How about a solar car port on a budget?

[Cricky]

On 5/30/2023 at 5:03 PM, Cricky said:

I reckon you are receiving a government discount due to low consumption.

 

I've got a couple of condos that I visit through the week, use the swimming pool and gym. I only use the AC for a short while I shower, have a coffee etc.

My monthly bills are very low but last month and a few months earlier this year I got big discounts.

 

I assume the are looking after the poor.

 

Sadly I'm still paying several thousand baht a month for my house, no discount.

This month's billing with poor people discounts.

 

I've got a house that's unoccupied at the moment, only have refrigerator and security cameras on.

 

Big discounts. ????

 

 

 

[Crossy]

If anyone missed it: -

 

 

[sidgy]

On 5/31/2023 at 1:32 AM, UWEB said:

What is the reason that you have to shut down your Solar, DIY?

 

On 5/31/2023 at 3:35 AM, MJCM said:

Ooh chips! How did they found out? They saw the meter spinning backwards?

 

We are away for a extended period and our system is turned off for that same reason (don’t want them to see the meter spinning backwards). 

Sorry for late replies, away at work,

Yes, pretty sure they saw meter going backwards, they came a day early on the reading before last so it would have been going backwards.

So, two days ago they came and changed us to a smart meter, wife had to sign, and the man said we good to plug back in now haha.

Obviously it will delay ROI but will get there eventually.

The man also said they were changing a lot of people with solar to smart meters so sounds like they are actively looking so beware

[007 RED]

On 6/11/2023 at 10:30 AM, sidgy said:

 

Sorry for late replies, away at work,

Yes, pretty sure they saw meter going backwards, they came a day early on the reading before last so it would have been going backwards.

So, two days ago they came and changed us to a smart meter, wife had to sign, and the man said we good to plug back in now haha.

Obviously it will delay ROI but will get there eventually.

The man also said they were changing a lot of people with solar to smart meters so sounds like they are actively looking so beware

@sidgy  Sorry to hear your bad luck.  I seem to recall that in another topic you suggested that the meter reader came a day early and most likely spotted the meter spinning backwards.

 

Lucky that they have only replaced the meter.  I'm given to understand that they have the power to insist that you remove your system, or they can impose heavy fines based upon their estimate of how much power your system has potentially generated.

 

As I commented in another topic, although most readings take place on predicable days, the problems can arise when the MEA/PEA turn up unexpectedly to connect a new meter or disconnect a meter on a pole with several meters (like mine).  I've had a couple of close 'shaves'.  Thankfully on one occasion there were lots of clouds overhead so the system was just meeting the household needs.  On the other occasion the front loading washing machine was running full pelt on its spin cycle which meant that the disc wasn't spinning backwards.

 

A word of caution regarding the so called 'smart meter'.  It has been reported (although I can't personally verify this) that the 'smart meters' can detect if your system is feeding back into the grid and the MEA/PEA apparently can charge you for the pleasure of providing them with free power.

 

I hope you don't encounter any more problems.  Good luck.

[007 RED]

Well, its that time of the month again.  Meter reading day!  The guy has just been and dropped our bill into the post box.

 

The good news is that the Ft discount is still being applied as can be seen from the screen shot of the bill below.

As far as my small scale system is concerned, despite the fluctuating weather condition over the past billing month, it has managed to produce 192 units, which represents 72% of our household usage, leaving us to purchase just 74 units from our local PEA as can be seen from the graph below.

 

According to the system's monitoring facility, my small scale system has been running for almost 18 months, during which time it has produced 4,920 units.  Which based upon the total cost per unit on the day that I switched the system on, it has knocked 20,700 THB off our electricity bills.  Based upon this, I estimate that the system will have paid for itself in just over 2 years.  A reasonable ROI.

[sidgy]

On 6/15/2023 at 9:31 AM, 007 RED said:

A word of caution regarding the so called 'smart meter'.  It has been reported (although I can't personally verify this) that the 'smart meters' can detect if your system is feeding back into the grid and the MEA/PEA apparently can charge you for the pleasure of providing them with free power.

Thats a bit of a worry

Has anyone else have any experience of the smart meters?

[Crossy]

Well, it was going to happen eventually ???? 

 

I suspect that a PEA employee has seen our meter going in the wrong direction.

 

The next-door food shed has had a new supply installed, first I knew was when I spotted their shiny new digital meter installed above ours at 11AM on Saturday morning. I'm 90% sure it wasn't there at 4PM on Friday afternoon.

 

I don't know when they actually did the job but there's a strong possibility that our meter was going backwards at the time.

 

Oh well, I've disabled export so if they come again they won't see it running in reverse, but I suspect that a new meter is in the post ???? 

 

We shall see.

[Muhendis]

3 hours ago, Crossy said:

there's a strong possibility that our meter was going backwards at the time.

There's also a very good chance, being as how the electricians were there for a different purpose, the guys didn't even look at your meter concentrating as they were on getting their bit done so they could go home early.

Preparing for the worst is a good strategy though.

[Crossy]

2 hours ago, Muhendis said:

Preparing for the worst is a good strategy though.

 

Yeah, I wish I knew when they were here. We shall just have to wait and see.

 

EDIT I'll give it a month and if the blue-meanies haven't visited by then export gets re-enabled!

 

 

[MJCM]

Sorry to hear that. In our case nothing happened let’s hope it is the same for you. Fingers crossed ????????

[Seeall]

On 6/11/2023 at 10:30 AM, sidgy said:

 

Sorry for late replies, away at work,

Yes, pretty sure they saw meter going backwards, they came a day early on the reading before last so it would have been going backwards.

So, two days ago they came and changed us to a smart meter, wife had to sign, and the man said we good to plug back in now haha.

Obviously it will delay ROI but will get there eventually.

The man also said they were changing a lot of people with solar to smart meters so sounds like they are actively looking so beware

well, with many not taking care that the meter reads positve = mess it up for all in the whole country, very sad to see

[UWEB]

36 minutes ago, Seeall said:

well, with many not taking care that the meter reads positve = mess it up for all in the whole country, very sad to see

yep, my neighbor got red handed and has now a digital Meter. Have the impression that my Meter get checked now twice a week if it is spinning backwards.

[Crossy]

Well, no visit from the blue-meanies yet, but we're staying on no-export for now.

 

Our numbers for June (export was disabled on the 18th).

 

[007 RED]

For me, it's that time of the month again when the meter reader calleth. 

 

Good news... The FT discount is still being applied, as can be seen from the screen shot of the bill which popped through the letter box about 15 minutes ago... 

Once again, despite fluctuating weather conditions during the past month, our small scale GTI system managed to produce a reasonable 192 units which represented 73% of our household needs during the month.  As can be seen from the bill above, we only needed to purchase 73 units from our local PEA this month... 

 

 

[Crossy]

Yup, our man should arrive on Tuesday. Sadly, due to being on no-export all month we are over the 300-unit limit so won't get the discount ???? 

 

[Crossy]

Since we have some spare steel in-stock, an expanded battery house is under construction, room for another 60kWh (4 x 48V, 280Ah packs) which we are never, ever going to need (or afford right now).

 

Steel frame, walls and shelves of Shera board, so the whole lot is essentially fireproof (it will only house LiFePO4 packs anyway).

 

Keeps me off the street.

 

I must rescue that errant pressure tank, it floated there during the flooding last year

 

[Crossy]

The numbers for July are in, we're still on no-export due to PEA sniffing around.

 

Last meter reading day a man (allegedly PEA) asked Madam if we wanted a new meter as ours was "very old", no mention of solar or energy export. Madam, being the smart cookie that she is, told him she was the maid and he'd have to talk to the owner who was at work. Nothing heard since. I'll give it another month then turn export back on.

 

Anyway: -

 

We had Thai family staying over the long weekend, so 60,000 BTU of A/C running at night, bet you can't see which days that was

Still rather less than we saw when the UK grandkids were over, two weeks of regular 60kWh days with two days topping 90kWh!

 

 

[Crossy]

The August numbers.

 

 

We were on no-export until the meter reader came early on the 19th, at which point I thought "stuff PEA" and turned export back on.

 

By the 27th we were perilously close to going net-export (grandkids didn't come last weekend so consumption was, er, "slightly down", on normal) so I turned no-export back on.

 

If nothing else the graph shows just how much energy we are throwing away when not exporting.

 

Need to save my pennies for more storage.

 

[McTavish]

16 minutes ago, Crossy said:

The August numbers.

 

 

We were on no-export until the meter reader came early on the 19th, at which point I thought "stuff PEA" and turned export back on.

 

By the 27th we were perilously close to going net-export so I turned no-export back on.

 

If nothing else the graph shows just how much energy we are throwing away when not exporting.

 

Need to save my pennies for more storage.

 

Your graph is near identical to ours here in Chiang Mai.  Best solar production also 11 to 14, 19 to 25.  :)

 

Like you, our 12 panels are virtually flat atop a 3degree pitch roof. Production starts around 0800 and ceases by 1800.  Still making 1.3kw at 1730hrs with best daily peaks last month around 7kw production during middle of day.

[Seeall]

On 9/1/2019 at 3:15 PM, johng said:

Imagine how much power would be produced if every roof top in Thailand was covered in solar panels..they would (probably) not have to import any electric from neighbouring countries and save billions on gas and oil.

 

no doubt some funds are going to a charity and thus your idea is not condidered

[Crossy]

Generation for September.

Total 971.63kWh = 5,073Baht that we didn't pay to PEA ????

Best day 45kWh ????  

Worst day 22.9kWh ???? 

 

[Pink7]

41 minutes ago, Crossy said:

Generation for September.

Total 971.63kWh = 5,073Baht that we didn't pay to PEA ????

Best day 45kWh ????  

Worst day 22.9kWh ???? 

 

Good performance Crossy,  almost 1000kvh

 

Pink

[Crossy]

1 minute ago, Pink7 said:

Good performance Crossy,  almost 1000kvh

 

The best we've managed with the current set up is 1174kWh in May 2023 ????

[likerdup1]

On 9/1/2019 at 10:07 AM, Crossy said:

These little inverters are grid-tie, they sync to the mains and add their power to it.

 

EDIT If you are generating more solar than your house is using you will export to the grid (meter will spin backwards).

 

This is great. Any issues with the local electric company about adding power to the grid? Is this something that is now happening regularly on local power grids throughout Thailand? Or is it that by virtue of how the system works and the meters spins backwards that the electric company is none the wiser about your systems addition to the power grids energy?

[Crossy]

3 minutes ago, likerdup1 said:

This is great. Any issues with the local electric company about adding power to the grid? Is this something that is now happening regularly on local power grids throughout Thailand? Or is it that by virtue of how the system works and the meters spins backwards that the electric company is none the wiser about your systems addition to the power grids energy?

 

Basically, don't ask, don't tell.

 

Meter going in reverse only applies to the older "spinning disc" meters, sadly the electronic ones do not go backwards ???? 

 

Doing this is, of course, definitely not permitted. So don't let the meter man see it going backwards and definitely don't end up with a negative meter reading when the man comes.

 

Getting caught generally means a slap on the wrist and the installation of a meter that won't go in reverse.

 

If you have an electronic meter and don't want to join the official feed-in system then a hybrid inverter and battery storage will be the way forwards I'm afraid ???? 

 

[KhunLA]

30 minutes ago, Crossy said:

 

Basically, don't ask, don't tell.

 

Meter going in reverse only applies to the older "spinning disc" meters, sadly the electronic ones do not go backwards ???? 

 

Doing this is, of course, definitely not permitted. So don't let the meter man see it going backwards and definitely don't end up with a negative meter reading when the man comes.

 

Getting caught generally means a slap on the wrist and the installation of a meter that won't go in reverse.

 

If you have an electronic meter and don't want to join the official feed-in system then a hybrid inverter and battery storage will be the way forwards I'm afraid ???? 

 

If thinking about solar, go with a hybrid, whether planning on having ESS right away or not, as good chance, you'll be getting a digital meter in the future.  If new build, you'll probably definitely get a digital meter.

 

We did, as every new build near us, along with old ones being replaced now.  Muang, PKK province.

[Muhendis]

47 minutes ago, Crossy said:

If you have an electronic meter and don't want to join the official feed-in system then a hybrid inverter and battery storage will be the way forwards I'm afraid ???? 

Or a simple inverter + ESS +ATS and forget about export.

PEA then becomes your backup if ever needed.

Edited October 1, 2023 by Muhendis

[KhunLA]

3 hours ago, Crossy said:

 

The best we've managed with the current set up is 1174kWh in May 2023 ????

Must have been a hot month, as the only month we broke 1000kWh ???? with April, a close 2nd, and just shy of 1000kWh.

Edited October 1, 2023 by KhunLA

[sidgy]

On 10/1/2023 at 4:22 AM, Crossy said:

Meter going in reverse only applies to the older "spinning disc" meters, sadly the electronic ones do not go backwards ???? 

Hi Crossy, Do you know if the new electronic meters "clock up" units if i am exporting to the grid or just not "clocking down"

We got changed to new meter and so i have unplugged one GTI so as not to produce more than our normal daytime consumption in case they do indeed charge for exporting

[Crossy]

7 minutes ago, sidgy said:

Hi Crossy, Do you know if the new electronic meters "clock up" units if i am exporting to the grid or just not "clocking down"

We got changed to new meter and so i have unplugged one GTI so as not to produce more than our normal daytime consumption in case they do indeed charge for exporting

 

It's certainly been reported That "some" do, but also many don't.

 

Probably best to test what yours does.

 

Also check the second reading on your meter to see if that changes when exporting, it's normally reserved for ToU but at least one member is being charged for that reading.