Triassic Posted December 21, 2018 Share Posted December 21, 2018 (edited) I’ve looked for information on the Government website regarding feed in tariffs post March 2019 and can’t find anything. I’m trying to do an up to date cost benefit analysis, before committing to buying the panels ( our TF goes up in January). My original plan had to do a DIY instal, the panels cost about the same as the very expensive local slates required by as a planning condition. However, I’ve just been talking to an old friend at a Christmas Do, he says he would be able to commission the system and complete the necessary FiT paperwork on very faverable mates rates! Obviously this affects the cost benefit somewhat. Edited December 21, 2018 by Triassic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newhome Posted December 21, 2018 Share Posted December 21, 2018 There are no FIT payments for PV post March 2019 ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProDave Posted December 21, 2018 Share Posted December 21, 2018 The brick wall you will hit on a new build claiming FIT is the required EPC certificate. I tried every avenue I could find. The basic issue is you can't claim the FIT unless you have an EPC D or better and you can't get the EPC until you are pretty much finished the build. So will you be in that position before the end of March? I tried to find someone to issue an EPC on the static caravan, by being a bit creative and taking into account the solar PV it might have just scraped a D. But the brick wall I hit there was a "park home" was EPC exempt and because of that I could not find anyone that would do an EPC on that. I then tried the EPC exempt avenue, becaue in theory if your solar PV is on an EPC exempt building then you should be able to claim the FIT with a letter from a surveyor stating it was EPC exempt. That failed because "EPC exempt" means a barn or other uninhabited building. They said a "park home" is a habitable building with heating, so it was possible to issue an EPC for it. Except back to square one, I could not find a surveyor that would. So I have just bought my panels for my completely DIY system with no FIT. My target is to get the whole lot installed for £1500, and then projected £250 pa electricity saving should give a payback of 6 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeremy Harris Posted December 21, 2018 Share Posted December 21, 2018 We submitted our "design" EPC with our FIT application when second fix was just about completed, but nothing else was done, and it was accepted for the FIT OK. We did this in a rush to get the application in before April 2014. as the rates were due to change. The house didn't even have a name or address, and was listed as "The Plot", with our old house as being the address for all correspondence, FIT cheques etc. We had no problems at all in doing this, everything went like clockwork with SSE, even down to the DNO part of SSE emailing me documents that were needed to include in the application (the G59 approval). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triassic Posted December 21, 2018 Author Share Posted December 21, 2018 There is no way I’m going to get my system installed before March. So, with the scheme coming to an end am i correct to assume that I won’t be paid for any energy I export to the grid? If so, what technology, and or strategies, should I be looking to ensure I use the maximum amount of self generated energy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProDave Posted December 21, 2018 Share Posted December 21, 2018 19 minutes ago, Triassic said: If so, what technology, and or strategies, should I be looking to ensure I use the maximum amount of self generated energy? Firstly maximise generation for self usage, rather than absolute maximum output. I am proposing an E/W split to get more early and late generation, with a slight tilt to the S mainly hoping that will improve winter yield a bit. Then it is down to lifestyle, use the big appliances, washing machine, tumble dryer, dishwasher, etc only in the daytime and one at a time. The near essential one is a diverter to dump unused PV to DHW heating via the immersion heater. Later on when the price comes down more battery storage should hoover up the remainin g surplus for use at night. An EV and only charge it in the daytime should wrap up any excess. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triassic Posted December 21, 2018 Author Share Posted December 21, 2018 2 minutes ago, ProDave said: The near essential one is a diverter to sump unused PV to DHW heating via the immersion heater. All we need now is for Sunamp to sort out their charging system. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeremy Harris Posted December 21, 2018 Share Posted December 21, 2018 2 minutes ago, ProDave said: An EV and only charge it in the daytime should wrap up any excess. Best tactic if you have an EV or PHEV is to either buy a Zappi charge point or build one that has the same functionality. Mine works very like a Zappi, in that it only delivers charge to the car when there is an excess available. The only slight fly in the ointment is that the lowest charge rate that any J1772-compliant vehicle should accept is 6 A, so around 1.4 to 1.5 kW, and that needs to be continuous, not pulsed like the output of all water heating type PV diverters. It's not really an issue, other than the cycle time for the car recognising that power is available and booting up the charger to the correct level, which can be around 10 to 20 seconds or so. This means that in practice it's more sensible to just detect an export of over the 6 A threshold and turn the charger on at that level, then wait to see if there is still excess PV generation a few minutes later and if so step the charge rate up, then keep doing this (or stepping it down) at, say, 10 minute intervals. It probably means that some of the charge will be imported at times, but is about the best that can be done given the limitations of the J1772 protocol, which was never really designed to allow flexible rate charging on the fly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeremy Harris Posted December 21, 2018 Share Posted December 21, 2018 7 minutes ago, Triassic said: All we need now is for Sunamp to sort out their charging system. Or fit a time switch... (still working a treat on ours, we're getting pretty close to 100% utilisation of excess PV generation now). 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triassic Posted December 21, 2018 Author Share Posted December 21, 2018 2 minutes ago, JSHarris said: Or fit a time switch... (still working a treat on ours, we're getting pretty close to 100% utilisation of excess PV generation now). I hope Sunamp are paying you for your design input. When can we expect to see the timeswitch integrated into the new Sunamps. I only ask as I’ve got one in storage for delivery in March. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeremy Harris Posted December 21, 2018 Share Posted December 21, 2018 3 hours ago, Triassic said: I hope Sunamp are paying you for your design input. When can we expect to see the timeswitch integrated into the new Sunamps. I only ask as I’ve got one in storage for delivery in March. No, they aren't paying me, or even communicating over this issue. Notwithstanding that, the time switch fix is a simple and pretty cheap way to overcome the failings in the Qontroller at the moment. I'm happy to just carry on using this as a permanent fix, as it works perfectly, with no downsides at all. I've checked that it's safe to do this, by deliberately turning the Qontroller off after it's shut off when fully charged, then turned it back on again, to simulate a time switch induced reset when the unit is fully charged. All that happens is that the Qontroller turns the main contactor on, then a few seconds later turns it off, when it senses that the heat cell is fully charged. This gives me a fair degree of confidence that the time switch reset procedure won't have any adverse impact on the unit. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nickfromwales Posted December 21, 2018 Share Posted December 21, 2018 1 hour ago, Triassic said: I hope Sunamp are paying you for your design input. When can we expect to see the timeswitch integrated into the new Sunamps. I only ask as I’ve got one in storage for delivery in March. There looking into a slimline, DIN rail mounted one. I think I’ll start routinely fitting the kWh registers / meters that @JSHarris and @Barney12 have, as I’ve seen them in action at @Barney12‘s and they’re A1 for “customer confidence” measures. I shall also adopt the neon ‘heater on’ indicator as that’s a good reference between power being on, contactor being on and energy being consumed. If the indicator is on, but no energy is being consumed, then you know the immersion stat has popped or the immersion has failed. Cheap, simple and effective measures, and the meters will give you the “grin factor” as you’ll be able to quantify what the SA unit has ‘earned’ you in stores excess energy. The fog is lifting. ? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterW Posted December 21, 2018 Share Posted December 21, 2018 2 minutes ago, Nickfromwales said: There looking into a slimline, DIN rail mounted one. Seriously ..??! Why on earth don’t they just fix the firmware instead of installing a frig..??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nickfromwales Posted December 21, 2018 Share Posted December 21, 2018 1 hour ago, ProDave said: Later on when the price comes down more battery storage should hoover up the remainin g surplus for use at night. I’m fitting a battery system shortly and will update on a relevant thread as to results / price / RoI etc and practicalities. One Achilles heel has been the naff 3kW throughput from most generic battery inverters, but yours truly has made a very interesting breakthrough in that dept. ? I think one particular battery system may well be ‘ready to rock’ in terms of price and practicality. Now only if I could find a guinea pig willing for me to fit it for so I can test my theory ???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nickfromwales Posted December 21, 2018 Share Posted December 21, 2018 Just now, PeterW said: Seriously ..??! Why on earth don’t they just fix the firmware instead of installing a frig..??? Quick fix first, long term fix once proven I expect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProDave Posted December 21, 2018 Share Posted December 21, 2018 1 hour ago, Nickfromwales said: I’m fitting a battery system shortly and will update on a relevant thread as to results / price / RoI etc and practicalities. One Achilles heel has been the naff 3kW throughput from most generic battery inverters, but yours truly has made a very interesting breakthrough in that dept. ? I think one particular battery system may well be ‘ready to rock’ in terms of price and practicality. Now only if I could find a guinea pig willing for me to fit it for so I can test my theory ???? You can fit it here for free and I will report the results....... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nickfromwales Posted December 21, 2018 Share Posted December 21, 2018 Just now, ProDave said: You can fit it here for free and I will report the results....... Did they consult you when they made the first ducks arse, Dave ? Seriously though, I may be on to something. ? 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dpmiller Posted December 21, 2018 Share Posted December 21, 2018 enquiring minds, and all that. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nickfromwales Posted December 21, 2018 Share Posted December 21, 2018 27 minutes ago, dpmiller said: enquiring minds, and all that. “Operation cliffhanger” is in full effect. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeSharp01 Posted December 21, 2018 Share Posted December 21, 2018 13 minutes ago, Nickfromwales said: Operation cliffhanger This should be good? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triassic Posted December 21, 2018 Author Share Posted December 21, 2018 Can we have a photo of the Kw register meter set up. Also how is the neon wired? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vivienz Posted December 21, 2018 Share Posted December 21, 2018 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nickfromwales Posted December 21, 2018 Share Posted December 21, 2018 32 minutes ago, MikeSharp01 said: This should be good? Edge-of-your-seat shit, this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeremy Harris Posted December 21, 2018 Share Posted December 21, 2018 15 minutes ago, Triassic said: Can we have a photo of the Kw register meter set up. Also how is the neon wired? I'll try and remember to take a photo of my twin energy meter set up tomorrow. The neon is just wired directly to the contactor coil and fitted into a spare cable gland on the base of the Qontroller. It's lit whenever the Qontroller is calling for power from the PV diverter/boost switch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triassic Posted December 21, 2018 Author Share Posted December 21, 2018 54 minutes ago, JSHarris said: The neon is just wired directly to the contactor coil and fitted into a spare cable gland on the base of the Qontroller. It's lit whenever the Qontroller is calling for power from the PV diverter/boost switch. Could we also have a photo of this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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