Remote diplay for a Fronius IG TL 3.6

[brian wright22]

HMMmm. It looks rather over priced, nearly £190 for the display unit and £97 for the retrofit wireless sender.
This equates to over 10% of the complete Inverter price!.

 

[fiardor]

I'm trialling this at the minute - DIY KYOTO — wattson Solar - available from Segen at a substantial discount. It measures what is being generated as well as what is being used so and you can dowload the info onto your pc - not sure if it will link with Google Power but sounds good in theory.

Hmm yeah but this monitor only works if you instal a henley block and a separate 1 way ccu.

 

[SolarCity]

Hmm yeah but this monitor only works if you instal a henley block and a separate 1 way ccu.

Why would it need a henley block and seperate CU?

 

[brian wright22]

Originally Posted by SRE I'm trialling this at the minute - DIY KYOTO — wattson Solar - available from Segen at a substantial discount. It measures what is being generated as well as what is being used so and you can dowload the info onto your pc - not sure if it will link with Google Power but sounds good in theory.

They all do if you connect it to the correct feed but it does not measure the two feeds simultaneously.!

I have located a Solar monitor from a Chinese maunacturer that displays Solar generated power,consumed power and displays the difference in plus or minus power as the case may be.
It will display real time,daily, weekly or monthy. The price about £65 plus delivery.The one off trial also carries a postal charge of £40.
The downside is that there is a minimum order of 1000 off.! This sample does not have the £ legend but apparently the firm can include this possibly in place of the $ sign or as well as.I've not found anyone selling one of these in small quantities.

 

[fiardor]

Why would it need a henley block and seperate CU?

Hey Biggy? At last i get a chance to repay you for the times you have given your knowledge to us (me included)

The Wattson requires two clamps, one around the house tails and one around the array ccu tails as it measures the wattage being used(power in use) and wattage being generated(generated power) and then gives a net total of power left available to use. Providing of course that the array is generating more than is being drawn a minus figure will show on the screen(net power).

If an rcbo is used at the customers ccu then the array clamp around the 4mm live cable out of the rcbo would measure the correct wattage but the ccu clamp would have a conflict as it is picking up wattage passing in two different directions.

Hope this helps Biggy.

 

[SolarCity]

Can't the clamp just go around the cable feeding the inverter?

 

[fiardor]

Can't the clamp just go around the cable feeding the inverter?

Err yeah you could Biggy but you need two clamps for the monitor to work correctly.

 

[SolarCity]

Yeah, but it comes with two clamps. So you could put one clamp around the incoming tails to the house and one clamp around the cable to the inverter. Would this not do it?

 

[brian wright22]

Yeah, but it comes with two clamps. So you could put one clamp around the incoming tails to the house and one clamp around the cable to the inverter. Would this not do it?

I agree with Biggs here, except I would phrase it "and one clamp around the cable FROM the Inverter". The cable to the Inverter is DC.
There is no way that current will flow back up to the Inverter when demand is higher than the power being generated by the Solar panel system so you will measure the true power from the Solar system the method Biggs has suggested.

 

[fiardor]

Yeah, but it comes with two clamps. So you could put one clamp around the incoming tails to the house and one clamp around the cable to the inverter. Would this not do it?

I assume that you have had dealings with the wattson.

Any clamp can only measure voltage/amperage/wattage flowing in one direction so there will be a conflict of mesasurements between the two clamps as they are basically in line and the sender unit is asking the clamps to do two different things.

I only know this because of extensive research and trial and error.

Basically i do a kettle test.

1. Clip clamp around customer consumer unit live tails and plug into 3 on sender unit.
2. Clip clamp around live tails to array consumer unit from henley block and plug into the fan on sender unit.
3. Click button on sender unit until the LED flashes 3 times.

Example: Generated Power 4000w
Net Power -3.0kw
Power in use 1000w

If you were now to click on a kettle there will be a direct correlation between all readings.

So if the kettle was a 3kw kettle the readings would show:
Generated power 4000w
Net power 0w
Power in use 4000w

So as long as your array is producing more than your house is using your net power should show a minus figure.

The Wattson never will never work properly unless it is done like this.

 

[fiardor]

I agree with Biggs here, except I would phrase it "and one clamp around the cable FROM the Inverter". The cable to the Inverter is DC.
There is no way that current will flow back up to the Inverter when demand is higher than the power being generated by the Solar panel system so you will measure the true power from the Solar system the method Biggs has suggested.

But you are missing the point Brian.
The clamp that measures the 'power in use' cannot cope with two ac voltages passing through it in different directions regardless of where you clamp the inverter.

But even if you are correct Brian how do you plug both clamp leads into the sender box when the generation meter is downstairs and inverter upstairs?

 

[SolarCity]

Okay, my head hurts a bit but I think I'm with you now.

We need the array to be supplied seperately so that we can measure the load of the rest of the circuits independent of what is happening on the PV installation.

 

[brian wright22]

But you are missing the point Brian.
The clamp that measures the 'power in use' cannot cope with two ac voltages passing through it in different directions regardless of where you clamp the inverter.

But even if you are correct Brian how do you plug both clamp leads into the sender box when the generation meter is downstairs and inverter upstairs?

The ac from the upstairs Inverter connects to the Generation meter and that is where you connect one clamp that is measuring the generated power.
The other clamp for measuring the total power being consumed connects to the output of the consumer meter.
I am using this method of connections but I am monitoring on two separate wireless monitors.
I gather the Wattson meter you are refering to has two inputs for each clamp?

 

[fiardor]

The ac from the upstairs Inverter connects to the Generation meter and that is where you connect one clamp that is measuring the generated power.
The other clamp for measuring the total power being consumed connects to the output of the consumer meter.
I am using this method of connections but I am monitoring on two separate wireless monitors.
I gather the Wattson meter you are refering to has two inputs for each clamp?

Indeed it does Brian in fact it has four inputs (3 for power 1 for array)


I am pretty sure that your consumer unit meter that you use should be having a mini stroke trying to measure voltage passing both ways. But i can only comment on my own experience with these power monitors that customers have when i arrive and then go nuts once the pv array is up and running and an rcbo is fitted.

And as for you Biggy?


Its taken you two sentences to explain whats taken me almost all day to explain.

I bow at your feet my PV guru master.

Too much?

I'll get me coat............ :leaving:

 

[SolarCity]

Thanks for your help, Firador ;-)