Is it even possible to monitor my solar pv installation properly or am I scuppered?

[very]

Re: Is it even possible to monitor my solar pv installation properly or am I scuppere

Here is a BEFORE pic of the main consumer unit in the garage, prior to the solar installation ..and here it is after the electrician did his work:Hope this is useful....

 

[Earthstore]

Re: Is it even possible to monitor my solar pv installation properly or am I scuppere

Your Inverter says "error" in the photo, and to be honest, and in my opinion, monitoring is the least of your problems, as pointed out by others your install does not conform.

There appears to be several things wrong, it looks like your PV system is on a shared RCD, and judging by the cable run it looks like your AC cable is too small, and the lables, (MCS do not have an approved marker pen).

I have stuck my neck out recently because of a poor install, and sadly am getting involved in another.

I am not the PV police, but this type of workmanship really rattles my cage.

I am sorry to be so blunt, if I can be of any help you are welcome to PM me,
Earthstore.

 

[Vegelen]

Re: Is it even possible to monitor my solar pv installation properly or am I scuppere

On my system I have an Oprismart/EnviR on the PV meter and this is accurate to within about 1%. I have another Optismart ion the consumer unit but it doesn't register when the system is exporting. It also wont work if your consumer unit is an older system without an optical output.

Optismart Web Page:

Current Cost - Reducing your energy bills so you can live a greener life!

"** PLEASE NOTE ** OptiSmart is not compatible with PV/micro generation.
It is vital that before purchasing any OptiSmart product you confirm it is compatible with
your meter."

- Optismarts work fine until your PV system stops generating and then the constant red light on the meter gives innacurate readings.
- Optismart meters may be ideal for PV in the future, but currently there is a fault with them when used with generation meters on PV systems.
- Current Cost are trying to resolve this problem.
- PV installers should avoid installing them until Current Cost iron out any issues with them.

 

[Gavin A]

Re: Is it even possible to monitor my solar pv installation properly or am I scuppere

Your Inverter says "error" in the photo,

are you sure you're not imagining that?

It's too blurred for me, but I can't see any message at the bottom where the fault code would be, the green light is on and there seems to be readings in all the right places for it generating ok unless I'm looking at the wrong picture or something.

 

[Mozzerr]

Re: Is it even possible to monitor my solar pv installation properly or am I scuppere

are you sure you're not imagining that?

Think you're looking at the wrong photo mate! Maybe at Moggy's SMA inverter pic? The OP's inverter is a Fronius and it clearly says "ERROR" on the display.

@Very: If you can get your system wired such that: the main incoming electricity feed from the grid is split by way of a junction block (Henley) - then one set of tails goes to your household consumer unit and the other set goes to all the PV install "gubbins" then your two British Gas monitors will be entirely capable of monitoring both PV generation and household consumption no problem. This is exactly how mine is set up and it's working a treat.

 

[series530]

Re: Is it even possible to monitor my solar pv installation properly or am I scuppere

Optismart Web Page:

Current Cost - Reducing your energy bills so you can live a greener life!

"** PLEASE NOTE ** OptiSmart is not compatible with PV/micro generation.
It is vital that before purchasing any OptiSmart product you confirm it is compatible with
your meter."

- Optismarts work fine until your PV system stops generating and then the constant red light on the meter gives innacurate readings.
- Optismart meters may be ideal for PV in the future, but currently there is a fault with them when used with generation meters on PV systems.
- Current Cost are trying to resolve this problem.
- PV installers should avoid installing them until Current Cost iron out any issues with them.

I am aware of all of this... but used with common sense they are a valuable tool.

When the LED is solid you can ignore the value.

They do, however, give pretty accurate results when the PV is generating or the house is consuming. For me, that is most of what I want.

 

[Vegelen]

Re: Is it even possible to monitor my solar pv installation properly or am I scuppere

I am aware of all of this... but used with common sense they are a valuable tool.

When the LED is solid you can ignore the value.

They do, however, give pretty accurate results when the PV is generating or the house is consuming. For me, that is most of what I want.

If someone recommends Optismarts to monitor solar pv generation and fails to mention the problems associated with it when measuring power in periods of 0W generation and the manufacturer explicitly states not to currently use it with PV generation meters, until problems are resolved, common sense tells me to listen to the manufacturers advice until problems with Optismarts are resolved.

Encouraging users to use Optismarts, without mentioning the current problems associated with it when used with Solar generation meters is irresponsible.

Optismarts are great, but currently only for measuring meters that constantly move forward.

When solar generation meters drop to 0W, they show a constantly on red light.
Optismarts misinterpret this light and show innacurate generation readings.
As PV generation meters have large periods of daily down time, this innacurate reading will skew the overall results making the meter innacurate.
Optismarts show accurate readings during the day, for people wishing to monitor 'real time' solar generation, but for those wanting to measure actual long term solar generation they are currently useless, until problems with them are resolved during periods of 0W generation.

 

[very]

Re: Is it even possible to monitor my solar pv installation properly or am I scuppere

Thank you all for your posts - I'm trying to digest them, but I'm very anxious about this. The inverter did say error when I took the photo, and it's no coincidence that this was caused by my switching on the light in the stable circuit to see the inverter properly. Clearly something dodgy is happening with regard to the stable circuit and the inverter setup.

I'm going to PM you Earthstore, thanks for the offer.

 

[Mozzerr]

Re: Is it even possible to monitor my solar pv installation properly or am I scuppere

Actually, looking at your pictures again and disregarding your issue with the inverter going into error state when you switch the lights on in the stables...

I reckon that if you move one of your current sensors as shown in the attached picture that I have annotated, then the BG display that is matched to the sensor that you have just moved will show your household consumption and the display that is matched to the sensor you already have located on the live wire going to the PV "isolator" (!) will show your solar generation.

BUT, the solar generation will not be accurate IF there is ANY current draw on the circuit going to the stables. So, you need to make sure that there is nothing plugged in at the stables and no lights on over there!

If you do that and move the sensor as I have indicated then you will have real time monitoring as you require.

But get the inverter error condition sorted out too!!

HTH, Moz.

 

[MicraShed]

Re: Is it even possible to monitor my solar pv installation properly or am I scuppere

Sorry for dredging up an old thread.

I got a Scottish Power Unifi energy monitor yesterday and set it up last night in the hours of darkness after I came home from work. But today in the brilliant (ha!) sunshine I notice even with the house in its null state (consumes about 220W/hr) its now showing me as consuming about 1.5kW. So im assuming that it cant cope with reverse flow and just sees the current flow as energy consumed no matter what direction its going in.

That said, because I know Im not consuming off the grid (solid red light on import DNO meter) its sort of handy as a rough guide to what Im generating. Is there a definitive way of monitoring both import power and generated power from the meter cupboard, apart from sitting there in front of the meters all day counting the red flashes???

 

[SolarCity]

Re: Is it even possible to monitor my solar pv installation properly or am I scuppere

You can, but you need to connect the PV system onto a seperate CU.

 

[MicraShed]

Re: Is it even possible to monitor my solar pv installation properly or am I scuppere

Fair enough, and I know thats not going to happen!

Its enough for now as it gives me a rough idea when to switch the washer on or vacuum cleaner (1500W!!!!!!) I have now banned hoovering in the hours of darkness in my house.

It is no coincidence that my grandfather was called Ebenezer
.