Marvin

I'm with @Temp. Need to see photos of the outside. I guess its a bay window with a bit of pitched roof. May be leaking.

We use lemon skin, when we've finished with it.

If the existing wire is under fluffy in the loft, it is accessible. I did this last week for a client. I assume the fan is in the wall, so cable down wall. The only problem, based on your information, is how tricky it is to install the new cable up the wall. The way to install a new cable behind a tiles wall.... If you live on the isle of wight, I will come over and do it for you free.

+1. with @nod However in my humble opinion if you are going to use all the listed items and general house use then 3 phase will be the way to go. In fact probably sooner rather than later...

On our 5.12kW PV system we have several records of producing 24kWh a day in August 2022 and about nothing on some days in December.

Hi @WWilts Crap! If the thing will only operate at 90% RH why have something you can adjust???? However if you turn the humidity dial up clockwise, gently, to the limit and it turns off then the humidity level that the fan turns on at has been set too low. Don't forget it has a delayed stop so may run on for 50 mins! (turn all the way anticlockwise for the least delayed off. I usually set fans between 40 and 60% relative humidity as this is considered the most appropriate for a home. This may or may not change things....

Yes we also have a "charger/inverter only system" which is not connected to the mains, which charges when there is excess PV and only discharges to 'mains unconnected' low power items in the house. When the batteries are discharged the relays disconnect the live neutral and earth from the battery system and connect the mains live neutral and earth. M

Hi @Huckleberrys Be aware that different DNO's seem to have different rules. If your unrestricted inverter will work up to 8kW then that is an 8kW system. (its not about the total panel wattage - often you can add more panels than the stated rate of the inverter - check the inverter installation instructions for details) If the battery storage goes through the inverter to be used, then, as far as I understand, it's still considered a 8kW system. If the battery storage does not need the main PV inverter to produce energy used in your mains system (another inverter for the battery power) then as far as I understand that power will need to be added to the 8kW PV inverter. This all being said I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong, however for ours with Scottish and Southern, this was the way it worked. We had to pay for the survey. Some others haven't. Be aware that if you upgrade your system (bigger or more inverters connected to the mains) you will need to apply again And finally the only other ways I know not to go through this is to have a system that is completely off grid. Good luck M

+1 with @JohnMo

Hi @DragonQ At what rate are you proposing to charge your EV? We have PV and an EV and experience charging using mainly the PV.

Hi @GraHal In my humble opinion, I would want one with 2 pipes (an inlet and an outlet) or with a concentric pipe. Our MVHR whole house system runs the warm air out, heating one side of a temperature transfer thing, whilst the fresh air coming in picks up the heat from the orherside of the temperature transfer thing at the same time. This warms the incoming air in winter. Although it may be the single ones your looking at operate differently. Can you post a link? M

Yes my friend... but I want to cut my hair...

I think the problem comes back to no switches allowed because of possible wet hands, like the light switch in the room being a pull chord. I'm certainly fed up with dragging an extension lead in and it being a trip hazard. I still think the zoning applies: "Electrical sockets are permitted in bathrooms or shower rooms as long as they are located more than 3m from the edge of the bath or shower." Well that excludes us then!

Hi @KelvinI think your right. However, I though Amenity Land was a requirement of the planning requirements of the development and therefore couldn't be changed???

I'm not quite that that bad. All I want is to not waste energy keeping our home warm/cool https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-64261457

I thought the law had changed on this..

Hi @retrospective-build Yes. Pictures would help. I dropped ours through the soffit. If the pipework is outside the thermal envelope I would keep it as short as possible to avoid overheating the air in the summer and insulate like mad. I assume you know to keep the inlet outlet apart...

very cloudy

Hi @Drellingore Daily results for our 5.12kW system this January: Date energy 01/01/2023 1.36 02/01/2023 12.24 03/01/2023 0.45 04/01/2023 1.07 05/01/2023 3.00 06/01/2023 2.52 07/01/2023 3.00 08/01/2023 1.54 09/01/2023 8.42 10/01/2023 0.22 11/01/2023 4.33 12/01/2023 0.00 13/01/2023 12.31 14/01/2023 2.17 15/01/2023 7.52 16/01/2023 6.63 17/01/2023 2.62 18/01/2023 11.80 19/01/2023 14.16 So as @jack points out: its not a constant flow of energy. We looked at off grid and keeping our lifestyle... ho ho! Forget it without massive storage. If we covered all the roof both sides, the front and back garden and everything there would still be inadequate panel surface to supply what we require in the winter. I am with @Radian and wait for decentralised generation and more importantly decentralised storage. I also agree with @ProDave philosophy about self use being king.

Sounds good. As @jack just said... Have you considered the distribution network operator (DNO) requirement for such a large system? it look like about 100amps.

Hi @Drellingore Er... just checking... Our 5.12kW system produces about 200kWh for the whole of December, so I 'm just wondering if you've taken into account the reduction in energy over the winter peroid. Here is our PV's energy production over the last year in months using a 5.12kW system Month kWh Jan 204 Feb 294 Mar 601 Apr 744 May 818 Jun 902 Jul 816 Aug 770 Sep 536 Oct 362 Nov 296 Dec 171 Good luck M

Splitting away from the "Turning our heat pump off over summer and a general moan" thread.... 19 hours ago, Marvin said: I would recommend checking out a solar diverter to anyone who has PV and a hot water tank with an immersion. Phil T Responded: I did give this a lot of though and decided against as I get 15p fixed SEG, my heat pump is doing better than COP of 3 for DHW, so at my current variable electricity rates 33p it would cost me 4p/kWh to use a solar diverter instead of the heat pump, or cost me 8p/kWh assuming "Cosy" rate 21p/kWh, and that's before taking into account the up front cost of the diverter (a few hundred quid?). Have I got that logic correct or am I talking complete cobblers? Hi @PhilT No. Your thoughts make sense. You've checked out about a solar diverter and decided its not for you. I forgot all the possible setup differences which mean it is better for some than others: We do not have a smart meter. We do not get paid for exporting. We have one rate for electricity.

Hi @RogerH You have my sympathy. We have had to do the same. The mix of technologies now being installed in homes has only recently started to come together and the biggest hurdle I see, in trying to make it all work together, is that the answer can change for each individual property and its use. As for turning off the ASHP: You are fine turning off your ASHP, however consider this when turning back on: If the outside temperature has been below 5 Centigrade in the last 12 hours the liquids in the compressor in the outside unit could be too cold for the unit to work properly. If this is the case you need to leave the system on standby for 12 hours for it to warm up. I do not know which Ecodan you have but here is an Ecodan instruction manual. See section 7: Test run. https://library.mitsubishielectric.co.uk/pdf/book/Ecodan_PUHZ-_H_W_Installation_Manual__BH79D532H03_#page-7 Different ASHP have different ways to solve this technical problem so check with your own model instruction manual. As @JamesPa has started asking, to help with the question of how to improve your ASHP efficiency, we would need to know a lot more about what system has been installed. Personally I would have started with the physical aspects in detail. What is the make and model of your ASHP Is the ASHP connected to a buffer tank. If so, what size in litres, where is the buffer tank in the building, how long is the pipe distance between the ASHP and the buffer tank. Photos would help What is the ASHP feeding. Obviously not water, radiators? underfloor heating? If underfloor heating what thickness is the insulation under the floor and what type. ASHP efficiency is related to the principle of low and slow: Low heat, slowly warming the property. If you do the opposite your COP will drop dramatically. Bearing this in mind any little leak of heat becomes important to avoid. The main pipes from the ASHP I have insulated to within an inch of their lives! Good luck M

Usually this is because the foam canaster is too cold.

You miss the point. Quite surprising for you SteamyTea. Perhaps it me.