Asking DNO permission for ASHP in exchange for GSHP - and various other things.

[Blooda]

Asking for a friend [honestly].

 

Situation, this is how he explains it.

 

My mate built his own house in the sticks, 20 years ago, complete with GSHP. He does not know if the DNO was informed or even had to be informed at the time.

Since then.

Has had Solar installed, which he believes the DNO have been informed.

Has 3x Tesla Batteries, which he believes the DNO have been informed.

Has a car charger, which he thinks [knows] the DNO have not been informed.

 

He is currently charging his Tesla batteries at night from the grid on cheap electric and car in parallel. [i assume this will change in summer]

The car stops charging due to "Voltage drop" error, so something is amiss.

He is now in the process of changing the GSHP with ASHP. [2x 11kw]. [not told the DNO, as he thought it was a direct replacement]

 

He has spoken on the QT to "someone he knows" in the DNO, who says although there is 3 phase in the street, but there may not be capacity to upgrade from single to 3 phase.

 

He now does not know what to do about informing the DNO.   His problem is that when we built our self build [no where near his] we got stung for circa £40k to install the new 3 phase supply, as they had to dig up half the village.  I did explain somethings have changed with charging for upgrades [we were 2020], but did not know the details.

 

Advise and comments would be gratefully received.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[garrymartin]

There were changes to who pays for "network reinforcement" in 2023.

 

For example, in my case, before the changes, for our potential plot to get three-phase at the required loads the DNO was asking for almost £50K for network reinforcements - three-phase cabling was in place, but only a single-phase transformer and so the cost was predominantly for replacing the single-phase transformer for a three-phase one (it was originally an eye-watering £146K but their network asset database was out of date and some cabling they wanted me to pay for was already in place).

 

Now, so long as I'm not *requesting* a three-phase connection, but am instead documenting my load and supply requirements (that would naturally lead to three-phase being the solution), then the DNO should foot the bill for the reinforcements and I'll simply pick up the connection charge.

 

Much more detail here https://ukpowersolutions.co.uk/2023/02/14/changes-to-electricity-connection-charges/

 

 

[Dillsue]

4 hours ago, Blooda said:

 

Has had Solar installed, which he believes the DNO have been informed.

Has 3x Tesla Batteries, which he believes the DNO have been informed.

Has a car charger, which he thinks [knows] the DNO have not been informed.

 

He is currently charging his Tesla batteries at night from the grid on cheap electric and car in parallel. [i assume this will change in summer]

The car stops charging due to "Voltage drop" error, so something is amiss.

He is now in the process of changing the GSHP with ASHP. [2x 11kw]. [not told the DNO, as he thought it was a direct replacement]

Assuming the Tesla batteries are Powerwalls, then your mate would likely have needed permission rather than "informing them". AFAIK, Powerwalls can only be installed by Tesla approved installers who are likely reputable and should have done things by the book. That'll likely involve your mate receiving paperwork so he should know for sure that the DNO gave consent. If not, ask the installer to confirm. Same for the solar.

 

If he's charging 3 x Powerwalls and charging an EV at the same time, that's going to be a sizeable load on his supply which might explain the volt drop problem hes got. Try staggering the charging so the load is reduced but runs for a longer period of time?

 

If he schedules the battery and EV charging to happen during the day, he can get a competent spark to monitor the supply and see if there's a volt drop and work out/confirm what's causing it. If the supply is dropping below statutory limits then there's a fair chance the DNO will have to bolster the supply.

[Conor]

If he's running a large GSHP, charging batteries, and a car, all at the same time, all on a single phase, then no womder he's having issues. Sounds like three phase needed.

 

I'd love to see his electric bills 😲

 

[SteamyTea]

If the batteries are charged either side of noon, then the PV will all be swallowed by them.

The car will take about 7.2 kW (32A).

But apart from start up, the heat pump is probably not pulling more than 5 kW (22A).

 

The voltage drop could well be caused by the HP starting up.

Not sure if you can easily get around that, maybe be possible to modify it by adding a soft start system.

 

Why does he want to change it to an air source?

Edited March 26 by SteamyTea

[Blooda]

Thanks for your replies.

 

Spoke to him this morning. 

 

So he changing from Ground source to Air source because, for a variety of reasons - "he is building an extension, does not know the size of the loops, he's moving the pump, pump is old, cannot install more loops" 

 

He is chasing up the Tesla and solar supplier.

 

He is now stalling the install of the new ASHP's until he has spoke to DNO [officially]. 

 

Oh, his "mate in the DNO" says the property is not on the DNO network plans, as although it only 20 years old, it was a bungalow demolish and rebuild .

 

Keep you informed.....