Solar panels at home, worth it?

Gumbo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121312593#Comment_121312593

Depends on income supply and limits.

Bur those that have a HP in a new house will have a bigger main fuse than the standard. Maybe 100a instead of 63a

fafy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121312593#Comment_121312593

The car charger is the most significant load factor, besides an electric shower.

typically ev chargers go up to 7kw approx, and most of these, load balance automatically, so they reduce the car charging kw, if there are higher other high load demands from the house, but as someone else mentioned a 14kw overall max is typical, for a normal house, without enhancements.

The main thing to check, is that your ev charger has load balancing, my understanding is most of these have this, but worth checking. I have an Andersen A2, and checked this after I got it more than 2 years ago and it load balances perhaps too conservatively, once overall load hits 10kw, the car charging kw starts to reduce somewhat.

slave1

There must be a supply limit setting on that Anderson, if you can find it then increase to 63amps (assuming that’s your house supply) and then it will not reduce car charge at such a low draw (10kW)

fafy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121313694#Comment_121313694

I could not find such a setting on the A2, but Its not a problem for me at all at the moment, as the load almost never exceeds 10kw.

However that will likely change, if i get in PV & battery

orangerhyme

The limit on domestic rooftop solar has been removed.

The limit on free standing ground solar for private houses is 25 Sq metres.

Does anyone know if you can get both or is it either or?

slave1

Nothing anywhere that says you cannot get both, the only obvious limitation would be ESB regs re NC6 Inverter maximum

orangerhyme

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121331648#Comment_121331648

Thanks. I can't find anything that says you can't get both.

I don't know anything about the technical aspects though.

Gumbo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121331575#Comment_121331575

https://assets.gov.ie/237944/ec5b6c68-0c32-4d04-953f-ac9f6fb0f884.pdf

…...

AndyBoBandy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121308907#Comment_121308907

Just to go back to this...

I emailed Solis as per @con747 's advice above, and within 15 minutes I had an email back from them telling me to log out of the cloud app and log back in, and then I'd have the app control functionality as described... So I did it and low and behold I can do all the changes/adjustments in the app now.. and no more visits to the attic!!

I didn't even give them my inverter number... so I assume they just pulled my account via my email address.. Happy Days...

n.d.os

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121306610#Comment_121306610

I found my way into the Self-Use Mode Menu. Time of Use Switch and Self-Use Mode Switch are both enabled. Time of use Charge and Discharge set to 50A. Feed in Priority Mode is disabled.

In terms of setting Charge and Discharge slots, what do I do here?

I want the battery to charge from the panels and from our 11pm-6am night rate.

We plug in an electric car every night between 11pm and 6am.

I don't want the battery to discharge between 11pm-6am because this is when we charge the cars.

AndyBoBandy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121332626#Comment_121332626

Set the time of charge from grid from 1am-6am, though if you charge it at 50a, it will be charged in maybe 1.2 hours (and the fans will whizz away), so I'd recommend setting the charge rate to about 15-18amps, and charge it over a longer period (5 hours would have it fully charged up by around 6am if charging at about 0.8kW). The crucial thing though is to set it to charge until you want it to start discharging (6am), so even if it is finished charging at 4am, it will still be set to 'charge only' and not discharge until 6am.

Once you have it set up like that, it'll only charge up in that period, and you can do as you wish with the EV's as they'll be charging up alongside the house battery.

Are you on a smart plan, or just a regular day/night rate?, as the standard day/night period now is 11pm - 8am

crisco10

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121332700#Comment_121332700

Would they not set charge between 11pm and 6am? (why 1 am?)

totally agree with reducing the current from 50A to about 18A as well. will help your battery live longer.

n.d.os

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121332782#Comment_121332782

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121332700#Comment_121332700

Sorry it should be 8am. I found a Youtube video which said to use the following settings. Does this make sense?

Time of Use Charge Current Set - 50A

Time of Use Discharge Current Set - 0A

Charge time Slot 1 - 23:00-08:00

Does that look right? If I reduce the current to 18A will the car charge sufficiently overnight? Lastly, how do these settings affect what goes on outside of this 9-hour window?

AndyBoBandy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121332782#Comment_121332782

For me, I just like to wait a few hours into the night period before starting to charge the battery, or the car...

For the house battery because sometimes it wouldn't be totally be depleted by the time the night period arrives, so why not let it continue to run the house for a bit more before force charging it..

And for the car, 99% of the time it would only need 3-4 hours charging, so no need to start it charging so early (and at the same time as probably 70-80% of other EV drivers out there, so probably just me on a 1 man crusade to balance the grid...) In the car as well in winter if it finishes charging closer to the morning the battery would be 'less cold' and have no capacity locked away.. If it's finished charging by 2am it has 6-7 hours to sit idle and get cold...

AndyBoBandy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121332853#Comment_121332853

Yes, that should be you...

If I reduce the current to 18A will the car charge sufficiently overnight?

The car will charge regardless of how fast the house battery is set to charge at...

Lastly, how do these settings affect what goes on outside of this 9-hour window?

Nothing will change.. the battery will still look for any solar excess if available to charge up (as unless you have great generation from 8am onwards, it will start depleting at 8am, so when your solar does kick in, the hope is to get it back up to 100% if you can), but will otherwise run the house when there is not enough solar excess...

The key now is don't use any power hungry devices during the day as they'll take from the battery and it might not have enough to make it to 11pm for you... If you can move those users (washing machine/dishwasher) over to the night period you should.. as from November through February, you really only want the battery powering the basics in the house for the hours of the expensive day period, so no need to empty it doing a dishwasher that could/should be done on the night rate.. I even try to get the morning kettle boiled and toast made before 8am if I can so as not to use the battery....

n.d.os

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121333012#Comment_121333012

If I reduce the current to 18A will the car charge slower or is it likely that the car is charging at a lower amperage anyway?

The settings appear to have worked last night so many thanks for helping with that. It will be interesting to see how quickly the battery empties during the day. I don't think we have the luxury in our house of being too careful. My wife likes her electric shower in the evening and we are running dishwashers and washing machines during the day with the routine of two toddlers. Induction oven too.

AndyBoBandy

You’ll be reducing the current of the house battery charging which will have no effect on how fast or slow the cars charge at….

You’ll probably still empty the battery during the day if using power hungry devices such as washing machines and power showers etc…. But at least the 1st 4-5kWh of what you use will be from the previous nights cheap rate electricity (this is known as ‘grid shifting’)

If you can, set up dishwasher and washing machine the previous night to run during the night so they are pulling from the cheaper grid, and not your battery the following day….

It should be a sunny day today so the battery might start charging back up a bit at around 10-11am, so keep an eye on it and if it looks like it will get to 100% from solar, and you’ll still have excess, then perhaps think about a wash or dishwasher load… (though this scenario will only last another few weeks, as once we get into December, the best the panels will do is probably only supplement house load in conjunction with the fully charged battery…

Either way you’ll start seeing savings from here on in to the tune of the difference between 4 day units compared to 4 night units… so for me that’s about €0.90/day… and it all adds up.

Also, you would probably completely stop grid shifting around April/May when there’s enough solar to run the house before the day rate starts at 9am in summer, as well as fully charge the battery… When you get to know it all a bit more, you can tinker by only charging the battery enough to get you to the point when the panels kick in etc… Up to last weekend I was only charging the battery to about 55%, and it would still end up close to full by the end of PV production.

fafy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121335670#Comment_121335670

Very interesting tips, much appreciated, am waiting on a final pv system quote, hope to have it installed by next month or so. This “system management” information is exactly what i needed to know, theres a few variables to think about, with a PV system, that are not always obvious, to a newbie !

ted1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121332626#Comment_121332626

If you have a smart meter get a plan that gives a boost rate and charge the battery for less

orangerhyme

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121272250#Comment_121272250

Article today Eamon Ryan says 10,000 installed last year but now we're at 600 a week. Which is 31,200 a year!

That's crazy. Lots of factors at play but high bills is a string factor.

id.4 fan

I’m thinking about installing a 5.2kw Jinko Panel 10KW Hauwei System in my home and I’m wondering how people’s home solar systems have been performing over the last two years?

I interested in the last two years because well it’s been mostly raining and overcast for the last two years and this should give me a worse case scenario for solar panel efficiency in this country.

Thanks in advance.

con747

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122097005#Comment_122097005

Enter the system details into the below calculator, it's very accurate so will give you a fair idea. Remember Huawei gear can be expensive and restricted to only a couple of battery brands if getting batteries. https://re.jrc.ec.europa.eu/pvg_tools/en/

Another thread here.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058217788/yearly-pv-generation-thread

Ev fan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122097005#Comment_122097005

Just FYI I have 2 systems totalling 6.4kwp South facing and I won't bore you with the numbers but I got about 5MW production for last year so no problem with the weather etc. As someone said I would be careful in deciding what system and sizing you go for. Gary Does Solar is a very good site to inform you on all the ins and outs. He does mention an Internet site which once you plug in your location it will give you an annual estimate of PV production based on your kwp of your proposed installation- I've found this to be reasonably accurate. Given that you have an EV if you can afford it then consider batteries also as this could allow you to run your home and car on the cheaper night rate electric tariff throughout the day.

id.4 fan

Thanks for the info guys.

After a week of trolling the web (it’s a mind field out there 😂) I finally got a price I’m happy with on a system.

My setup consists of 12 panels spread over 3 roofs 4 on each roof (south-south west-south east)

Any opinions on the following setup?

I went for the high voltage setup.

It’s costing me €12k after grant applied.

Solar Panels

Jinko Solar Co., Ltd.

5.220 kW Total Solar Power

12 x 435 Watt Panels (JKM435N-54HL4R-B)

4,340 kWh per year

Inverter

Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.

5 kW Total Inverter Rating

1 x SUN2000-5KTL-L1

Battery

Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.

10.0 kWh Total Battery Storage

1 x LUNA2000-10-S0

myenergi harvi

Energy harvesting wireless sensor

1 x myenergi harvi

Huawei Smart PV Optimizer 450W

Huawei Smart PV Optimiser 450W

12 x SUN2000-450W-P

slave1

Why are you going for a Huawei system, all advice is to stay away for their proprietary expensive setup

id.4 fan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122104509#Comment_122104509

Im going for a Huawei because sometimes going for the cheaper option is false economy.

I’m looking for a system that will last and has a smooth user friendly interface thats going to be more or less hassle free.

I’ve looked at a lot of different setups and brands all of which have negative and positivity reviews but Huawei although that bit more expensive seem to have more positive than negative.

€12k net doesn’t seem that expensive after all from a well branded system does it?

Huawei’s battery has excellent spec’s!

ELM327

Huawei is one of the worst options you could pick as there is no interoperability. Their battery is a different voltage range to literally everyone else.

id.4 fan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122107402#Comment_122107402

I don’t think interoperability is going to be an issue for me.

My set up will work just fine with my Zappi charger plus the 10kw battery suits my needs.

Also, the high voltage system Huawei provides is more efficiency than the lower voltage systems.

I understand I could of went for the cheaper option but I’m thinking long term value for money here.

Jonathan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122107698#Comment_122107698

The 5kWh Huawei batteries are still 48V LiFePo batteries. The "high voltage" comes from an internal DC-DC converter.

https://youtu.be/GXxRz4I-MMs

id.4 fan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122107950#Comment_122107950

Interesting……