We're getting a battery installed this week (no PVs yet BTW), and are currently on the Octopus standard variable tariff. Am I right in thinking we should switch to Agile a day or so before the battery is commissioned so that we can get the API working once it's in? Or is there some hidden gotcha?
If I had a battery-only system and then plugged in a couple of panels into a wall socket (via a micro inverter), any power produced would obviously mean less needed from the battery. But what happens if there's excess power generated? Would a battery go into export mode automatically?
I'm thinking of getting a battery-only system (so no panels for now), and looking at Sigenergy for that. During the summer we tend to use about 6kWh per day and about 8.5kWh during the winter. The battery is 9kWh.
As I undertand it, I'd need to set my minimum charge level before the event to be enough to see me through to the next cheap charging slot, otherwise I might risk losing what I'd gained during the event. Is that easy to do with the Sigenergy app?
Getting a battery installed and I see a couple of posts about enabling Modbus if wanting to use Predbat with Sigstore. But does enabling Modbus prevent use of the Sigenergy app? I'm thinking of trying their app first to see how it goes.
Our main bedroom has two large sash windows facing East. Out of curiosity in this hot weather, I bought a roll of that silver bubble-wrappy insulation stuff (Superfoil General Purpose Wrap for about £15) and hung it outside, clamping it top and bottom with the sashes.
Makes one hell of a difference! Even after full-on sun approaching mid day, the glass is barely warm to the touch and room itself is noticably cool when it would have been baking even with the curtains closed before. Rest of the house also cooler for longer. Guess that's what stopping all that infra-red does!
Can recommend. Can't see out though.
This may be a stupid question, but... For a battery-only install (no panels), am I right in thinking I can sort of estimate the likely payback, assuming I was able get the battery to charge/discharge at the optimal times on Octopus Agile, as follows?
Taking an average of the last 365 days half-hour prices from here (call it 15p), I compare my supplier's standard price (likely 25p if I went on a new fix in July) with that using this tool, but inputting 25p in "Current before" and 15p into both "Standard import rate" and "Off-peak import rate"?
Or is there another way of doing this?
So buyers treat solar like a boiler upgrade or high-grade double glazing: an asset that permanently lowers the cost of running the home.
I also thought this was interesting too: Rightmove thinks a fully-owned solar system typically adds between 4% to 16%, to a home’s total value. Wow - so if you install a £12K system on a £400K house and sell up a year later, you'd be quids in?
Or is all this just vested interests wanting to talk you into it? :-)
Just discovered this from 1999. Who is Smith talking to - is it their producer? Also WTF?