What are you all up to

"In 2012, After the FIT payments were reduced a local company were advertising 16 panels (made in Germany) for 6,000 so I had them fitted (the huge reduction shows how much profit solar panels firms must have been making). I receive around 900 a year from the FIT payments and save on electricty as well. "

" I don't know if paying such a lot for a battery is cost effective or not."

we had ours installed approx 2012 16 chinese panels £5k, and i guess overall we are paid £900 and save on electricity not calculated how much we save, but my OH is not very good at using electrical equipment when the sun is shining so i chain her to the ironing board at peak times

Battery would have been an additional £5k and they are a lump even today so you have to put it in a reasonable storage area which can increase the cost of installing if not very near to the rest of the installation so decided that a battery was a bridge too far and probably not worth the additional cost and during the winter months i dont think we generate enough spare electricity to keep the battery charged so that we could use it when the sun has vanished

We got home early this afternoon from a lovey weekend away just at The Ranch in Maybole had a nice relaxing time. We have three “local” sites that we use for weekends throughout the year The Ranch Ayr Craigie Gardens and Strathclyde Park club site and both Craigie and The Ranch are closing tomorrow for the winter which is a shame. Don’t know if we will get away in the van now until after Christmas as we have a lot on at weekends until Xmas and also the van is going in at the end of this month for a repair on the heating system so not sure how long that will take. Easy 40 min tow home today and the sun was shining so when we got back I took the opportunity to wash the caravan including the roof before putting it back in it’s space. SWMBO went out shopping with daughter and gdaughter so after sorting the van out I took myself out for a coffee to youngest sons cafe. Busy week ahead now with various things to do 

Hope everyone else is having a nice weekend 

We have 16 x 250 watt Sanyo panels, we generate around 3600 kWh per annum, and that has remained constant since install.  Our inverter is a Fronius, with 20 year warranty.  Our roof faces very slightly west of south, nothing now in the way of the sun hitting them.   We did have a conifer that would eventually cast a shadow,  but I was allowed ( by OH) to remove it a couple of years back.

Bit of a shame as it was a nice tree, but needs must!

We have considered batteries, but decided  not to spend more on the system now we are "getting on a bit".    Plus do not know where we would put them.

OH is pretty good at doing washing etc when the sun shines, but it is  tricky sometimes.

It was a fine sunny day until mid afternoon.  We had a late start but did another walk from Langcliffe, this time to the Langcliffe limestone quarry and the Craven Works. It has the remains of the largest Lime Kiln in the country, the Hoffman Kiln, as well as those of two others. We returned by the river walk which made a good circular trip. The photo dien not do it service  but it is well worth a visit for those interested in industrial archaeology. 

Nth the shrub is a Calicarpa Japonica Luxians as it was on my Calendar when I turned the page over, and great Autumnal photos not much colour here yet.

RK  sorry about the delay in replying to your post. Thanks for the info. It was the unusual blue colour of the berries that caught our attention.  I don't think that we have seen that shrub before.

Battery would have been an additional £5k and they are a lump even today so you have to put it in a reasonable storage area which can increase the cost of installing if not very near to the rest of the installation

Agree battery storage is not cheap but technology has moved on and prices have fallen. Battery storage costs about £500 per Kwh and a single solar panel can generate up to 425w. Installation of both batteries and inverter is in the loft space and takes very little space.

peedee

Quietish couple of days, mainly due to the appalling weather, except for Saturday morning (or was it Friday morning?). 

Still trying to sort out Household Insurance renewal, Boiler service and Home Emergency renewal and Broadband renewal. 

Quite pleased  with Barclays. I took the ladies to M&S outlet village today. Made the mistake of catching up with them before they paid and OH handed me her goods to pay whilst she helped MiL. Well, my usual credit card failed, my backup failed and Barclaycard failed. It was, apparently the card reader that was at fault. Barclays contacted me by text and by phone to make sure it was me and I liked the way they went about it.  Unfortunately the card reader was replaced and the new one worked well enough.

Nice photos Nellie.

Thanks, WN. Hope that you manage to get all your I audience sorted out without too great extra expense. Good for the ladies that your bank was still eager to accept your (their?) monies.!

What a miserable night and day, after such a nice one yesterday. We have had rain showers all day, with only the occasional short dry spell. Out last night of this trip before we head home in the morning. Even with all the rain and the storms we have had during our 9 weeks away we have only been "confined to barracks" for 2 days.

We were a bit luckier today Nellie. Lovely all day yesterday, and nice most of today, but it’s hammering down again tonight. We had a lovely walk around Wentworth village for some fresh air and exercise. 

Like WN, I have been sorting out a few domestic things. Boiler service for Mum, and finally got a plumber to commit to fitting her a new radiator. Few jobs done back at home as well. OH has given MH a thorough clean on the outside, and I shall do inside ready for a short trip next week. Hoping we get some decent weather for it.🤞 I am storing away some nice looking cottages for December, hoping to get a full week away if we can🤩🤞🤩🤞 North Wales is looking favourite. Jeep in for its test Friday, hoping for 3/3 in terms of passes and nothing to be done. 

We visited NT Stowe Gardens today, weather was good, just a few clouds.  They had a display of poppies and figures of soldiers for Remembrance Sunday, on the area between the house and lake, took a picture but it hardly does it justice. They had boards with letters written to loved ones from soldiers,  very moving.