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Using a car as battery storage

Square Feet

By Square Feet
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Hastings Regular Member

Hastings

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I am going into my first fully off-grid winter in southern Scotland (Glasgow latitude) so I can't yet be definitive (and even then it would be just the one year) but looking at the data I am finding that my PV production is quite a bit less than the estimate obtained from online tools like PVGIS.

 

Two days ago my 1.9kW PV array produced 270Wh on a grey drizzly day. That's not enough to power the constant background load of charger/inverter (30W), UV water filter (30W), MVHR (15W) and system losses.

Edited by Hastings
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Iceverge Advanced Member

Iceverge

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29 minutes ago, Hastings said:

I am going into my first fully off-grid winter in southern Scotland (Glasgow latitude) so I can't yet be definitive (and even then it would be just the one year) but looking at the data I am finding that my PV production is quite a bit less than the estimate obtained from online tools like PVGIS.

 

Two days ago my 1.9kW PV array produced 270Wh on a grey drizzly day. That's not enough to power the constant background load of charger/inverter (30W), UV water filter (30W), MVHR (15W) and system losses.

 

Is that a factor of sunshine or is it something else?

 

Having looked at it I think in the British isles you need to burn something to be practically off grid during the winter. A small inverter generator would get you through no? 

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billt Regular Member

billt

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54 minutes ago, Hastings said:

I am going into my first fully off-grid winter in southern Scotland (Glasgow latitude) so I can't yet be definitive (and even then it would be just the one year) but looking at the data I am finding that my PV production is quite a bit less than the estimate obtained from online tools like PVGIS.

 

Two days ago my 1.9kW PV array produced 270Wh on a grey drizzly day. That's not enough to power the constant background load of charger/inverter (30W), UV water filter (30W), MVHR (15W) and system losses.

 

PVGIS gives an estimate of average production. It isn't a prediction. Solar  energy is highly variable, especially at this time of year when there's a very small period when the sun is high enough to generate anything. The low sun angle is likely to make any shading by trees etc worse.

 

Our approx. 15kW array generated 3 kWh on Monday, not that much more than yours, proportionately, and we are a lot further south.

 

Trying to be self sufficient in electrical energy in the UK is not economically possible, and probably not practicslly possible either.

 

FWIW PVGIS predicts 377kWh generation for November. In 2021 it generated 276kWh, 2022 201 kWh and this year looks to be 310 kWh if we get 2 days of sun as forecast.

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Hastings Regular Member

Hastings

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1 hour ago, SteamyTea said:

Really just to highlight how difficult a time you are going to have going off grid.

Ah, that explains my puzzlement, thank you.

 

Have been off grid for the whole 5-6 year build and loving it. Would have preferred to have less power and fewer mod cons but building standards and public health dept (private water supply police) of the local authority stood in the way of that ideal home.

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Square Feet Regular Member

Square Feet

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18 hours ago, Hastings said:

I am going into my first fully off-grid winter in southern Scotland (Glasgow latitude) so I can't yet be definitive (and even then it would be just the one year) but looking at the data I am finding that my PV production is quite a bit less than the estimate obtained from online tools like PVGIS.

 

Two days ago my 1.9kW PV array produced 270Wh on a grey drizzly day. That's not enough to power the constant background load of charger/inverter (30W), UV water filter (30W), MVHR (15W) and system losses.

Thanks that's interesting, if disappointing. 

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Dillsue Regular Member

Dillsue

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7 hours ago, Square Feet said:

Thanks that's interesting, if disappointing. 

Don't be too disappointed as PVGIS predicts 3470 kwh/Yr for us and our actual is 35xx - 37xx/Yr since 2015. The post you were commenting on was quoting a 1.9kwp system which is a modest system and pretty small if you're wanting to go off grid.

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Square Feet Regular Member

Square Feet

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I saw this on eBay today. 

 

Here's what the text says to save you having to translate it:

" 

V2H, 5 kVA (4 KW), CHAdeMO, station allowing you to power receivers from a car battery, only EV with CHAdeMO charging socket
It changes the direct current from the electric car battery (CHAdeMO socket). Through transformations in the V2H inverter, we obtain alternating current for home or business use.
It can only work with cars equipped with a CHAdeMO charging socket
It is a portable device, suitable for use in a company or household
emergency power source
on board the vehicle as a power source
camping,
family trip
in service cars where an alternating current source is needed
Invaluable in the era of autumn and winter interruptions in electricity supplies - "blackout"
Basic information:
Country of origin: China
Business ; ELECTWAY
Model: V2H
Certification: CE, UL
Warrants: 1 year
Weight 25 kg
Wooden transport packaging
Delivery time: device in stock
Edited by Square Feet
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