Free mining capability, (is it worth trying it)

[hat]

I really don't see a reason not to do it... you're getting "free" power (you're paying for solar, but... once it's there, it's there), may as well use it. Mining doesn't wreck cards like some would have you believe, unless you happen to be that unfortunate... you just cruise along, slow (well, not so slow) and steady with reasonable settings. I run two 1070s in my computer and with an adjusted power target and fan profile, they don't draw too much power, so they don't run too hot, and the aggressive fan profile helps with the temps, too. My cards just coast along at 65c on average.

Or, if mining isn't for you, but you want to put your hardware to work, try our F@H team instead? I mine with my cards cause I hope, perhaps foolishly, it will help me out someday... but I run WCG with my CPUs. Either way, Bonus points if you're keeping a cold room warm with it. My miner doubles as a space heater.

 

[Papahyooie]

The question is: "Is it worth trying it."

You're getting free power. If you don't use it, it will go to waste. So IF you've got a card to mine with or can get them cheap, there's no point in not doing it (especially during the winter months when it translates to free heat as well, if you live in a temperate climate in the Norther hemisphere. During the summer, you'd have to factor in cooling costs)

Mine and hold, with the hope that it will become more valuable again and then you sell at that point. It's like going to the casino on someone else's dime. You can't lose. (Unless you go out and buy a pallet of 1070s expecting to get an ROI....)

 

[Sasqui]

Yes, however national grid cannot measure how much solar is sold back, so every quarter you provide your buyer with a generation reading, you get paid two tariffs, X amount on all power you generate, and how much you export, which because they can't measure is automatically deemed to be 50% of generation.

So even if I use 98% of what I generate, and export 2% they pay me for 50%

That sounds like a good deal. The technology is there to measure what you are pushing back into the grid.

In most US states, "net metering" is used. When excess power is generated, it literally spins* your power meter backwards, so you are getting refunded the same amount you pay per kWh for supply. That is changing in a lot of places and they have instituted "caps" on the amount you can push back, or the meter spins less in reverse.

When I looked into solar 4 years ago, they also had a program where the total excess you've generated over a year (if any) would earn you a credit in cash or power. But it was only a fraction of the market rate.

I have indoor hydroponics veggie garden that is supplemented with artificial LED light, about 150 watts of it. I'd gladly have solar to help with that.

*Spin: The old meters used to have an analog disc that would turn depending on how much power you were using. These days, it's all digital.

 

[moproblems99]

I have indoor hydroponics veggie garden that is supplemented with artificial LED light, about 150 watts of it. I'd gladly have solar to help with that.

Sorry for the off topic OP. You can get 150W solar panels from Harbor Freight with some auto batteries for that small of a load.

 

[phill]

That sounds like a good deal. The technology is there to measure what you are pushing back into the grid.

In most US states, "net metering" is used. When excess power is generated, it literally spins* your power meter backwards, so you are getting refunded the same amount you pay per kWh for supply. That is changing in a lot of places and they have instituted "caps" on the amount you can push back, or the meter spins less in reverse.

When I looked into solar 4 years ago, they also had a program where the total excess you've generated over a year (if any) would earn you a credit in cash or power. But it was only a fraction of the market rate.

I have indoor hydroponics veggie garden that is supplemented with artificial LED light, about 150 watts of it. I'd gladly have solar to help with that.

*Spin: The old meters used to have an analog disc that would turn depending on how much power you were using. These days, it's all digital.

Surprisingly most of the meters now over here I believe are turning digital. The unit I had fitted to my home when I bought it back in 2010 was digital so I'm guessing now most will be when new units are put up. The analogue dials I remember having back in the house I was raised up in, was kinda difficult to see what you were using in comparison but still

But still, when there's mornings like today down in Somerset, slightly overcast and well, frozen...

It's a little bit pants lol Here's a little grab from the results I had last year with my production -

I just record every day what the generation is, then put it in a spreadsheet. Should start getting better from here on now as January starts a better increase as you can see

 

[Hellfire]

I'm lucky, my new system has a meter that monitors usage, generation and how much is going back into the grid, so I can make the most and use as much as possible.

 

[phill]

What system do you have, inverter wise etc?

 

[Hellfire]

Growatt dual MPPT inverter & Geo Solo III Generation meter and usage display

 

[phill]

Exactly what I had... But the company I used couldn't get it to work and I found with how it was installed into the mains supply, I walked away from it as I wasn't safe nor sure of 2.5mm cable being connected to 100A wire... Thought it was a little dodgy so I left it alone. Was charged £350 for it and when I asked them to take it away because it wasn't wanted or even used, the didn't want to and thus its now left up in the loft in it's box Would have been good but wasn't comfortable with how it was having to be connected.

Out of interest @Hellfire, how big is your Inverter or do you have two of them with the two roofs?

 

[Sasqui]

I wasn't safe nor sure of 2.5mm cable being connected to 100A wire...

No idea how that works, but safe to assume the 2.5mm wire isn't carrying 100 amps.

 

[dorsetknob]

I wasn't safe nor sure of 2.5mm cable being connected to 100A wire..

in UK think your find
1.0mm twin +earth (for lighting circuits ) = 5 to 7amps
2.5mm twin +earth ( for power Ringmains) = 15 amps
6.0mm twin +earth (for Electrical Cookers ect) = 30 to 40 amps
Your Utility's feed into the property is lightly to be 10mm twin +earth and thats going to be rated 100 amps (ish)

 

[phill]

No idea how that works, but safe to assume the 2.5mm wire isn't carrying 100 amps.

Yeah pretty much...

in UK think your find
1.0mm twin +earth (for lighting circuits ) = 5 to 7amps
2.5mm twin +earth ( for power Ringmains) = 15 amps
6.0mm twin +earth (for Electrical Cookers ect) = 30 to 40 amps
Your Utility's feed into the property is lightly to be 10mm twin +earth and thats going to be rated 100 amps (ish)

Exactly that @dorsetknob
When I spoke with some electricians that came in shortly after to do some work on some sockets for me, they said that wasn't right in their eyes, but I just had it ripped out. The wiring diagrams that I was given where incorrect from Geo and I never managed to get a proper answer from the company as one person said it was fine, the other said it wasn't right and he wanted to check it out.. Needless to say, I was far from happy and I just didn't ask anything else. I really hope @Hellfire has had a better experience than I had with the company that installed my solar. I'd be interested in seeing how his was setup and if he's had a electrician over to check it over. I don't want to cause any scare mongering at all but I was somewhat uncomfortable with how it was setup and proclaiming to be having no electrics qualification in any way, I didn't want it installed the way it seemed it had to be

 

[Hellfire]

Yeah pretty much...



Exactly that @dorsetknob
When I spoke with some electricians that came in shortly after to do some work on some sockets for me, they said that wasn't right in their eyes, but I just had it ripped out. The wiring diagrams that I was given where incorrect from Geo and I never managed to get a proper answer from the company as one person said it was fine, the other said it wasn't right and he wanted to check it out.. Needless to say, I was far from happy and I just didn't ask anything else. I really hope @Hellfire has had a better experience than I had with the company that installed my solar. I'd be interested in seeing how his was setup and if he's had a electrician over to check it over. I don't want to cause any scare mongering at all but I was somewhat uncomfortable with how it was setup and proclaiming to be having no electrics qualification in any way, I didn't want it installed the way it seemed it had to be

I have an independent sparky (friend) coming in to check the work the day after. They know this too. I actually paid about £800 more than my cheapest quote because the reputation of the company is top notch.

Did your installers do a full survey. They sent two surveyors around to mine, one spent an hour testing all current electrics and the other did a structural on the roof and loft. They sent me a 45 page report. As detailed as my survey from when I bought the place.

I'll happily throw up details of the set up once it's done.

Only one inverter with dual feeds, one for each roof. It's 3600-4000watts (I forgot which I'll check)

 

[phill]

I wish I had paid some more because although the job was done I feel or was left feeling that it was not done well enough to give praise considering the amount of cock ups or oversights that happened during the install.. Too small an inverter, the wiring over the stupid Geo was incorrect, the guys installing the panels weren't electricians just people that followed instructions. I don't believe this was good enough.

The only survey that they did was ask for pictures to show the location and entrance to the rear of the property so they knew what scaffolding needed to come and be put up. I don't recall anyone coming to test over the circuitry and do any form of testing. They just asked for pictures for the fuse board and mains supply into the home. I don't believe or remember any sort of survey, nothing that detailed at all.

If there's anything I can do as well, don't hesitate to ask.

Ah I get you, it might be a dual string setup (which means if I have this correct, that the arrays of panels for the two roofs work independantly of each other, so if something happens to one array, the other doesn't go down.

I'll be having my home tested and certificated in the coming weeks, as I've a few jobs that need doing (or that I've been wanting to have done for years) so I will find out what they think of the install and see if anything needs to be redo because of their sloppy work. When I mentioned about the wiring too them, I never heard anything back in response.
The company I had was working out of Hampshire, under the name of ECH Group. Personally from my experience, I couldn't recommend them.

 

[Hellfire]

Yes, you're right, two arrays as they're on two roofs, on the same array they'd only make the peak power of the lowest panel,

So if roof 1 is making 250/300w per power, and roof 2 is making 120/300w per power, roof 1 could only make 120 as it's on a single array.

See attached, example page from my structural, it's from a company independent from my installers too.

 

[phill]

I never had any of that, they just turned up and off they went I can't complain too much, it's working but without the monitoring kit I had hoped would have worked but still.. I plan to move at some point so I'm not going to dwell on it too much.. I believe due to the changes and extras I've done to the house, I believe I'm nearing an A grade efficiency home, which I don't think is ever a bad thing I do just wish I had a more professional approach to the installation of the solar, as it was a fair chunk of cash but ah well Oh here's today's production for you to smile at lol

Pretty much nout

 

[Hellfire]

Ouch bad day today then... :-(

 

[phill]

Pretty much a standard day in December/January to be honest mate But come the next few months, it'll improve Here's a quick grab of my 2018 year...

As you can see, December, November and then January where the lowest months, otherwise, it's been pretty decent Made about 4000 units of electric last year Hopefully will keep that trend this year too

 

[phill]

I thought you might like to see a bit of a better day

This will help for the crunching

 

[Outback Bronze]

Gday Phill,

Just thought id show you what the Aussie sun is capable of : )

This is a 5Kw inverter with 6.5Kw of panels.

If I had of gone any bigger I lose my tariff from the power company but in hindsight I should have just gone a bigger inverter and not worried about the AUD $0.07 per Kw back to the grid..

 

[phill]

I was going to say, couldn't you have done a dual setup so had two array to split the power??

When I saw the first one I was like something up there as it's pegged at 5Kw or something.. That is some massive power right there!! I'm unsure though if I could have coped with the snakes and spiders around there mind!! That is one mental production How many panels do you have to make it 6.5Kw?? Amazing stuff

 

[Outback Bronze]

How many panels do you have to make it 6.5Kw

Pretty sure its 24x275w. They wanted to put some panels at the front of the house but I told them no, they look too ugly : )

I was told to get 6.5Kw worth of panels so the 5Kw inverter is always maxed out as you lose power through efficiency.

e.g. 5Kw of panels might only fill 4.5Kw of the inverter hence the 6.5Kw worth of panels for the 5Kw inverter.

Cheers matey.

 

[phill]

When I had a smaller inverter fitted to my panels, the inverter cut out and never worked.. So I'm surprised yours works as it's too small for the array... Shame you couldn't have had like a dual string or something setup so you could have had all the panels making more electric for you. Do you have batteries at all for the system as well? 40Kw+ a day is amazing.. Past few days here, I've not even been making 1Kw lol

How long have you had them bud?

 

[Outback Bronze]

When I had a smaller inverter fitted to my panels, the inverter cut out and never worked.. So I'm surprised yours works as it's too small for the array... Shame you couldn't have had like a dual string or something setup so you could have had all the panels making more electric for you. Do you have batteries at all for the system as well? 40Kw+ a day is amazing.. Past few days here, I've not even been making 1Kw lol

How long have you had them bud?

Hey buddy,

No batteries just yet mate as they are just wayyy to expensive and they would probably be useless to me as I use up the 5Kw worth of power anyways.

A lot of people here in West Oz have solar and apparently its overloading the grid lols, so in fact I'm actually helping them.

 

[hat]

This is some good stuff right here. Do we need a solar clubhouse?