[tomcat racing]

Originally Posted by guye

Maybe you can help me out Mike. I have a 'logic gap' in my understanding of these solar systems.

Assuming you don't have all the expensive batteries storage systems, then I'm told these solar systems won't cover you during a power outage. To me that means the solar power is only pumped back into the grid. And then you get credited at a certain rate (let's say 10c and kWh). The power you actually use is, as usual, charged at, say, 25c a kWh. (So you'd need to product 2.5 times what you use per day to get a zero usage bill. But that's not my question).

My question is, if there. Is no direct application of the solar power into your home, then why do they say it makes sense to run things during the day? Surely it is just a mathematical calculation over the course of the day? Total power generated minus total power used = total billed.

In Mikes case it makes sense to use power during the day if hes only on a 8cent tarriff, im the opposite on my shed i have an 8kw german inverter with 39 panels facing due north, my contract with the power company pays 44cents a kw locked in untill 2028.
So for every kw i can pump into the grid during the day means i can buy back nearly twice as much at night, so we run the pool pump and washing etc at night.
I have seen my system pump out 46kw in one day.
We run 4 fridges and 1 of 7 aircons runs 24/7 in my wifes gallery.
So basically our entire property is power cost free and last qtr i got a chq back for nearly 900 dollars, the power company pays me, and when the power goes out which it does here now and then in NQ i plug a 8kw sine wave generator direct into the meter board and power the house back up except the aircons.
I made the decision to do this as part of the building cost when i built our new home myself 3 years ago as i could see where electricity prices are going.
To date it has pumped out over 30,000 kws since it was installed

It should pay for itself in about 7 years

Best decision i ever made.