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How Do Solar Panels And Batteries Work Together?

With solar panel system rapidly becoming an ubiquitous phenomenon within the modern society, several homeowners in the UK are just coming to terms with the numerous benefits offered by the system. The solar power’s popularity has even led to the rise of another renewable technology - solar batteries able to store excess solar power that can be used later. Now several companies such as Tesla are now building solar batteries that can be fitted alongside solar panels for your building. So how exactly do solar panels and batteries work together? Let’s have a look!

Solar panels make use of the sun light to generate electricity and as a result, they can’t function when sunlight is absent - giving a big issue of how to power your house when it’s dark. In the event whereby this occurs, you’re afforded two options which is either to contact energy providers to buy electricity or purchase a battery storage system.

So what’s the function of the battery storage system? Basically when your solar panel provides electricity which is not needed right away, a solar battery will work to convert the DC electricity into AC energy which is going to be stored for later use (when you actually need it). in other words, your solar panels charge the batteries when you do not require the energy they’re generating right away.

As a result, when it’s dark and the solar panels are no longer functioning, your system will tap into the energy that’s already been stored by your battery for later use. This way, you can be totally independent of the National Grid, which implies more savings on your electricity bills.

Can You Replace Storage Heaters With Electric Radiators?

The short answer to this question is yes. If your outdated storage heater is not heating your home the way it should, you’ll find a better replacement in electric radiators.

Being more modern and efficient, electric radiators offer a wide range of benefits which storage heaters can only dream of. Let’s have a look.

• Unlike storage heaters, electric radiators do not need to be charged up the night before which makes it totally controllable as you do not have to guess what your heating needs will turn out to be the next day.

• The above benefit leads to an even better one as the controllability quality of electric radiators makes them a lot more efficient than storage heaters. Electric radiators usually comes with programmable timers and thermostats which allows you to set various heating schedules for each of your rooms, meaning you’re only heating when and where its needed.

• Unlike some storage heaters, electric radiators do not cause wall blackening and also happen to more elegant and stylish.

• Electric radiators are not tough on allergies like storage heaters as they do not depend mainly on convection to heat

• Electric radiators also have an easy installation process with all you need to do to switch from storage heater to one being the removal of the former and inserting the radiators into the sockets.

However, if you want to make a switch to electric radiators, there’s the need to change to a standard electricity tariff from your economy tariff. And while the standard electricity tariff rates may be more expensive than the night time rate provided by Economy 7, the standard tariff rates are a bit cheaper than the daytime Economy rate. You’ll also get to use much less of electricity while also saving money on your heating bills and more.

Home electrics can be extremely dangerous and it’s very unwise to try and carry out repair work or maintenance yourself without the necessary knowledge and skill. Therefore we would always recommend using a Part P registered electrician at all times.

How To Install Solar Panels And Batteries

Have you decide to purchase a solar system for your home and wondering how to go about the installation? If yes, then we’ve got you covered! In recent times, it’ll be totally safe to say that solar panels and batteries for home use in the UK has now become more of a necessity than a luxury considering the numerous benefits the system offers. However, with the cost of having the system installed, you might be forced to think about the doing the installation yourself.

If you lack proper training and experience in the solar system installation process, it’s advisable to hire the services of a qualified technician who can guarantee the best results the first time and help you save time and extra costs that may result from possible costly errors. Here, we’ll give you a good insight into the installation process.

• Mount the solar panel and ensure it’s properly screwed to your roof. Try to position in such a way that it faces direct sun rays to have enough solar power generated.

• Connect your charge controller. The current that’s being generated by the solar panels will not be stable all day long. As a result, it’s important to avoid connecting solar photo voltaic modules directly to your better, if you don’t want it damaged. To control the current received from the solar panels, the charge controller is required. It has three connecting points - one for the battery, one for the solar panels and the last for Direct Current (DC) identify the one for solar panels and connect accordingly.

• Connect the battery to charge controller. The charge controller possess two terminals for the battery - the positive and negative terminals. Connect the positive terminal to the positive of the battery and also do the same for the negative.

There are two different types: flat plate, where lots of thin tubes carry water through a flat absorber panel, and evacuated tube, where vacuum glass tubes capture the sun’s energy directly. There is little difference in performance between the two but evacuated tube panels do more obviously extrude from the roof.

The cost to charge an electric car in the UK varies between home, work and public charging.

For a typical electric car with a 60kWh battery and ~200 mile range:

• Charging at home: Costs about £9.20 for a full charge. *
• Charging at work: Many employers will install workplace charging points and typically offer free access throughout the day.
• Charging at public locations: Public chargepoints at supermarkets or car parks are often free to use for the duration of your stay.
• Rapid charging: Rapid charging points are normally found at motorway service stations and typically cost £6.50 for a 30 min, ~100 mile charge.

Charging an electric car at home costs about £9.20 for a full charge* and is the most convenient and cost-effective way to keep your car fully charged. Most drivers will charge their electric car overnight, waking up to a full battery every morning.

Average domestic electricity rate in the whole of the UK is about 17p per kWh.

Fully charging a 60kWh electric car will cost between £9.00 and £9.90 (depending on where you live) and give you about 200 miles of range.

* Costs calculated at 17p/kWh based on usable battery is ~54kWh (90%).

How Do Electric Boilers Work?

Electric boiler are installed in residential, commercial and industrial properties to serve as a reliable source of heat. Unlike other types of boilers that depends on fossil fuel burning to be able to operate, electric boilers are fuelled by electrical energy which ultimately makes it more reliable and powerful compared to its counterparts. This heating option was basically provided for home or property owners who don’t have an access to the main gas supply.

So how does an electric boiler work? Basically, an electric boiler work by heating water. Once heated, the hot water supply is then distributed to various areas across the house or property. In order to achieve the best possible efficiency at the lowest possible costs, new model electric boilers are installed by licensed and professional boiler fitters with the help of a microchip control system. Meanwhile, the microchip control system functions to oversee the management of both temperature level as well as output.

Unlike other types of boilers such as a gas boiler, electric boilers only require minimal service. If you own a gas boiler, it’s crucial to ensure that it’s serviced every single year by a licensed and reliable professional that’s into boiler repair services. During the checks and maintenance services, the gas boilers would need to be checked for possible gas leaks, as well as ventilation poisoning and other problems.

Overall, electric boilers are considered to be one of the most environment-friendly heating system which is more affordable to install in your property than a gas boiler. It represents the most ideal option for homes with gas boiler issues as well as those that are not connected to the main gas supply. What’s more? Electric boilers are also one of the best options for wet central heating and under floor heating.

How Much Does Pat Testing Cost?

When it comes to Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) there’s no particular rule that determines how much such services can cost. However as a rule of thumb, you should take note that when calling in a professional PAT testing company they’re likely to charge within the range of £1 to £3 per appliance that’s going to be tested. However, if you have quite a number of appliances to be tested, then there’s a good chance that the price per appliance can be reduced to serve as a bulk discount. So the more the appliances to be tested, the better.

There are companies that actually offer a pricing that’s below £1 per item, however companies likely are most definitely going to have a fixed minimum number of appliances that are required to be tested or a fixed minimum fee like 60 portable appliances. It must, however, be noted that pricing can also go beyond PAT Testing as several professional companies will add some additional advantages which is more than just the test of each individual appliance. This kind of pricing can include other services such as a thorough visual inspection, plug rewiring as well as fuse replacements. They can also include stuffs like Pail and Fail labels in the pricing.

Generally, the average price of PAT testing will be based on various influencing factors such as the type of the appliance, setting, number of appliance to be tested as well as other related expenses. What’s more? Most PAT companies will offer a company with a PAT Testing Certificate so as to certify that the company is in total compliance and also remains a safe environment to work.