All Activity
- Past hour
-
Nowhere near that amont £10 if they charged from near zero% on day rate for the entire day until full charge. +/- a quid depending on vehicle. Extreemly unlikely to cost more - unless you are running a diesel generator to supply your house! You'd only be 1/3 correct. Building safety, energy performance, and future proofing. At least ensuring the house is adequate for the forseable future.
- Today
-
Understandable but EVs will lead to a mindset shift here over time. Charging at home is much more convenient and half the price of charging mid journey. I would expect an EV driver to pay for the electricity they use but assuming you enjoy the company of the person visiting, them paying you for the electricity is a good deal for everyone. They get to spend more time with you, spend less on recharging and spend less time waiting to charge.
-
It's funny, I got sucked in and read all of that. For me, when I was working in tech and in professional services I was primarily a system designer, whether that was an IT system or a system for effective knowledge transfer and exchange, so I particularly liked the last part where it's very correctly pointed out that the physics can isolate systems that are interacting in a complex way, in order to simplify the calculation, but of course in heating a home we're looking at multiple dynamic systems that are always interacting and creating a wider system. This is one of the reasons I get frustrated with heating system design as it's almost ingrained in the industry to design for and then quote a system according to its 'flow temp' or a set 'minimum room temp' - a customer recently asked me what flow temperature I had designed for the system and why I had applied a constant temperature throughout the house. I explained that the flow temp should correctly be constantly fluctuating according to demand and that the changes I'd proposed also have redundancy and resilience built in to accommodate future changes and developments in requirements. I recently raised this question with a highly experienced engineer and designer, when I was presented with an example calculation to show how hydraulic separation doesn't necessarily create system inefficiencies. When I asked about control mechanisms and how a dynamic system responds and behaves following constant modulation, the response was silence. We still have a long way to go to properly understand these interacting systems because most complex of all is how the human body responds and finds comfort within the system.
-
As I walk around local roads in my area I see increasing examples of poor quality installation of irreversible External Wall Insulation (EWI) cladding causing aesthetic and physical damage to unlisted period properties or those not in official 'conservation areas'. Brickwork exteriors and associated detailing are a major part of many Victorian, Edwardian and 1930's period homes, but are just covered over leaving a bland, characterless, rendered box with deeply inset windows. Looks even worse on a terrace or semi-detached house where one half still retains its period features up against the current trend for a 'grey plague' painted smooth rendered box..... It also looks like many 'cowboy installers' have moved in to exploit the Government backed insulation schemes, just as previously happened with sprayfoam roof insulation, etc. Solid wall external insulation problems: nearly all homes need it replaced or repaired:- https://hoa.org.uk/news/solid-wall-insulation-problems/
-
The regional pricing thing. Scotland pays slightly MORE for electricity due to the historic fact we used to be a long way from the generation (when the charges were set) so paid more transport costs. That should certainly be reversed now so we pay less. Our community council gets money from the local wind farms, to the point they are now struggling for ideas to spend it on. This year they are giving a grant of £215 to each household towards their electricity bills, and more if you are over 65.
-
Regional pricing is touted as a solution to this. It does seem a bit unfair though. But there really ought to be some reward/incentive for hosting the infrastructure. Maybe national pricing, as now, but some sort of rebate based on region. So Scottish bill payers would get £££ back for being a net exporter. The idea could be extended down to even smaller areas, so the posrcodes near a wind farm or solar Park or HV overhead line would see a rebate in their bills maybe via lower standing charges.
-
Prepping for ASHP and sizing - Heat loss calcs confusion
jack replied to mistake_not's topic in Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHP)
-
This thread is exactly why Buildhub is such a good source of information. I'm in a very similar situation with my refurb of a late 50's dormer bungalow. Have been digging out floors to solve damp issues and also to prepare for insulation and U/F heating in part. Have been scratching my head for ages as to how the new floors should be built up. Also been struggling to even get builders to come and quote for the work. Then along pops this thread describing a material I have never heard of before with the added bonus of being a lot more self build friendly. Will be watching this thread with interest to see how you progress as it could well influence how I move forward. Please keep us updated if you are able to. Thanks.
-
Explain these comments on a Gary Does Solar video?
Dillsue replied to Alan Ambrose's topic in Photovoltaics (PV)
This is basically an off grid setup with the inverter taking one or more energy sources to power the house. Intended to use batteries and PV with a generator as a backup. In terms of the inverter generating anything, and being regulated by the DNO, it only generates power to supply the house as so far there's no grid connected. Now swap the generator input for a grid connection and as far as the grid is concerned the inverter is only a load but no generation capacity on the point where the grid is connected. MCS isnt required for any installation works. If the video is suggesting otherwise then take it with a pinch of salt As stated use a changeover switch to choose if your house is supplied from the grid OR from an off grid system that the DNO doesn't regulate. What's your concern about what is said above?? - Yesterday
-
Ashp, ufh and fancoils. Help!
lizzieuk1 replied to lizzieuk1's topic in Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHP)
No need to panic! They are definitely going to do room by room calcs, all mcs certified. We're just at the initial design phase so once everything is firmed up on that will proceed to final design with full calcs. I was reading about your program and it looks really good - once I get time I will have a go with it for our design and give any feedback I can. -
I did 2 undercoat and 2 top coat on mine, primed any bare areas first and produced a lovely finish. You need a depth on MDF or it can show through any imperfections, do it once, do it properly i say
-
Prepping for ASHP and sizing - Heat loss calcs confusion
jack replied to mistake_not's topic in Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHP)
Not visible on my phone, so I think you're right. I'll post it again tomorrow when I'm back at my desk. -
Explain these comments on a Gary Does Solar video?
JohnMo replied to Alan Ambrose's topic in Photovoltaics (PV)
Lots of panels on a G98 inverter, massive overclock is the way to go. Easy no permission needed, just a G98 notification. Self consumption is fine in theory, in practice difficult especially in the summer, you just end with loads of hot water you can't use. Just go with Octopus and pay £250 and get the export (wish I did it 3 years ago), East Suffolk you will generate tonnes of energy even with a 3.68kW export limits. My advise, self install as many panels as you can to stay within the max voltage limits of your inverter, it's cheap, spend £250 to get with octopus. Export everything you don't normally consume. -
Panasonic will also do a heat loss calculation as part of their design so they can size the correct unit
-
Hi lizzie ive just gone through this process with Panasonic and our installer. I wanted the setup you are aiming for - UFH as zone 1 and fancoils upstairs on zone two. Everything I have read on the system points me to it being well designed and totally capable for what I want. The weak link was indeed Panasonic uk design. Eventually I got the contact details of the design team themselves and liaised directly with them. I don’t think many people in the uk use the two zone setup so it took a while to get the design so we all understood it. The benefit is that they produce the full hydraulic and electrical design (not that straightforward) AND then warranty it. So if anything is incorrect Panasonic pick up the tab. Your installer just follows it. the rep was useless and just tried to sell me aircon. The best thing to do is strongly suggest that the design team follow Panasonics own reference diagram which you can find in their main manual. Can forward if you need. The Panasonic control unit is fairly smart and supports multi zone by way of controlling a mechanical blending valve and water temperature sensor. In cooling mode this is what protects your UFH from running too cold. Return water is blended to mix up to a limiting temperature (say 16 degrees). Fancoils can run at 7 or 8 degrees which is what the buffer will be chilled to. You can even do the reverse in winter and have your zones on different temps if you want the fancoils running a bit hotter ( probably not necessary). All my pipework was lagged. In theory it should be as good as aircon. PM me if you want the email For the guy I spoke to at Panasonic. It’s a very capable well designed system though and only one I came across that natively controlled multiple zones, had the fcus from same manufacturer etc. and the tcap range is very impressive in the way it can maintain a constant output irrespective of environment temperature.
-
Concealed cistern recommendations
Benpointer replied to Carrerahill's topic in Bathrooms, Ensuites & Wetrooms
We ended up with TECE cisterns. Quality seems very good - no issues in operation, very quiet. Instructions are those awful wordless pictograms so sub-optimal but just about workable.
