Diverting Surplus Solar PV To Immersion Heater

[Wendelspanswick]

We have a 4kw solar PV array and at the moment, as we have an analogue electricity meter*, if we generate more than we use it makes the meter go backwards.
At some stage in the future the electricity company will upgrade our meter so I was looking at circuits that would divert the surplus to our immersion heater and I came across this site:
http://www.mk2pvrouter.co.uk/33001.html


*We have informed our electricity company on numerous occasions about our meter but at the moment they don't seem bothered about changing it!

 

[Fintray]

Don't be in a rush to get your meter changed as you are effectively exporting your surplus at the rate you buy it and getting paid the 3p or so export rate, enjoy it while you can.

There are a number of people on the Navitron forum that have made this or a similar device.

 

[Wendelspanswick]

Don't be in a rush to get your meter changed as you are effectively exporting your surplus at the rate you buy it and getting paid the 3p or so export rate, enjoy it while you can.

There are a number of people on the Navitron forum that have made this or a similar device.

I am not complaining, but I know ultimately they will change my meter. Its why I haven't fitted a solar PV diverter yet.

 

[Gareth J]

I bought a "solar iboost" from ebay to do just this. Expensive and may never pay for itself but it's satisfying to use otherwise exported juice. Very easy to install.

 

[piman]

Hello WEndelspanswick,

are you not on the feed in tariff, that pays far more than 3p a unit whether you export or not and would negate the need for you to do what you are planning?

Alec?

 

[Wendelspanswick]

Hello WEndelspanswick,

are you not on the feed in tariff, that pays far more than 3p a unit whether you export or not and would negate the need for you to do what you are planning?

Alec?

Yes I am on the feed in tariff but you get paid for generating it not exporting it so if you use all your generated power yourself you save on imported power and you get paid for producing it.
The readings you send off to the supply company are from the generation meter.

 

[rtbcomp]

So you're getting paid twice? Once because the meter going backwards reduces what you pay to the supply company and once because you send readings in from the generation meter?

If you've told your supply company you've done your bit. They can only come back at you for the last 12 months, anything before that you keep.

 

[Wendelspanswick]

So you're getting paid twice? Once because the meter going backwards reduces what you pay to the supply company and once because you send readings in from the generation meter?

If you've told your supply company you've done your bit. They can only come back at you for the last 12 months, anything before that you keep.

Yes it's win win at the moment!

I was reading about a chap who had a holiday home abroad so his house in the UK, which was fitted with solar PV and still had an analogue meter, was empty for 3 months in the summer. It got to the point where his meter was winding so far back the electricity company were refunding him!

 

[Turbo]

We had the 4kw solar PV array fitted last year and it was a few months before the electricity supplier changed our meter to an import/export type. During that time our meter ran backwards sometimes and we thought we were going to have a lower bill. But once they changed the meter they ignored the reading on the old one and instead used an estimated reading to calculate the bill! So it might be better off getting a new meter asap!

 

[Wendelspanswick]

We had the 4kw solar PV array fitted last year and it was a few months before the electricity supplier changed our meter to an import/export type. During that time our meter ran backwards sometimes and we thought we were going to have a lower bill. But once they changed the meter they ignored the reading on the old one and instead used an estimated reading to calculate the bill! So it might be better off getting a new meter asap!

We have had our panels for over 3 years now and the meter has been read many times so we are already quids in!

 

[Kent]

We had the 4kw solar PV array fitted last year and it was a few months before the electricity supplier changed our meter to an import/export type. During that time our meter ran backwards sometimes and we thought we were going to have a lower bill. But once they changed the meter they ignored the reading on the old one and instead used an estimated reading to calculate the bill! So it might be better off getting a new meter asap!

wow, I just had my meter changed a few months back and they made a big deal of me signing for the reading on the old and that I had received receipts. There are limits to what they can estimate and what they cant and from my experience with mine the rules are ridged and robust, I should follow that one up if I was you