January 21, 20215 yr This is a silly question but if we have the solar PV and we then have the ASHP and the Solic 200 which diverts excess to the immersion - does the solar immediately go to the heat pump first? Just thinking there would never be any excess particularly in winter. Or am I missing something?
January 21, 20215 yr I sell a similar product, and assuming it works the same then it only runs the immersion as a last resort (instead of exporting to the grid). If your heat pump is in use, it is unlikely to have any excess to divert to the immersion so is only really likely to occur in warmer/sunnier months. Edited January 21, 20215 yr by Trw144
January 21, 20215 yr Author Just now, Trw144 said: I sell a similar product, and assuming it works the same then it only runs the immersion as a last resort (instead of exporting to the grid). If your heat pump is in use, it is unlikely to have any excess to divert tot he immersion so is only really likely to occur in warmer/sunnier months. Yep not exporting to the grid so that makes sense. Just wanted to check my thinking. I'm looking at electricity tarrifs too so wanted to make sure in addition we look at when to best make use of tarrifs that are cheaper at certain times.
January 21, 20215 yr Your solar diverter to the immersion will kick in once PV generation exceeds what your house is consuming. In the depths of winter you'd have to have most appliances off for there to be any excess generation. Edited January 21, 20215 yr by Conor
January 21, 20215 yr Yes that is the whole point, they only send to the immersion heater the excess power that would otherwise have been exported. The best use for solar PV is to use it for something more useful, like do all your washing, dishwashing, tumble drying in the daytime close to mid day one machine at a time.
January 21, 20215 yr Author 6 minutes ago, ProDave said: The best use for solar PV is to use it for something more useful, like do all your washing, dishwashing, tumble drying in the daytime close to mid day one machine at a time. See that's what I don't understand - would the heat pump electricity requirement have priority? For example if this is using electricity then any solar would go to this first before say the washing machine? And then if it was generating a lot, if the heat pump wasn't using any, it would go to anything we would be using like the washing machine and finally the immersion. So in winter when solar is minimal it would likely go straight to the electricity the ASHP uses? This may be a really blonde question. It's been a long day.... Edited January 21, 20215 yr by canalsiderenovation
January 21, 20215 yr 2 minutes ago, canalsiderenovation said: See that's what I don't understand - would the heat pump electricity requirement have priority? For example if this is using electricity then any solar would go to this first before say the washing machine? And then if it was generating a lot, if the heat pump wasn't using any, it would go to anything we would be using like the washing machine and finally the immersion. So in winter when solar is minimal it would likely go straight to the electricity the ASHP uses? This may be a really blonde question. It's been a long day.... Nothing has "priority" you are over thinking it. The inverter will spit out as much power as it is able to depending entirely how much sun is shining on it. Your house will use as much energy as ANY appliance turned on needs to use. If generated power exceeds power being consumed, then to prevent power being wasted exported, your device will send that power to the immersion heater. It can send anything from a few watts up to the full nominal 3kW to the immersion heater. In the winter the heat pump will use almost all that you generate, but even so, there are times when it is idle and I have seen power going into my immersion heater. The appliance thing is more for the summer, when you are generating most PV power but apart from DHW heating, the HP is not doing much. I have my HP timed to not start DHW heating until 11AM by which time there is a fair chance the PV is generating a good amount. But we also use the 3 big appliances one at a time around the mid day slot to try and self use as much as possible.
January 21, 20215 yr Author 10 minutes ago, ProDave said: Nothing has "priority" you are over thinking it. Thank you, I really am losing the plot today. Lack of sleep due to power outages all through the night and things coming on and off, snow, flooding and I wish the flooding was only limited to outside.... Another leaking sink by our plumber. We now have no bathroom sinks functional and a plumber who can't come as he is sick (not Covid) and a toilet that he decommissioned last week due to him fitting a faulty cistern he hasn't been back to fix. I'm tettering on the edge of telling him to not bother coming back at all, posting all the pics of his shoddy work on our local Facebook page with a plea for a reliable plumber to come forward and sort it out and send him the bill... That makes perfect sense and yes re summer that's exactly what I thought as the heat pump will have minimal use so that's when we are likely to have a lot of hot water and appliance use. Now to find the best Octopus Tarrif. Edited January 21, 20215 yr by canalsiderenovation
January 21, 20215 yr I hope the Llangollen is staying where it should be and not trespassing on your garden.
January 21, 20215 yr Author 2 minutes ago, ProDave said: I hope the Llangollen is staying where it should be and not trespassing on your garden. As you asked - the canal is fine. Roads carnage in Whitchurch. Pretty much whole of Whitchurch and bordering Wales and Cheshire had power cuts all through the night. We do however have a large pond! Ground has a dip in it which doesn't help. One for landscaping in the summer.
January 21, 20215 yr Electricity takes the path of least resistance, so flows to where it is needed. Think of it as a pond what has many streams coming off it, each steam has a different flow rate (the resistance) but if there is a jug at each end (the load), once the jugs are full (all at the same level), then there is nowhere for the power to go.
January 21, 20215 yr Author 19 minutes ago, SteamyTea said: Think of it as a pond what has many streams coming off it, each steam has a different flow rate (the resistance) but if there is a jug at each end (the load), once the jugs are full (all at the same level), then there is nowhere for the power to go. Very apt at the moment.
January 21, 20215 yr 6 minutes ago, canalsiderenovation said: Very apt at the moment. Just sent a message to my mate in Whitchurch, no reply yet.
January 21, 20215 yr Author 2 minutes ago, SteamyTea said: Just sent a message to my mate in Whitchurch, no reply yet. He's probably stuck on a flooded road!
January 21, 20215 yr I have to say @canalsiderenovation, you're very patient with your plumber! after all I've read about your issues with him and his work I am amazed that you're persevering with him. it sounds like his work quality is poor so what makes you think his rectification of the issues is going to be any good? I'd have gotten rid of him and found someone else to fix his mistakes. you've got the patience of a saint. ?
January 21, 20215 yr Just watch out that all that surface water (high water table) cannot get into your treatment plant and overwhelm your pumping station and soakaway.
January 21, 20215 yr Author 11 minutes ago, Thorfun said: I have to say @canalsiderenovation, you're very patient with your plumber! after all I've read about your issues with him and his work I am amazed that you're persevering with him. it sounds like his work quality is poor so what makes you think his rectification of the issues is going to be any good? I'd have gotten rid of him and found someone else to fix his mistakes. you've got the patience of a saint. ? To be honest we don't particularly want to but given that (a) we still owe him money and (b) he isn't actually refusing to sort the job out I don't know if I've got a leg to stand on. What I really want to say is we will get someone else to sort the work and bill you/knock it off your bill. It's literally waiting for the next thing to go wrong I have that little faith in his work. It's not helped back the fact plumbers are few and far between here. Even our builder says he is incredibly frustrated by plumbers generally and struggles. Although this was one he told us he used, we are paying the plumber directly/contract is with him. We had little success even getting plumbers to turn up to quote. The builder is mediating at the moment!
January 21, 20215 yr doesn't sound like a great situation to be in. hopefully it all gets sorted soon for you. ?
January 21, 20215 yr Author 17 minutes ago, ProDave said: Just watch out that all that surface water (high water table) cannot get into your treatment plant and overwhelm your pumping station and soakaway. Treatment plant is other end as is pumping station and is on higher ground. The soakaways run into the garden where we do have the water but with the amount of water we have had it's to be expected!
January 21, 20215 yr Author @ProDave ok another idiot question our solar is now up and running. We have the inverter, Solic and the meter thingy and isolator (very technical). Is there a way of seeing how much we are getting from the solar. I'm betting it is that meter thing above the isolator which is taller than me! Edited January 21, 20215 yr by canalsiderenovation
January 21, 20215 yr Is there another isolator close by, as there should be one for the Cabling coming from the panels( DC voltage) and one for the Inverter (AC Voltage)
January 21, 20215 yr Author 3 minutes ago, TonyT said: Is there another isolator close by, as there should be one for the Cabling coming from the panels( DC voltage) and one for the Inverter (AC Voltage) It's probably up the loft I presume?
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