Off peak power on a GPO

[David Eather]

This is probably not the best place, but I am sure that someone knows
the answer of the top of their heads. I am asking because I have a
memory that these rules might have changed a dew years ago.

My question is this:

Is it legal to have a GPO (a power outlet) connected to off-peak power?

many thanks

 

[kreed]

On May 31, 8:46 am, David Eather <eat...@tpg.com.au> wrote:

This is probably not the best place, but I am sure that someone knows
the answer of the top of their heads. I am asking because I have a
memory that these rules might have changed a dew years ago.

My question is this:

Is it legal to have a GPO (a power outlet) connected to off-peak power?

many thanks

in QLD the appliance has to be wired in permanently and you cannot use
a GPO

I don't see why you couldnt just install a GPO on the off peak line
though, as unless a huge amount of your household load "suddenly
shifted" to the off peak meter, no one is likely to check.

 

[kreed]

On May 31, 8:46 am, David Eather <eat...@tpg.com.au> wrote:

This is probably not the best place, but I am sure that someone knows
the answer of the top of their heads. I am asking because I have a
memory that these rules might have changed a dew years ago.

My question is this:

Is it legal to have a GPO (a power outlet) connected to off-peak power?

many thanks

Having just said that, I found this in the paper 10 min later. It
seesm that they want to relax the rules to allow some items to be
plugged into a GPO to get people to put pool pumps, drink coolers etc
onto off peak power.


http://www.couriermail.com.au/money/money-matters/cut-price-power-plan-for-pool-owners/story-fn3hskur-1226065984765

 

[swanny]

On 31/05/2011 9:48 AM, kreed wrote:

On May 31, 8:46 am, David Eather <eat...@tpg.com.au> wrote:
This is probably not the best place, but I am sure that someone knows
the answer of the top of their heads. I am asking because I have a
memory that these rules might have changed a dew years ago.

My question is this:

Is it legal to have a GPO (a power outlet) connected to off-peak power?

many thanks

Having just said that, I found this in the paper 10 min later. It
seesm that they want to relax the rules to allow some items to be
plugged into a GPO to get people to put pool pumps, drink coolers etc
onto off peak power.


http://www.couriermail.com.au/money/money-matters/cut-price-power-plan-for-pool-owners/story-fn3hskur-1226065984765

How about large battery chargers which are then fed through the solar
inverters for a premium price on power?

 

[Phil Allison]

"kreed"

How about large battery chargers which are then fed through the solar
inverters for a premium price on power?

More practical though might be to have the 2 accounts, just use one to
feed back the solar into at the peak rate (with no user load on it
during daytime) and another that you use to supply your home.


** The way to do it all nice and LEGAL is to have the solar panels going
gangbusters at NIGHT !!

Just set up an array of CFLs or white LED lamps to supply the light and run
THEM from " off peak " power.

No expensive chargers or batteries involved.


..... Phil ;-)

 

[terryc]

swanny wrote:

How about large battery chargers which are then fed through the solar
inverters for a premium price on power?

The economics won't be worth it unless you can get a very substantial
battery bank for FREE.

 

[kreed]

On May 31, 11:37 am, swanny <swa...@nospam.net> wrote:

On 31/05/2011 9:48 AM, kreed wrote:



On May 31, 8:46 am, David Eather <eat...@tpg.com.au> wrote:
This is probably not the best place, but I am sure that someone knows
the answer of the top of their heads. I am asking because I have a
memory that these rules might have changed a dew years ago.

My question is this:

Is it legal to have a GPO (a power outlet) connected to off-peak power?

many thanks

Having just said that, I found this in the paper 10 min later.  It
seesm that they want to relax the rules to allow some items to be
plugged into a GPO to get people to put pool pumps, drink coolers etc
onto off peak power.

http://www.couriermail.com.au/money/money-matters/cut-price-power-pla...

How about large battery chargers which are then fed through the solar
inverters for a premium price on power?

Why not have 2 electricity accounts, one to the house, one to shed (or
whatever) one with the solar, feed the solar one from the other
one . Probably need a large
isolation/step-up transformer and rectifier to feed into the solar
inverter input (DC).


Depends also on what details the "smart meter" logs, if it showed that
a 1kw system was pushing more kw than it could generate back into the
grid 24/7, I'm sure you could expect:

1) A knock on the door from an electrical inspector, and a nice
experience that involves a magistrate and substantial fine.
2) Guys who come around to replace the meter, thinking that its got a
fault with it. .
3) CSIRO or similar coming to do extensive tests on the "magic solar
panels", or offering huge sums to buy them,
as they are more efficient than anything made to date


More practical though might be to have the 2 accounts, just use one to
feed back the solar into at the peak rate (with no user load on it
during daytime) and another that you use to supply your home. For a
really large solar array, this might be a profitable investment (as
long as they don't change the rules or dump the feed in tariff, though
what I think will happen is that the normal tariff will end up as much
or more than the feed in tariff given time).

 

[swanny]

On 31/05/2011 1:39 PM, Phil Allison wrote:

"kreed"

How about large battery chargers which are then fed through the solar
inverters for a premium price on power?

More practical though might be to have the 2 accounts, just use one to
feed back the solar into at the peak rate (with no user load on it
during daytime) and another that you use to supply your home.


** The way to do it all nice and LEGAL is to have the solar panels going
gangbusters at NIGHT !!

Just set up an array of CFLs or white LED lamps to supply the light and run
THEM from " off peak " power.

No expensive chargers or batteries involved.


.... Phil ;-)

Brilliant.
Put the whole thing in a shed and create a kind of mega opto-coupler.
You'd have to do something about all the UFO spotters hanging around
marvelling at the strange eerie glow from your shed.

 

[kreed]

On May 31, 2:10 pm, terryc <newsninespam-s...@woa.com.au> wrote:

swanny wrote:
How about large battery chargers which are then fed through the solar
inverters for a premium price on power?

The economics won't be worth it unless you can get a very substantial
battery bank for FREE.

You would need a pretty good concrete slab to put it on too, if you
want any
useful capacity.

Try it in many modern houses or sheds with those waffle pods
underneath, and it might go straight through.

I know a guy who had an unpleasant experience along those lines with a
substantial fish tank. All that weight concentrated
on 6 2' x 2' wooden legs was more than the floor could handle.
The resultant mess, and the rush to get expensive fish off the carpet
and into the
bathtub was added stress.

 

[Phil Allison]

"swanny"
Phil Allison wrote:

** The way to do it all nice and LEGAL is to have the solar panels going
gangbusters at NIGHT !!

Just set up an array of CFLs or white LED lamps to supply the light and
run
THEM from " off peak " power.

No expensive chargers or batteries involved.


.... Phil ;-)


Brilliant.

Put the whole thing in a shed and create a kind of mega opto-coupler.

** That would be illegal as the solar array would not work in sun light -
as is required.

You'd have to do something about all the UFO spotters hanging around
marvelling at the strange eerie glow from your shed.

** Nah - just have yourself the best lit roof in the whole area.

Aliens spacecraft could use it for a beacon ....


..... Phil

 

[kreed]

On May 31, 4:10 pm, swanny <swa...@nospam.net> wrote:

On 31/05/2011 1:39 PM, Phil Allison wrote:



"kreed"

How about large battery chargers which are then fed through the solar
inverters for a premium price on power?

More practical though might be to have the 2 accounts, just use one to
feed back the solar into at the peak rate (with no user load on it
during daytime) and another that you use to supply your home.

** The way to do it all nice and LEGAL is to have the solar panels going
gangbusters at NIGHT !!

Just set up an array of CFLs or white LED lamps to supply the light and run
THEM  from " off peak " power.

No expensive chargers or batteries involved.

....  Phil  ;-)

Brilliant.
Put the whole thing in a shed and create a kind of mega opto-coupler.
You'd have to do something about all the UFO spotters hanging around
marvelling at the strange eerie glow from your shed.

I think that you would more likely end up with people suspecting that
you were growing "illegal plants" in there under lights.

I like the "mega opto coupler" comment

 

[David Eather]

On 31/05/2011 8:46 AM, David Eather wrote:

This is probably not the best place, but I am sure that someone knows
the answer of the top of their heads. I am asking because I have a
memory that these rules might have changed a dew years ago.

My question is this:

Is it legal to have a GPO (a power outlet) connected to off-peak power?

many thanks

Thanks for the replies.

Now I just have to decide if I am to grow "new" plants or collect UFO
spotters.