Hi there
Does anyone from Givenergy know when the batteries will be available? I've had two 8.2KWh batteries on order since January and it keeps getting pushed further and further back. Luckily, have an Eddi meaning my excess energy is going somewhere but I really would like my batteries.
My installer cannot get a serious answer from his suppliers.
Cheers
ScottLinfoot I doubt you will get the 8.2's now, you will get a pair of 9.5s instead. I am also interested in availability as I am tempted to add a 9.5 battery to my setup later this year.
Likewise - filling an 8.2 so quickly I'm having to use a timed export in the morning to retain the capacity for the afternoon. Adding a second battery is a must for me before next Spring, and if I can get one this Summer I'd consider doing it this year.
MRich But once your battery is full your solar will export direct to the grid doesn't it? Not sure I understand the timed export from the battery to the grid?
Have a look on the likes of Midsummers website, they have an expected delivery dates if you put items into a basket, not accurate and definite, but at least it gives some indication
THALL The issue is the total output capacity of the inverter clipping the solar input. It's not unusual to see generation numbers well into 5+ kW from my panels on a good day, and I've seen as high as the low 6s. This is only possible when the AC output of the inverter maxes (about 3.8kW in reported value) AND the battery can take a full load of DC, since the inverter seems happy to shunt DC into the battery before converting to AC.
Once the battery is full, the most the inverter can push out is 3.8kW of AC, regardless of how much the panels are producing.
Thus, on a day like today, if I leave the system in mode 1, the battery is full by 1100 or so at the latest (when the panels start to peak production due to the two-roof layout) and the inverter clips the output to 3.8kW regardless. If, however, I use a timed export in the morning to prevent the battery charging up until the point when the inverter is maxing out, I can effectively harvest over and above the limit of the inverter by giving it the battery as a DC receiver for the excess generation.
You're correct that everything over what I'm using goes into export, but that's still limited to the inverter's maximum AC output.
Taking today as an example, I ensured the battery was empty until about 1100 which allowed me to export in the morning rather than charging the battery. I then switched to mode 1 to allow the battery to charge whilst the panels were exceeding the inverter, and then the system clipped to 3.8kW once the battery was full. Today that meant about 3-4 hours where I know for a fact the PV was producing more than I could actually get through the inverter. It'd probably only have been another 4-5kWh but I'm guessing at this point.
The solutions for me would likely be to either switch to a 5.2 Hybrid inverter, which could AC convert almost everything the panels produce, or add a second battery to give more DC pre-inverter capacity. The extra battery is probably the more useful in both the shorter term and longer term, until I add more generation.
MRich I do exactly the same with the additional step of leaving the max charge rate for the battery to 1 kW. It will then take the system 8 hours to fill the battery, covering the midday peak period, until my solar production is below my inversion limit. I have 6kW panels and 5kW inverter hence the need to DC / DC one KW. By doing this I recon I gain around 10% total production.
MRich Oh I see, inverter limit. Do you feel your inverter was incorrectly spec'd allowing for your generation capacity? I use an AC3 on my system as I already had solar and then added a second system. My East facing as of 2nd June (can't wait) will be 5.4kw (currently 2.4kw) but with a 6kw inverter and my West facing is 4.62kw with a 5kw inverter. So far I am pleased the larger capacity inverters were used. My export is currently DNO capped so I am limited as to how much I can export and some days recently have lost up to 20% as heat. Though my EV is due soon so that will take a lot of the excess, though with rising energy costs I am seriously considering a secondary battery.
THALL I wouldn't necessarily say the spec was wrong - though a 5.2 would allow me to reliably make use of almost all of the production over the course of the year the amount of clipping expected was probably lower than I am seeing. As long as I have that 2.5kW of DC availability charging the battery I doubt the PV could ever exceed it except in the rarest of circumstances. The whole array is about 7.8kW but split 50:50 on the roof facing 110/290 degrees respectively. Works out to about 4kW peak output per roof. It just happens that the tilt of the roof allows for a few hours where both arrays are pretty well lit. Designing around a 5.2 hybrid inverter would have bumped the cost a fair bit for minimal benefit. It'll really pay off if I add generation or want to increase AC output down the line.
On the demand side even a 5.2 couldn't keep up with our household demand at the highest peaks so I'd still not be able to run zero-grid. I'd probably need a pair of inverters to manage that much which is far more complex than I want to go.
So for me the upgrade path is additional battery storage first, and then I'll look at an inverter upgrade when I'm installing either an EV charger or an ASHP. Either of those would put to bed any idea of being off-grid over winter of course but I'd like to be able to power them when I can.
MRich I can highly recommend a ASHP, though that depends on some other things. Home insulation, heating/radiator type. I have ASHP and really love it with the underfloor heating.
I have just asked my solar installer to quote for a second battery. With no stocks in sight I have a bit of time to get the funds together :-)
THALL I've done exactly the same thing - want a second battery by March next year.
An ASHP is definitely down the line for me. The house is a pretty sizeable detatched property about 15 years old, so all the heating is wall mounted and the ceilings are low enough that adding in underfloor heating isn't a great option for me.
I'm keeping an eye on electric underfloor heating as it's the other option but obviously nowhere near as efficient as an ASHP. On the other hand replacing my gas boiler with an ASHP basically means sticking the exterior unit on the side wall and putting the heat exchanger where the boiler currently is. Could then look at switching the radiators to under-floor almost room-by-room using the existing pipework.
MRich Check out infrared panels as another electric option.
And everybody once had those big bulky night storage heaters at one point on eco 7 😆
THALL I do like the look of those 😀 Octopus were advertising a company that does systems that can be installed under floors or on walls or ceilings. It looks like a very interesting technology and a lot more energy efficient since you're not trying to heat the air volume of the space, only the items within. And all from a standard 13A supply.
It's probably what I'd go for right now if I wanted to replace the laminate downstairs. Bit of a bugger in the tiled kitchen but having some wall mounted would solve that.
I expect that the current energy price crisis is going to lead to a lot of innovative ideas like that coming up.
On that one, I do wonder if it would be possible to double-hat an ASHP as an air conditioner as well, though I suppose more of a heat sink than an air con. I suspect too much effort to do so.
MRich It also feels like the sun heating you rather than a harsh single point of heat.
GE if you are reading this is there any chance you could let us know the ETA on UK stock of batteries? I just got my quote for a 9.5kw and am very tempted!!!
THALL Would you be willing to share a rough cost? Wholesale looked like next deliveries in September or so!
MRich £3200. External installation, connected to my 8.2kw and AC3 with an install estimate of late August. I did have a chat with them about UK stock and they said they are expecting Gen 2 kit in August. So yeah could easily be September. They are installing an extra 3kw of panels for me 2nd June and have been really great to work with so far.
THALL Thanks for sharing 😀 Sounds like you've got a good relationship with your supplier/installer there - always good to see!
Timings seem to match up then. I'll need to prod my installer in a few weeks if he doesn't get back to me before then.
MRich Yeah they have done exactly what I asked for. Started with generic 370w panels and after some discussion they went away and found some nice 500w+ panels for me instead. Replacing the current 2.5kw inverter with the 6kw I wanted etc etc and have prices that make sense! Now I need to find some extra work to pay for the battery before I go nuts and order it! Just paid for new panels, new EV due at the end of the month. The wife is looking at my funny when I mentioned I might get another battery :-S
THALL My wife says she's now allergic to the words "kilowatt hours". I suspect I have gotten a little obsessed.
Can't wait for an EV. I just filled my Focus this morning after a record 438-odd miles (with another 30+ in the tank). At current petrol prices that puts me at about 19p per mile when achieving absolutely the best efficiency I can. Even at 3kWh per mile in an EV I'd be looking at a third of the cost per mile at my current fixed price.
MRich :-)
Looking at my usage I will consume 12 - 17kw per day from the coldest day to the best driving conditions just for my work commute. So even if that was all from the grid, 66p - 93p per day. Then factor in solar, 7 months a year and Weekends and Mondays will be free miles. Happy happy days!
MRich If you have concrete floors I found a system that allows you to retrofit UFH without increasing the height of the floor. The company is JK Floorheating. They grind channels into the floor and put in the pipes. Had it done 5 years ago for the whole ground floor and it works brilliantly. Even more so since I had an ASHP installed 10 months ago. Now I have added a GE AC3 and 2 x 9.5kw batteries and have an EV being delivered in @8 weeks. (solar system is 11 years old.) Plan is to run everything on Intelligent Octopus tarrif. Octopus app indicates they are beta testing more cars so I am not going for an Ohme charger, instead relying on a Zappi initially in dumb mode and let the car control it while using the 6 hours of cheap electricity to charge the batteries and boost the ASHP output. During the summer will switch the Zappi to ECO+ mode. Hoping for software updates in the Zappi and the GE system to support Intelligent octopus in the future. Not sure if the ASHP also has that option. That's the plan. now lets see if it works!