Triassic

Having got a better understanding of battens and their roll in roofing safety, I found this LABC document on roofing battens. https://www.folkestone-hythe.gov.uk/media/1181/Building-Control-Roofing-Battens/pdf/Building_Control_Roofing_Battens.pdf

This statement was posted on the Sunamp FB page yesterday... Sometimes we are asked why our super-efficient Heat Batteries only get a C-rating. We are working to make them even more efficient and to get a B (would be unique for an electric water heater). This was our answer to a direct question on twitter, we think it is worth spreading it here as well. EPC (Energy Performance Certificate) is A+ if just a thermal store. Heat loss just 0.744 kWh/24h. Lowest in the market. Add an element. Heat loss stays the same. But grid electricity gets penalised (EU average emissions factor: 2.5x worse compared with gas). Result: C rated. Is that fair? If you use PV solar to charge it, then the emissions factor should be ... zero? Or close to zero. So in the solar PV charged case maybe it should have a solar thermal type rating (A++ ?). It might be possible to lobby to get this reconfigured but what about UK grid electricity? It’s well known (and @myGridGB is the most accessible and wonderful source for tracking this) that the grid has decarbonised massively over the last 5 years or so. 600 g CO2/kWh down to 250 g CO2/kWh in round number terms. So the 2.5 emissions factor isn’t super-applicable in the UK. If you assume gas (via an efficient gas boiler) charging your UniQ thermal store or you assume electricity via the built-in elements of a UniQ electric, the UK carbon emissions are about equal. An emissions factor of 1 (rather than 2.5) would make sense in UK. This is actually reflected in SAP10 emissions factors that @MayorofLondon has announced GLA will apply from 1 January 2019. (Projects in London from now on will probably disavow gas and use electric heat). To sum up: • Sunamp UniQ Thermal Stores A+ Sunamp UniQ Electric Heated C Actual heat losses EQUAL Penalty for electric energy input applied in the move from A+ to C; • That penalty excessive on either PV charging or UK grid mix; • London leading on recognising this in planning. We see the trend of more renewables making making electricity the heating fuel of choice (dropping below gas emissions soon). So Today we and @OVOEnergy (inc @VCharge) announced our plan to develop mass market electric heating https://www.pbctoday.co.uk/news/energy-news/zero-carbon-home/50394/ . Our joint challenge (supported by @beisgovuk grant) is to develop the heat batteries, system, controls, grid interaction (inc. demand side management) and tariffs to make super-low-carbon electric heating the optimum proposition. Give us a little time. We will succeed! Meanwhile Sunamp UniQ Heat Batteries are available today at prices that are equal or better than hot water tanks. You can run them from solar PV, heat pumps, gas or grid electricity. UniQ Heat Batteries save energy compared with any water tanks so you can save fuel. Choose the type (eg solar) or time (eg economy 7) of charging and even today electric heat and hot water look pretty compelling. They cost less to install than unvented cylinders (no P&T discharge pipework, no G3 ticket). They have no annual maintenance. That alone can save their purchase cost over 10 years (even before thinking of fuel savings). And they are fantastic tech! Interestingly there was a question in the comments about the 50% depletion requirement before the unit starts to recharge.

@JSHarris, sorry to be a pain, but do you have a wiring diagram and a kit list, as I need to start buying the kit and could build it during the dark nights!

Could we also have a photo of this.

Can we have a photo of the Kw register meter set up. Also how is the neon wired?

I’m about to buy the battens for my roof and under the cladding on the walls. During a trip round the timber merchants I noticed there are four different colours of battens, green, blue, red and natural. What does the colour coding mean? For the roof, does size matter? Are there any online suppliers likely to be cheaper than my local BM?

I hope Sunamp are paying you for your design input. When can we expect to see the timeswitch integrated into the new Sunamps. I only ask as I’ve got one in storage for delivery in March.

All we need now is for Sunamp to sort out their charging system.

Today was my last day on site. I’ll be having a quiet week next week. The timber frame arrives on site the second week of January, then all hell let’s loose!

There is no way I’m going to get my system installed before March. So, with the scheme coming to an end am i correct to assume that I won’t be paid for any energy I export to the grid? If so, what technology, and or strategies, should I be looking to ensure I use the maximum amount of self generated energy?

I’ve looked for information on the Government website regarding feed in tariffs post March 2019 and can’t find anything. I’m trying to do an up to date cost benefit analysis, before committing to buying the panels ( our TF goes up in January). My original plan had to do a DIY instal, the panels cost about the same as the very expensive local slates required by as a planning condition. However, I’ve just been talking to an old friend at a Christmas Do, he says he would be able to commission the system and complete the necessary FiT paperwork on very faverable mates rates! Obviously this affects the cost benefit somewhat.

Oh yes! This is where the other halves live, especially along the Windermere lake shore road.

All cardboard, bottles and plastic goes into the recycling bins, general rubbish is put into black bin bags and goes into the wheels bin. Wood is in a “help yourself” pile, anything not wanted goes onto the wood burning stove. Plasterboard goes to a dedicated skip at the local recycling centre.

I left the light on all winter and I hoovered up all suspect dropping in the loft before the bat person came to do the initial inspection, she found nothing, but did the emergence survey ‘just in case’. Although we’re surrounded by woodland, thankfully none were roosting in the bungalow roof space. If nothings found you could be starting work next summer!

Don’t forget to leave the light on in the loft.

I’m left wondering if Sunamp have lost the plot! Mind you, having owned a number of rental properties, I found that tenants wanted simple controls on their heating and hot water. In some cases as simple as a switch ON or OFF. Maybe thus is the level Sunamp are now focusing on!

I’m staying with a friend this weekend and his 20 year old oil fired boiler has given up the ghost. He lives in a rural location so no mains gas. Im totally out of touch with oil fired boilers, so can someone suggest the current best on class oil boiler replacement?

Screwfix- 10% off when you spend £100 or more. Valid 24 December to 13 January.

We’re self building in a National Park, we have two 20 foot containers. When they arrived (second hand) they were blue and red and stood out like a sore thumb! I positioned them behind some bushed to screen them from the road, I also painted them Olive Green Drab. I have all our stuff stored in them and each one has a dehumidifier to keep them dry. The green colour is so good that I’ve had visitors onto site and although they’ve parked next to them, have not noticed they’re there!

Sounds like they need re-balancing.

I have a tree I’m supposed to protect, I didn’t even bother with a fence around the specified tree, all I did was put up some of the plastic mesh temporary fencing in front of a line of trees including the one to be protected. I’m on my fourth planning guy and none of them have commented on the tree or the fence. I’d just remove any compacted stone and concrete from within the fenced off area and get on with the build.

Or just copy across the original Sunamp PV charging algorithm.

Done, just put it on our village Facebook group.

The oil tank is redundant and it’s on the ‘to do’ list to empty and remove it. I just need to find a way of getting rid of the 200 litres of oil left in the tank!

That’s a problem n it’s self! Because we live in a small 50m2 highly insulated cabin we only light the wood burner occasionally, consequently we only burn one builders bag of wood per year.