Solar options for home in 2022

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#3215978 8-Apr-2024 22:00

Some Plonker: To wire a Shelly into the HWC power do you need an electrician or is it OK as a DIY?

Official word is that as a homeowner you're allowed to do it, but then you need to get an electrical inspector to sign off on it. The number of inspectors who will sign off on wiring work the homeowner has done themselves is approximately zero, so in effect you need an electrician to do the wiring.

While looking for more details on Shellys running hot as a previous poster suggested I found this GZ thread on the topic of using one to run a HWC. Looks like you have to be pretty careful about using a Shelly for this since the (presumably) coil heating gets quite bad over extended runtimes.

However other sources report that heat also depends on power run through it so contact resistance could also play a part in the overall heat generation.

So for now I'll put off controlling the HWC with a Shelly...

HarmLessSolutions

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#3216011 9-Apr-2024 09:12

Ge0rge:
HarmLessSolutions:

The default grid voltage in our rural locality appears to be 240V +/- 2V with peak usage periods reducing that down to around 230V (+/- 2V). Perhaps an intentionally high 'normal' to provide a buffer in what is an area with some pretty tired infrastructure ?

Reality vs. regulations?

Oh definitely - being rural myself I tend to see on or over 240V more often than I see under, and when it does go under, it isn't by much - lowest today was at 0535 when it was 235.2V. Technically it's all still within the 230V +/- 6% though.

This is an example showing the fragility of the grid in our locality. Note the 7kW consumption period which is EV charging from 0:00 - 7:00. The Feed in point grid voltage drops to the low 220s in reaction to that demand with the dip at the end (presumably as neighbouring milking sheds cranked up) goes as low as 219V.

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Jase2985

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#3216232 9-Apr-2024 15:11

Vector in Auckland is 230v+/- 6%. Measured it this morning at 236v

If your voltage is sagging that much when its under load, I wonder if you have a bad connection on your grid connection somewhere that when the current gets high it's causing resistance somewhere and a voltage drop.

Would be worth testing again at another time of the day, and load up the connection for 30 minutes.

billgates

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#3216243 9-Apr-2024 15:46

billgates:

I am with Genesis in Waipa and pay anytime rate of 22.5c/kWh incl GST with 12c/kWh buyback and 60c incl GST daily charge. Contract is coming up for renewal in June so will see what the new rates will be.

Welp that was fun while it lasted with the above-mentioned rates for last 2 years, we had been on in Waipa. Turns out contract finished June last year. Genesis sent us a letter on Monday advising of new rates below for Low & Standard + 11% discount on top of advertised rates. Genesis has now increased the solar buy back from 12c to 12.5c/kWh. I am thinking of going with Meridian Solar Plan with 17c buy back as rates will be locked in for 5 years from Meridian's end, but I can get out of the contract after 2 years if needed. $300 signup credit as well. Meridian Low & standard rates are below as well. Meridian will provide a further 2% discount on top of advertised rates.

Do whatever you want to do man.

billgates

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#3216245 9-Apr-2024 15:49

I got the 30 minutes increments consumption data from Genesis for June, July, and August 2023 which is when we used a lot of power from the grid to heat home at night. Based on these 92 days of usage data, I did the pricing comparison. In summers, the 17c/kWh solar buy from Meridian will be good and 5 years price lock.

Do whatever you want to do man.

neb

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#3216265 9-Apr-2024 16:30

neb: So for now I'll put off controlling the HWC with a Shelly...

More on this topic redirected to this thread for anyone who's interested.

HarmLessSolutions

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#3216551 10-Apr-2024 14:11

Octopus have advised this morning of a new Octopus Peaker Plan for those with solar export which is of best advantage to those with batteries or V2G included in their set-up. Time dependent export rates are 20 cents buyback rate per kWh exported between the peak periods of 7am - 11am and 5pm - 9pm, Monday to Friday. For electricity exported at off-peak you will get 10 cents buyback rate per kWh, and for night 5 cents buyback rate per kW.

More info available through their website. Good to see moves in this direction and perhaps we will also see their Agile plan as presently available to their UK customers in the near future.

https://www.harmlesssolutions.co.nz/

billgates

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#3216566 10-Apr-2024 15:48

hmm not sure if this is a good new plan for Solar users from Octopus specially for the one's that have no batteries. Peak production period will be from 10AM to 5PM in summers which means 10c/kWh export rate for majorty of users unless they self consume. You also want to be careful and not export from battery during peak or after hours incase there is a unexpected power cut you did not have enough state of charge left. Not to mention, you will be cycling your battery quicker and will need to power your home at night from battery.

Do whatever you want to do man.

HarmLessSolutions

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#3216573 10-Apr-2024 16:09

billgates:

hmm not sure if this is a good new plan for Solar users from Octopus specially for the one's that have no batteries. Peak production period will be from 10AM to 5PM in summers which means 10c/kWh export rate for majorty of users unless they self consume. You also want to be careful and not export from battery during peak or after hours incase there is a unexpected power cut you did not have enough state of charge left. Not to mention, you will be cycling your battery quicker and will need to power your home at night from battery.

Octopus address this in the FAQs of their Peaker webpage:

"Q: I have solar, but no battery, is this plan right for me?

A: Anyone is free to join this plan, however it is unlikely you would be able to make the most of the higher peak export rate unless you have a battery to store excess electricity. Even on this plan, you are still more likely to benefit by prioritising self-consumption of solar then exporting any excess."

Also, as with any customer who is 'gaming' their supplier's import/export rates it is wise to be mindful of maintaining some storage reserve in case of unexpected grid outages. This is particularly pertinent for those with limited battery capacity but probably no so much in the case of V2G systems where the EV usually offers substantially greater battery capacity.

I note that Octopus haven't provided import rates or fixed charges for this plan but would be curious to know if enough differential exists between off peak supply vs. peak export tariffs for this plan to be of potential gain for non-solar customers.

https://www.harmlesssolutions.co.nz/

eonsim

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#3216578 10-Apr-2024 16:24

HarmLessSolutions:

Octopus have advised this morning of a new Octopus Peaker Plan for those with solar export which is of best advantage to those with batteries or V2G included in their set-up. Time dependent export rates are 20 cents buyback rate per kWh exported between the peak periods of 7am - 11am and 5pm - 9pm, Monday to Friday. For electricity exported at off-peak you will get 10 cents buyback rate per kWh, and for night 5 cents buyback rate per kW.

More info available through their website. Good to see moves in this direction and perhaps we will also see their Agile plan as presently available to their UK customers in the near future.

I saw that as well this morning, if we were actually exporting much power and had a battery it would be interesting!

SumnerBoy

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#3216579 10-Apr-2024 16:31

Hard to see the appeal for this, particularly if you are already getting 17c for all solar export on their current plan.

I would prefer to keep my battery topped up and ensure I can last the peak rate period where we tend to use a lot of electricity.

The cost to import during peak rates is much greater than 20c I would get exporting that same power.

HarmLessSolutions

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#3216628 10-Apr-2024 17:02

SumnerBoy:

Hard to see the appeal for this, particularly if you are already getting 17c for all solar export on their current plan.

I would prefer to keep my battery topped up and ensure I can last the peak rate period where we tend to use a lot of electricity.

The cost to import during peak rates is much greater than 20c I would get exporting that same power.

Our 17c FIT will reduce in September (when our 12 month fixed term ends), and any new Octopus customer is now offered 13c so the Peaker Plan will make sense in that context.

Octopus have advised me that the Peaker Plan relates to FITs only and that existing import tariffs can be retained. In our case our off peak tariff is 18c so night charging of a battery (or V2G connected EV) would be at less than the Peaker's peak export rate so worth charging from both solar and off-peak grid rates to then export during Octopus's peak export pricing.

Our longer term intention is to use a Leaf in a V2G capacity to serve as home storage and a future focussed plan such as Octopus is offering here fits that model both in terms of personal economics and grid buffering.

https://www.harmlesssolutions.co.nz/

Jase2985

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#3216729 10-Apr-2024 21:16

HarmLessSolutions:

Our longer term intention is to use a Leaf in a V2G capacity to serve as home storage and a future focussed plan such as Octopus is offering here fits that model both in terms of personal economics and grid buffering.

im interested to see how this is going to work and what you are going to need

HarmLessSolutions

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#3216749 10-Apr-2024 21:40

Jase2985:

HarmLessSolutions:

Our longer term intention is to use a Leaf in a V2G capacity to serve as home storage and a future focussed plan such as Octopus is offering here fits that model both in terms of personal economics and grid buffering.

im interested to see how this is going to work and what you are going to need

A bidirectional EVSE and a bit of jiggery pokery so far as lines company compliance is concerned as far as I can gather. Once we have a bidi EVSE sourced and installed I'm thinking that V2H will be relatively straightforward whereas V2G will be a challenge due to the phase export cap so some reconfiguring of the export monitoring and control will be required I guess.

https://www.harmlesssolutions.co.nz/

EgorNZ

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#3217092 11-Apr-2024 14:11

So I've noticed an inverse relationship between the power output from the two MPP's in my solar system. When total output approaches >5kW, one MPP peaks and it's as though something forces the other MPP to dip, like they're coordinating to limit the total output.

What would cause this?

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