a Solis 6kW Hybrid Invertor to output power to teh emergency socket?

I tried it before as a test, but it didn't seem to work, so perhaps I didn't do something to activate the aux power..

Edit: just tried again there and Enabled Backup Mode, and it worked (tried it with a phone charger)

The devils

20220224_190303.jpg

Guys

I finished putting a lean too in and my question is

Do you think it would be ok do place the inverter and 2 x 5kw batteries on this back board (switches etc)

I rang the UK about the batteries (puredrive) and they said no problem. I know how cold it gets out there but I'm just wondering what's best..any suggestions would be welcomed 👍👍

Ps my consumer unit is only a couple of feet away from the back board also

SD_DRACULA

Don't see why not once it is secured to the wall properly.

Just make sure to use heavy duty concrete bolts and go through the board when mounting the brackets for the batteries, the puredrives are 60kg monsters.

AndyBoBandy

Power has been off since 9:30 this morning due to a planned outage (expected back by 4:30pm).

Battery (5kWh) was at 88% when the power went. I’ve run some extensions to both our offices (laptop, dock & 2 monitors per office), and then an extension down to the living room where the modem is, and all is working great!!! Drawing about 188 watts….

checked the battery after 1 hour and it was down to 84%

Battery for the win!!

paulbok

Next time I've an electrician in, I'm getting him to add a double socket connected back from the backup feed from the inverter, to the two offices, so we can move all the desk equipment to that in the event of a blackout. Another in the storeroom beside the inverter itseld to run a lead for anything else (eg kettle). Too difficult to run anything to the main house as backup.

AndyBoBandy

Yeah I've had to use about 6-7 extension leads daisy chained and then T'd off to each office (less than 200w total draw so no issue), so it would be nice to have a back up system with sockets in each office, as well as maybe the living room & kitchen, but would it be overkill for once in blue moon events (for me anyway).

bullit_dodger

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118691426#Comment_118691426

Might be of some use to avoid the extension into extension into extension......

Masterplug 50 Metre 4 Gang 13A Heavy Duty Cable Reel | Woodie's (woodies.ie)

AndyBoBandy

I have a cable reel, but only with 2 sockets on it, the only thing is I needed power in 3 completely separate locations, and all fed from the attic.

Attic down to landing, then split 3 ways, to her office, my office, and then the cable reel went down to the living room where the modem is.

I could probably get away with 3 cable reel's, but I'm hoping it won't be too regular an occurrence..

worlds goodest teecher

worlds goodest teecher

It was on "all on grid", should it have been "self consumption"?

The devils

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118688814#Comment_118688814

20220225_164540.jpg

SD Dracula - 8 express nails through panel and into wall

Thanks for the advice

👍👍

worlds goodest teecher

Up and going again. My app is Solarman Smart. How do I see what free capacity I have to add 1 or 2 panels? When it was installed I was told that it could take 1 maybe 2 additional.

bullit_dodger

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118696067#Comment_118696067

Not sure the app will tell you that directly. How many panels you have currently and in what configuration? A string can hold 12 panels (13 at an absolute push).

worlds goodest teecher

10 panel currently. In one row.