We've eventually got round to putting these up !

hardworkinghippy · Post by **hardworkinghippy** » 22 Nov 2009, 13:15

...another 450 watts.

So I'll be surfin' around the solstice !

Andy Hunt · Post by **Andy Hunt** » 23 Nov 2009, 12:28

< jealous >

Hopefully in the next few weeks I will have a third panel installed on my system, which will give me around 495W in total. Problem is, some of that is needed to run my 1.8kW inverter.

I don't think it's the best system and could really do with more PV which I don't have room for, but I suppose it is better than nothing and will definitely see us through power cuts.

Your posts are always an inspiration HWH!!

hardworkinghippy · Post by **hardworkinghippy** » 23 Nov 2009, 12:43

Andy, with under 500watts why do you have such a big inverter ? (You have wind too ?)

Thanks for the nice compliment about inspiration

... but I do feel a bit of a PITA sometimes in here 'cos I'm so bloody cheerful.

Andy Hunt · Post by **Andy Hunt** » 23 Nov 2009, 12:50

hardworkinghippy wrote:Andy, with under 500watts why do you have such a big inverter ? (You have wind too ?)

Nope, no wind, the reason it is so big is because it is running one of the ring mains in my house, so it has to be able to cope with stuff like the vacuum cleaner and other stuff like that. So most of the time I'm sure it is running sub-optimally.

On the plus side, the batteries give us 3 days' at least worth of power during a power cut, for everything on that ring main - laptop (which doubles as TV), central heating pump, solar hot water system, table lamps (with CFLs) and everything else.

A bit of an experiement really, if I had more roof space then I could add more PV which would sort it out. But it works, if not perfectly, and I've learned a lot in the process of putting it all together.

Don't worry about being too cheerful, you always brighten up my day!!