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289 Topic threads
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Carbon Cutter****
ImberarkCarbon Cutter****
Posted in Home and heating
Help! i have just had solar panels fitted what do i do next...

I have just had solar panels fitted what do i need to do next, I have yet to contact OVO . My meter readings are going backwards

57812
I
Carbon Cutter****
1 year ago
Boots and Bens
Carbon Cutter*****
Boots and BensCarbon Cutter*****
Posted in Home and heating
DHW To Reheat or Schedule? What's the most economical?

Any ideas which is the most economical option to have the DHW on reheat or to schedule it? 

200716
juliamc
Carbon Catcher***
1 year ago
P
Carbon Cutter****
PHILLI2Carbon Cutter****
posted in Home and heating
Daikin Altherma 3 and Sunamp zero emissions boiler - Annual service

Hi all, we seem to be possibly the only trialists with a Daikin Altherma 3 and Sunamp combination and although the system is functioning and supplying all our needs my question is has anyone received their yearly service / maintainance yet regarding the indoor and outdoor units and if they have what did it consist of? as i have had mine and the engineer was at a loss to identify any part of the system that needed servicing! any help or guidance would be greatly appreciated, Dave.

37517
Abby_OVO
Community Manager
1 year ago
Tim_OVO
Community Manager
Tim_OVOCommunity Manager
Posted in Home and heating
Heat pump pipe insulation: Energy efficiency starts with the pipesTutorial

Updated on 04/06/24 by ChristopherS_OVO: Pipe Insulation for your Air Source Heat Pump (ASHP) In collaboration with our Zero Carbon Homes trialists, we’ve put together a guide to the pipe insulation which should be fitted alongside an Air Source Heat Pump. Getting this pipe insulation right will make sure your new heating system runs as efficiently as possible so it’s really valuable to learn from those who’ve already been through the installation process. Below we’ve combined images and testimonials from members that have made the move away from carbon intensive gas boilers, to help show what to look out for following a visit from your installers. The basics @Transparent writes that: “There are three different categories of pipe insulation to be considered: 1: Exterior - must be Class-O, closed-cell, UV-resistant with wall thickness greater than 19mm.2: In lofts, unheated “plant-rooms”, garage spaces or below a suspended floor. This should also have high wall-thickness and the joins t

1593641
Emmanuelle_OVO
Community Manager
1 year ago
B
Carbon Cutter*****
bbriiiCarbon Cutter*****
Posted in Home and heating
Can’t tell which storage heater switch is off-peak, please help!

Hi, I’m having trouble differentiating which switch is which with my Quantum storage heaters. I know they one is on peak and one is off-peak, but only one switch lights up and turns on the digital display, while the other switch seems to do nothing when switched on its own. Any advice?? I don’t want to be paying for on peak 24/7 by mistake 😖

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B
Carbon Cutter*****
1 year ago
L
Carbon Cutter*****
LSdevonCarbon Cutter*****
Posted in Home and heating
Cost effective heating and boiler settings: higher boiler temperature with fewer radiators or the opposite?

When i have to put the heating on with my combi boiler is it cheaper to have the boiler set at 70 eco with less radiators on, or at 50 with more radiators on? My boiler man has serviced the boiler and set it to 70 eco for when i need the heating on. Any ideas welcome please! 

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Tim_OVO
Community Manager
1 year ago
G
Carbon Cutter*
Gini3Carbon Cutter*
Posted in Home and heating
Which meter shows my solar panel energy generation for feed in tariff?

Good morning, I moved into our new home about a year ago and have really struggled with finding meter readings from the solar panels.I don’t really k ow which box I should be looking at and what numbers they need. Any advice would be greatly received.

25945
BPLightlog
Plan Zero Hero
1 year ago
K
Carbon Cutter****
krankydCarbon Cutter****
posted in Home and heating
Anyone with experience of a larger air source heat pump (ASHP) and its running costs?

HI,I’ve got an old stone house and we’ve been looking at getting an ASHP installed, we have a quote for a dual 22kw ASHP arrangement. Just wanting to know if anyone else has any experience in running a larger setup? We have an 11kw turbine on-site so this should hopefully take some of the load and will perhaps look to install 5-10kw of solar to supplement. On a good day we can generate ~200kw of wind power.. 

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Abby_OVO
Community Manager
1 year ago
Emmanuelle_OVO
Community Manager
Emmanuelle_OVOCommunity Manager
Posted in Home and heating
Energy saving tips this winterBlog

Updated on 26/09/24 by Chris_OVO:One of our Energy Experts here at OVO, Greig Millar, has come up with 8, cost effective ways to reduce your bills this winter.  So let's take a look… 1. Turning down the boiler flow temperature Cost: FREE Saving: around £651 per year for a typical home per yearMany condensing combi boilers are burning more gas than they need to – because their flow temperature is set between 70 and 80°C. Turning down your boilers to 60°C means they’re more likely to run at their optimum 95% efficiency, which is usually cheaper. 2. Bleeding radiators Cost: FREE Cost saving: it depends on multiple factorsHow do you tell if a radiator needs bleeding? It’ll be warm at the bottom and cold at the top. This is because of trapped air, which makes the heating system work harder, increasing your energy bills. Greig recommends bleeding your radiators once a year. Find a step-by-step guide on how to do that here.  3. Installing a smart meter  Cost: FREE  Saving: this depends on you

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Emmanuelle_OVO
Community Manager
1 year ago
M
Carbon Cutter*
maryjayCarbon Cutter*
Posted in Home and heating
The solar pv inverter data includes a "Pload" column of non cumulative figures at 5 minute intervals. What are those figures & how can I get the total KWH consumed for the day please?

Most of the data I download from the on line monitor for my Luxpower Hybrid inverter makes sense. The data includes total figures for the day for solar production, power imported from and exported to the grid etc. but not a total self-consumption figure. When I log onto the monitor there is a headline display of some daily totals. These DO include consumption for the day up to the point in time at which I am looking at the monitor. That’s fine as far as it goes but I don’t wish to stay up until 11.55pm every day to check how much I have used. There is a “PLoad” column in the data. It shows non-cumulative figures at 5 minute intervals eg around 150 to 250 for background use like lights, fridge etc and about 2500 when something like the oven is on, so it looks like watts. However yesterday, for example, the total for that column was 95414. By comparison at 9.19 pm when I looked at the monitor the total consumption was 8.1 KWH. So what is PLoad showing? What units is it in? and how can I

49923
BPLightlog
Plan Zero Hero
1 year ago
C
New Member*
cwalker1995New Member*
Posted in Home and heating
Issues installing Tado v3+ with Vaillant Ecotec Sustain boiler

Recently tried installing Tado v3+ wireless starter kit but left me with no power to boiler worked out the cable asked to replace in instructions was power to boiler so put both Tado and boiler L and N cables in the relivant ports in boiler and had powerhowever when it came to test, boiler didn’t fire. was previously using Salus RT520 thermostat, unsure whether this is wired or wireless to boiler tried the Tado support with no luck, they didn’t seem to understand.

1424
Abby_OVO
Community Manager
1 year ago
J
New Member*
jamesmdunnNew Member*
Posted in Home and heating
Remote control for Mitsubishi Ecodan Air Source Heat Pump

Hi, I’m hoping for some help in finding a system that allows me to monitor and adjust house temperature remotely. The house is heated via an Ecodan air source heat pump with underfloor heating downstairs and radiators upstairs. Currently we have one wireless thermostat which allows us to set programmes as well as measure the temperature for a target in whichever room we leave it.  I don’t think we need anything complicated, but want to be able to adjust the target temperature and programmes remotely. Even being able to initiate a hold temperature remotely and then cancel it again to engage the programmed settings would be fine.  I’ve had a look at various smart thermostats but compatibility seems to be an issue and the in-house app by Mitsubishi gets aweful reviews.  Any help or advice very gratefully received! Thanks in advance!

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juliamc
Carbon Catcher***
1 year ago
B
New Member**
bjburnett72New Member**
Posted in Home and heating
Faulty FIT Meter- Who is responsible?

HiThe FIT meter for my solar panels have stopped working. It is showing the same reading since June 2023 which is 3 months ago.Who do you contact? Is it OVO or do I need to get in touch with an electrician?ThanksB Burnett

17854
B
New Member**
1 year ago
Emmanuelle_OVO
Community Manager
Emmanuelle_OVOCommunity Manager
Posted in Home and heating
We’re now installing solar - the brighter way to generate electricity at homeNews

Updated on 15/10/24 by Abby_OVOWe’re delighted to announce that we’re now offering solar to both OVO and non-OVO Energy customers. Solar power is a fantastic way to generate your own renewable energy and gain energy independence. Switching to solar and pairing this with a battery can help you to save up to £1300 off your electricity bills (1), and reduce your carbon emissions by up to one tonne every year! (2)See our solar product page. What are we offering? With our full solar package, we’ll install black solar panels, a solar inverter and a battery, meaning you can store any surplus energy that you generate! If you’re an OVO Energy customer and you choose solar panels and a battery, you’ll also benefit from our best in market Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) rate of 20p per kWh at any time of the day. (3) To find out how much you could save with solar, visit the dedicated solar section on our website. Why choose OVO for solar? We understand that choosing to go solar is a big decision. OV

6411
W
New Member***
1 year ago
juliamc
Carbon Catcher***
juliamcCarbon Catcher***
Posted in Home and heating
Arc Fault Detection - should I get it ?

Over the last few years I’ve had more and more electrical stuff installed - outside room power, electric oven, EV charger and heat pump. To accommodate these my consumer unit (new 20 years ago) has spawned baby consumer units, three to date. Now I’d like to get solar and battery so I’ve been advised to get a new larger consumer unit which will supply all these, plus some spare ways for the future. The electrician has given me a quote for this but also given the option of an Arc Fault Detection version which is considerably more expensive. I’ve read that this is required for multi occupancy residences (which we are not) but also guards against arcing due to rodent damage etc. Would it be a good investment or is it a bit unnecessary? Any advice would be welcome.

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BPLightlog
Plan Zero Hero
1 year ago
N
Carbon Cutter*****
newjerseyminxCarbon Cutter*****
Posted in Home and heating
Great British Insulation Scheme - Loft insulation, is it worth it?

Has anyone else been contacted by Efficient Homes regarding the GBIS?  I registered as in a band D, EPC D house that is badly in need of loft insulation.  My understanding is that under this scheme you will be given a Gov grant towards the cost with the rest funded by you.  I was expecting to pay a couple of hundred quid but I got a call this morning from Efficient Homes and was told my contribution would be over £1500 to insulate the loft plus I was not able to have the pitched roof insulation which is what I really wanted.  I’m sure I could get a professional insulation company to do the job cheaper than £1,500 but was curious to know if anyone else had registered?  What have your experiences been so far?  Anyone know how much the actual grant amount is?

221616
C
Carbon Cutter*
1 year ago
A
New Member*
AlexGoldieNew Member*
Posted in Home and heating
Soliscloud app showing generated and consumed as the same value

Hi all,New to the forum and to solar panels.  This isn’t really my area, so I apologise in advance if any of these questions don’t make sense.We got a combined ASHP and solar panel setup last week and they finally got the solar panels up and running yesterday.  There’s an issue with the battery, but they’re getting that sorted out with the supplier.Our system is using:Solis Hybrid invertor (Rhi 5kw Hybrid Single Phase)V-TAC 5kw battery (VT48100E)10 x 410w V-TAC half mono solar panels (VT-410B) I have a couple of questions though:1 - I noticed on the SolisCloud app that generated and consumed energy figures are the same.  Is this because we currently don’t have a battery and aren’t exporting to grid?2 - The app shows used from as being 0, but I know there has been times when we pulled from the grid yesterday.3 - When we are no longer generating power from the panels (ie at night) the invertor switches off.  Should that happen?Sorry if any these seem obvious, but I really have no clue. 

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BPLightlog
Plan Zero Hero
1 year ago
Tim_OVO
Community Manager
Tim_OVOCommunity Manager
Posted in Home and heating
Introducing our Energy ExpertsNews

Updated on 21/11/24 by Emmanuelle_OVO: Need extra energy saving advice? These forum topics might be helpful:  If you're a homeowner, your local qualified Energy Expert will carry out a thorough home assessment. The service also includes a new Energy Performance Certificate. For customers who get their energy elsewhere, the service is £100, but OVO customers that own their homes can currently book a visit for £40. OVO Beyond customers get exclusive discounts and offers. Check what you’re eligible for in the OVO app. Our experts carry out a full assessment of how your home uses energy. Then you'll get a personalised Home Health Report with advice to help you save energy and money along with a brand new Energy Performance Certificate. To find out more head to our website here. Terms and geographic restrictions apply. Experts by name, experts by natureEvery home is unique. That’s why this service is tailored to you. The more energy efficient your home, the less energy it uses. So we’ll wor

117222
Emmanuelle_OVO
Community Manager
1 year ago
D
New Member***
dgamble731New Member***
Posted in Home and heating
I want to change the settings in my flow temp controller for my Mitisbushi ecodan?

I'm fairly hands on and i want to change the settings in my flow temp controller for my Mitisbushi ecodan PUHZ-HW140VHA2 unit for my 3000 square foot reasonably energy efficient bungalow, it's all underfloor heating. It also has a stove back boiler which helps heats the 300l buffer tank for heating.installer company went bust years ago and im struggling to get anyone that knows what they are talking about. I'm trying to make it run more efficiently so. I had the ASHP installed in 2014. This july i changed a few settings and i think it has been running more efficiently. (my electricity usage would agree with me however it's hard to properly compare in 5 months.It recently it has been giving me a P8 error(See error table below.) i just reset the error and then it goes off about a week later. Maybe something to do with temperature of return water or something. See questions 1 and 2 below as they explain what settings i changed.  1) i switched off freeze protection as it seemed overkill. D

6485
D
New Member***
1 year ago
F
Carbon Cutter*****
foxCarbon Cutter*****
Posted in Home and heating
Mitsubishi heat pump and Ecodan control model: When switching mode to DHW, both water pumps for space heating at first and second zones are stopped?

Hello.I have a Mitsubishi heat pump and Ecodan control module. System configured with DHW tank and mixing tank for space heating. Second one is used for 2-zone setup: first zone is a radiators, second zone is a water warm floor. Each zone has own water circulation pump, controlled by Ecodan.Basic Ecodan heating logic is simple: - turn 2-way valve to DHW tank, heat water for domestic needs- turn 2-way valve to mixing tank, heat water for space heating (first and second zones)- go to DHW mode if needed- ...- and so onMain issue here is that when Ecodan switching mode to DHW, both water pumps for space heating at first and second zones are stopped.It turns out that at first a whole mixing tank of water is heated, and while it heats up, water is pumped through the space heating pipes for both zones. But as soon as the operating mode changes to DHW, the pumping of already hot water from mixing tank stops. This looks very inefficient: space are not heating for a some time, until DHW tank is

12126
F
Carbon Cutter*****
1 year ago
L
Carbon Cutter*
LotduckCarbon Cutter*
Posted in Home and heating
Building extension upgrade to 3phase and move gas meter. How best to organise work?

Hi all, I’m extending our 1960s bungalow with a two storey side extension where our existing garage is. The house has a single phase supply, terrible insulation and the gas meter will have to be moved. We are looking to perhaps install a heat pump, improve insulation and maybe even solar panels. We are an OVO customer and have cadent as our gas transporter. We want to be eligible for any grants available so any advice on what to sort first? Thinking 1. change to a 3 supply as most likely be needed ( or should I get electrician into advise/ quote) then 2. Get insulation upgraded in main house to facilitate grants for heat pump 3. Get heat pump installed then join in extension at later date 4. Move gas supply before extension built - we don’t have a builder yet this is purely planning. Hoping someone has some good advice. 

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L
Carbon Cutter*
1 year ago
W
Carbon Cutter*
WhitwopCarbon Cutter*
Posted in Home and heating
PVS giving to the grid when batteries not full

Why do my pvs give energy to the grid when the batteries are not full?  

6985
BPLightlog
Plan Zero Hero
1 year ago
M
Carbon Cutter****
mavisonCarbon Cutter****
Posted in Home and heating
Is immersion heating as efficient as the gas boiler for heating the water? I'm trying to work our solar savings...

We have recently had solar pv fitted, with iBoost on the hot water tank to use any generation excess.I am trying to get a figure for the savings made by using the solar pv to heat the hot water rather than the central heating gas boiler. There is a 3-way valve to control rads & hot water separately. This raises the question:Does 1 kWh of immersion heating produce roughly the same amount of hot water as 1kWh of a gas boiler heating the water? I realise it will not be identical due to efficiencies and losses, but are they similar?I hope to be able to compare costs of heating hot water by pv or gas, ie loss of SEG payment vs gas rate.Then I will know the savings to be made.

269311
J
Carbon Cutter*****
1 year ago
W
Carbon Cutter*
W SharpCarbon Cutter*
Posted in Home and heating
What should I do after having solar panels fitted?

Hello, I have just had grid tied solar panels fitted, I believe I have to inform ovo within 28 days, is that correct

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W
Carbon Cutter*
1 year ago
Transparent
Carbon Catcher***
TransparentCarbon Catcher***
posted in Home and heating
Wall and cavity insulation: Thermal images and how to reduce heat loss they show

  One of the rooms we are struggling to heat is our master bedroom. It has a dressing room as part of the space and has 2 Climavent radiators. It also has 2 external walls. (Stand-by the first forum outing of the Flir One) Here you can see the new A rated windows doing it’s job; you can also see the ClimaVent radiator throwing out some heat and the heat hitting the ceiling. You also see the dark colours of the walls and ceiling (loft was insulated 2011) - dark means lower temps / poor insulation.    Above is the same room but the wall is external to the east, the hot patch on the bed is the fan heater we use to raise the temperature in the room and the bathroom. You can even see some of the mortar lines where the cold has come through. We are about to do a major refurbishment of this room and I am considering having insulation backed plasterboard on walls that are external as well as the ceiling - would you recommend this?    Thanks for the IR photos. Very useful.There’s clearly somet

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E
Carbon Catcher*
1 year ago

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