Solar with battery, loving it!

[Fokmg]

Hi
I recently added a a second small array of panels to go with my older system fitted 5 years ago
I have a FITs on the old system which produces 3.65MW per year
The news system is smaller and produces 2.1 MW per year
The second system was bought with a double Tesla wall (saved paying VAT on the batteries)
I am now able to store 27KW in the batteries
Using Octopus Go I can run the house and charge the car on cheap electricity 9 p per unit.
Interestingly as the X2Tesla walls can output 10kw I am also able to charge the car from the batteries! (for those days when there is no sun and I need a charge!)
Really pleased with the system I have and am currently saving approx £2600 per year on my electric and car running. From March until September the car ran on sunshine !
I still get the FITs payments from the old system which is about £300 per year.
I use a Zappi 2.1 7KW charger.
I would be interested if anyone is on Octopus intelligent using an early 53KW SR MG5.
But reading around I am not sure if it will work (I only use the timer option for the charging)

I have two Solar Edge inverters one for the old FITs system and one for the new system they are linked on the solar edge site and the meter measuring the power generation is only connected to the old system so my FITs payments are still made.
Mind you when they start using the export info on the smart meter to measure exports payments will be almost zero as I have only exported approx 100 Kw out of 5300Kw

 

[DuracellBunny]

Batteries are not a non brainer. Every time I work out the payback period for batteries it comes out at near to 20 years. And then when you‘ve paid them off through savings you need to buy another as it’s worn out. Far better to make use of the free very large battery in your mg4 with V2L adapter. Something I’ll do eventually.

With an off peak tariff the battery makes sense. Our 3kwp PV system makes 2600kwh/year of which 1000 was exported, domestic use is 3800kwh/year. In winter there is virtually zero solar power, charging the battery off peak makes 90% of our usage off peak.
Off peak with Octopus Go price matches the Scottish Power export price so nothing lost on the 1000kwh exported.

P.S Oh, and when someone asks "well what's the payback period?", ask them what the payback period is on the car they've bought, compared to using buses, taxis and trains. It'll payback eventually as it's saving money on the bills. My solar panels paid back in just under 4 years with the FIT.

There is a payback period, for me is 8 years.
When I got my first car I worked out it was cheaper to use than public transport. It was a Peugeot 106 1l bought for £275. Of course there are non quantifiable benefits to using a car over public transport.

 

[AdamMGEV]

That sounds like a good price - can you share the make/models and name of the installer?

Thanks

SWS NORTHWEST

Solar PV | Renewable Energy

Local, trusted installer for your renewable energy installations. Residential, commercial and industrial energy services. Solar PV, battery storage, renewable heating and more…

swsnw.co.uk

19x Longi 405w All Black solar panel
LUX 5000 Inverter (Hybrid) inverter
2x Pylontech US5000C

I had about 4 quotes and these were by far the best.

12 5k which was everything included

Very nice company and people and always on yhe phone to advise and support after fitting.

Please please tell them I referred you as I will get about £250 I think for it.

My Name is Adam Clark from Beeston in Cheshire

I think I will post a dedicated post about my setup and quote because its by far the best one I found and the system works great.

 

[AdamMGEV]

That sounds like a good price - can you share the make/models and name of the installer?

Thanks

Well I tried to give you the details but stupid admin here deleted it as it said I was going to gain from referring you. So I guess we can't share octopus codes now because we gain £50 referral fee.

Sorry.

 

[Ian Key]

Well I tried to give you the details but stupid admin here deleted it as it said I was going to gain from referring you. So I guess we can't share octopus codes now because we gain £50 referral fee.

Sorry.

You could PM each other with the information.

Click on the avatar of the person who you want to message, then click start conversation.

 

[Roger]

My impression is that if you change your setup registered under FITS then it could jeopardise the FITS payment, that would include a change of the existing inverter. However if you just add another inverter and battery then your existing setup under FITS is unchanged so they wouldn’t know and it wouldn’t change.

Hi Fred,
That’s my understanding too. For me it is imperative that we avoid jeopardising our lucrative 25 year FiT deal. Ideally I would like to install a battery system that will work seemlessly with our setup supplied by Myenergi which includes a Zappi and an Eddi. I’ve received a quote for a Libbi installation, but I reckon it’s too expensive.

 

[GaryMG4]

Hi Gary, I’ve received a quote from World of Solar which includes a GivEnergy hybrid inverter. They have assured me that it will not adversely affect our FiT contract, however having formally queried this, I’m waiting for their response.

I had a further delve into the Givenergy FAQs last night and their hybrid inverter requires permission relating to the current FiT plus a two way generation meter, whereas a separate battery/inverter system shouldn't affect FiT. I don't want to affect the £5k FiT we have received so far (7 years).

 

[Ejaydee]

Hi, we have a similar setup but without batteries. We put quite a lot of surplus solar power into the grid therefore are looking to install batteries.
I am concerned that most quotations we’ve received include hybrid inverters which would also handle solar generated power, but I’m worried that his could invalidate our FiT contract.
What type of inverter do you use for power to/from your batteries?
Thank you in advance.

Hi @Roger , as I understand it, the Tesla system uses the existing 4kW Fronius inverter that was installed when the solar panels were installed years ago. Our FIT payments are still being paid out as usual.

Every time I work out the payback period for batteries it comes out at near to 20 years.

In my situation, the payback period will be much less than your figures (4 to 5 years, possibly less). Before the battery was installed this year, we were exporting significant amounts of energy to the grid, which now gets stored and used by us when needed, thereby not requiring us to draw from the grid for most of the year. We are so pleased with the results so far, we are saving up to buy another Powerwall to piggyback on the first one, as there were still quite a lot of occasions this summer where we were exporting energy to the grid for several hours at a time because we could not use it. The extra battery would also help during winter as we get 7 hours off-peak, so will charge the batteries overnight in winter, for use during the day.

 

[GaryMG4]

Batteries are not a non brainer. Every time I work out the payback period for batteries it comes out at near to 20 years. And then when you‘ve paid them off through savings you need to buy another as it’s worn out. Far better to make use of the free very large battery in your mg4 with V2L adapter. Something I’ll do eventually.

Like you I find it irksome that I've got a huge battery that I can't easily use, but I don't have the expertise to use it in that way and it would be a bodge. Its a shame that the Nissan Leaf V2G experiment from a couple of years ago didn't seem to go anywhere because that would be a great solution.
For me a battery would allow me to use most of the 3900kWh that my PV generates each year, offset a good proportion of £1100 electricity bill, cover most of my car 'fuel' costs, collect the £800+ FiT payments and escape the frequent power cuts that plague my rural location.

 

[ARealHuman]

Well I tried to give you the details but stupid admin here deleted it as it said I was going to gain from referring you. So I guess we can't share octopus codes now because we gain £50 referral fee.

Sorry.

Suggest you refer to the forum rules before insulting people who run this place in their own free time (I've highlighted the relevant part for you):

must not submit any spam. Spam is defined as any unsolicited message which promotes websites, products or services for the purposes of advertising, phishing, spreading malware, personal monetary gain, etc. and therefore includes the sharing of referral codes.

 

[Stuart Wright]

I have this morning reversed my decision on sharing referral codes.
You can now do it, but only once ever posted in messages. More than that could be seen as spamming. You can have them in your signature.

 

[Gadget Geek]

Like you I find it irksome that I've got a huge battery that I can't easily use, but I don't have the expertise to use it in that way and it would be a bodge. Its a shame that the Nissan Leaf V2G experiment from a couple of years ago didn't seem to go anywhere because that would be a great solution.
For me a battery would allow me to use most of the 3900kWh that my PV generates each year, offset a good proportion of £1100 electricity bill, cover most of my car 'fuel' costs, collect the £800+ FiT payments and escape the frequent power cuts that plague my rural location.

Earlier in the year, we had the power turned off for a cable repair in the street. I plugged in the V2L adapter and a long extension lead I'd put together with a 4 gang socket. It ran the fridge-freezer, wi-fi router, computer, TV, kettle, microwave etc with no problems.

You could make a permanent hook up with cable clips to fix the extension lead to the walls and plug it in evenings and overnight. Over the year that would save quite a bit of money.

 

[Fokmg]

I think that is a great idea
Knowing that you can keep essential items powered in the event of a power outage is very important.
Also as an EV user I feel it is also important to replace the power I use if I can
I am fortunate that I could fit a Solar panel system to my house that effectively generates the power used by the car and most of the house.
This is good for the Planet and the Grid system

 

[AdamMGEV]

You could PM each other with the information.

Click on the avatar of the person who you want to message, then click start conversation.

Very true, I just know what it was like getting solar quotes so if someone finds a really good deal, even if they get a referral fee or not its worth sharing. Clearly if someone if promoting their own business and keeps doing it you could have am issue but not a one off.

 

[AdamMGEV]

I have this morning reversed my decision on sharing referral codes.
You can now do it, but only once ever posted in messages. More than that could be seen as spamming. You can have them in your signature.

Thank you. Am I OK to post it again as the other was removed?

 

[Stuart Wright]

Thank you. Am I OK to post it again as the other was removed?

I have restored your post. Look up.

 

[GaryMG4]

Anyone else feeling the tiniest bit guilty at getting all this 'free' electricity? Just worked that despite spending £70 on expensive public chargers this month, my 1100+ miles still works out at less than 7p per mile and we've used less (paid for) electricity than we did the same month last year.

 

[Ejaydee]

Anyone else feeling the tiniest bit guilty at getting all this 'free' electricity?

Nope, not in the slightest . The car is charging from my "free" solar energy at the moment!

 

[AdamMGEV]

So this is my current setup, 10 panels on garage roof and 9 on front of house.

I'm asking for a quote for another 22 on the North facing back of the house and another 10 on the back of the garage.

Problem with back of garage roof is its west facing and restricted by trees, back of house obviously North facing but no restrictions.

Is it worth it do you think, legal / technical limitations. I have a 5kw inverter, does that mean the max I can generate is 5kw at any one moment or will the rest just go straight I to the grid as it would end up being a 51 panel 405 kw setup so would end up being a small PowerPoint on my house. Octopus Flux gives you 28kw at peak so if I got another 10kw battery I could maybe generate quite a bit of income a year.

Thanks

 

[emmrecs]

I have a 5kw inverter, does that mean the max I can generate is 5kw at any one moment or will the rest just go straight I to the grid

I am NOT an electrician but my understanding is the answers to your questions are Yes, and No, in that order.

The reason is that all Solar PV panels generate DC electricity and the job of the inverter is to convert that DC to AC, which is what is then fed into the grid. I suspect you will not be able to increase the output of your panels without an equivalent increase in the output of your inverter.