Second system extension extension.

[Joeboy]

13.00 86% soc
Brought on the dishwasher and HWT but it's a losing battle!

I lost the battle here at 10am, everything full, wall to wall sunshine and even in this heat I just turned everything on for a minute to see what the full generation potential is and its 7.5 kW, so 3kW being curtailed.

It has clouded over here again and I am batch cooking a pasta sauce on the induction hob. Keeping a lid on it!
There's not much more you can do for storage is there?

[nowty]

13.00 86% soc
Brought on the dishwasher and HWT but it's a losing battle!

I lost the battle here at 10am, everything full, wall to wall sunshine and even in this heat I just turned everything on for a minute to see what the full generation potential is and its 7.5 kW, so 3kW being curtailed.

It has clouded over here again and I am batch cooking a pasta sauce on the induction hob. Keeping a lid on it!
There's not much more you can do for storage is there?

Home battery full.
Both EVs 80% to 90%, I don't charge them to 100% unless an imminent long journey is required.
Hot water full.
Storage heaters obviously empty.
SWMBO distilled water store for ironing full.

I could just have a 3kW dump load but there is a legal statement for OffGrid systems on FITs, about not wasting energy to boost the income so its obviously not cricket to do so.

Thinking about buying a big freezer running outdoors to freeze blocks of ice to store the cold, then use a portable cooling system for the bedroom using ice blocks. Only going to use a few hundred watts though. I'll have to see what's possible.

[Joeboy]

I lost the battle here at 10am, everything full, wall to wall sunshine and even in this heat I just turned everything on for a minute to see what the full generation potential is and its 7.5 kW, so 3kW being curtailed.

It has clouded over here again and I am batch cooking a pasta sauce on the induction hob. Keeping a lid on it!
There's not much more you can do for storage is there?

Home battery full.
Both EVs 80% to 90%, I don't charge them to 100% unless an imminent long journey is required.
Hot water full.
Storage heaters obviously empty.
SWMBO distilled water store for ironing full.

I could just have a 3kW dump load but there is a legal statement for OffGrid systems on FITs, about not wasting energy to boost the income so its obviously not cricket to do so.

Thinking about buying a big freezer running outdoors to freeze blocks of ice to store the cold, then use a portable cooling system for the bedroom using ice blocks. Only going to give me a few hundred watts. I'll have to see what's possible.

Oh I like the iceblock ! A good way to extend the touch of the solar. Been thinking on that very idea today yet for heat. The processing of the beech has been powered entirely by solar yet its actual use will be deep in Winter when the sun is riding low in the sky. I like that!

[Stinsy]

I sometimes put a ziloc bag of water in the freezer during times of excess solar production. This can later be placed on the top shelf of the fridge to save energy as it defrosts.

Not sure if this is a waste of time...

[nowty]

I sometimes put a ziloc bag of water in the freezer during times of excess solar production. This can later be placed on the top shelf of the fridge to save energy as it defrosts.

Not sure if this is a waste of time...

The theory sounds fine though.

[Joeboy]

I sometimes put a ziloc bag of water in the freezer during times of excess solar production. This can later be placed on the top shelf of the fridge to save energy as it defrosts.

Not sure if this is a waste of time...

The theory sounds fine though.

It all matters and it all counts.

[AE-NMidlands]

I sometimes put a ziloc bag of water in the freezer during times of excess solar production. This can later be placed on the top shelf of the fridge to save energy as it defrosts.
Not sure if this is a waste of time...

Certainly not, what a good idea. We try to defrost stuff out of the freezer in the fridge anyway, but if I had excess solar pv to put somewhere this would be a really clever option.

We have read about lots of different ways to store surplus electricity, including compressed air, hot sand and many others, but this is the first time I think I have ever heard of using specific heat (and the exceptional latent heat of crystallisation) of water to store it as "cold."
Thanks for the tip!
A

[Joeboy]

I sometimes put a ziloc bag of water in the freezer during times of excess solar production. This can later be placed on the top shelf of the fridge to save energy as it defrosts.
Not sure if this is a waste of time...

Certainly not, what a good idea. We try to defrost stuff out of the freezer in the fridge anyway, but if I had excess solar pv to put somewhere this would be a really clever option.

We have read about lots of different ways to store surplus electricity, including compressed air, hot sand and many others, but this is the first time I think I have ever heard of using specific heat (and the exceptional latent heat of crystallisation) of water to store it as "cold."
Thanks for the tip!
A

One of the ways I've found to make that incoming power most effective is to have efficient machines in the loop. Ice storage is definitely in there too. Any thinking outside the box should be applauded. We used massive ice cubes in plastic tubs in Turkey to ensure coolness ongoing during power cuts.
Overcast here, stopped charging the EV at 55% home battery soc about 18.30hrs. Using the air fryer we cooked dinner and soc has since risen to 57%. Still seeing all background load taken care of in home and a couple of hundred Watts going to the battery stack. Got to play the game from both ends and sttrretchhhhh those harvested kWh's.

[Joeboy]

I was having a go at some Apple (v v old tree). Trunk about 18” in diameter.

Similarly, using a ‘Grenade’ and sledge. Grenade was quite firmly positioned (embedded). I gave it a really good wallop, bounced out, point first in my leg - I was wearing shorts cos I wear shorts 365.

Still got the depression in my leg.

These tools, not matter how simple and manual, still can bite back.

Better PPE next time.

I think my woodsplitter is a 7T one. Its is needing the full 7T to split this beech. Splitting the big half slabs with the E-chainsaw then chipping away at the edges to get useable burn logs. Its time consuming and a great workout. Well worth it when I could see 5 muckabuckets full of hardwood! Terrifying though as they take off on splitting with an incredible pace!

Absolutely on PPE. Last line of protection though after correct planning and equipment!
The 6 P's- prior planning prevents piss poor performance.I had to learn that many times.

[Joeboy]

A nice breeze cooling the panels, sun is almost directly overhead in a clear sky and we are seeing a strong and consistent 7.4kW coming in at 13.10hrs. I will note that down somewhere and see how we get on next July once the groundmount panels are up top. I am finding it difficult to get my head around this volume of power.

Makes life very simple!





Edit-13.20 sun went it, came back out and I saw a momentary peak of just over 8kW. (4.85kW SE & 3.2 kW Vic).