Use the Grid as a battery

[chicken247]

I was thinking of getting a 2-way meter installed, any idea where to obtain one cost effectively?

 

[ToxicBunny]

2 way meter?

 

[chicken247]

Yip, like, I feed mine into the electric grid when i don't need it (it gets metered), and when I need it I use it again.

 

[DanH]

The regular spinning disk ones should go backwards. But feeding electricity back into the grid from a house is illegal in SA afaik. It would be a major step forwards for solar panel systems as you no longer need batteries.

 

[Scooby_Doo]

Not possible in SA at the moment, bunch o regulations saying no.

 

[Chicken Boo]

I find this curious. If I understand correctly, if I had a power station under my house and wished to feed that power to the grid, I'm forbidden?

 

[Scooby_Doo]

I find this curious. If I understand correctly, if I had a power station under my house and wished to feed that power to the grid, I'm forbidden?

If it was a company it should be fine but as a customer... nope.

 

[Ockie]

IRC the DA wanted to implement this in the Western Cape or the DA...but because the grid is a national thing and not provincial...they were not allowed to. Do you guys remember anything like this?

What are you guys saying though? So if you have a generator or powered by solar panels then you feed your excess to the grid and get "credit" on your meter?

 

[Tacet]

If you have an older analogue meter it is practically feasible, as the meter will move backwards. With the newe meters, however, it won't work. Also, make sure that you don't feed more than you use - as it is illegal.

You'll need a grid-tie inverter to do this.

 

[Arthur]

You'll need a grid-tie inverter to do this.

Yup. I have an MLT Drives Power Star 12kW grid-tied bidirectional hybrid system, ready for feed-in when we finally get a round tuit.

 

[Billy]

Yup. I have an MLT Drives Power Star 12kW grid-tied bidirectional hybrid system, ready for feed-in when we finally get a round tuit.

Here you go! http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-op8uJYMwd...d0/ty8WqHjiS58/s1600/A_Round_Tuit_Picture.jpg

 

[voipnow]

Feeding back into the grid is more complicated than you may think. When every thing is on and Eskom is feeding power it is all cool. Your little grid tie in synchronises to the 50hz of the national grid. When an eskom & municipal breaker trips, it becomes complicated. Your little power supply carries on powering your house but it will go out of synchronisation with the national grids . when the grid comes back on. big problem cos the out of sync is like a short circuit.

 

[DanH]

Yes, but the grid tie obviously has to sense the power is off in the grid and de-latch from it. Later when the grid is back on, it increases or decreases its frequency very slightly(like 49-51Hz) so that it comes into sync again. Then re-latches back to the grid again. Not a simple cheep piece of kit, I'm sure.

 

[upup]

1. If you stay in the town, you feed them municipality.

So say you do talk to eskom, apply for a generator license and you talk rand per kw, then
Metering system needs to be installed from your genny to measure your export power to eskom. a Control system needs to come from eskom to get power from you.
Eskom would take 3 phase 33kv from you.

But, by the look of things, talk to your neighbor and supply him with power.

 

[voipnow]

Supplying your neighbour is the way to go.

If you want free cooking gas look at http://www.biogaspro.com It cost a wack up front but then cook free for ever.

 

[upup]

By the look of things the word grid here means to put power on a line to a pump far in the veld.