pv monitors and dataloggers

[Earthstore]

Wow....

 

[series530]

Curious as to what software you're using to upload data to the Internet and then view it?

I just use the stuff that CurrentCost sell with the EnviR. I tried to use Pachube and then on to pv.org but wasn't very successful.

 

[SRE]

I'm confused I looked at Current Cost and it said you shouldn't use Optismart with microgeneration ...

I'm looking for a cheaper alternative to the inverter monitors but I'm not impressed with Wattson, their customer service is abysmal and I haven't had a monitor yet that works properly. The Geo is an option but I don't have time to go back and sort problems out when they are first set up.

I'm starting to think that inverter monitors, although extortionately expensive are a better use of my time.

 

[stuart99]

For a cheap option, have a look at these...

Solar PV Monitoring System | OpenEnergyMonitor

Solar Power Manager | OpenEnergyMonitor

and my personal project...
Interfacing with SMA SunnyBoy PV Inverters (Bluetooth) | OpenEnergyMonitor

 

[Grinnders]

Thanks Vegelen. This could be very useful.

I currently use a Windows XP desktop to download data to my PC and upload to PVoutput.org fairly successfully (SB SMA4000TL - bluetooth builtin) Ironically though my desktop PC is an old XP era machine and not very power efficient and so I don't leave it on all day to do the regular uploads, generally once at the end of the day ... However I do have an Acer Aspire One SSD notebook (currently with Fedora 16 but previously with Ubuntu) that is a lot more efficient and I could afford to have running continuously without feeling like I was defeating the object! You have just given me a new project. LOL

 

[series530]

I'm confused I looked at Current Cost and it said you shouldn't use Optismart with microgeneration ...

I'm looking for a cheaper alternative to the inverter monitors but I'm not impressed with Wattson, their customer service is abysmal and I haven't had a monitor yet that works properly. The Geo is an option but I don't have time to go back and sort problems out when they are first set up.

I'm starting to think that inverter monitors, although extortionately expensive are a better use of my time.

One of the issues is the fact that, certainly on my meter, when I am net exporting, the meter led turns solid green. At best the Optismart interprets this as zero power and at worst seems to think that there is a small consumption of power.

I have been keeping a tally of the Optismart/Envir against the PV meter over the past three weeks or so. I have a couple of OS's, one on the PV and one on the incoming meter. The OS on the PV box is within a couple of percent of what the PV reads. This is far better than a current clamp and is only slightly bettered by the Enecsys monitor on a very sunny day. On a cloudy or a day of rain, the Enecsys is hopelessly out.

 

[Jim Newmark]

I'm confused I looked at Current Cost and it said you shouldn't use Optismart with microgeneration ...

I'm looking for a cheaper alternative to the inverter monitors but I'm not impressed with Wattson, their customer service is abysmal and I haven't had a monitor yet that works properly. The Geo is an option but I don't have time to go back and sort problems out when they are first set up.

I'm starting to think that inverter monitors, although extortionately expensive are a better use of my time.

Seems to work for me with the Optismart on the generation meter LED and trying nothing more clever than "total solar energy generated." There is no way that the meter could tell the difference between the solar generation and the domestic usage - it is all blinks per kwH. One minor problem that I will perhaps tweak some time is that the EnviR calculated "cost" (but actually "income" in this case) does not go up as far as the 43.3p that I could potentially get with the UK feed-in tariff. I just have to be content for the time being with just the calculaton of the energy input. The domestic meter Optismart of course just shows zero even when there is a net export going on but I can live with that. For now. I never intended to get as involved as this anyway but it just sort of grabs you.

 

[liquidity]

The only thing you could do is add a clamp input on the mains feed to the import meter. You would be at the mercy of the accuracy of a clamp sensor but you could then differentiate between import and export.

When the import meter sensor reading is zero house consumption = generation meter - clamp (i.e. you're exporting)
when the import meter is not zero then house consumption = clamp + generation meter

You would need more smarts than the EnviR has to put the picture together - a PC reading the EnviR data stream could do this though.

 

[Jim Newmark]

The only thing you could do is add a clamp input on the mains feed to the import meter. You would be at the mercy of the accuracy of a clamp sensor but you could then differentiate between import and export.

When the import meter sensor reading is zero house consumption = generation meter - clamp (i.e. you're exporting)
when the import meter is not zero then house consumption = clamp + generation meter

You would need more smarts than the EnviR has to put the picture together - a PC reading the EnviR data stream could do this though.

Yes, you are right and I have just received a free British Gas meter with clamp that I was wondering what to do with - so far I have put it on the equivalent of the meter LEDs and it served to show me how widely inaccurate they are compared with the LED/ optismart. But a third meter? I quite like the kitchen beginning to look like an aircraft flightdeck but my wife is looking a bit askance .....

 

[liquidity]

One enviR can handle all 3 sensors but the display can only display one at a time. So you would constantly be fiddling with the display which your wife may find equally exasperating.

and one minor correction to what I said above: when the import meter is not zero then house consumption = import meter + generation meter (this will be a more accurate reading)

 

[esentinel]

Hi, have a try with our eSense solutions. You could also test the free versions of eWatch datalogger. We could develop the solution you like.
We also need beta testers somethimes so if it is interesting for you just contact us.
http://www.esentinelgroup.com/en

 

[xiaoneitie]

GEO Pv Unit has been covered on here many times, i use them on all my install bar SMA, there great, and you can upload data to online portal.