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Building Reserve and Using KWH

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  • Mike90250
    replied
    I've heard that the water drain ones, get layered up with goop pretty fast - others say they don't

    I'm heard of household sized heat recovery devices, and as long as you make provisions for the system to be accessed to clean out lint, or use a furnace filter as a pre-filter, it could work

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  • bcroe
    replied
    Just wondered , in the quest to save precious solar energy, has anyone had
    experience with drain water heat recovery devices?

    Another is the ventilation heat recovery device. This house is too loose to
    make good use of it generally, but perhaps it could be useful on a clothes
    dryer? Bruce Roe

    Leave a comment:


  • peakbagger
    replied
    I just picked up a table top induction cooktop unit. I pulled a couple of knobs off my run of the mill electric range and plopped it on top of one of the calrod elements. I had enough pots and pans in my collection that works with it. I think cast iron works the best. I am impressed. Almost instant heat and very responsive. I have relearn a few ingrained cooking techniques and a careful simmer is tough as the power is on off

    My cooktop is a flip up for cleaning under the elements and if I wanted to get creative I could probably cut up some sheetmetal and set two of the them flush with the old cooktop. Much more likely I will leave it the way it is. The one downside to the high end cooktop units is they do not have great long term rep for reliability and when they do break or act up, its rare they can be repaired and replacements if available are pricey.

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  • Ampster
    replied
    Originally posted by bcroe View Post
    ........

    I read of induction stove tops cooking more efficiently. But they are expensive
    with far more failure potential, and apparently require a new set of utensils. The
    70s electric range here has been seen to consume about 0.4 KWH a day for a
    couple people, the potential improvement seems hardly worth the cost in my
    situation. And the range has proved highly maintainable in the long haul.
    Anyway, in the past the old range has demonstrated ability to provide extra heat,
    as have my (only occasionally used) incandescent bulbs.
    ..
    I agree with your sentiment regarding replacing an entire range just to get an induction cook top. I did replace just a cook top and the economics were different. The WAF was increased because it was easier to clean and more responsive than the old elements on the other cooktop with traditional elements. Most of our pans worked because they were either cheap stainless or clad ware which had enough iron to be excited by the induction. I don't have hard data on energy efficiency but I liked the fact that only the pan got hot and the surface of the cooktop below the pans stayed cool.

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  • bcroe
    replied
    The PoCo marked my 2020/21 Net Metering year as ending 30 March.
    Energy generated by the inverters was 30,100 KWH, about 11% more than
    was consumed. This may be a record, probably brought by considerably
    more sun (less clouds) over the winter than usual. The whole month of
    March actually produced more than was used. The winter sunny days were
    on the cold side, so consumption went up too, how convenient.

    Energy reserve from the previous summer hit a peak of about 13,500 KWH
    on 1 Nov, dropped to about a low of 3000 KWH before leveling in March. A
    surplus of 3034 KWH was gifted to the PoCo on 30 March trueup. Without
    increased generation, I hope to soon see a slight increase in reserve with
    about a 2.5% increase in energy arriving at the PoCo meter, through more
    efficient local wiring for the first full year. See reserve graph.

    The energy setup has continued to evolve each year. The same 15 KW inverter
    plant continues in service. Energy generated has somewhat increased via better
    panel placement and gradual reduction of shading (tree removal). Transmission
    loss is reduced with better wiring. More efficient equipment has saved energy, but
    this has been largely consumed by increasing service equipment. The standby
    central furnace blower (with new motor) is run regularly so that the electronic air
    filter can do its job, and summer humidity is limited.

    The conversion back to all electric by now includes 6 heat pumps in 2 buildings,
    a 70s electric range, and a ventless clothes dryer. Energy sights are set on
    electric (or some other hybrid system) water heating, but the intended heat pumps
    are not yet available. Even before PV solar here, some 60 circuits were monitored
    for wasteful appliances. Many were replaced, others modified to avoid waste.
    The theme continues to be efficiency (avoiding waste) along with generous KWH
    generation, definitely NOT any human deprivation or discomfort. Ever in mind,
    just a 1 watt vampire load wastes 8.766 KWH a year.

    I read of induction stove tops cooking more efficiently. But they are expensive
    with far more failure potential, and apparently require a new set of utensils. The
    70s electric range here has been seen to consume about 0.4 KWH a day for a
    couple people, the potential improvement seems hardly worth the cost in my
    situation. And the range has proved highly maintainable in the long haul.
    Anyway, in the past the old range has demonstrated ability to provide extra heat,
    as have my (only occasionally used) incandescent bulbs.

    In general things are running with minimal maintenance or operational attention.
    The Heat Pumps are a blessing, allowing entirely comfortable temps year around
    without switching around equipment, regardless of humidity. They are nearly silent.
    The first winter HP demonstrated what somewhat limited capacity could do. Two
    more winters have passed, and I have since doubled HP capacity to cover the
    second building, and the the possibility of a really severe winter. This while
    evening out temps better in the many zones, and achieving the goal that no single
    failure would produce a desperate winter situation. That was always a worry in
    my propane furnace era. No reset is necessary after a short outage.

    My belief is that more HP capacity here just means they run less, maintaining or
    even increasing overall efficiency. Some will say HPs are expensive, but cost can
    be drastically cut depending on how much of the work can be done on a DIY basis.

    This electric bill contains a sheet for reliability, says I was only down 110 minutes
    in the last year, that was the suicidal raccoon affecting just my transformer 30 July.
    99.97% reliability, guess that came off their super duper electronic net meter. I
    suppose my neighbor was 100%. We are just around the country block from the
    area sub station, which in turn is very few miles from the Nuke. The outage
    occurred in the dark of night, no solar operation affected.

    Inverters here have been fine for 8 years, I have spares just in case. No
    longer pushing the already high line up another 9V at the inverters, no
    need to reprogram the V monitors. The original experimental wood array
    that I expected to last for 5 years (and hoped for 10) is starting to look its
    age. The final array is planned, present config is lacking a second west
    facing section to maximize high output hours and KWH. I could now start
    putting in permanent foundations to finish. Bruce Roe

    Reserve 21m.jpg

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  • SunEagle
    replied
    Originally posted by bcroe View Post

    Yes the subject of the power is worthy of mention in prayers these days. It
    has been totally reliable here, and at least we are used to some -10F every
    winter. If TX was mostly nuke, at least the power would be available, keeping
    it distributed is another problem. Just how does a wind turbine freeze up,
    too much blade ice?
    Bruce (in cold, boring, but no disasters ILL) Roe
    I don't know the details yet but based on how Texas was distributing primary power through wind & solar and other forms of power generation distribution was secondary. When the primary generation failed due to the snow and cold the secondary could not keep up with the demand.

    I think it was too many eggs in the same basket scenario.

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  • Mike90250
    replied
    You use Jet-A to power the de-ice system

    De-Ice Wind turd blade.png

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  • bcroe
    replied
    Originally posted by SunEagle View Post

    As they say the weather is changing and we have to change with it. Look at all those poor people in Texas without power during the worst cold snap most have ever seen in their lives.
    Yes the subject of the power is worthy of mention in prayers these days. It
    has been totally reliable here, and at least we are used to some -10F every
    winter. If TX was mostly nuke, at least the power would be available, keeping
    it distributed is another problem. Just how does a wind turbine freeze up,
    too much blade ice?
    Bruce (in cold, boring, but no disasters ILL) Roe

    Leave a comment:


  • SunEagle
    replied
    Originally posted by bcroe View Post

    About 11 am Tues we got some temp considerably above zero, combined with
    good sun. I went out and worked on solar panels, cleaned off the latest snow.
    First got all the fluffy stuff off so the sun could get at them. Then made another
    pass, started getting ice off. Then went back to the beginning, this time the sun
    helped me get the last of the ice off. Running at maximum 15KW again, will need
    the additional energy. Bruce Roe
    As they say the weather is changing and we have to change with it. Look at all those poor people in Texas without power during the worst cold snap most have ever seen in their lives.

    Leave a comment:


  • bcroe
    replied
    Originally posted by bcroe View Post
    about half an inch of ice was frozen onto half the panels

    SOMEDAY we ought to get an adequate combination of sun and higher temps to
    get rid of the rest of the ice, it still covers parts of enough panels to inhibit those 6
    strings. Bruce Roe
    About 11 am Tues we got some temp considerably above zero, combined with
    good sun. I went out and worked on solar panels, cleaned off the latest snow.
    First got all the fluffy stuff off so the sun could get at them. Then made another
    pass, started getting ice off. Then went back to the beginning, this time the sun
    helped me get the last of the ice off. Running at maximum 15KW again, will need
    the additional energy. Bruce Roe

    Leave a comment:


  • bcroe
    replied
    We are now at the coldest part of winter, -12F has been seen, around 0F much
    of the time. Gortex insulated mittens are a big improvement in the cold. Nearly
    2 weeks ago we got a warm melting snow, but got hit with a hard freeze before
    I went to clear it in the morning. As consequence about half an inch of ice was
    frozen onto half the panels, the original install, unadjustable, lower angle ones.
    Some snow has occurred more nights than not, keeping the later install half of
    my panels clean has required very little attention. In this situation it may hit 4 to
    8 KW output depending on clouds.

    SOMEDAY we ought to get an adequate combination of sun and higher temps to
    get rid of the rest of the ice, it still covers parts of enough panels to inhibit those 6
    strings. I could use the energy, the heat pumps are keeping inside temps just fine
    but eating away at the summer KWH reserve. That load can hit 8KW. Clearly I
    will not be giving the PoCo a free 5000KWH surplus at this 1 April true up. That
    was the original plan, use most of it up, staying in the black will depend on the
    weather till then. I am down perhaps 500KWH because the new cable was late
    July getting into operation.

    I believe I have mastered using the snow blower to clear panels. Today inches of
    fluffy stuff did stick to the 72 near vertical panels, I just directed the snow blower
    to the top edge of the array, and all the snow immediately slid off. That 4WD
    tractor with traction tires does so well, I have not been using chains. But it
    can be hard to keep pointed in the right direction with the snow blower down,
    I may try chains on the front wheels to help that.

    Seeing the snow advantages of the adjustable panels, I am more inclined than
    ever to rebuild most (or all) of the array to that standard. It will not be the rush
    before winter of the last time, but now I have all the big tools and knowledge to
    move it along over several years. The next adjustable array will be a 2 sided
    version of the last one, more bang for my efforts.

    Thank goodness everything is working now, here and other places. Bruce Roe

    Feb21ice.JPG
    Last edited by bcroe; 02-12-2021, 02:00 PM.

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  • DanS26
    replied
    Originally posted by Ampster View Post
    The Podcast was informative. they see California as a significant market because of the energy regulations. I was especially intrigued with how he described it as a Distributed Energy Resource (DER) making the grid more resilient.
    Yes, heating water with excess electricity at the right time so that you do not have to heat that water at the wrong time.

    I use the same concept with my two ETS (Electric Thermal Storage) systems only I am heating ceramic bricks rather than water.

    Leave a comment:


  • Ampster
    replied
    Originally posted by DanS26 View Post

    Last I heard was the Nyle Geyser for residential applications would be available Spring 2021, but their website just says "Coming Soon".
    ..........
    The Podcast was informative. they see California as a significant market because of the energy regulations. I was especially intrigued with how he described it as a Distributed Energy Resource (DER) making the grid more resilient.

    Leave a comment:


  • DanS26
    replied
    Originally posted by bcroe View Post

    Thanks, I heard that when they sent me a note. I was hoping they were announcing availability.
    Last I heard was the Nyle Geyser for residential applications would be available Spring 2021, but their website just says "Coming Soon".

    The older model I have has been running very well for 8 years. I've taken the cover off once just to see what was inside.....very well built, heavy duty relays, solid weld and solder joints, good insulation, etc. The compressor appears sturdy and runs with little vibration or noise.

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  • bcroe
    replied
    Originally posted by DanS26 View Post
    Here is an interview with Ryan Hamilton the President of Nyle Water Heating Systems.

    I knew Ryan when he worked for Wood-Mizer here in Indiana earlier in his career.
    Thanks, I heard that when they sent me a note. I was hoping they were announcing availability.

    Leave a comment:

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