Home Solar Panels/batteries.

Nick's current affairs & general discussion about anything that's not sport.
Voice your opinion on stories of interest to all at Nick's.

Moderator: bbmods

User avatar
Skids
Posts: 9937
Joined: Tue Sep 11, 2007 11:46 am
Location: ANZAC day 2019 with Dad.
Has liked: 29 times
Been liked: 44 times

Post by Skids »

I like the gas hws. Got the same type we were talking about previously on the house. The shed one is an old EBF instantaneous type.
I've got gas hot plates, 2 bayonets for space heaters and 3 bayonets outside to move the BBQ around.
The gas is very economical. I like the instant heat and adjustment for the hotplates and my BBQ is cooked on hundreds of times a year.
Don't count the days, make the days count.
User avatar
stui magpie
Posts: 54828
Joined: Tue May 03, 2005 10:10 am
Location: In flagrante delicto
Has liked: 126 times
Been liked: 160 times

Post by stui magpie »

Yeah, I like the gas too.

I've read of plans to mix hydrogen into the gas lines to make it cleaner, IDGAF as long as my house doesn't explode. If it works, it works.

I'll move the house in Toc though to all electric with solar panels gradually.
Every dead body on Mt Everest was once a highly motivated person, so maybe just calm the **** down.
User avatar
Skids
Posts: 9937
Joined: Tue Sep 11, 2007 11:46 am
Location: ANZAC day 2019 with Dad.
Has liked: 29 times
Been liked: 44 times

Post by Skids »

stui magpie wrote:Good stuff but you lost me with the heat pump hws :?
Here's a good article that explains it a bit clearer Stui...

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-08/ ... /101415258
Don't count the days, make the days count.
User avatar
stui magpie
Posts: 54828
Joined: Tue May 03, 2005 10:10 am
Location: In flagrante delicto
Has liked: 126 times
Been liked: 160 times

Post by stui magpie »

Thanks mate, was interesting but not sure if it makes it much clearer. I get the reverse cycle aircon analogy but never thought of them as being incredibly energy efficient.
Every dead body on Mt Everest was once a highly motivated person, so maybe just calm the **** down.
User avatar
think positive
Posts: 40237
Joined: Thu Jun 30, 2005 8:33 pm
Location: somewhere
Has liked: 337 times
Been liked: 103 times

Post by think positive »

Skids wrote:I like the gas hws. Got the same type we were talking about previously on the house. The shed one is an old EBF instantaneous type.
I've got gas hot plates, 2 bayonets for space heaters and 3 bayonets outside to move the BBQ around.
The gas is very economical. I like the instant heat and adjustment for the hotplates and my BBQ is cooked on hundreds of times a year.
bottled or toen gas?
i spoke to the lady at the farm we are buying the other day, she said she only uses 1.5 big bottles of gas over winter, its cheaper than town gas. place already has solar electricity so thats great. for the extension im wondering what to get for heating, its will only be a master suite upstairs, and kitchen/dining/lounge downstairs. is that water heater thingy any good?
You cant fix stupid, turns out you cant quarantine it either!
User avatar
stui magpie
Posts: 54828
Joined: Tue May 03, 2005 10:10 am
Location: In flagrante delicto
Has liked: 126 times
Been liked: 160 times

Post by stui magpie »

So I've joined the solar brigade. After the young woman came around a month ago and put the thingo on the electricity metre so I can use a phone app to check how much I'm using, I got a follow up call to ask If I'd be interested in speaking to a guy about getting solar panels. he came around, went through the bill and put together a proposal. 6.64kw system with 16 panels and a special inverter so the panels can be separated so some are always in the sun. (I've got lots of trees around)

After the various state and federal rebates, only costing $8k. 25yr warranty. Done, signed and 10% deposit paid. Now to hurry up and wait.
Every dead body on Mt Everest was once a highly motivated person, so maybe just calm the **** down.
User avatar
think positive
Posts: 40237
Joined: Thu Jun 30, 2005 8:33 pm
Location: somewhere
Has liked: 337 times
Been liked: 103 times

Post by think positive »

i got to say, its so worth it. you wont regret it
You cant fix stupid, turns out you cant quarantine it either!
User avatar
stui magpie
Posts: 54828
Joined: Tue May 03, 2005 10:10 am
Location: In flagrante delicto
Has liked: 126 times
Been liked: 160 times

Post by stui magpie »

^
The numbers say so. I could have got an interest free loan and paid them off over 5 years but by paying up front means I get the savings straight away so the projections said they'll pay for themselves in less than that, especially as prices skyrocket.
Every dead body on Mt Everest was once a highly motivated person, so maybe just calm the **** down.
User avatar
stui magpie
Posts: 54828
Joined: Tue May 03, 2005 10:10 am
Location: In flagrante delicto
Has liked: 126 times
Been liked: 160 times

Post by stui magpie »

I'm so conditioned to everything I'm trying to get done taking forever, I nearly fell off my chair this morning when I got a text to say they can come around and do the installation next week. :shock:
Every dead body on Mt Everest was once a highly motivated person, so maybe just calm the **** down.
User avatar
stui magpie
Posts: 54828
Joined: Tue May 03, 2005 10:10 am
Location: In flagrante delicto
Has liked: 126 times
Been liked: 160 times

Post by stui magpie »

So last Friday a small army of Chinese people spent the morning stomping around on my roof. I did find it interesting that apart from the supervisor, the rest of the crew seemed to have little to no English. They all conversed with each other in Chinese (I don't know which dialect) and at least half were well over 30 which begs the question of how the hell they got here.

But anyway, they did a great job, even working through the rain which up on the roof wouldn't have been fun.

Pulled up tiles to run conduit from the inverter to the switchboard and laid them all down perfectly. Great job. Now just have to wait for the inspector to to turn it on. :D
Every dead body on Mt Everest was once a highly motivated person, so maybe just calm the **** down.
User avatar
stui magpie
Posts: 54828
Joined: Tue May 03, 2005 10:10 am
Location: In flagrante delicto
Has liked: 126 times
Been liked: 160 times

Post by stui magpie »

Inspector came yesterday and signed off, turned it on and after chasing up the Installer, I now have the App on y phone so I can see how much electricty It's generating.

I also have another app which connects to my Electricity metre so I can see how much Electricty I'm using, per hour.

What's interesting is that overnight, with only fridges going (plus TV's on standby and other stuff) I'm using 0.3kw per hour.

This morning, for the few hours it was sunny, my usage went down to Zero for those hours.

Right now, even on a cloudy winter day, the panels are producing 1.12kw which is more than I've been using in any given hour recently.

Very fkn happy with the whole setup. :D
Every dead body on Mt Everest was once a highly motivated person, so maybe just calm the **** down.
User avatar
Skids
Posts: 9937
Joined: Tue Sep 11, 2007 11:46 am
Location: ANZAC day 2019 with Dad.
Has liked: 29 times
Been liked: 44 times

Post by Skids »

I just looked at mine. It's producing just under 4kW (it's 2.20pm here) and has made nearly 19kW so far today.
My last bill we sold 1010kWh back to the grid at a whopping 7.13c per unit.
Imported 640 units @ 27c per unit.

Total bill (60 days) $175

I have all that monitoring stuff, the novelty wears off in around 3 months, never even look at it anymore.
Don't count the days, make the days count.
User avatar
stui magpie
Posts: 54828
Joined: Tue May 03, 2005 10:10 am
Location: In flagrante delicto
Has liked: 126 times
Been liked: 160 times

Post by stui magpie »

I getcha, but the novelty is brand new for me. Without factoring in the (I'm sure) meagre amount I'll get for what goes back into the grid, It looks like at minimum I won't be paying for electrickery when the sun is shining, and with Victorian bills about to skyrocket, I'm happy with that. Money well spent.
Every dead body on Mt Everest was once a highly motivated person, so maybe just calm the **** down.
User avatar
Skids
Posts: 9937
Joined: Tue Sep 11, 2007 11:46 am
Location: ANZAC day 2019 with Dad.
Has liked: 29 times
Been liked: 44 times

Post by Skids »

It's interesting to see the variance from state to state. From the cheapest @ 19.68c/kWh (ACT) to the most expensive 32.31c/kWh (SA).

State c/kWh

Queensland 27.05
New South Wales 27.74
Australian Capital Territory 19.68
Victoria 28.60
Tasmania 23.15
South Australia 32.31
Western Australia 27.17
Northern Territory 25.74

A huge shift is underway on the rooftops of Australian households, with new data revealing that households dispatched more solar power to the grid last summer than the brown coal industry.


https://indaily.com.au/news/business/20 ... olar-boom/
Don't count the days, make the days count.
User avatar
Skids
Posts: 9937
Joined: Tue Sep 11, 2007 11:46 am
Location: ANZAC day 2019 with Dad.
Has liked: 29 times
Been liked: 44 times

Post by Skids »

This is the site I'm now at. The solar farm in this article is just going through the final stages of commissioning and the whole site will be solar powered during daylight hours within the next few weeks.

https://www.pv-magazine-australia.com/2 ... r-wa-mine/
Don't count the days, make the days count.
Post Reply