68 replies to this topic

[IanC]

Even if they (EV's) were any good. How do you charge 100 people or more cars that live in high rise buildings. They EV's is like everything else at the moment. Nothing more than vertue signalling.. IMHO.

[Rockoz]

I am currently renting, so I won't be going solar for a while yet. What I wouls like is a bit more detail on your fixes.

 

In a few completed systems I looked at, they had retained off peak hot water.

So they were paying for heating up the water at night when they could have been using self generated power during the day.

Put the hot water on a timer to come on around mid day for about 4 hours. Free power for hot water instead of paying for it.

Mates pool timer was still set for evening use for filtration. Adjusted that so it too would use the self generated power.

Advised them to have the reverse cycle air con operate during the day only.

It could warm or cool the house sufficiently during the day so it would still be cosy during the night.

Good insulation helps with that, but they had already taken care of that during renovations.

There obviously would be the odd day here and there that would need the air con keeping things cosy, but that might be half a dozen nights during the coldest and hottest periods.

A good thermal bank central in the house would reduce those needs though if they did a bit more reno work.

A large brick wall built in the middle of the house is usually good enough to do that job.

It gets warmed up by the aircon during the day in winter and cooled similarly during summer.

Double brick houses utilised the principle quite well, but they are a rarity these days on the east coast anyway.

Apparently common in WA.

 

Cheers

 

Rob

[hanra]

We have 6.6kw worth of panels and a 5kw inverter. East/west facing panels which is not ideal. And also on a 10deg pitch shed roof.

This is how I’ve set our pool and HWS up. Keep in mind we have a Solarhart HWS with a 1.8kw element. So there is a chance that even though it’s being supplied power, the thermostat may be happy with its temperature and leave it off. We set the timer on the dishwasher each morning to come on around 11am.

I’ve also got a timer on the washing machine that we set for it to come on around 3:30pm.

Our air cons come on at 4pm. But as I’ve mentioned before. These are solar/hybrids and have their own 4kw’s worth of panels to supply them directly when the sun is shining.

If there isn’t enough solar to supply them they begin to draw from the mains also, but they prioritise Solar first.

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Edited by hanra, 24 April 2023 - 12:22 PM.

[yel327]

The setup Rob described is what solar diverters are good for. They use excess solar to run hot water, pool heating, aircon and EV charging plus more. Google myenergi.

[RallyRed]

Forget EVs..what you want is a twin turbo V8 deisel, dragging a 3.5t caravan thru the Snowy Mountains.

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[yel327]

Do you have a GVM upgrade Col? With a 200 series you'd be damn close to being over the GVM of it with 3500kg behind it! I think they are only good for about 690kg including towball load, passengers and luggage.

 

Speaking of towing, I saw the info for the 2025 Ram EV due out later in 2024. It is claimed to have a 500 mile range unloaded and about 350 miles towing (not sure towing what).

[RallyRed]

No GVM upgrade mate. Weighed it , as towed on Hols over at the Kooragang weighbridge back in '17 when all new.
All numbers were good...we carry only 2 people, two fold up chairs and 1/2 a box of tissues in the car though! Everything else in the van.
You are right, LC200 etc has a tiny payload...from memory I was about 25kg under rated. As the van's water tanks are used up, I usually leave about 50l of it in tbe grey water tank, ( up the back of van)..so it is better that the above numbers.

[Uncle Chop Chop]

Thanks Rob for the reply.

[IanC]

Ah. The good old days..https://m.facebook.c...5/?locale=ms_MY

[Bigfella237]

~ I could probably do the job myself and save some money even after paying for the courses, but couldnt be bothered doing it.

 

Cheers

 

Rob

Hey Rob, what sort of a course is it?

 

Is it one of those typical one-day workcover courses-for-dummies (don't fall off the roof, don't touch the bare wires, etc.) or is it more involved?

[yel327]

Mine was a Diploma in Renewable Energy. I was exempt from probably 2/3 of it because of my Electrical Fitter/Mechanic trade, Electrical Contractor Licence and Bachelor of Engineering, but it was still 6 months at one night a week plus assignments and exams. And in the end it got me the ability to design and install stand alone systems but only design grid connected systems. I could have done the grid connect install subject but there was no point as to be able to keep the qualification you had to do a certain number of installs per year. I only did it as iI was invited and it was fully funded by the Federal Govt, would have cost over $10k in HECS fees otherwise. Would have been a decent amount of work, especially for a young person starting from scratch. Some of the maths and electrical concepts would be daunting to a high school leaver, but same stuff they’d see in an electrical trade course or first year engineering certificate or degree.

[Bigfella237]

Yeah... wow... I was thinking it was like an installer's course that licences you to fit panels on roofs etc., but, yeah... wow!

[yel327]

That was for design as well, you can probably get the install component far faster on top of an electrical contractor licence. The design components go into stuff like mono vs poly panels, sun tracking, panel angle for latitude, HWS solutions, MPPT setup, wind, hydro, battery/inverter selection, backup alternator selection, metering etc.

[Rockoz]

There was a course that was priced between 1 and 2k a few years back.

It gave you accreditation for a CEC rating.

Had to have that to get all the credits for customers.

But seeing as though there is little these days in the way of subsidies I wonder if it is even worth doing.

You had to design 2 layouts from memory and install 1.

Things have probably changed by now, and I really couldnt be bothered anyway.

Having dramas just getting around to doing the stuff I need to do, so paying someone else is the go.

 

Got a call from my installer yesterday.

Job will be delayed now until July most likely.

Cant get the inverters he prefers due to supply issues.

Gave me an option of going for the cheaper inverters from SunEnergy and the like.

Decided to wait for the Fronius ones he recommends.

 

Cheers

 

Rob

[yel327]

I think you are doing the right thing Rob, if you are going DC coupled buy the quality inverters. The cheap stuff is lucky to last the warranty period.

[hanra]

I liked the fact that my previous Fronius inverter had actual cooling fans inside it.

[IanC]

https://youtu.be/rTawvzH0MQ4

[Shiney005]

Here's a good one.  Now EV users shouldn't have to pay for the roads because they are saving the planet.

 

https://www.whichcar...j6aaWAc=.S3fpgi

[yel327]

Here's a good one.  Now EV users shouldn't have to pay for the roads because they are saving the planet.

 

https://www.whichcar...j6aaWAc=.S3fpgi

 

That will change. The Federal Govt take the fuel excise but EV users have been slugged with a c/kM charge as only the States have that data. State Govt aren't allowed to take a excise though, only Federal.

 

What will happen is they'll just triple the rego cost of an EV or something like that, as they are heavier than their IC equivalents and thus have to pay for road usage/upkeep.