Help me understand how Solar is cheaper at home.

[Albynsw]

If weight and size is not an issue AGM is still the way to go for value for money @Laingy s situation proves this as is the case for many boat installations
200a/h truck batteries are pretty cheap and you can drop half a dozen in your bilge easily

 

[Toyasaurus]

I remember seeing a doco on this bloke in the UK who used 1v submarine batteries.
I don`t know what AH they were but man are they big, I played cricket in the battery room on the old Oberon class boats.

 

[cam04]

6v Trojan golf cart batteries end up being good for home supplies when running on AGM. We have them up the farm.

 

[G_ute]

I thought this was a good idea, panels only used for hot water and running DC.
Hot water is my main cost since I use a wood heater for space heating in winter and mostly gas for cooking.

 

[Toyasaurus]

Great setup.
I never thought of doing hot water that way, I`m using instantainious gas which is a pita because it`s not hot enough.
What size tank do you have?

I was looking to go to a air sourced heat pump because I generate so much excess power.

 

[Toyasaurus]

So much for the gov`t commitment to solar,
I have been told that they have passed new laws that allow the power companies to do pretty much what they want.
Feed in tariff`s next to nothing and the possibility of actually being charged for putting power back in the grid.
If my feed in price drop`s below 12c per kw I`m going to pull the pin on the grid.

They have just killed the solar industry.

 

[G_ute]

I dont have solar I just thought I would post his video. (I like a lot of his content anyway)
I have been putting off grid-connected solar since the FIT is so low and being in Tassie dont get the same power anyway.
But I might consider a small setup like this, just for the water heater. Nice and simple.
Until there is a much better battery coming along I dont thing solar-electric is worth it here.
If a much better battery/storage is invented (cheaper, indefinate lifetime, safe) the power companies will be 'spewing'

 

[Toyasaurus]

I thought that was yours.
It`s a good way of heating water, as long as it`s sized correctly.

I have way too much power generation anyway better to use mine to power a heater than give it to the grid for nothing.

 

[Kippie]

We installed a 3kW solar system including inverter to power our 200 liter hot water tank. I replaced the original AC coil inside the tank with an 1800 watt unit, so the panels can easily handle the load all year round. A timer controls the heating cycle between 11 am and 4 pm, when the panels are in full sun. Any excess power goes into the grid. A bypass switch is also installed in case we need to boost heating from the grid. So far we've never had to do that.

 

[Albynsw]

Great setup.
I never thought of doing hot water that way, I`m using instantainious gas which is a pita because it`s not hot enough.
What size tank do you have?

I was looking to go to a air sourced heat pump because I generate so much excess power.

If your instantaneous unit have an external mixing valve you could remove it to up the temp

 

[smitty_r51]

More and more people will turn to batteries as they can't sell their excess to the grid and get charged more for what they do use. Electricity market is going to change dramatically and as always it is going to be the poor who suffer.

They need to be spending some of their profits on suburb batteries and a distributed grid to work around this before it is taken out of their hands by the public

 

[Toyasaurus]

Thanks Alby.
I don`t think mine has.
I`ll probably get the heat pump because power is free, gas is expensive, I`m on bottled gas.
I`ve already knocked it back to only 2 tanks so far this year by not using the gas heater.

 

[Albynsw]

Thanks Alby.
I don`t think mine has.
I`ll probably get the heat pump because power is free, gas is expensive, I`m on bottled gas.
I`ve already knocked it back to only 2 tanks so far this year by not using the gas heater.

I am on bottled gas instantaneous too, I go through a bottle a month @ $100 each and that is just hot water and cooktop just had one swapped this morning

 

[TimNWVic]

I have 5.5w solar (paid itself off in 3 1/2 years, thanks partly to the VIC rebate) and an electric storage hot water service, in NW Vic. Considering one of these

CATCH Power Green Gen2 | CATCH Power

Single Phase Hot water diverter. Although Gen2 does not have an internet connection it has built in algorithums to ensure you always have your water heated at the cheapest rate possible. Simply use the touch pad to choose your prefered method of heating. Solar Only - opt for your water to be...

www.catchpower.com.au

It takes any surplus power that would normally go to the grid and feeds it into the hot water circuit. $650 plus say $200 install (it looks simple provided there is room in the meter box).

My last month's bill I used 284kWh on controlled load for hot water (at 16.97c) and exported 504kWh (at 10c). So if this provided all my hot water I'd save about $20 a month, giving a payback time of roughly 3-4 years.

My only concern is I don't think it can (legally) be wired to use controlled load if/when it needs to boost, so that would us peak rate power.

Heat pumps are great but lots of moving parts, so the good (reliable) ones are expensive ($5k or more even after STCs). That's a long payback period.

 

[Toyasaurus]

I don`t worry to much about the ROI, that`s why I spent a lot on batteries.

 

[LongRoad2Go]

More and more people will turn to batteries as they can't sell their excess to the grid and get charged more for what they do use. Electricity market is going to change dramatically and as always it is going to be the poor who suffer.

They need to be spending some of their profits on suburb batteries and a distributed grid to work around this before it is taken out of their hands by the public

Yes, there was talk about creating local distribution networks - basically, every house in a neighbourhood generates power and charges a battery with the excess. During peaks, the battery kicks in. No need for electricity connections to power companies.

We need a community to kick it off before the power companies throw 'contribution' $$$$ at the political parties to kill the idea with legislation.

No wonder the Feds don't want an ICAC-type organisation keeping an eye on them!

 

[Albynsw]

I don`t worry to much about the ROI, that`s why I spent a lot on batteries.

So what is your motivation with all this gear if it isn’t financial?

 

[Albynsw]

Yes, there was talk about creating local distribution networks - basically, every house in a neighbourhood generates power and charges a battery with the excess. During peaks, the battery kicks in. No need for electricity connections to power companies.

We need a community to kick it off before the power companies throw 'contribution' $$$$ at the political parties to kill the idea with legislation.

No wonder the Feds don't want an ICAC-type organisation keeping an eye on them!

Do you think this will cut it? They are already having big issues in the US with the popularity of EV’s increasing and not enough power to charge them.

 

[CTL]

I am on bottled gas instantaneous too, I go through a bottle a month @ $100 each and that is just hot water and cooktop just had one swapped this morning

What brand of heater?

 

[smitty_r51]

Do you think this will cut it? They are already having big issues in the US with the popularity of EV’s increasing and not enough power to charge them.

Big issue with EV's is they put huge strains on overnight power. While countries have excess power with powerstations etc it makes sense to have something using that overnight power i.e. economy heaters, recharge your EV overnight etc.

But if we are running off batteries and renewables (which is mostly Solar) then your peak production is during the day and in a none lockdown world (remember them) the EV will be at work or doing chores, not sat in the garage to be charged off the solar.