Electricity NW about to vary the supply voltage - what effect on PV?

[MicraShed]

http://www.enwl.co.uk/docs/default-...substation-selection-methodology.pdf?sfvrsn=6

Caught the interview on You & Yours on Radio 4 today - ENW are to start to vary the supply voltage through the network at peak demand times in an experiment to try and prevent power outages. Of course Im fed indirectly from the Penwortham East substation which also feeds a lot of heavy local industry, and is one earmarked for reduction.

What effect is this likely to have on my PV generation if say the sun is shining but ENW have the grid supply at less than 220vAC? is my inverter likely to shut off thinking their is a supply problem, or will it match the voltage?

Inverter is a Fronius IG30

 

[SibertSolar]

As long as the grid supply is kept within G83 parameters then I doubt your inverter will be too bothered tbh

 

[Gary K]

If the voltage is lowered, will you not generate more Kwh's?

 

[FB.]

If the voltage is lowered, will you not generate more Kwh's?

I wonder if it'll work the other way.
My inverter is capped at 15.65A (nominally 3.6kW @ 230V), but with the high grid voltage here my inverter often exports as much as 3.9kW to the grid (15.65A @ 248V).
If my grid voltage dropped to 220V, my inverter would still top-out at 15.65A and therefore export would be capped at 3.44kW from 3.75kW of panels and 3.6 inverter.

 

[Donk]

This will also cause problems with immersion heaters and light bulbs (causing them to burn out).

Will be interesting to watch the complaints roll in shortly after execution.

 

[BruceB]

Why would reducing the voltage cause immersion heaters and light bulbs to burn out?

 

[Donk]

Ohms law. The immersion would heat up quicker but also cause it to eventually burn out due to the higher amps. Immersion so aren't usually protected with fuses.

correct me if I'm wrong though!

 

[Rockingit]

Ohms law. The immersion would heat up quicker but also cause it to eventually burn out due to the higher amps. Immersion so aren't usually protected with fuses.

correct me if I'm wrong though!

Hmmm...... have a think about this - 245V / 10ohms = Ia, 220V / 10ohms = Ib...... which is the bigger number?

 

[Gavin A]

Hmmm...... have a think about this - 245V / 10ohms = Ia, 220V / 10ohms = Ib...... which is the bigger number?

yep - and in practice, my toaster takes longer to do my toast, and kettle takes longer to boil after we fitted a voltage optimiser to test out.

tbh that's about the only thing I've noticed as a result of fitting the VO unit, and it's a bit annoying.

 

[TedM]

Incandescent lamps that are run at lower voltages will run at lower temperature so last longer. This is because the filament evaporates over time (and this is dependent on the level of heat) and this is what eventually wears out and kills the lamp. But the lumens per watt produced will drop dramatically at the lower voltage as well.

Running a 100W 240V lamp at 120V will make it last virtually forever but it will only be producing 1/3 of the light compared to running at 240V.

This doesn't necessarily apply to halogen lamps as running them at too low a voltage can actually increase the rate of failure.