Using unused pv electric before being exported

• • #17936 Reply
    
    bomber22

    Guest

    Hi Stu
    Is there anything on the market to use the unused pv solar electric what’s been generated before it’s exported back to grid? We have a new condensing boiler so no hot water tank to heat and battery back up seems to expensive at the minute. All ideas very welcome.

    Regards.

  • #17938 Reply
    
    Solar Stu

    Keymaster

    Hi

    As you have already mentioned, the most popular is heating your hot water tank with an iBoost/Immersun type system.

    Battery back-up are a new way of ‘saving your electrons’ for evening use and will grow in popularity, especially as the Tesla Powerwall is available, but only at selected installers.

    An EV or electric car would be another way of using your PV’s generated electricity before your electrons export out, but nothing else springs to mind unless you use the power ‘in-house’ to power a heat pump system.

  • #17943 Reply
    
    bomber22

    Guest

    hi Stu
    thanks for your reply ,is there anything on the market to switch a plug socket on when your exporting and off when your not ? I was thinking of buying a mobile air con unit to run during the day to warm up in the winter and cool down in the summer ! Is this viable ?

  • #17945 Reply
    
    Stuart

    Guest

    Electricity is like cats. The electrons will go wherever the food is, or to make this analogy work – wherever power is being used.

    No special plugs are required, if power is being used on your mains electric board, then that’s were your solar panel electrons will travel. If surplus is generated, then the electrons will travel out through your export meter.

    All done automatically whether its a kettle boiling, EV charger or air conditioning unit in your case.