Post by Deleted on Oct 29, 2015 11:42:49 GMT
In the UK there is loads of "spare power" in fact all the power generated is spare as you are paid merely to produce the power, not to let it out of the house, so no upper limit below what the panels can generate second to second.
Hence the best idea is to use power when your solar is generating, hence great ideas like dumping the energy into your hot water tank. This is a little tricky as your hot water heater will want to suck more than your solar regularly wants to generate hence the need for the little box of tricks as described. Alternativlely it might be cheaper to fit a smaller heating element (though Mrs Bobo might get a bit p@@Mousey off waiting for the water to heat up if used conventionally).
In reality the tricks to using solar without the complexity and expense of too many tricks is to, during the day only use limited electricity and use it all the time, so washing machine, then dish washer, then kettle, not all three on at the same time. Studies seem to show that a simple timer on each of the high energy using machines works well if you are out. The internet of things is just a complexity reliability monster best avoided at this stage.
Hence the best idea is to use power when your solar is generating, hence great ideas like dumping the energy into your hot water tank. This is a little tricky as your hot water heater will want to suck more than your solar regularly wants to generate hence the need for the little box of tricks as described. Alternativlely it might be cheaper to fit a smaller heating element (though Mrs Bobo might get a bit p@@Mousey off waiting for the water to heat up if used conventionally).
In reality the tricks to using solar without the complexity and expense of too many tricks is to, during the day only use limited electricity and use it all the time, so washing machine, then dish washer, then kettle, not all three on at the same time. Studies seem to show that a simple timer on each of the high energy using machines works well if you are out. The internet of things is just a complexity reliability monster best avoided at this stage.
