Recent content by BarrySmith

This is the graph my software (Loxone) made when I put the washing I had on the line earlier in the dryer to finish it off. Although I can get a reading every second or so this is averaged over every minute.

I do a bit of control system programming and have a plug that measures power, going to bung that on the washing machine for a few cycles.

The goal is to save money, I admit to wanting to have a tinker with solar PV but the aim is to save money in the medium to long term.

This is the washer: https://media3.bosch-home.com/Documents/specsheet/en-GB/WAE28368GB.pdf As I understand it modern detergents will work in cold water and I actually tried to buy a cold water machine a few years back, had no luck though. Most mains water is going to need a fair bit or heating...

The lowest setting I have is 30 degrees and is a 15 minute cycle. I actually use this and am quite happy with it but the missus reckons it doesn't get the clothes clean (by extension this means she thinks I'm a smelly git). I wonder if running the water supply through a solar water heater might...

The rotor amp thingy looks like it means I'm going to need an incredibly large amount of batteries or some kind of industrial inverter?

It does, it only has a cold water inlet.

So, I'm a little confused about the numbers assigned to the various pieces of kit. If the washing machine is rated at 2300w does that mean I need to get at least a 3000w inverter? Also, this totally blows my cover as an absolute noob, what happens if the batteries are fully charged but the sun...

It's only a few feet across an alley from my kitchen but this is what got me thinking about making a separate circuit, I suppose it's easier to think about it like that when the building is distinct.

Both devices are electric and I have power to the building so could charge batteries from the grid if needed. I was wondering about an automatic power switching circuit so as a failsafe against draining the batteries totally.

The units are separate. The dryer is mainly for the winter (which I realise makes things even harder for a project like this), we use the clothes line as much as we can already - just put a load out this morning!

I live in the south east of the UK. The new energy tariffs are going to slaughter me so I am looking at ways of both saving electricity and possibly generating some as well. I have my washing machine and dryer in an outbuilding so was wondering about powering these two devices using only solar...