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SolarEdge overcomes DNO restrictions?


Pocster

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Had a brilliant phoncecall with DNO. Now I understand.

The issue is I have 2 inverters that can export . PV and the Tesla PW one. So my theoretical maximum output is 8kw.

I'm simply not allowed anymore.

 

So....

Options are a SE battery or similar which goes into the PV inverter i.e. DNO don't care.

Or maybe back looking at 3 phase.

 

I went back to the DNO for a 3 phase install estimate. I have no detail ( presume length of run is a cost ) so *assume* she did street to front door ( but there are a few tricks I can do there ) and she said 6k inc vat. 

Assume VAT is 20% on these things so can knock that off.

Also can a mains cable i.e. the 3 phase be above ground? ( obviously in some armoured conduit ). I can't drill into underground mega complex but I can take a cable across the front and conveniently through an existing hole in the above ground structure that practically everything currently runs through.

 

I assume 3 phase solves all my issues. I can just stick a new PW2 on a different phase. Indeed I could have 3 PW2 - could I not?

She knew of no-one with 2 PW - well love, POCSTER is now in town!

Edited by pocster
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16 minutes ago, pocster said:

She knew of no-one with 2 PW - well love, POCSTER is now in town!

It's been done before!

https://cleantechnica.com/2019/12/13/2-tesla-powerwalls-solar-power-tesla-model-3-true-energy-freedom/

 

17 minutes ago, pocster said:

Options are a SE battery or similar which goes into the PV inverter i.e. DNO don't care.

 

Their current battery only works with 6kW inverter, I'm waiting for them to bring out the 8kW option later this year, for exactly this reason.

(And because DC tied battery needs less components and is more efficient to run)

 

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11 minutes ago, joth said:

It's been done before!

https://cleantechnica.com/2019/12/13/2-tesla-powerwalls-solar-power-tesla-model-3-true-energy-freedom/

 

Their current battery only works with 6kW inverter, I'm waiting for them to bring out the 8kW option later this year, for exactly this reason.

(And because DC tied battery needs less components and is more efficient to run)

 

Yeah . We all know about kryton given all the Tesla goodies for free .

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3 minutes ago, Carrerahill said:

In what context,? In general you can have as many as you want. 

Yeah probably me mis-understanding. I guess I should say my total number of inverters connected to the grid can not exceed 8kw of export. I think that's right.....

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40 minutes ago, pocster said:

Had a brilliant phoncecall with DNO. Now I understand.

The issue is I have 2 inverters that can export . PV and the Tesla PW one. So my theoretical maximum output is 8kw.

I'm simply not allowed anymore.

 

So....

Options are a SE battery or similar which goes into the PV inverter i.e. DNO don't care.

Or maybe back looking at 3 phase.

 

I went back to the DNO for a 3 phase install estimate. I have no detail ( presume length of run is a cost ) so *assume* she did street to front door ( but there are a few tricks I can do there ) and she said 6k inc vat. 

Assume VAT is 20% on these things so can knock that off.

Also can a mains cable i.e. the 3 phase be above ground? ( obviously in some armoured conduit ). I can't drill into underground mega complex but I can take a cable across the front and conveniently through an existing hole in the above ground structure that practically everything currently runs through.

 

I assume 3 phase solves all my issues. I can just stick a new PW2 on a different phase. Indeed I could have 3 PW2 - could I not?

She knew of no-one with 2 PW - well love, POCSTER is now in town!

Ask for a price from some IDNO's as well. Not sure about domestic like this but we get prices from Energetics etc - often cheaper. That is commercial, including residential development certainly but not domestic like your application would be - you can also do the dig on your land yourself to save some £££'s - maybe even lay the cable too. It varies from operator to operator.

 

Basically they don't want your generated electricity, it is a pest for them - shocking, pardon the pun, actually because they will be forced in the not too distant future to make it easier for microgeneration connectivitly.

 

I would like to ditch grid connections altogether and suspect I will get there eventually. 

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Just now, Carrerahill said:

Ask for a price from some IDNO's as well. Not sure about domestic like this but we get prices from Energetics etc - often cheaper. That is commercial, including residential development certainly but not domestic like your application would be - you can also do the dig on your land yourself to save some £££'s - maybe even lay the cable too. It varies from operator to operator.

 

Basically they don't want your generated electricity, it is a pest for them - shocking, pardon the pun, actually because they will be forced in the not too distant future to make it easier for microgeneration connectivitly.

 

I would like to ditch grid connections altogether and suspect I will get there eventually. 

Absolutely. My assumption is she's just looked at a google earth view and done street to door. As I have underground complex and driveway infront and assuming cable can run over these the 'dig' length can be reduced substantially...

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4 minutes ago, pocster said:

Yeah probably me mis-understanding. I guess I should say my total number of inverters connected to the grid can not exceed 8kw of export. I think that's right.....

Right got you, so your limited to 8kW which is your 2 inverters, but in fact you could actually have 4 inverters at 2kW and your DNO would be fine.

 

I just wondered if you were being told porkies.

 

Micro-inverter installs have 10's maybe even 100's of inverters.

 

You could of course do this entirety off record and just not export. 

 

Have they capped you at 8kW then? Which DNO is that? I know some were 5kW per phase. 8kW sounds more generous. 

Edited by Carrerahill
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Just now, Carrerahill said:

Right got you, so your limited to 8kW which is your 2 inverters, but in fact you could actually have 4 inverters at 2kW and your DNO would be fine.

 

I just wondered if you were being told porkies.

 

Micro-inverter installs have 10's maybe even 100's of inverters.

 

You could of course do this entirety off record and just not export. 

I think I've been told some porkies, some mis-information and indeed mix that up with my lack of understanding creates a rubbish brain soup.

3 phase solves the issues also might not work out that much more expensive. I was told SE would be a more expensive install than simply strapping another PW on. So the 3 phase cost might effectively lessen again if going down the PW route...

I just want lots of batteries so I can sell my electric to my neighbours at vastly inflated rates! ?

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12 minutes ago, pocster said:

If I have single phase already is the costing just the addition of 2 extra phases????

depends.

Some of the work will already have been done i.e. putting you on a register, ducting in the ground.

You may, or may not have a right cable in place already.

It will need a new meter and fuses, some connecting up.

And double checking that the appropriate authorities know you are on that register.

 

  

17 minutes ago, pocster said:

Don't care KW, Kw, kW, K-W , KKWW, KKKWWW KAUU - whatever!

It is this slapdash attitude that makes them want to charge you loads.

If everyone had stayed awake in science lesson, they would know why you can't have KKKWWW which is kelvinkelvinkelvinwattwattwatt, or even kelvin3watt3.

Kelvinkelvinkelvinwattwattwatt, seem to remember your wife saying that.

Edited by SteamyTea
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More info on this.

 

DNO coming to look tomorrow. But rough estimate for 3 phase install is 3K

 

Is 3 phase *really* worth the extra cost?

 

Without 3 phase I have a Tesla that can export and a PV inverter that can.

 

Without 3 phase I can add upto another nearly 30kw of storage ( 3 Solar Edge batteries ) - also add another 2.8kw PV of panels.

 

or

 

With the cost of 3 phase added in I can add 1 extra Tesla battery

 

The cost difference between those 2 options is minimal.

 

More storage AND more PV does seem to make sense.

 

But will I regret in the future not having 3 phase???

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1 hour ago, pocster said:

Is 3 phase *really* worth the extra cost?

 

For you, yes, yes it is.

I know you. Always after the latest gizmo or whatever. In a few years time you'll change your mind again when some other new thing comes along and then wish you'd done it.


IIRC it was about £3k for us to go 3ph and I didn't --- mostly because of the extra project risk having to close a main road before works could begin, but I really should have just sucked it up and done it really....

 

 

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8 minutes ago, joth said:

For you, yes, yes it is.

I know you. Always after the latest gizmo or whatever. In a few years time you'll change your mind again when some other new thing comes along and then wish you'd done it.


IIRC it was about £3k for us to go 3ph and I didn't --- mostly because of the extra project risk having to close a main road before works could begin, but I really should have just sucked it up and done it really....

 

 

Yes but without 3 phase I can still have extra PV and storage . Really of course ( ignoring cost ) I want more Tesla pw , and more PV . I could appreciate 3 phase more if export was my goal . But it’s my lecky and I want to keep as much as possible …

 

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11 minutes ago, joth said:

For you, yes, yes it is.

I know you. Always after the latest gizmo or whatever. In a few years time you'll change your mind again when some other new thing comes along and then wish you'd done it.

You are of course correct . After doing 1 level of an underground house I always wish I went 2 levels down for a swimming pool , gym and games room . But then I would of wished I’d gone 3 levels down . Did see a house in London 7 levels underground. Unfortunately mr. budget gives a big kick . Dream bigger , want bigger - then loop round that again . Love it !

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