1 or 2 Batteries for a 3.2Kwh array in the UK
I currently have a 3.6Kwh Hybrid ecco inverter, a 3.2Kwh Solar Panel array and a single Sunsynk 5.12Kwh battery.
I have a southerly facing array, therefore i am luckily producing a steady rate of power even in our UK winter.
Currently, the Solar array stops producing power at around 16:30pm and we then revert to using the single battery until 10 or 11pm (sometimes later if we had enough solar energy throughout the day to charge it to 100%). The battery will then start to charge again from the low point set in the software at 30%. This will trickle charge from the grid until the next day when the solar panels start to produce power again.
Now given that the battery doesnt always charge to 100% in the winter months, would i be overdoing things if i add another 5.12Kwh battery?
Summer would be fine i think but during the winter months where i am not alway charging the current battery to 100% would i end up paying more from the grid to charge a second battery?
Your thoughts would be very much appreciated as another battery is a significant investment and i would like to get some expert views before commiting.
Chris
Chris, building on what nboggin has said, first understand what your average daily usage and then, if you have the budget, buy enough battery to cover that. This way you can charge and benefit from whatever Solar is produced but additionally, you can fully charge on the lower agile or Go tariffs without worrying about the higher day rates. This way, all of the electricity that you use is either free or low rate and with a bit of luck, you may even benefit from ‘Plunge’ prices.